2012-02-22
Madam Speaker Aagaard took the Chair at 10 am.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Year 4/5 Gray Primary School students, accompanied by Ms Keira Stewart. On behalf of honourable members I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
Bill presented and read a first time.
Mr KNIGHT (Justice and Attorney-General): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a second time.
As members will recall, on 2 July 2009 all Australian governments signed the Intergovernmental Agreement for Business Names agreeing to the establishment of a single national scheme for the registration and regulation of business names. This new national scheme is to be administered by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission, ASIC, and is currently scheduled to commence on 28 May 2012.
On 20 October 2011, this parliament passed the Business Names (National Uniform Legislation) Request Act 2011. This act, which commenced on 21 December 2011, was the first step in the Northern Territory’s process for transferring the responsibility for regulating NT business names to the Commonwealth. This bill is the second and final step. It repeals the Business Names Act and makes necessary provisions for transitional matters and consequential amendments.
In particular, the bill provides for the migration of data to the Commonwealth prior to the changeover date; repeals the NT’s Business Names Act as at the changeover date which is the date when the Commonwealth legislation starts; makes provision for various transitional matters, particularly with respect to how outstanding matters occur or are being dealt with prior to the changeover date after progressing thereafter; and provides that the Commissioner for Consumer Affairs must notify the Commonwealth ASIC that certain outstanding matters are to be held on the Commonwealth’s Business Names Registration until they are finally dealt with in the Northern Territory. This ensures that the Commonwealth does not deal with these matters until they are finalised in the Northern Territory. It also safeguards the relevant NT business name for that outstanding matter and, last, amends the NT legislation where reference to the repealed Business Names Act appears and serves the appropriate references to the new Commonwealth legislation.
This bill is consistent with similar bills introduced into other jurisdictions and has been developed in consultation with the Commonwealth and other relevant delegates for the Northern Territory Commissioner of Consumer Affairs who has the responsibility for the Business Names Act.
I commend the bill to honourable members and table the explanatory statement.
Debate adjourned.
Bill presented and read a first time.
Mr KNIGHT (Justice and Attorney-General): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a second time.
The Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Legislation Amendment Bill 2012, the bill, amends the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act, the act, which governs the Northern Territory workers compensation scheme. The scheme is a pension-based scheme which is privately underwritten. The act is beneficial legislation, designed to assist injured workers, amongst the most vulnerable of all workers.
The bill seeks to improve the operational efficiency of the act, and specifically the workers compensation scheme itself. The bill will amend:
1. the definition of worker to remove references to the Australian Business Number;
Madam Speaker, I will address each of the above amendments in turn.
The definition of ‘worker’ is a fundamental issue in determining who is covered by the Northern Territory workers compensation scheme and who therefore is entitled to claim for a workplace injury. The current wording of the definition of ‘worker’ has been identified as problematic and in need of amendment for some time.
Section 3(1) of the act currently defines a worker as:
Madam Speaker, the act is different from workers compensation legislation in other jurisdictions, as the definition of ‘worker’ in section 3(1) provides that person is not a worker once they provide an ABN to an employer, regardless of the type of work and the nature of the relationship between the worker and the employer.
Under the act, section 3(6) provides that a person and the employer can agree in writing that the ABN is no longer applicable to the work. This, however, essentially leaves it to the discretion of the employer as to whether the employer will accept liability for the worker under the act.
This has provided an unintended opportunity for employers to void the need to purchase workers compensation insurance for their workers by being able to stipulate that a prerequisite to gain employment is for the worker to obtain and supply an ABN. This means injured workers, in these circumstances, would have to rely on the taxpayer funded public health and social security networks.
At the national level, the Heads of Workers’ Compensation Authorities have identified the definition of worker as an area for harmonisation. The Heads of Workers’ Compensation Authorities recommended approach for harmonising the definition of worker is use of the ‘results test’ a test used by the Australian Taxation Office in considering a person’s status as a sub-contractor.
Two other jurisdictions have adopted the results test in defining a worker in workers compensation legislation. The ‘results test’ provides that even if a person is supplying their own plant, equipment or tools, the person will be a worker if they are not being paid to achieve a specific result or outcome. The test ensures that people who work substantially for the provision of labour are deemed to be at work for the purposes of workers compensation unless they meet the results test.
Therefore, the bill seeks to amend the unintended loophole in the act relating to the definition of a worker by providing that a person who works under a contract or an agreement of any kind is a worker unless the person meets the results test, or the person performing the work has a personal services business determination in effect issued pursuant to the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, the Commonwealth Act. A personal services business determination is also based on the results test.
The proposed amendment to the definition of worker will not capture true independent contractors. The satisfaction of the results test, or the existence of a personal services business determination, will provide for the exclusion of those people who legitimately operate their own business. The amendment will ensure that the Northern Territory workers compensation scheme achieves its public policy intent, that is, it will provide protection to injured workers and avoid the transfer of costs of claim for workplace injuries to the taxpayer funded support schemes.
On to the next subject - non-resident workers. Section 65B currently provides that a worker is not entitled to be paid weekly compensation during any period the worker resides outside of Australia unless the worker’s rehabilitation is complete. This section has been identified as problematic and unfair for workers who are employed on a working visa, are then injured and leave Australia either as requested by their visa obligations or by choice to rehabilitate outside the jurisdiction for family support.
The bill amends the act to allow workers who move out of Australia to continue to claim compensation if they can demonstrate good reasons why a payment should continue. The amendment provides that a worker will be entitled to claim weekly benefits so long as the worker continues to prove at regular intervals their identity and the continuance of their incapacity.
The amendment provides certainty for employers and insurers in that it is proposed that the period of weekly compensation to be paid will cease after 104 weeks whilst the worker resides outside of Australia. Flexibility will also exist for applications to be made to the Work Health Court for payments to continue beyond a 104 week period if there are exceptional circumstances and the court considers it fit to do so. Any extension by the court for the continuation of payments will be for a further fixed period not exceeding 104 weeks. A worker who returns to Australia will still be entitled to claim weekly compensation. The worker’s entitlement to claim medical and rehabilitation benefits is not currently affected by their location, and that position will remain unchanged.
In relation to the change of retirement age, the majority of workers’ compensation schemes in Australia provide for a relationship between the notional retirement age and the cessation of weekly compensation entitlements. Weekly compensation benefits cease at the age of 65 years in the Northern Territory, as this is traditionally the age workers qualify for the aged pension, and the age at which workers have greater access to superannuation. This notional age is used in most workers’ compensation jurisdictions although many workers might choose to work beyond the age of 65, or intend to take earlier retirement. For all workers who continue to work past the age of 65, whether by choice or economic necessity, it is necessary that a more equitable level of protection be provided for those older workers. This shift in the workforce is reflected in the Commonwealth’s decision to progressively increase the qualifying age for the aged pension from 65 to 67 years between 1 July 2017 and 1 July 2023. Therefore, the bill amends section 65 of the act to:
(a) reflect the Commonwealth decision; and
It should be noted that by establishing a link in a bill between the age limit in the act and the qualifying age for the aged pension under the Social Security Act (Commonwealth), it will mean the age limit in the act will increase at stages between 2017 to 2023. However, in order to provide immediate benefit for those people who are currently working at 65 years of age and over, the intention is to extend the period of payment of weekly benefits for a maximum of 104 weeks, and for payments to cease at age 67 years.
The key elements are: if a worker is injured after the commencement of the legislation and is aged 63 years or older, the worker will be entitled to a maximum of 104 weeks compensation payment or until the worker reaches an age of 67, whichever occurs first; and workers who are older than 67 years when they are injured are entitled to weekly compensation for up to 26 weeks - and that is no change.
The change can be demonstrated by the following examples. A worker injured at age 64 will cease to be entitled to weekly compensation two years after, at age 66. A worker injured at age 65 will cease to be entitled to weekly compensation at age 67. An injured worker at age 66 years 2 months will cease to be entitled to weekly compensation when they turn 67 and, lastly, a worker injured at age 68 will cease to be entitled after six months.
The bill sets out transitional arrangements in preparation for the increase to the retirement age, and will only affect future claims. Entitlements for current claims within the scheme will only be affected when the pension age is changed pursuant to the Commonwealth’s Social Security Act. Once the aged pension is increased, all injured workers will be entitled to receive their weekly compensation payments until they reach the relevant pension age.
With respect to the non-cash remuneration, the concept of non-cash remuneration is one that is well known within the Northern Territory worker’s compensation insurance sector. In making policy decisions which affect the worker’s compensation scheme in the Northern Territory, this government is mindful of the need to balance the interests of injured workers with those of insurers and employers. The worker’s compensation insurance is priced by reference to a number of factors, usually by reference to a percentage of the employer’s payroll. The concept of non-cash benefits initially presented difficulties for insurers in setting a price for insurance premium as there is no requirement for the employer to disclose the types of non-cash benefits provided to workers on the relevant application for insurance. Items often claimed as non-cash benefits include accommodation, meals, airfares, gym membership, school fees, electricity subsidy, cars and telephones.
The bill seeks to strike a balance of interest by limiting the application of non-cash remuneration to accommodation, meals and electricity for the purposes of calculating the worker’s normal weekly earnings. In balancing workers and employers interests, the bill does not describe a value for the accommodation, meals and electricity claimed, but allows consideration of the value of such benefits on a case-by-case basis.
With respect to reduction of interest rates, the bill includes amendments to the payment of interest on benefits so this amendment goes directly to the costs of claims. The current interest rate applicable to the late payment of claims is 20%. The interest rate was prescribed in the 1980s when interest rates were generally higher than they are today. Examples can be provided where the interest rate component of a late payment is disproportionate to the actual award of compensation. The bill amends the prescribed rate of interest payable on late payments to be the same as the rate applicable to Supreme Court judgment debts. The current Supreme Court rate of interest is 10.75%.
It is acknowledged that the higher interest rate has acted as an incentive to some insurers to pay compensation promptly. As a balance to this eventuality, the bill provides that the interest is payable from the date weekly payments are taken to have fallen due had there been no dispute. This means that the lower interest rate will apply from the date the benefits were ceased or reduced rather than the date that the court decides the employer was liable for the benefit. This will ensure the worker is compensated appropriately for the period without benefits.
The matter relating to the power to remit matters to the Supreme Court - the bill also makes a technical amendment to section 116 of the act to allow the Supreme Court to remit matters back to the Work Health Court for final determination. Section 116, as it currently is drafted, requires a party to commence a new application to the Work Health Court following a successful appeal to the Supreme Court. An amendment is necessary to include an express power to the Supreme Court to remit cases back to the Work Health Court to improve the operational efficiency of the act. Power is also conferred on the Supreme Court to vary the decision or determination of the Work Health Court, or to substitute his own decision or determination. The bill would provide for the efficient disposal of court matters by reducing legal costs associated in having to commence new applications to the Work Health Court following a decision on appeal to the Supreme Court.
This bill has been developed over a long period of time with input from a range of Northern Territory stakeholders. I would particularly like to thank all the members of the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Advisory Council, Unions NT, the Insurance Council of Australia and the Council of the Ageing for their valuable contribution.
This bill is a clear statement of this government’s commitment to insuring the fair and effective operation of the Northern Territory workers compensation scheme, while balancing the interests of all stakeholders. The bill will amend the act to ensure that it operates validly and efficiently.
I commend the bill to honourable members and table a copy of the explanatory statement.
Debate adjourned.
Bill presented and read a first time.
Mr VATSKALIS (Health): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a second time.
The purpose of this bill is to establish a legislative framework for the appointment and operation of Hospital Network Governing Councils.
Since 2010, the Northern Territory has been involved with the Australian government and other states and territories in a series of major reforms for the Australian health system, known collectively as National Health Reform.
One of the major changes of the National Health Reform is the formation of hospital networks. The establishment of hospital networks in the Northern Territory will:
recognise the Northern Territory government’s commitment to more involvement of community and key stakeholders in the planning and performance assessment of health services;
align with reforms negotiated between the states and territories and the Australian government under the National Health Reform Agreement.
On 14 December 2010, following an extensive public consultation process I announced the creation of two hospital networks in the Northern Territory. The Top End Hospital Network will be based in Darwin and will be made up of Royal Darwin, Gove and Katherine Hospitals, as well as the new Palmerston hospital when it becomes operational. The Central Australian Hospital Network will be based in Alice Springs and will cover Alice Springs and Tennant Creek Hospitals.
Each hospital network will have a governing council selected through an open public expression of interest process. The governing council will be made up of community members and clinicians appointed by the Minister for Health. Hospital network governing councils will play an important role in setting the strategic direction of the hospital network and will build on the excellent work of the current Northern Territory hospital boards.
Hospital network governing councils will provide a high level consultative function to the hospital network. It will include a response to system-wide issues, considering the needs of the population across both the hospital network and the primary healthcare system. The councils will work with the Chief Executive of the Department of Health and the hospital network executive directors to oversee performance and accountability of the hospital network against agreed targets.
The council will engage with clinical and community stakeholders, and will provide feedback to me as Minister for Health on issues of strategic importance for the hospital network and the health needs of the community they serve.
The chairperson of each governing council will also be a member of the selection panel for the recruitment of senior executive staff in the hospital network. This covers the roles of Hospital Network Executive Director, Director of Medical Services and Director of Nursing. The governing councils will comprise of people with a range of expertise and knowledge, including Indigenous health, community development, health leadership, business and finance, community engagement, teaching and research, primary healthcare and governance.
In selecting the members of the governing council, due regard will be given to the Indigenous status and the residential address of the person applying for appointment. This will ensure that there is a strong Indigenous voice for health improvement in the hospital networks and ensure that there is appropriate representation from the regions that form the hospital network.
The proposed bill serves to provide clear guidelines for the selection of governing council members and for the operation of the governing councils.
Extensive consultation with the current hospital boards and community has gone into the development of this bill. It incorporates feedback from current hospital board members on issues they believe require clarity to facilitate the optimal functioning of the new governing councils.
Extensive operating guidelines are also under development to assist with the smooth operation of the councils. Using contemporary legislative styles, some matters that were raised by boards are best dealt with in the operative guidelines than in legislation, allowing for flexibility to deal with the rapidly changing environment.
Northern Territory Hospital Networks come into full effect on 1 July 2012 as Government Business Divisions for the Department of Health, making the introduction of this bill timely. This bill will also involve the repeal of the Hospital Boards Act 2009.
I take this opportunity to sincerely thank all current and former members of Northern Territory hospital boards for their dedication and commitment to improving the health of Territorians over many years, and for their significant involvement in the development of the functions to be undertaken by the new governing councils.
I commend this bill to honourable members, and table a copy of the explanatory statement.
Debate adjourned.
Continued from 1 December 2011.
Mr CONLAN (Greatorex): Madam Speaker, I do not think there is any need to drag this out for 45 minutes, as much I would love to stay here and speak for 45 minutes to keep the government working. I fear we might adjourn the House early. Nevertheless, we have a General Business Day to get through so we will be working late into the night or as late as this House possibly allows us to. I can signal the opposition supports this ...
A member: I want to go home.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr CONLAN: There is a glaring omission in some of our mental health strategies across the Northern Territory and this is one of them. This is providing, essentially - as the minister stated in his second reading speech - access to treat someone with a mental disturbance or a mental health issue in a maximum low risk environment and that is very important.
In our discussions today, and over the last couple of weeks, the opposition highlight - it was recognised there is a significant gap between our current mental health facilities in the Northern Territory and our gaols. We do need to fill that space. My interpretation of this is that these amendments to the act allow that. We will be throwing our support behind this. It is very important that we establish this capacity in the field of mental health in the Northern Territory.
There are a couple of questions which really are legal questions and we will take those into committee, minister. I will defer to our shadow Attorney-General to ask those questions, who has raised some questions in our shadow Cabinet surrounding some of the legalities of this. I am sure you should be able to satisfy his curiosity when we move into committee stage.
I have a couple of questions for you, minister, which perhaps you can take note of and answer in your reply. Tier 1 is basically clients who provide a high level of physical security that eliminates their exposure to significant risk. That is around hospitals, tier 1, I understand.
Tier 2 is around secure care group homes. The question is: what exactly are these secure care group homes, where will they be built, and under what capacity will they be operating? I see the member for Nelson is concerned about that and the member for Goyder was concerned about some of that. Is this whole secure care facility stuff that has inflamed - we have seen some concerns over that over the last 12 months or so.
If you can answer some of those questions regarding Tier 2, that is, secure care group homes. Where will they be built and when? If you could make a note of those, minister, and is there any chance you can answer some of those questions in your reply? I believe the member for Nelson would like to speak on this, and we indicate we will take it into committee. I defer to our shadow Attorney-General to ask a couple of legal questions.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, this is very important legislation, and it is not particularly easy legislation to understand. Neither is the whole of the Mental Health and Related Services Act easy to understand. From a lay person’s point of view, I have not found it easy to understand issues that have been raised in parliament in previous times. Therefore, last week, I went out to visit the Tier 1 complex cognitive impairment facility at the Mental Health Unit at the Royal Darwin Hospital. I was shown around the facility by Bronwyn Hendry, Director of Mental Health, Lea Torrens, the Clinical Nurse Manager Top End Mental Health Inpatient Unit, and Terry Barker, the Senior Policy Officer of Mental Health. I appreciate the time they gave me to look at the facility and also to educate me on certain matters in relation to this particular bill and mental health in general.
From my notes, I will talk about what I saw when I was out there. This is a facility which has maximum flexibility and it is referred to as a swing unit. In other words, you can secure and house adults in one section, or children in another, or male and female, or you can separate them by the way in which this facility has been designed. Both areas have a sensory room. The bedrooms have an en suite and all fixtures are designed for the safety of clients and staff. There is a secure area for children to have access to fresh air, and a place to run around and play games. There is also an outdoor area for adults. The people in the facility have access to a gym, which is nearby, for group sessions, and there is a kitchen and dining area which can be separated, if needed. There is also a central staff room for observation.
One of the things I noticed when I was there was some mosaics on the wall. It was mentioned to me that these mosaics where actually done by a person who had suffered major brain injuries in a car accident in New Zealand some years ago. Her name was Lyn Temby and I will read an article taken from the website which talks about Lyn:
I go on to the end:
I read that because those mosaics are on the wall within this facility, and it is a reminder of the ability of people who have some brain damage - these people are capable of reaching high standards in things like art. We need to ensure we treat people with complex cognitive impairment with respect. That is exactly what the facility at RDH does and, of course, talking to the people involved you obviously hear their respect for the patients they deal with.
That is what this legislation is about; it is setting up the legislative backing for this new facility. If you go through the initial parts of the act it gives the definition of what cognitive impairment is, and it says under new section 6A:
Further down it says:
We have legislation which will enable care for these people and care that is supported by legislative changes to the Mental Health and Related Services Act, and I believe it is very important that happens.
This facility is to be used extensively by clients who need assessment, treatment, and management plans developed either when they first come in or later when their medication and treatment needs review and modification. It is not a respite area. The maximum stay is four weeks subject to the Mental Health Tribunal ruling and conditions. Clients who pose a risk to themselves or others will not be in this facility but will be in other mental health units in RDH.
One of the notes we have from the briefing is that the criteria for CCI provides the opportunity to carry out a full medical examination as well as diagnosis of mental illness. It was noted that most people coming in have other medical conditions and, under the other criteria, cannot be detained to carry out full examination. That is one of the benefits of this legislation.
We had some comments from the Community Visitor Program. There is a lady called Judy who visits regularly, I believe every Friday. Staff said that these visits were very valuable especially for clients who do not believe they should be in the facility. Judy said these facilities in Darwin and Alice Springs are necessary and will alleviate the following: there was a CCI client who had been detained in Alice Springs for over 12 months; the time frames in the legislation are welcome to ensure clients are treated quickly. Currently, vulnerable and frail young people are housed in the Joan Ridley Unit at RDH with mentally ill and disturbed patients. It is totally inappropriate that young people have to be housed with adults. She does make a note that we must ensure there is sufficient funding for all the associated services which go with the Community Visitor Program, and she has also made a note about ensuring the need to improve interpreter services for these clients. I believe this is a note in the annual report regarding that, as well.
This is very important legislation. I recommend to people who do not know much about mental health that they actually talk to the staff. I should have mentioned that this facility will have three staff on morning shift, three on afternoon shift, and two on night shift. There will be a regular psychiatric nurse every shift. The qualifications for patient care and assistance will hold a Certificate IV in Disability and Youth Worker.
There will be the required staff in this facility. One of the issues government will have, and I think also it may have in relation to the new mental health unit at the new prison, will be, can they get enough people to work there? Is there a shortage of qualified people to work in these areas? If so, maybe we should also be - I may be speaking out of turn here - talking to the university in relation to training these people. We now have the medical training facility at the university. Will that include perhaps some growing our own psychiatric nurses and people who need to work in this area, which would certainly be a good thing?
I recommend to anyone, it does not matter whether you are actually involved in this particular debate today, to visit the new facility. I have to make a little more time in my life to get a better understanding of this area because sometimes we are a little old-fashioned, the 18th century type, or 19th century type approach - out of sight, out of mind. These people are members of our society; they are Territorians. We need to understand the illnesses these people have, how they are being treated, get a better understanding of where they are treated, and talk to people who are involved in looking after these people, so we, as legislators, have a better understanding of what is required, also, as members of parliament, whether there needs to be more financial input into some of these areas.
It is obviously a costly exercise because of the number of staff required for a relatively small number of people. However, it is certainly a sign of whether we, as a parliament, care for the weak in our society, the people who have, to some extent, less chance to speak up for themselves because of their illnesses, and the people who actually need the most care. I believe it is reflective on us as a parliament to ensure people in these facilities are given the best treatment possible and the best care possible. This legislation and the new facility that has been built is certainly going a long way towards that happening.
Madam Speaker, I support the bill. I will also be asking some questions during committee stage.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Speaker, today I make some observations in relation to this legislative instrument we are being asked to support. The minister is essentially coming into this House saying there is a gap in the system we have, and that gap is somewhere between gaol, the operation of the mental health legislation, and the facilities available. We know that in Alice Springs and Darwin there have been issues with the locations of certain units, and without entering into those debates because I do not want to do so today, I understand what the minister is asking for and, on first blush, and on second blush, it does not appear to be unreasonable.
A cognitive shortcoming as described by this instrument could be considered different to a mental health problem. A high profile case, I suppose it will not do any harm if I mention the name, was the matter of Roland Ebatarinja, which, to a degree, would be in the minister’s mind regarding the operation of a legislative instrument of this nature.
There are some observations I want to make because of the involuntary component some of this legislative instrument contemplates. Those observations are about the security protocols that will be in place to ensure that the rights of people who are subject to the operation of this legislation are not overridden on the grounds of medical superiority, for a lack of better terms.
By way of example, one the issues I am aware of is a particular fellow who lives in my electorate we will call Mr X, who regularly comes to me. There is no doubt Mr X has a mental health issue. Mr X freely admits there is a problem; however, Mr X, nevertheless, despite his schizophrenia, tries very hard to make his way in the world and generate income by working. To his enormous credit, whilst he is seriously affected by his schizophrenic disorder, he nevertheless scrapes a few shekels together by way of his own business. For that reason, I have much time for Mr X because I could not begin to imagine someone who has that problem still finds the capacity within themselves to make their own way in the world.
The problem Mr X has is the Mental Health Review Tribunal from time to time meets and determines what treatment Mr X should receive. Whilst he has had legal representation at this tribunal, he has not been fulsomely satisfied with that legal representation. I, quite frankly, cannot say I blame him because on one occasion I met Mr X, who was receiving treatment for his condition, and clearly the drugs were so potent they changed him to the point of being a zombie. He was clearly drug-affected and it was at the order of the tribunal. He does not like being drugged up to the eyeballs but obeys the direction of the tribunal. When he is ordered to take these drugs, despite the adverse reactions - and there other side effects including diarrhoea and other problems - he obeys the directions of the tribunal. I can tell the health minister it is clear to me, and should have been clear to any professional let alone layman, that the treatment being offered by the tribunal was substantially worse than the disorder.
I was distressed by it to the point where I spoke to Mr X’s lawyer. I am pleased to announce to the House that Mr X’s drug regime has been changed. What became apparent to me through that process was that the tribunal is quite prepared to intervene in an impaired person’s life in a most invasive way and there seems little consideration for the outcomes of what the tribunal does.
I do not suggest that the tribunal acts in any way with any malice towards Mr X or any other person that comes before them; however, sometimes I wonder if there does creep into this tribunal’s, and any other number of tribunals thinking, a certain amount of professional superiority over the needs of the people they are making determinations for.
The reason I raise this issue is because this legislative instrument will have the effect of casting a slightly wider net than is currently being cast under the legislation. I am concerned that the instrument we pass will create in the tribunal a power to make these determinations for involuntary people and that there may not be a sufficient check or balance representation on behalf of the person who comes before the tribunal, particularly in this instance, where a mental health issue and a cognitive disability issue are two quite different things.
At least in the case of Mr X, whilst he has schizophrenia and it manifests itself in quite a profound way without drug treatment, Mr X is at least able to signal his objections to the tribunal’s determinations. A person with a cognitive function may not necessarily enjoy the same capacity and so there may well be a temptation on the part of the tribunal to interfere even more - where up until now they have no powers of interference whatsoever. That is not to say I do not understand what is being attempted here by the Minister for Health. I believe the motives of the people behind these ideas are, essentially, bona fide; the motives are good-faith motives. Nevertheless, as these bureaucratic arrangements settle down into a routine, it is that aspect of the routine which has the capacity to create a familiarity - and familiarity, as we all know, breeds contempt.
Having made those observations, I look forward to the summation by the minister in relation to these issues. I seek reassurances from the minister that there will be a capacity for, if you like, appeal or at least some form of representation on behalf of the individuals who are subject to involuntary determinations. It is an area of concern for me. I am concerned enough about Mr X to raise it in this place. Whilst I realise Mr X would not be covered by this legislative instrument, the parallel is important. It clearly demonstrates that there is still, no matter how well intended, a capacity for errors to be made.
I remember reading an article some 10 years ago where an experiment, essentially, was done by two psychologists in the United States who deliberately feigned certain personality disorders to get them institutionalised within a mental health institution. The moment they entered the mental health institution - and I wish I could find this article; I have been looking for it, but I just cannot lay my hands on it - these two individuals then began to present as normal human beings. All they did was go about their business as they normally would, showing no signs of any mental disorder or mental malfunction. The effect, though, of the institutionalisation of systems was that the normality of these two individuals was not picked up for months. They simply continued to go about their business quite normally, showing all the signs of lucidity and sanity and, yet, nobody picked up the fact that they were sane.
It is that preponderance towards familiarity with a system that creates these gaps. I particularly want to hear from the minister today, if he can give an indication, as to what checks and balances he sees will be put in place, and to see if he can reassure this House that those checks and balances will be sufficient to protect the interests of somebody who is, essentially, being incarcerated without any form of trial.
Mr VATSKALIS (Health): Madam Speaker, thank you very much to the members of the opposition for their support, and the member for Nelson. These particular amendments fill a gap in the existing legislation. The legislation refers clearly to people with mental disorders. This one refers to people who do not have, necessarily, a mental disorder, but who have a cognitive impairment that can be as a result of a car accident or other reasons.
These 11 beds are Tier 1 beds - five in Darwin and six in Alice Springs - to cater for these people. If the member opposite remembers, last week I introduced legislative amendments with regard to Tier 2. Tier 2 will care for people in out-of-hospital environments. There will be two areas, one will be in Darwin in the Holtze area, the other one will be in Alice Springs near the prison precinct, and they will cater for adults who have cognitive disabilities, but they do not have to be in an area such as a hospital.
I note the shadow Attorney-General’s concern. Mr X, obviously, has a mental disability rather than cognitive impairment - two different issues. Under the existing legislation, Mr X can be ordered by the tribunal to undergo treatment or to be detained up to three months, where a person with a cognitive disorder can only be held in total for 28 days. I also note your comment made here that Mr X was administered or ordered to take medication ...
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Goyder, please take that phone outside.
Mr VATSKALIS: He was ordered to take medication that would turn him into a zombie. I have personal experience with these things happening. However, in this situation where we have a person with cognitive disability, the tribunal will have a legal representative, usually a magistrate, a medical person, preferably a psychiatrist, but also a person who will have expertise in complex cognitive impairment. So we have three experts who would be able to assess the situation before they prescribe the treatment, or they prescribe any detention, or treatment plan. In addition to that, there will be guidelines, legal representation, but also the adult guardian or carer will have a role to play in the tribunal hearing because the guardian or the carer will be notified in writing of the tribunal’s decision. The guardian or the carer will be consulted in the development of an application, and treatment and management plan. The guardian or the carer may request the tribunal to review the admission of a person, so there will be an added level of security there.
What we are trying to manage and address are some personal issues without impeding on the person’s rights and, at the same time protect the community. I agree with you. I have personal experience with my first wife being admitted twice involuntarily to a psychiatric institution by the police. My main concern was her rights - her personal rights and her human rights. I was strong enough to be there and to make sure her human rights were respected. Other people may not be strong enough; other people might not have representation.
I would be very happy to discuss this issue with Mr X, member for Port Darwin, to see if there are any gaps in the Mental Health and Related Services Act, so we can ensure people, if they have to go to the tribunal for mental illnesses, are considered as human beings not as patients alone. If they are administered medication, then it is the best for their ability considering the circumstances. You said Mr X wants to work. If he is provided medication that really makes him a zombie, he would be unable to work and perform a meaningful life.
However, I believe the checks and balances are here. We will try to protect the individual and the community without impeding on their human rights. Some of the most important sections are the order can be made for a total of 28 days, not indefinite, not a long period of time; the expertise involved in a tribunal making the decision; and also the added level of security. The carer or the adult guardian will be involved in the whole thing and they have the ability and opportunity to object, or to request the tribunal to review the decision.
If you want to go into committee stage, I am happy to go there. If there are any other questions, I am happy to answer other questions.
Motion agreed to; bill read a second time.
Madam SPEAKER: I advise honourable members of the presence in the gallery of Year 7, 8 and 9 Sanderson Middle School students accompanied by Ms Jan Leo and Mr Bill Simpson. On behalf of honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
In committee:
Madam CHAIR: Honourable members, the committee has before it the Mental Health and Related Services Amendment Bill 2011 in the name of Mr Vatskalis.
Is it the wish of the committee that the bill be taken as a whole?
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Chair. You are not introducing any amendments to the bill?
Madam CHAIR: No, there are no amendments.
Mr ELFERINK: All right, then we will take it as a whole.
Bill, by leave, taken as a whole.
Mr ELFERINK: Thank you, minister, for your second reading closing remarks. You go some way to alleviating my concerns. I also acknowledge the fact that you understand my concerns. You outlined the assessment process and protocols. Do you have any sort of orders or instructions, documents of that nature, that outline how those protocols will be applied in the department, and within the tribunal? If so, can you table them?
Mr VATSKALIS: The procedure will be developed when the legislation is passed and we have something in front of us and can draft the relevant procedures. I will be very happy, when they are developed, to table them in the parliament.
Mr ELFERINK: Okay. Whilst I realise it is a different legislative instrument, in terms of the Mental Health Tribunal, do similar procedures currently exist under the Mental Health and Related Services Act for people appearing as people with mental issues?
Mr VATSKALIS: Yes, there are procedures drafted.
Mr ELFERINK: Whilst I realise that it does not directly touch on this bill, are you able to produce them here and table them?
Mr VATSKALIS: I am happy to table them at a later date, I do not have them with me.
Mr ELFERINK: You do not have them with you, okay, that is fine.
Mr VATSKALIS: I am happy to table them at a later date.
Mr ELFERINK: The processes of involving carers and those sorts of things in the management plans, will that be incorporated into these procedures?
Mr VATSKALIS: Yes, they will be.
Mr ELFERINK: In relation to the legislative instrument before the House now, can you assure this House that carers and their representative organisations have been sufficiently consulted, and are you able to table any evidence of those consultations?
Mr VATSKALIS: While there have been numerous consultations and discussions with service providers, and individuals, both in Darwin and Alice Springs, I cannot give you any evidence at this stage of consultation, but we can actually provide something later on. People can write to us and advise they have been consulted.
Mr ELFERINK: Yes. You can understand my concern, minister, at this point, that you ask for this House to pass a law which will enable certain things to be done against people’s will should they be determined to have a cognitive disorder, yet when I ask for procedures and evidence of consultation, I get told, ‘yes, look we have had a consultation but the procedures are not yet written’. The consultations, I am told, are done, but there is no direct evidence of those consultations. You can understand why I get concerned then, minister, about the professional superiority I flagged during the second reading debate.
Mr VATSKALIS: Well, procedures will not be drafted until the legislation is passed, because there may be amendments on the floor. I cannot foresee what the amendments may be on the floor so I cannot draft procedures.
On the other hand, these consultations have been taking place. I would be happy to provide you with the dates of when and where the consultations took place. You have to remember, a lot of qualified legislation comes here when consultation has taken place. We do not have all the documents here with us when we bring in legislation. In other cases I have not been asked this question, but as I said to you before, I am very happy to table this information because I know it is vital and I believe that these procedures should be scrutinised by parliament. The evidence of consultation can be provided, and I will provide it to you as soon as I have it in my hands.
Mr ELFERINK: I am indebted to you, minister. In the consultation process, did any person or organisation being consulted raise any concerns which have not been attended to in this legislation? If so, what were those concerns and why has the legislation not been amended accordingly?
Mr VATSKALIS: I am not aware of any objections that were raised in these Tier 1 facilities. This legislation applies only to Tier 1.
Mr ELFERINK: Yes, that is right, it is Tier 1. The Tier 2 stuff is just coming down the pipeline, is it not?
Mr VATSKALIS: Yes.
Mr ELFERINK: Did you give notice of that this morning?
Mr VATSKALIS: No, it was actually last week.
Mr ELFERINK: Last week, okay, just shows you how one day blends into another in this place. All right. Thank you, minister, I appreciate your time and trouble and I look forward to those documents either being tabled or forwarded to me directly.
Mr VATSKALIS: I will ensure when we debate Tier 2 that I have all this information about consultation, when it took place and who we consulted, so we do not have the same problem.
Mr ELFERINK: I am obliged to you, minister. Thank you.
Mr WOOD: Madam Chair, my question is probably more technical at this stage. Minister, in relation to clause 9, which is the section 22 amended, it amends section 22(3)(a) of the existing act, the insertion you want to put in says:
(a) is a medical practitioner who holds specialist registration under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law in the recognised speciality of psychiatry, or
I cannot understand the difference between one and the other.
Mr VATSKALIS: The previous one refers to people who are registered under state or territory legislation. We have now moved to a national registration system and we have changed to cover the national registration.
Mr WOOD: Thank you, minister. A similar question in relation to clause 13 of the amended act which is referring to section 44(4) where you omit – it relates to where an authorised psychiatric practitioner considers etcetera – that is in the existing act – and we have put in a new section. Can you tell us why that was reworded? Was there a major problem before?
Mr VATSKALIS: Is it section 44?
Mr WOOD: Yes, section 44(4):
That has been replaced with something which looks ...
Mr VATSKALIS: My advice is that is not a change, it is just rewording the existing clause.
Mr WOOD: My question was: why did it need rewording? Was there some problem with it?
Mr VATSKALIS: Parliamentary Counsel reworded something to fit the current drafting instructions.
Mr WOOD: Are we always like Parliamentary Counsel, minister?
This question was brought up during the briefing and it relates to clause 14 under the new section 44A(2), it just has a definition in this section:
The question we had during the briefing was: why not non-government agencies? There was a suggestion that units of the agency means non-government agencies, but we did not have any confirmation as to whether that is exactly what ‘units of the agency’ meant.
Mr VATSKALIS: My advice is that only government entities can be involved in this application, not NGOs.
Mr WOOD: What then does ‘units of the agency’ mean?
Mr VATSKALIS: Divisions of sections of the agency.
Mr WOOD: Is there any reason why non-government agencies are not included in that definition?
Mr VATSKALIS: They are not including any involuntary provisions in this act.
Mr WOOD: Another matter which came up during the briefing, minister, was in relation to the clause 14 which refers to 44D, Notice of Application. Our question was in relation to the way it is worded. For instance, it says:
(1) Within one day after making the application the applicants must give written notice of it in the approved form to the following persons:
It then goes (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e).
The question was: is there meant to be an ‘and’ or an ‘or’, or is everyone included? Do you need all those people to ...
Mr VATSKALIS: My understanding is, yes, all these people should be notified.
Mr WOOD: All right. Section 18, minister, refers to section 60 of the old act. The words ‘is reasonably likely’ were removed from what was in the old act. The old act was in relation to sterilisation:
In the change those words were removed. Is there any reason why those words ‘is reasonably likely’ were removed?
Mr VATSKALIS: It is against the drafting protocol that is responsible for the way it is drafted.
Mr WOOD: It does not have any effect on ...
Mr VATSKALIS: Connotations? No.
Mr WOOD: Okay. In clause 24, section 66 is amended. Under the new section 66(1)(b) it says:
And I will go to section 66(2)(c):
(i) all reasonable efforts have been made to consult the person’s primary carer;
Mr VATSKALIS: That was an omission in the old act, and it has now been rectified by providing this into the legislation.
Mr WOOD: What I was saying is that the new clause 66(1) says:
And I go to:
We are dealing with the same matter in a further clause, which says, as I quoted:
(i) all reasonable efforts have been made to consult the person’s primary carer;
Why is it not saying, ‘all reasonable efforts have been made to consult the adult guardian’? Or are two separate consents required? Am I getting that mixed up?
Mr VATSKALIS: I do not know if I understand what you say. It is a legal requirement for the guardian to be consulted and provide his consent. The person will have a guardian because he has an impairment, but he might not have a carer. You do not have to get the consent of the carer if there is no carer in place.
Mr WOOD: I may need to get another briefing at another date for that. It is just that the second one says that the tribunal may authorise electroconvulsive therapy to be performed. One is saying that a person must not perform electroconvulsive therapy on another person unless the other person’s adult guardian consents and, then further on, it says that the tribunal may authorise electroconvulsive therapy to be performed on a person if it is satisfied all reasonable efforts have been made to consult the person’s primary carer. I just thought there might be some inconsistency in who was meant to be consulted, that is all.
Mr VATSKALIS: I can come back to that one. My understanding is the important thing is the guardian because there will be a guardian, but there may not be a carer in place. That is why all reasonable efforts are to be made to consult the person’s primary carer. If there is no carer, there is no consent to be obtained. But I will clarify that one and come back to you.
Mr WOOD: Clause 31 - and by the way, minister, we thank you for the briefing. Sometimes, these questions come back later on. Clause 31(4) talks about inserting 6(B) and here we are actually amending existing clause 123(6A). It says that if the tribunal makes an order under section 123(5)(ba), which is above that:
Does that mean once a decision is made it is final?
Mr VATSKALIS: No, but the person may be detained as an involuntary patient on the grounds of mental illness or mental disturbance following an assessment under Part 6 Division 2 or 3 if the person fulfils the criteria for involuntary admission on those grounds.
Mr WOOD: It says under the new (ba) - this is a new insert:
And then of course 6B is referring to that subsection that the tribunal cannot further review detention on the grounds of complex cognitive impairment. Does that mean that once they have been given an extension of 14 days, that is it? Is that correct?
Mr VATSKALIS: The way the act is drafted, a person can be detained for 14 days plus an extra 14 days and that is it. The only difference would be if a person is admitted in an emergency they get 10 days and then the tribunal can give 14 days.
Mr WOOD: Thanks, minister. Clause 40 in relation to documents relating to examination, admission and treatment, in the existing act, which is section 160 headed ‘Recommendation or certificate not to be signed without examination’, it goes on to say that:
The word ‘recommendation’ has gone. Why has it gone? Is there a reason for that?
Mr VATSKALIS: It is a drafting instruction - Parliamentary Counsel’s drafting. But all relevant documents will cover every document related to the particular person’s history, medical records or any reference to a situation. The way I see it, it is actually a generic term to cover all possible documents rather than listing each document of the act.
Mr WOOD: Fair enough, minister. Is there a definition of ‘document’ which would mean that the word ‘recommendation’ is included somewhere? That is the change.
Mr VATSKALIS: All these issues have been prescribed by the act, and definitions, like ‘recommendations’, are clearly defined in the act.
Mr WOOD: Thanks, minister. Just a general question: I mentioned in my opening remarks whether we are going to have enough trained people to run these facilities, and what the government is doing to make sure we will have an ongoing number of people who can work in this area, especially referring to when we have Tier 2. We are going to have mental health facilities for the prison, so will we have enough qualified people to run these places?
Mr VATSKALIS: We currently have recruitment under way to finalise starting arrangements for these 11 beds. We will be following this very closely and, depending on the demand, we will address the issue of staffing.
Mr WOOD: This might be a question slightly out of left field, minister. Royal Darwin Hospital is a very busy place and there is hardly any more room to expand unless you go up. If you have tried to get there, minister, parking spaces are absolutely at a premium. If people want to access, it is certainly very difficult to get to any of the facilities. Menzies School of Health Research, the palliative care section, and even the general hospital - you have to go half a mile to get to it. Are there any moves to look at even multistorey car parking because it is chockers?
Mr VATSKALIS: Member for Nelson, we have added 200 extra spaces for car parks. The problem we had before is that extra spaces were added but no one knew where they were. I have asked the hospital to provide a map to highlight where each of them are. We certainly pay for past mistakes. Everything was flat, one or two storeys. My instructions now are very clear: nothing less than four storeys. We are looking into multistorey public/private arrangements to put in place and I will expect something to come to me in the next two or three months.
Mr WOOD: That is all the questions I have, Madam Chair.
Bill reported without amendment; report adopted.
Mr VATSKALIS (Health): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a third time.
Motion agreed to; bill read a third time.
Continued from 21 February 2012.
Ms McCARTHY (Local Government): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to speak today in support of the minister for Education’s statement on all of the good work we have done, and will continue to do, to meet one of our most critical obligations as a government. That is, to ensure our kids - all children, no matter where they live - have access to a good education to enhance their ongoing wellbeing and maximise the choices and opportunities they have available for them in the future.
The Northern Territory government has been, and continues to be, working hard to ensure business confidence and to broker significant new private sector investment in the Northern Territory. To ensure our continued economic prosperity, we have also made the necessary commitment and investments in our most precious resource in the Northern Territory, our young people. It is unprecedented in our education infrastructure and teaching resources to ensure every Territory child, no matter where they live, will get a top-class education if they go to school every day.
I contrast that with the record of the alternate Territory government: not one secondary school in the bush when we came to office. How can that be? Well, this year, we saw a release of Cabinet records showing how the CLP government of the day declined the advice of education professionals in the public service and refused to invest in secondary education in the bush. That is why there was no secondary schooling in the bush after 27 years of CLP government.
The Henderson Labor government recognises that, in order to continue to deal with the consequences of those decades of neglect, we have to look at a holistic approach to the regions across the Northern Territory and the advancement of the people of the Northern Territory wherever they may live. This neglect included critical community infrastructure - essential services infrastructure within our towns and transport infrastructure connecting the bush to town; gross neglect of community housing; and neglect of government services, including family support services that others living elsewhere take for granted.
These are the very real challenges of our government, and we have been unafraid and unashamed of dealing with it head on. We are about dealing with the decades of neglect in order to build the firm foundations for decades of prosperity for all people across the Northern Territory.
Our 2007 Closing the Gap generational plan of action provided over $286m and action to support key initiatives including the introduction of the Children’s Commissioner from June 2008, and $9.6m for antenatal and early childhood care education programs over five years. We appointed the Indigenous Affairs Advisory Council to provide expert advice on the development of Indigenous policy, including the development of a holistic Northern Territory Indigenous languages policy to not just focus on the use of Indigenous languages in the education system.
In 2009, our A Working Future policy introduced new processes for working with local reference groups, developing our growth towns as service centres, building strong families, working to improve school attendance and education outcomes, as well as provide more jobs for school leavers through economic development.
The Indigenous Employment and Career Development Strategy led to a rise in the number of Indigenous people working in the Northern Territory public sector - many of them school leavers - lifting the percentage of Indigenous employees from 5% to 8% between 2003 and 2011. We have our Indigenous Economic Development Strategy growing Indigenous employment, business and participation in our growth economy. This included job guarantees to every student from a Territory growth town who graduates with a Year 12 Northern Territory Certification of Education and Training.
There is our response to the 2010 Growing them strong, together report promoting the safety and wellbeing of the Northern Territory’s children with a new investment of $130m over five years, investing, protecting and supporting our most vulnerable children. Our Every Child, Every Day strategy and action plan to build on all of these other initiatives to improve school enrolment, school attendance, and the participation of young Territorians in education and training is exactly what our government is about. Our overarching Territory 2030 plan has, at its core, developing lifelong learning opportunities and wellbeing for all Territorians no matter where they live.
All this activity reflects the work we have done to redress the decades of neglect, and is a sign of our real commitment to this work. Education and opportunity for all certainly does light the core of our government’s values.
It is terrific to see, in many of the bush electorates, some of the initiatives that are taking place. We have seen the early indications of the good work happening at Gunbalanya school and how the community there is determining the way it wishes to see it improve for their children.
At Groote Eylandt, in my electorate, there have been some great initiatives in the education system. It is now used as a case study of good practice in the Prime Minister’s most recent Closing the Gap report to the Australian people. In the Groote Eylandt regional partnership agreement, education is a priority. Schools in the Groote Eylandt archipelago off the coast of the Northern Territory have some of the lowest attendance rates in the country. I commend the many teachers who work on Groote Eylandt, and Milyakburra or Bickerton, for the work they do with all the families - the Anindilyakwa families and the families at Alyangula who are there as part of the mining company, GEMCO.
The school teachers on Groote Eylandt are doing a terrific job in very difficult circumstances. Education is a key priority in the Groote Eylandt regional partnership agreement between the local Anindilyakwa Land Council, the Australian and Northern Territory governments, the Groote Eylandt mining company, GEMCO, and the East Arnhem Shire Council. The agreement was first signed in May 2008 and, since then, a comprehensive review of the region’s education system has led to the establishment of the Anindilyakwa Education and Training Board which is supported by the Ngakwurra Langwa College Advisory Board - and that means ‘our way’ in the local Anindilyakwa language. Langwa board member, Elaine Mamarika says there is an absolute determination to turn things around:
Today, there is better coordination of resources, recruitment and professional development between Groote Eylandt’s four schools, now known as Ngakwurra Langwa College.
Infrastructure is also being boosted with a commitment from GEMCO to build an early childhood training centre at Alyangula, a $350 000 Australian government commitment to a children and family centre at Umbakumba under the National Partnership Agreement on Early Childhood Development, plus the current construction of eight new teacher houses in the community. There are new Indigenous traineeships and an early childhood language and literacy course, children’s playgroups, and parenting support services.
Community development is a new focus for the schools and courses in construction. Carpentry and industry-based literacy and numeracy are being offered after classroom hours. There are classes aimed at young mums, and reengaging older students, which is a terrific initiative.
In 2008, COAG agreed to ensure access to early childhood education for all Indigenous four-year-olds in remote communities by 2013; halve the gap in reading, writing and numeracy achievements for children by 2018; halve the gap for Indigenous students in Year 12 or equivalent attainment rates by 2020; and halve the gap in employment outcomes between Indigenous and other Australians by 2018. There are some huge challenges here, but this is critical and very necessary work. Across the nation, only 26.4% of Indigenous Year 5 students in very remote areas achieved at or above the national minimum standard in reading, compared with 76.7% in metropolitan areas in 2011.
The implementation of the Northern Territory government’s Every Child, Every Day strategy has resulted in a new coordinated approach to attendance by schools, government, and local communities, and this has seen a rise of 2.3% in attendance between Term 1 in 2010 and Term 1 in 2011, representing an extra 860 children attending school.
Since 2005, the Northern Territory government has established new schools at Emu Point, Mapurru, Manyallaluk, Donydji, Borroloola Primary has been rebuilt, Wugularr has been relocated and rebuilt, Alparra, and Yilpara. New secondary schools have been built in Ramingining, Maningrida, Papunya, Kalkarindji, Minyerri, Galiwinku and Wadeye. These are extraordinary achievements, but very basic needs that should have been there a long time ago. Our government has been consistently focused on education for all children everywhere across the Northern Territory
Investment from the Commonwealth has also strongly supported our reforms to school education in recent years, enabling additional teachers to work with remote Indigenous communities to improve educational outcomes. Teacher retention has improved over the last four years by around 18.5%. Approximately 500 extra students are attending on any given day in locations where attendance and truancy officers have commenced under the Northern Territory government’s Every Child, Every Day strategy.
The largest gains in Australia are being achieved by Northern Territory Indigenous students who sat NAPLAN in 2008 and 2011 in reading, spelling and grammar, and punctuation at Levels 3, 5, 7 and 9. A 43% increase has been achieved in Indigenous Northern Territory Certificate of Education and Training completions between 2007 and 2011, from 74 in 2007 to 106 in 2011.
Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory is also extending early childhood education and care programs in remote regions. Eight new crches are now up and running in Milikapiti, Timber Creek, Peppimenarti, Robinson River, Areyonga, Docker River, Papunya, and Yarralin. Construction of a ninth new crche is due to start in Lajamanu this year. Thirteen existing crches have been upgraded. Eight play groups, including three new groups in remote service delivery locations, are serving Indigenous families in the Northern Territory.
In addition, the Australian government has committed $44.3m over the three years to June 2012 under the Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory national partnership agreement for education providers to improve student literacy and numeracy outcomes and upskill local Indigenous education workers in targeted remote communities. Over four years to 2012-13 $107.8m has been provided by the Australian government under this partnership agreement to recruit, train and deploy up to 200 extra teachers. Other Australian government support includes new support for quality teaching, career pathways for Indigenous staff, and increasing the number of Indigenous staff with education qualifications.
To assist remote students to complete Year 12, three new boarding facilities are being established in the Northern Territory, with the Australian government providing $28.9m for the construction and operation of the facilities. The Indigenous Land Corporation is committing a further $15m in capital bringing the total investment to $43.9m. Like the minister for Education, I also acknowledge the critical improvements in our bush schools thanks to the Building the Education Revolution program. This is more evidence of the Australian government’s work with us to address infrastructure gaps in the Northern Territory - unlike the opposition which rejected outright the Building the Education Revolution.
In 2012, we see the launch of a new annual operation plan and school improvement plan for the schools at Ramingining, focusing on the following five priority areas under the leadership of principal, Darryl Bullen: student wellbeing and leadership; pathways and enterprise; teaching and learning; staff wellbeing and retention; and Indigenous pathways. It is good work that is taking place in many of my schools across Arnhem, in particular at Ramingining. Examples of key initiatives to be achieved this year include:
the implementation of the peer support program throughout the entire school to see senior students trained as peer leaders taking a proactive role in supporting students both educationally and socially. The program focuses on resilience, encouraging students to develop a stronger sense of self, increasing self-esteem, self-awareness and celebrate individuality;
the creation of a Student Representative Council, giving the students a chance to put forward suggestions in the development of school policy and generating a sense of empowerment, affiliation and pride within the school;
In 2012, there will be more emphasis than ever being put onto teacher retention and development. All staff will be provided opportunities for both internal and external professional learning, and we are already seeing created an on-site gym for teachers to use. The philosophy is that by providing opportunities and facilities to increase the health, happiness, and ability of teachers, they will maintain a higher rate of motivation throughout the year, perform at a higher level in and around the classroom, and be more likely to stay with the school well beyond their initial contract.
It is also for local Indigenous staff as well, which is a crucial part of what our reforms in the Northern Territory are all about: ensuring our students who come through this system have jobs to go on to, and some of those jobs could include being teachers, either in their local regions or anywhere else across the Northern Territory - or Australia, for that matter.
I am very proud of our government’s achievements in the commitment and focus we have in wanting to see every child at school every day in the Northern Territory, and in ensuring that there is infrastructure in places where there was no infrastructure - and certainly no secondary schools - across the regions of the Northern Territory. I am incredibly proud of the work being done in ensuring access to good education is available across the Territory for every child.
Madam Speaker, I commend the minister on his statement to the House.
Mr KNIGHT (Justice and Attorney-General): Madam Speaker, I support this statement on education and thank the minister for Education for presenting this statement.
At the core of our society and all the operations of government, is education. Without a good education, you lack the opportunities for economic development, social cohesion, and advancement. What we are seeing in the remote communities is trying to improve the education standards. There is a great deal of work to be done and we have a great deal of work out there.
For me, one of the great highlights of our educational achievements has been the Emu Point School, which has been a great benefit to that community. What inspired the then Education minister, Syd Stirling, to establish the school was the kids were being taught under, basically, a bough shelter. Every single child in that community was attending a makeshift school every single day. That was through strong leadership of the family groups there and the great work of the local teacher, who was one of the lady teachers who acted as a principal at one stage. They turned up every day. The then Deputy Chief Minister saw this on a Community Cabinet visit, and committed to establishing a school.
They put in two classrooms at the school and now it has been expanded through the BER to three classrooms. There is a commitment to that school. There is only a primary school there. That community has a belief in sending the kids away. Many of them are going to boarding schools down south, which is a great opportunity for children of the Northern Territory - black and white - to experience life outside the Territory, the local community, or Darwin, to live down there and develop their independence. Also, we know society is different up here to down south so it is a great opportunity for those children to experience something different.
At the non-government school at Wadeye, the education levels are not as good as they should be. Even though much infrastructure has gone in, attendance is very poor. We have to do more there. We have to take some more innovative and radical steps to get the education level up. Of the 1000 school-aged children in the community, there are probably only 300 or 400 at the most going to school, and that has been happening for many years. There is a whole generation of children who have not gone to school. That places a burden on the kids who go to school, as future leaders to carry this group into the future. Everything we have done in that area is important.
Expansion of the school at Palumpa is welcomed. I attended the opening of a new much-needed multipurpose centre. They are doing fantastic work. We have a progression of teachers coming through. Some stay for a long time, some stay for a short period of time, but they are very passionate in what they do. They deal with so much that is outside the norm for a teacher in front of a class. They deal with many external after-hours issues and, within the classroom, with issues which have nothing to do with the school. They do a fantastic job.
One of real stand-out school in my electorate is Woolianna Primary School. This school has shown that the most basic facilities - having great teachers and a good curriculum - will get the kids attending. At this stage, there are some 70 kids enrolled at that school. The kids are picked up in two buses. The buses make two trips each back to the Nauiyu community to pick up all the kids and bring them all the way to Woolianna Road where the school is located. Those kids make the trip. The parents have made a conscious decision to send their children to Woolianna school, as opposed to walking to the non-government school in the community, because they feel they are getting more out of it. They want to make that journey and also get out of the community for the day as well. I hope in the future we get a new school on government land there. Certainly, with 70 kids enrolled it is warranted, and has been needed as that school is growing. It is not going away, it is growing, and we will see that growth happening into the future.
There has been much new infrastructure through the Commonwealth’s Building the Education Revolution. Batchelor has welcomed the big fans that have been installed. It took a little while to get them there, but we had them in place for the Christmas graduation. They were much better than the old wall-mounted noisy fans we had. This money came from this government with our commitment to all the schools in the Northern Territory - the $300 000. That community has used that money well and has also expanded its library with money from the Commonwealth program. We have some new teachers, and that community is doing well. We look forward to its growth into the future.
Education is the key to everything this government really should be focused on. Without education it does not matter how good your roads are, your port is, or what major projects you bring to the Territory. Unless your education is right, it is all to no end. We want our young people to stay in the Northern Territory. We are creating the variety and number of jobs as required to sustain the population. We have to do it right at the other end in primary school and the preschools; getting those kids used to school life and getting the community to focus that the most important thing they can do in that community is get kids to school - and get them to school every single day. The more they go to school the better their education levels are. That is the focus of the government; it has been the focus of the government for a while.
We are dealing with a whole range of very complex matters in the community, but we are gradually getting there. However, more work will need to be done: innovative school curriculums and school years. At Wadeye, it has been mooted for a while with respect to the school calendar for the school year. The work that has gone on at Gunbalanya with running the school through the Wet Season is great. At Gunbalanya, Wadeye, Palumpa, and Peppimenarti, people are trapped in their communities for the Wet Season, and they have this massive six-week break. Of course, the kids get up to a bit of mischief, parents are driven a bit mad, and get a bit of cabin fever in those communities. They cannot get back out on to country to have a bit of a break, so shortening that Christmas/New Year period and having a longer period in the Dry Season when people want to go back out on to country - they want those bush holidays - would be a much better way to go.
Many of the teaching staff have friends and family interstate or overseas who they would like to spend that Christmas/New Year period with, however there needs to be some discussion about it and a look at those opportunities to try to make that happen because the kids would benefit from it as well. We must support our teachers; we must keep those teacher numbers up. We have an extra 300 teachers since we have come to government, and that reflects this government’s focus on education - improving our educational system in the Northern Territory.
We look forward to further increases in the budget for education and training. That leads through to the training aspects, and getting kids educated through primary, middle, and secondary is what we need to achieve. We are very cognisant of many kids such as my son, who does not want to go on to university - he wants to get out there working. So that alternative pathway through the VET programs into their middle years certainly is a way to go.
Trades are getting much more respect than previously. It seems that everyone was channelled through the academic area and now the trade area is where much of the work is, where the highly paid work is, and where many of the kids want to go. They get very despondent with the classroom at that age. They want to get out there working, earning, and getting on with their career. So, it is great to see that alternative pathway being offered.
We also have to look at those opportunities for our bush kids, because the jobs are not out there in the communities in the required numbers. When you are churning out 200-odd senior kids a year, there are not that many jobs year in, year out being developed in those communities. So, mobility is the real opportunity for those young people. The jobs are in remote mines and in major urban centres - that is the reality. They are commercial decisions about where the jobs are created. Government can only make non-commercial decisions to put jobs where they can but we do not have an endless supply of jobs and budgets to go with that. It is about finding those mobility pathways into those jobs. The reality of what is happening in Australia is the fly-in/fly-out workforce ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, it is now midday. I ask that you continue your remarks after Question Time.
Mr KNIGHT: I will just wrap up. I commend the minister for bringing the statement to the House. Education is the fundamental foundation stone for our society.
Debate suspended.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, before I call the suspension for lunch, I ask members to review Chapter 12 of the Standing Orders prior to Question Time. I particularly ask members to read Standing Order 109 which is about questions to ministers. Essentially, it says that questions need to relate to any matter of administration for which a minister is responsible.
I also remind you of Standing Order 112, the general rules involving questions:
(1) Questions cannot be debated.
I particularly note Standing Order 115, the Power of the Speaker:
I also refer to Standing Order 121, Improper Questions:
Honourable members, I ask you to remember those matters during Question Time today.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of staff from the Department of Resources. On behalf of honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
Continued from earlier this day.
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I enthusiastically support the minister for Education’s statement. As the Chief Minister, and also a parent, education is my No 1 priority. As the Chief Minister, as the local member, and also as a father, I value nothing more than visiting schools throughout the Northern Territory, revelling in the great work our schools and teachers do across the Northern Territory.
Whether it is the desert schools of Central Australia, through Darwin, or the island communities to our north, when visiting schools one always gets a great sense of contribution from our teachers. I love watching kids engaged in school and in their learning. There is nothing more important we do as parents than to ensure our kids get the best possible education and reach the highest levels of their ability whilst they are at school. As a government and a community, it is all of our responsibilities to ensure kids are getting the best possible education.
There is nothing more important for the Northern Territory than to continue to work to improve access to, and results from, our education system. I have said once - I will say it again, and I will keep saying it, because it is the truth: if a child goes to school every day in the Territory, they will receive a first-class education. That is guaranteed. Where kids go to school every day - apart from kids who have learning disabilities - they will get to benchmark. Most will surpass benchmark if they have a very strong attendance pattern. They will surpass benchmark if their parents and the people around them are engaged in and encourage them in their education. If there is a culture of talking about school and the importance of school in the home, kids will fly in our system. That is because we have a very good system, both in the public sector and the non-government sector. That system is being strengthened all the time in evaluation of what is happening in the classroom and the results that kids achieve.
The advances we have made are, in no small part, due to the reforms and investments made by this government. Since 2001, we have worked very hard to significantly improve the education system in the Northern Territory. We have restructured the education system in introducing middle schools to support students in the vital Years 7, 8 and 9 prior to going to high school and the rigors of high school. I believe that has been a successful transformation of our school system. My children have been through middle school and I have been very happy with the results from the experience I have had as a parent.
We have transformed education in the bush, both through investing in infrastructure and teachers, in partnership with the Commonwealth. Schools in the bush today bear no resemblance to what they did when we won government in 2001. There has been a massive investment. Every member on this side of the House, particularly my colleagues who have bush seats, is involved in vigorous conversation in our Caucus room when we talk about education. Everyone is passionate about seeing education outcomes improve. For a Labor government it is certainly right up there as one of the very highest priorities.
At lunchtime today I was at the open day or induction day at Charles Darwin University. Education is not only through our kindergartens, preschool, primary school, middle school and high school system, but also our university. I am pleased to advise the House that on early enrolment numbers, enrolments at Charles Darwin University across the Territory are up 17% this year. The Engineering Faculty is up by 34%. Our clinical school is entering its second year. I place on the record my thanks to our Vice-Chancellor, Barney Glover, the Board of Charles Darwin University, and all the lecturers. It is a wonderful institution that is going from strength to strength. It was an absolute privilege to be there at lunchtime today, chatting to students who are starting university, to experience the enthusiasm and vibe around the place, and to meet with new students and also lecturers.
I was touched by talking to two second-year students who came up to me while I was there. I was asking them how they were going. We got onto a bit of a conversation, and they wanted to go to university, to stay with their families, and stay here in Darwin. One volunteered that education has improved enormously in the Territory over the last 10 years – and that was volunteered to me by a student today, I am not making that up – and I was really pleased to hear that.
In all aspects we continue to strive to improve. There is no doubt about our commitments and our reforms in curriculum and our reforms and strategies in teacher retention. I thank Gary Barnes and his leadership team at the Department of Education and Training, and everyone who works there.
I heard the banal questions from the shadow minister for Education today about teacher retention. If he was seriously interested in teacher retention he would get a briefing from the Chief Executive about the enormous programs which are being put in place to improve teacher retention. In fact, when we came to government - I have had two opportunities to serve as Education minister - it was really hard to get teachers to stay in the bush. He was right; when we came to government the retention rates for teachers in the bush were about three or four months. It was a revolving door because there was very little support for teachers in the bush, people felt isolated in the bush - isolated from the rest of the department - and they were not prepared, if coming from interstate, with the cultural impacts and the isolation of working in the bush, and we had a very high turnover.
That turnover has been reduced significantly over the years. The support from the department for teachers in the bush is there today and they are nowhere near as isolated - and feeling as isolated and not supported - as when we came to government. The retention figures have improved. There used to be a culture in the department of as long as we had a teacher out there - as long as someone was in front of that class - that was okay. That whole culture has changed now, and the culture now of recruiting teachers for the bush is asking the teacher the question on interview: ‘Are you good enough? Are you actually good enough to work in a remote setting? We want you to commit to at least three years’.
That is a world away from the culture that existed when we came to government which was any warm body is good enough. Essentially, what happened in those bush schools was that no one was really monitoring. The department was not monitoring, and there was no testing of children in the bush. There was no real focus on measurements and management of performance, and the system had been allowed to drift over the years. Of course, there had been some great and very committed teachers in the bush. There had been many people who, despite the lack of support and focus, both politically and departmentally on education in the bush - we have any number of real heroes who worked for many years in the bush and were dedicated to the bush. However, systemically, through the department, through the policies of the previous government, there was no focus, no attention, and there was no culture of continuous improvement in regard to Indigenous education.
The tide has certainly turned. Of course, we are by no means out of trouble in getting kids to school every day, but no one can say there is not focus, continuous improvement and evaluation going on to turn thing around in the bush.
For the member for Brennan to throw around some figures and make it up as he goes along with regard to teacher retention - if he was seriously interested (a) he would get a briefing and understand what the department was doing, and (b) it is going to be very interesting to see what their policies are. My colleague, the Education minister, bandies it around - there is a paper on early childhood education. I believe it goes to two pages, but there is not one mention of remote Indigenous education and what a CLP government’s policies would be in this area. We know in their mad, headlong pursuit to bring the budget back to surplus, they would have to cut funding. Where would the funding be cut? The first axe would fall in bush programs - whether it is infrastructure, health, or education - as it always fell under CLP government.
It was good we actually got Question Time today back on to questioning the government about things we have responsibility for, as opposed to a whole day yesterday of questioning me on things I have no responsibility for. Those questions, as important as they are in Question Time, mean nothing for the opposition until we see their policies.
Also, it is not enough just to release a policy; there will have to be funding commitments with that policy. We want to see the colour of your money in what you are going to commit financially, not only to education in the bush, but health, infrastructure, and housing in the bush. Any commitments made without commitments to funding – and I again challenge the Country Liberal Party in debate today on education. The challenge is to at least match Labor’s commitments to the bush: 53% of the entire Territory government budget outlay is for providing services and infrastructure to Indigenous people. You have to at least match that. If you can better that, then all the better. How you are going to do that and bring the budget back to surplus, goodness only knows. It will be some financial chicanery of the highest order, and we will wait to see it.
We have to remember the history to understand how far we have progressed. Prior to 2001: minimal investment, minimal attention, no testing of kids, and no secondary education in the bush. Given we do not have any policies from the opposition we doubt there would be any difference a second time round.
We are investing in education at record levels with this year’s budget at $930m. I know the mantra from the Leader of the Opposition is it is not about spending money. Well, I do not know how we can have 400 extra teachers in our service without spending money to recruit them, to keep them and - if they are in the bush – to house them. You cannot do that without spending money. You cannot build new schools in the bush without spending money. You cannot provide a world-class IT platform for every child in our schools across the Northern Territory - whether they are in the bush or in town - without spending money. Maybe that is where the axe will fall: on the IT platforms that are in place across the Northern Territory, giving kids access to virtual classrooms and great teachers, wherever they live.
Not only does the Country Liberal Party have to deliver an education policy, it also has to back it with funding if it is going to demonstrate a commitment to education. Education sits at the centre of my government’s overarching strategic vision for the Territory out to 2030 - our Territory 2030 plan. Education is right at the core of everything we need to do in the Northern Territory to reach those aspirations of Territorians. That has been articulated in our 2030 plan. Territorians understand how important education is for our future. Being at the university at lunchtime today, amongst several hundred new first-year students, seeing the excitement on their faces of continuing their education journey, was just fantastic.
A major challenge is attendance. The enormity of this challenge is with us every day. We have a policy in place in Every Child, Every Day that is already delivering improved results in those remote communities. My colleague talked about some of those results in compulsory conferencing that is now in place. Unfortunately, we have had to fine - I think the minister said - some 34 parents for failing to get kids to school. We all understand it is better to use carrots instead of sticks and, if we have kids wanting to go to school, that is fantastic. However, there has to be a culture of going to school in that family for kids to want to go. We are making progress and it is a responsibility, first and foremost, for parents and carers of children to get their kids to school every day. That conversation is being had ever more loudly in those communities across the Northern Territory and also in town. If kids do disengage then it is very hard to get them back again.
Our investment in infrastructure has been unprecedented. I thank the Commonwealth government for the massive investment during the BER program: $270m invested in infrastructure in our schools. I heard interjections from the potential Leader of the Opposition, the member for Fong Lim, during Question Time today, rattling on about it being a waste of money - ‘rorting school halls’, I think the interjection was. Well, that is offensive to every single school in the Northern Territory which has worked very hard with their school council, with the Education department, with contractors throughout the Territory, to deliver new classrooms, libraries, and infrastructure in their schools. Each and every one of those schools has been excited about not only receiving the funding, but receiving the improvements in their schools.
We have a member of parliament - someone who has been elected by the good people of Fong Lim - who resorts to federal Liberal Party rhetoric about a rorted school halls program. That really insults every school, every person on a school council, every teacher, everyone in the department about that program. That program was evaluated independently by the Commonwealth government. Every single school, every single state and territory, was evaluated. Out of the $270m expended in the Territory, out of every school that received funding in the Northern Territory, there was one complaint. Yet, the potential Country Liberal Party Leader of the Opposition, basically, just mouths Tony Abbott’s rhetoric about a rorted school program. I find that absolutely unbelievable.
We have also invested $300 000 in all government primary schools during this term of government in the Territory budget. Overall, over this four-year term of this parliament, infrastructure investment in our schools in this Northern Territory has over doubled. That is investment supporting every child every day and every teacher in every community across the Territory. We have employed over 400 extra teachers. I acknowledge the Commonwealth contribution of 200 extra teachers in those numbers. I acknowledge and thank each and every teacher for the work they do across the Territory. Theirs is amongst the most important jobs in the Territory. When you see a really good teacher in a classroom, it takes your breath away. I am indebted to the vast majority of our teachers for their commitment and hard work ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! I move that the member be granted an extension of time, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed.
Mr HENDERSON: I thank my colleague for the extension of time.
Two programs I will never cease to be enthusiastic about are the Clontarf program and the Girls Academy program. There is no silver bullet in turning around Indigenous education, but programs that are working and working well are the Clontarf program and the Girls Academy program. These programs, and the people who run these programs, are making a life-changing difference to the lives of many young Indigenous men and women. We can all remember those great teachers who made a huge impact on our lives. All the kids in those Clontarf and Girls Academy programs, as I get around the Northern Territory and talk to them, will forever be indebted to the people in those programs who have committed themselves 150% to the students in those programs. It is an absolute inspiration to be around.
This year, I had the privilege of attending the graduation dinner for just over 60 Clontarf Year 12 students who graduated from Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Arnhem Land, from schools all over Darwin and, I believe, we had some from the Tiwi Islands. It was amazing to work the tables at that dinner. I sat at every table and spoke to every school group, to hear their stories about how Clontarf got them to Year 12 and how pleased they were that they finished. The fact that the vast majority of those kids had already got jobs was a real highlight of the year for me.
There is no overarching auspicing body like Clontarf for the Girls Academy programs. There are a couple of others, but the department is working hard to put an overarching program in place. Like Clontarf, the Girls Academy programs are transforming these young people’s lives.
The reason these programs work is they provide very strong role models for these young men and women at a very important stage of their life, the teenage years, and it gives them great people to look up to.
I urge everyone to not only support Clontarf and the Girls Academy but, in their electorates, talk to business people, business groups, business entities, to sign up to the foundation and to commit financially. Not only are any donations they make tax deductible, but it is providing an opportunity for work experience in their business and, potentially, being a good host employer in those businesses.
Talking with Gerard Neesham a couple of weeks ago when he was in Darwin, there is still a great deal of work to be done in the Northern Territory business community to get financial support for these programs. I am sure that will come over time, but it is a responsibility for all of us. I know we all get challenged with supporting various charities around the place, but if businesses say they want to support Indigenous employment, then put them on to Clontarf, get them on to the website, urge them to support Clontarf because we need that financial support. The vast majority of funding to run programs in the Northern Territory from Clontarf actually comes from the top end of town in Collins Street in Melbourne. As much as we are grateful for that support from the top end of town, it is important that, wherever possible, Territory businesses can make a contribution if they have a commitment to Indigenous employment programs.
Charles Darwin University is going from strength to strength. We have a formal partnership agreement not only with CDU, but also with Batchelor. I believe that, apart from Tasmania, we are the only government that has formal partnership agreements with our tertiary institutions. These partnerships are very important for government because, wherever possible, if we need research in any particular area, we commission Charles Darwin University to undertake that research, which helps their research base, provides interesting research opportunities for their students, and builds the reputational capability and capacity of Charles Darwin University. It is a strength we have here.
I am very pleased to see a 34% increase in engineering studies at CDU. The new Centre for Oil and Gas Research will be opened this year to support the growing workforce needs of that industry in northern Australia. While I was at the university today, it was great to catch up with some of the TAFE students as well. A couple of young fellows - my colleague, the member for Arnhem will be interested in this - were second-year diesel mechanics at GEMCO on Groote Eylandt. It was great to chat to them, because they are doing the same apprenticeship I did, except that I did mine in a shipyard and they have done theirs in a mine. It was great to talk to those two young fellows who are into the second year of their apprenticeship. They are living on Groote Eylandt. They love Groote Eylandt, but they also like to get into town and enjoy the bright lights of Darwin when they can.
In conclusion, in regard to the Gonski review which has just been made public, my colleague, the Education minister, has already said, in broad terms, that that review is good for the Northern Territory. The financial impacts are something we are going to have to work through. The national review of education recognised there needs to be more transparency in funding flowing through to students with special needs or who live remotely. Any transformation of our system, over time, which focuses on transparency, special needs and disadvantage, regions and remote, has to be good for the Northern Territory. We have to work through those issues.
I advise the House we are already ahead of most of the other states in that transparency. We amended our funding formula for schools a few years ago, over time, to move to student-based funding as opposed to school-based funding, and that student-based funding really looks at the issues of disadvantage and special needs. We are well on the way to meeting the recommendations there.
In regard to that transformation which has slowly been taking place over the past few years, I thank the education union in the Territory, and the principals association and school councils for their support, because any movement of funding, over time - and it has happened over time - sees some schools benefit to the disadvantage of others. However, we have had a mature, transparent, and honest debate about this, and people have acknowledged that in funding there has to be transparency, and funding should follow students rather than historic funding at a school-based level.
In all, there is still much more work to do. You never achieve success in education because improvements can always be made, but we are heading in the right direction. I am very confident in our education in the Territory; I really believe if kids go to school every day they will get as good an education in the Territory as anywhere else in Australia. Attendance, particularly remote, is a significant issue and we are moving forward in that area too, slowly. I would like to see it happening much faster than it is but at least it is moving forward. We will continue to debate education in this House,
Madam Deputy Speaker, I commend the minister on his statement.
Ms LAWRIE (Treasurer): Madam Deputy Speaker, as you heard from the Chief Minister, education is our priority. It is the key to overcoming disadvantage, and the key to a good pathway for a healthy and productive life. We know in the Territory if a child goes to school every day they will receive a great education. We know if a child gets a good education then, as an adult, there will be opportunities for further education and training, and a fulfilling and productive career.
Education has been at the top of our agenda. We have built new schools, improved existing schools, and made major reforms to the education system. We have put in place that all-important attendance policy, Every Child, Every Day, which targets improvement in enrolment, attendance, and participation of our young Territorians at school.
When children go to school every day in the Territory they will get a great education. How are we delivering this? We have a record education budget in place right now, with $930m provided for education and training. I know the CLP does not like it when we talk about record investment in education, but it is this record investment which delivers a robust and dynamic education system. Whether it is resources for the teachers, increased teachers in the classroom, innovative learning programs, you have to fund all these initiatives.
We have completed a $246m four-year Territory government initiative to upgrade every primary and group school across the Territory. Through this program, every primary school and group school received $300 000 for upgrades over the past four years. This year, we have the last tranche of 24 schools being upgraded, including Alpurrurulam, Bakewell, Borroloola, Clyde Fenton, Driver, Durack, Gillen, Gray, Kalkarindji, Larapinta, Leanyer, MacFarlane, Malak, Milingimbi, Moil, Nakara, Nganmarriyanga, Nightcliff, Parap, Ross Park, Sadadeen, Stuart Park, Wanguri, and Woodroffe.
We have better schools. We have more great teachers and programs on a par with any in the country. The recruitment of quality teachers has been absolutely vital in our efforts to improve outcomes for our children. We now have over 3000 teachers in our schools across the Territory; 407 additional teachers since 2002. These extra teachers are critical to delivering better teacher/student ratios and better able to support students through their learning process.
We know that expenses at the start of school can often present a difficulty for our families. That is why we have introduced the Back to School Bonus payment scheme to help families offset these costs. Families can use the $75 per student to help them with the cost of textbooks, stationery, school uniforms, excursions, travel, and other costs associated with school.
We have also been delivering high-quality programs; I believe equal to the best in the nation. The government has focused on literacy and numeracy as a foundation for quality education, and on improving attendance and outcomes. We are seeing encouraging signs emerge from our effort in this area. The minister for Education said that recent NAPLAN tests show that mean scale scores exceed Australian average cohort gains in 11 out of 12 reportable domains and year levels - no small feat, no small turnaround in less than a decade of significant funding increase since 2002.
Our key goal for my Department of Business and Employment is to support that smooth transition from school to work. Under the NT Education Act it is now compulsory for all Territory students to complete Year 10 and then participate in education, training and/or employment until they are 17 years of age. As a government, we have improved our training pathways in education.
Just take a look at VET in School. VET is the school-based apprenticeship and traineeship program providing a clear pathway for Territory students to transition from school into the workforce. The program provides students with better skills to take into the workplace. This will lead to increased career choices and opportunities for full-time apprentices, employment, or further education and training. In 2011, there were nearly 2000 students undertaking VET in Territory schools. We have the highest VET participation rate in the nation.
The beyond school guarantee is available for NTCE and NTCET graduates who need assistance with pathways between employment and educational training choices in the first two years after leaving school. These pathways ensure that young Territorians are among the first wave of workers we know can benefit from the opportunities associated with that significant economic boom the major project of INPEX and Total is delivering in the Ichthys LNG. Pathways into training while at school will continue to be a critical part of our education system. This will ensure young Territorians who wish to take these pathways have the best chance of success because we are entering the biggest economic boom in the Territory’s history.
We are expecting the second highest economic growth in our nation through the next five years. Our government wants to ensure these opportunities drill down to our young Territorians in our school system today, and in the apprenticeships and traineeships we are investing in today. We have been focused on growing the number of apprentices and trainees in the Territory to provide a large skilled workforce. Our Jobs NT 2010 to 2012 Employment Strategy set four major targets. They have either been already achieved or considerable progress has been made: labour force participation rates continue to exceed national participation rates - 75% in the Territory compared to 65% elsewhere; an increase in the number of people with Certificate III or above, 48.2%; more than 24 000 Territorians are in training; and more than 3000 Indigenous Territorians commencing employment in the past three years.
I note here the guffawing and chuckling from the CLP in Question Time today when the minister for Education talked about the 1981 release of Cabinet papers which looked at the clear and absolute policy decision taken by the CLP government not to provide secondary education in the bush. They guffawed and chuckled and said: ‘That was back in 1981. What has that to do with today?’ How on earth do they think that people can get into jobs without a secondary education? The 15-year-old who missed out on secondary education 20 years ago is a 35-year-old today, struggling with the despair of being unemployable. That is the genuine daily legacy borne out by despair across the Territory. Today, we saw members of the Country Liberal Party laugh and question its relevance to the Territory today. I have seen many shocking things in my time in the Chamber. I have to say that is one of the most appalling I have ever witnessed. For people who would purport to set the policy and the distribution of resources for Territorians to not understand the simple link between education and the opportunity of getting a job defies belief. I say shame! Clearly, they have not changed; the leopard has not changed its spots.
We have also achieved the increase in the number of young Territorians achieving Year 12 or equivalent Certificate II qualification to 73%. Isn’t it great? Isn’t it absolutely a thing to rejoice that we are getting Year 12 graduates in the remote communities in the Territory? They can study in their own community and can achieve through until Year 12 certificate. Yet, we heard all the jokes and the laughter in Question Time today from the Country Liberal Party when the minister for Education referred to the disgraceful 1981 Cabinet decision by the Country Liberal Party not to provide secondary education in these communities ...
Mr Chandler: What was their budget compared to yours?
Ms LAWRIE: I will pick up on the interjection from the member for Brennan: ‘What was their budget compared to yours?’ I say this to you, member for Brennan: if you do not, as a shadow minister for Education, apply a priority to the education budget then you absolutely deserve to be stripped of a shadow title. Give it to some other clown over there, Leader of the Opposition, if he wants to, already in opposition, make up excuses for failure in delivering education to Territory children. Unbelievable!
Since the start of 2011 to 30 January 2012, there were 2819 apprenticeship and traineeship commencements across the Territory. There are currently 4220 apprentices and trainees in training, and we are well on track to meet that four-year target of 10 000 commencements. More than $24.6m per annum is committed to fund training and support for apprentices and trainees in this financial year. Since 2008, more than 4662 Territorians completed apprenticeships and traineeships, with 1728 of those being in those all-important identified occupation shortage list areas. We have a proud culture of investing in training and we boast the highest per capita VET participation rate in the nation.
I have witnessed firsthand the dedication of our principals in their leadership roles at our local schools; of our teaching staff who deliver good and positive learning outcomes and opportunities in our classrooms; the aspirations of the parents who rely on the public education system in the Territory; the opportunity they are provided if their child has a learning disability in support; the opportunity and programs that are provided if their child comes in with a pre-existing disadvantage; and the support provided through the Indigenous education workers across our school system, whether it is urban, regional or remote. I am a fan of Indigenous education workers. I point out that it was a program axed by the Howard Liberal government. The funding was stripped from that program. The Territory government stepped up and provided the funding to continue and expand the Indigenous workers who were there at the front line every day supporting our disadvantaged students, and ensuring they were supported through attendance at school, and also through the learning programs delivered at school.
I am an enormous fan of our support workers at the school who work with our children with a learning disability. We have had to increase funding significantly into the ISA program bucket to meet the increase in the number of students with learning disabilities, and to ensure that, as assessed, they are provided with the right level of support within the school system. I also congratulate our minister for Education on the efforts he and the Chief Minister have gone to, to improve funding for our disabled students, whether it is in the mainstream school system through that all-important ISA funding model, which, as the Chief Minister said, is the most transparent and progressive, and meets with the recommendations of the Gonski report or, indeed, through the dramatic improvements right across our special needs schools.
We have transformed funding and support to our special needs students, often the ones whose parents have to fight the hardest and be the strongest advocates for their needs. I am proud of efforts of my Cabinet colleagues, our current minister for Education, and the Chief Minister previously, as minister for Education, and in his role as Chief Minister. I am proud to sit alongside my Cabinet colleagues who have vigorously pursued improvements, both in infrastructure and logistical support, to our special needs schools, providing opportunities for our disadvantaged students.
Education is fundamental to our government. We have seen through the comments and behaviour today the vast difference between the government and the opposition.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I am proud to be a product of the public school system. I know very well that in my time growing up and being educated here, through the years, if a child my age wanted a secondary education, too many had to leave their community and their families to be even given the chance of that education. I say shame on people who would think that was a laughing matter in Question Time today. Hang your heads in shame.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Deputy Speaker, I was not going to speak on this; however, there were a couple of comments which attracted my attention. I will simply ignore the offering by the Treasurer because, despite her best efforts to restrain and recast herself, you do not have to scratch deep to get the member for Karama to rear her head in this place and generally resort to what she resorts to. I am not going to speak for a long time on this, largely because it is not my shadow portfolio.
I believe education is an important component of advancement, both in our built-up areas, our larger communities, our cities, as well as in remote areas. I am often fascinated by this assertion that the top priority of government is education, along with all of its other top priorities. They articulate a top priority for nearly every occasion. Okay, I understand that is just the use of language, and I do not doubt that members opposite are genuinely concerned about matters of education. Why would they not be? We certainly are on this side of the House.
What I will not do is try to reinvent, if you like, the history of this government. They have spent a lot on education - there is no doubt about it - and the government is proud of its expenditure. However, I wish they would spend less time mucking about trying to make up stories about the history of the Country Liberals when they were in power. We have heard it from the minister for Health saying we denied secondary education to kids in the bush, as if it was some purpose-built plan not to enable any kids in the bush to have education.
It was not denied! In fact, it was provided. The limited circumstances available to the government of the day meant that education was provided in our larger communities. Yes, there was not much secondary education, if any at all, in the remote communities. This government has started bringing secondary education to those remote communities. What can I say? Good. It is great, and I am glad they have.
The concern I have is the quality of that. An example of that is when I was, not so long ago, in Wadeye, where a potential employer said: ‘The problem I have with some of the kids coming out, some of the applicants I am getting with NTCE certificates, is they cannot read or write’. I heard that from a person who ran an operation inside that community - and I can identify that person. I am not going to because they have not cleared me to do so. That information came directly and it was from someone who was seeking to employ these kids. It bothers me they felt that way because it makes me ask the question about the NTCE certificates being given out. What does a kid do to qualify for an NTCE certificate if they do not have effective numeracy and literacy at the other end? Nevertheless, secondary education is being attempted in the bush and I imagine it is expensive. Education, generally, is.
The Chief Minister said we all have memories of teachers when we were kids who have had a lasting effect. Absolutely! That is so correct. I remember in my maiden speech in this House I congratulated a fellow by the name Graham Parker, a teacher of many years standing, because he had a profound effect on me, particularly at a difficult time in my life. Another teacher I mentioned in my maiden speech was a bloke by the name of Warren Snowdon. We may have heard about him. He was a teacher of mine and a good one. He was dedicated to the job he did at the time, and had a profound effect on me.
I remember another teacher - I cannot remember her Christian name - but her name was Callahan and she was a monument to beads, unkempt hair, and cheesecloth. I recall her sitting in a classroom one day leaning back in her government issued chair with a sad and despondent look on her face saying: ‘The only real reason I am here is the money because I need it’. I remember that because that has a profound effect on kids. Ms Callahan was an English teacher, and I hope she did not survive very long in the education field because she was not good. She was resentful, unpleasant and clearly saw the kids she had to teach as a source of some contempt ...
Ms Purick: Sounds like my primary school.
Mr ELFERINK: She was a high school teacher.
Another high school teacher I had was a lady by the name of Helen Coburn. Because of the way she taught English, when I did my Bachelor of Arts I chose to do Literature as one of my majors. I have such fond memories of what she taught me and how she taught me to read. I did not do my Bachelor of Arts until a long time after I left school; but she had such a profound effect on me that 15 years after I left school and started doing a degree, her lessons were enough to guide me in my decisions of how and what I studied.
It is interesting to compare Ms Callahan with Mrs Coburn, because Ms Callahan was everything a teacher should not be, and Mrs Coburn was everything a teacher should be – a Mrs Chips, if you like, or Mrs Chipping. The curious thing about these two is I suspect both ladies were on exactly the same income, yet one was able to provide a really amazing educational experience. I was a bit of a tearaway as a kid and there were few lessons I would run for to ensure I could extract every moment of time out of that classroom, yet Helen Coburn managed it - and in English no less. To avoid a Ms Callahan class, If I could possibly sit in the E block toilets smoking - if I could drag it out any longer, I would.
What I gained from this - and the reason I talk about this is it is now worth reflecting on two different reports. The first one I will reflect on, announced last week, was research by a bloke by the name Ludger Wβmann from the OECD. Ludger Wβmann, I believe, is the fellow who was interviewed on radio last week. I was very interested to hear because he came to the same conclusion as Gonski. Gonski and Wβmann made a similar study, as I understand it, and both of them came to a conclusion that Australia is slipping. We are slipping in our academic outcomes, particularly in our schools when compared with Southeast Asia and other jurisdictions. That is really what has got Gonski a lot of press because that is what he was saying. If it was Wβmann - I think it was Wβmann - the week before, he was saying exactly the same thing.
Curiously, these academics held two polarised and different positions. Gonski says the fix is $5bn. Wβmann said: ‘No, no, you do not have to spend any more money. The money has been spent. There are other issues to be dealt with here that are causing the problems’. This is where, I suspect, the Leader of the Opposition is coming from. The Leader of the Opposition said we can look at curriculum: what are we actually teaching these kids in school and how are we teaching it? Are we driving this from the top down as some centralised regime, or are we allowing these schools some latitude to make these decisions for themselves? Gonski’s answer, as has been the Labor government’s answer in the Northern Territory, has been spend more money.
Case in point is the new schools built under the middle schools program. Prior to the arrival of the Labor government in the Northern Territory, we only had high schools and primary schools, with the exception of the university, of course. The road to Damascus conversion which was going to bring about a massive change in our educational standards in the Northern Territory was the introduction of the middle school regime. I remember hearing the then Education minister and Treasurer, Syd Stirling, speaking at length about how this transformation - dare I say, Territory-wide education revolution - was going to change the results of students in the Northern Territory.
What I have not heard from government is a comparison between the bad old days when there were just the high schools and primary schools system, and the results nowadays. What I do know is the NAPLAN testing that has been introduced, and previous testing, demonstrates, with a few exceptions, that most of the school students in the Northern Territory do not perform at the same level as the required national standard. The government post-2001 spent a bomb on these new schools - an absolute fortune, tens of millions. It must have been close to $100m on building new middle schools. I am not bagging them; I am glad for the new infrastructure in the education system. However, for all the money spent on the structures, the buildings, we hear that thread again - and I know the government likes to attack us for arguing this point – in the answer from government that ‘We spent all this money’. It is in this statement as well: ‘We have spent, spent, spent, spent’.
However, if you spend money you want a result. Considering the amount of money that has been spent in pursuit of improved educational outcomes in the Northern Territory, I have not seen a corresponding raising of results and I find that frustrating.
Gonski’s response is: ‘Let us spend more money’. Wβmann’s response was more like the Leader of the Opposition’s response which is, let us not necessarily spend more money, let us change curriculum, let us change the way we do things, change the way we teach, find new ways to pursue benchmarks and pursue excellence. If we look at Ms Callahan and Mrs Coburn, Ms Callahan I would have argued - I do not doubt she would have performed better if she had gotten more money. Clearly, she was only there for the money in the first place. I wonder how long Ms Callahan would have been able to maintain an increasing quality of education before she started to slide back to old habits. Whereas Mrs Coburn, if you had given her money, I do not believe she could have produced a better product; she was the Rolls Royce of teachers at the Casuarina High School - I believe the finest teacher at that school for a very long time. It was showing in my results and I know it was showing in the results of other students. The quality and the passion of the teaching captured in the way that material was taught, and what was taught, were miles apart, and it was being achieved for exactly the same money.
For that reason, I believe it is worthwhile being critical of an assumption that more money necessarily equates to better results. I do not believe so. I do not believe it occurred on the local level in the example others cited. I do not believe it will occur on a state or national level if you do not change what you do. If you provide a particular curriculum in a gilt cage, or if you provide it in a concrete box, it is still going to be the same curriculum.
Madam Deputy Speaker, perhaps it is time we revisit our curricula and have higher expectations of our students, and demand more of them, than simply thinking we are going to fix our educational problems by cashing them up.
Mr McCARTHY (Lands and Planning): Madam Deputy Speaker, I am honoured to support the minister’s statement. I always enjoy the literary contributions from the member for Port Darwin. If I ever get back into the education arena, I will use the Parliamentary Record to deconstruct those literary performances. Seriously, I will debate the member’s contribution of the concentration on teaching and the teacher as opposed to this government’s holistic package of developing a suite of initiatives right through from the early childhood area to parents as teachers, to the infants to the primary, to the middle to the senior, to the support structures around that, to the school support staff, to the quality teachers, to recruitment, retention, and to the outcomes focus of a very dedicated teaching service. I enjoy those contributions because the member has had a good education and that is what we aspire to. That is why we have very powerful policies to deliver it.
It is with pleasure that I add my support to the minister’s education statement. The minister is a man with a strong conviction for ensuring all Territory students, from preschool right through to senior years, have access to the best possible education. As we have heard in this House time and time again, education opens the doors to opportunities. As the Territory enters a phase of record growth and development, I am passionate about seeing all our young people, whether they are in Parap or Papunya, Borroloola or Bakewell, grasp that opportunity with both hands - and education is the key.
I comment on the member for Goyder’s contribution. She felt she had to be an aggressive opposition member and attack the government. She said: ‘We only spoke about education in August last year’. But then she got on with the job and gave a positive contribution to the debate. Good on you, member for Goyder! She realises that it is an important topic and we should talk about it as much as possible.
I have to make a comment on ‘no policy Pete’, the member for Brennan. When the CLP policy on education is delivered, I will look very closely at the bibliography. On that bibliography it will acknowledge Burns, C B, minister for Education. The member for Brennan should be taking serious notes on the Henderson government’s policy for education and training. That will be the benchmark for any good policy developed by the CLP. I look forward to that bibliography, acknowledging the important policy and education statements, and all those attributes which have come from this debate.
We know in the Territory that if a child goes to school every day they will receive a great education. That was how the minister started this statement. The member for Stuart spoke about the challenges of today. There is no doubt that the challenges in the community today are complex and, in an historical perspective, acute. There are more challenges today and there will be more challenges in the future. Therefore, we need strong policy and procedures to deal with those challenges.
The member talked about remote schools that are taking the bit between their teeth and working with their communities. He was very proud to talk about the remote schools in his electorate where the work is ongoing on that whole suite of initiatives, right through from the early childhood to making parents aware of what education is all about, the values of education, how to support their kids, through to secondary education in the bush. Having said that, the minister outlined for this House the important work being done, and also acknowledged the challenges we face, and that there is more to do. We know there is more to do, and it is a moving feast. Education is exciting because it is that moving feast.
The minister outlined for the House, because it is good to learn from history, that in 2001 we inherited an education system which was essentially neglected as a result of a government which took no real interest in Territory education, especially education in the bush. I can comment on that, because I spent two decades - actually over two decades - of a career in education under the Country Liberal Party. I worked directly under those policies. I will not go right back to the start, but I tell you there is a huge difference when you talk about education and infrastructure supporting good programs and outcomes. There is a very strong link. It cannot be denied, and it requires cash and commitment.
I move forward to an era where the Country Liberal Party was out of gas - they were tired, they were dead in the water, and their economic situation was failing. They knew the education policy was on the rocks so they commissioned a review - the third major review in the Northern Territory; one under the Northern Territory Administration, and two under the self-government act. This third one was the major review into Indigenous education, Learning Lessons. Member for Fong Lim, I give credit where credit is due. I commend the commissioning of that review, and I celebrated the recommendations of that review, because I was recruited to the team to implement them.
I came to Darwin - I came to the big end of town out of the bush - to work for a government that walked away from that review. They turned their back on that review and on the recommendations of that review. They chose the cost-neutral initiatives. They chose to create spin around those recommendations. Once again, they walked away from Indigenous education. I walked away from the Country Liberal Party and went back to Tennant Creek, back into the Aboriginal hearing program, because that was one area that definitely needed support in improving literacy and numeracy outcomes for those kids suffering disadvantage of otitis media and continual middle ear infections who were striving to improve their education. It was crisis management after years of neglect.
Consequently, history shows that, in 2001, the Labor government came to power, picked up many of those recommendations and has been working with them ever since, and has continued to develop policy over the next decade - real policy, real investment in education, real investment in educational infrastructure to support program delivery.
When we talk about efforts being considered and strategic, we have to acknowledge the minister’s statement where he says important amendments to the Education Act were necessary and the robust Every Child, Every Day strategy we are implementing to address unsatisfactory levels of school attendance, because that is the basis. My message in the constituency is we have to help parents, we have to support families. We have to get the message out. It is not good enough to say: ‘Come on, you kids, you have to get to school’. We have to make those families and those extended families aware that the school has a host of support networks.
The school has well-defined and sophisticated case management strategies to support attendance through this government’s Every Child, Every Day policy. When we talk about those support networks, we can start with cash - the $75 Back to School Bonus payment. We can talk about improved infrastructure but, most importantly, we can talk about the support networks involving assistant teachers, Aboriginal and islander education workers, attendance officers, school counsellors, people who are really focused on supporting families with kids with challenging behaviours and kids with special needs. This message needs to be firmly entrenched in the community because there is help, and we are all about getting these kids to school and improving attendance.
It is great to hear the anecdotes from members talking about their educational experiences. One of mine was when I started the school at Epenarra on a cattle station 30 years ago - it was amazing. I ended up changing careers with 53 weeks sick leave on full pay. I could not take a sick day, it was incredible. I must outline to this House I tried, but the kids would bang on the caravan door and be climbing all over the caravan. ‘What is the matter, Kumadjai? Hey, you have not opened the school. Get on with it. Get up here’. That was the way we did business.
As the member for Stuart said, times have changed and there are real challenges, particularly in the Indigenous communities because that overarching structure of the traditional elders is changing. We have those incredible influences of pop culture. We have those high mobility factors. The communities are struggling to deal with the accelerated changes within society. Do not underestimate that cycle of grief our Indigenous communities have to work through every day - those really sensitive, challenging times of grief where not only are there cultural obligations, there are also very high levels of emotional challenge people have to work through with their families and their kids. In small communities, that complicates the whole environment and impacts on school attendance. We have to work through ways of supporting parents, families, and communities. The minister has outlined in this statement many of those working machinations on the ground.
I was very proud when I read the minister’s statement, particularly the part about working together - the Northern Territory government and the Australian government – which relates to Building the Education Revolution. There are some amazing figures around that. The member for Blain talked about it not just being about investment. It certainly is about investment! It is investment with the Australian government which provides the significant resources to make our policies work and to support what this government is doing. As an educator for over 30 years in many regional and remote areas, I have never seen anything better than what has been delivered in the last couple of years under the Northern Territory government and the Building the Education Revolution.
To quote from the electorate - members are so proud of talking about what happens in their electorate. I am interested in those on the other side because they should stand up, ‘fess up, and talk about their Building the Education Revolution projects and about the Northern Territory government’s significant investment.
I will quickly mention Barkly College and the new multipurpose sports facility - $3.3m by a local contractor, G.K. Painting Contractors Pty Ltd. It opened in the 2012 school year, and that infrastructure is not only supporting the education programs, but supporting those great links with the community. I was talking to the principal of the Barkly College about all those great ideas about how this infrastructure will support community involvement in the school, and get people involved in supporting their own kids’ education.
The member for Blain talked about the lack of trade training. There were many comments in this House about the changes. We can all talk about the historical changes, but when we talk about education and infrastructure, I go back to the Barkly College. Between the Australian and the Northern Territory governments, the investment has seen a trade training centre workshop - $1.2m Australian government funded - once again, with local Tennant Creek contractor, G.K. Painting Contracting Pty Ltd. Following that was a science learning centre. This is two major pieces of infrastructure added to the Barkly College, Tennant Creek High School Campus, followed up by a Northern Territory government investment into a new multipurpose sports facility and general purpose hall. That also had the add-on effect of freeing up existing space within the college which allowed the housing of a Clontarf program, and supports more program delivery with good, adequate and purposely designed new program space.
I could talk about the Tennant Creek Primary School and the Elliott school upgrades, the Minyerri Primary School, the Borroloola school, Ali Curung school, the Canteen Creek School, Epenarra School, Rockhampton Downs school, Murray Downs School, and Corella Creek school. We could keep going on and on, right across the Territory, talking about this significant period in the Territory’s history, where working with the Australian government has delivered the best investment in regional remote schools’ infrastructure in the last 30 years. I am proud to say this has happened in town as well.
Those members on the other side should be jumping, one after another, to tell this House, to tell Territorians, the story about the same level of infrastructure development in the urban areas in schools that are doing incredibly well, where our Territory kids power the mainstream programs. We should always acknowledge that. We should always acknowledge what is going on that is working really well, and providing those outcomes.
It is also important to talk about the minister’s statement in relation to the investment in information communication technology. That is something that is now right across the board, and is keeping pace in the bush. At the end of last year, I left Darwin and travelled through the Barkly electorate. I was at Minyerri school on the way home to Tennant Creek. I saw the level of technology in the classrooms and these young, enthusiastic teachers working with the latest in ITC in a bush school. I suppose if I checked carefully in the kit I probably had a piece of chalk left over from my career as a teacher. It was just wonderful, in classroom after classroom - I got a tour of the school on the way home. It was not just in one classroom, it was across the board. It is an investment in specific infrastructure that certainly boosts outcomes.
It is also important to look at the whole suite of initiatives that are in place. We talk about our teaching staff - excellent teachers and excellent principals. When we look back over the years - and the minister has made it very clear in his statement in this House - since 2002, the Territory Labor government has employed 407 additional teachers. They are not just your traditional classroom teacher; there are specialist areas as well which are important when we are dealing with the challenges of providing education in the postmodern world: school counsellors, behaviour management specialists, English as a Second Language specialists, PE and health specialists, ITC support, programs in music and school performance, and career guidance.
There was an interesting comment today in the House about teacher recruitment and retention. I will comment on a couple of models that relate to what is happening in Tennant Creek in the Barkly region. I acknowledge Eric Brace and the professional relationship the Barkly College and the Tennant Creek High School campuses have developed with the University of Western Sydney. Their work bringing students to Tennant Creek and supporting practicums from students from the University of Western Sydney is paying real dividends. Not only are those students having a fantastic experience in their teacher training and being inspired about the bigger picture of Australian education, some of them are coming back to the Northern Territory and even coming back to Tennant Creek, which is a great outcome.
I really enjoy International Teacher’s Day in Tennant Creek each year because that coincides with one of the practicums where I meet these students from the University of Western Sydney. That is a creative example of what this government is doing: empowering our school communities to look at new ways of recruitment and retention. Minyerri school - an outstanding school …
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I move an extension of time for the minister to continue his remarks, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr McCARTHY: Thank you, Madam Speaker and I thank my colleague. I was moving on to Minyerri school because this is a remote school and over the past 10 years it has been achieving above 90% attendance. This is an outstanding school. It really demonstrates outstanding commitment from teachers and the school community and can show the Territory important ways of doing business in a very remote area.
They have also developed a relationship with Melbourne University. Last year, it was wonderful to host a room full of students from Trinity College who spent a couple of weeks at Minyerri, and then came Darwin. I met with those students and we had an incredible time swapping ideas, unpacking their time in Minyerri, and their relationship with the university and Minyerri school over quite a number of years. It was extremely rewarding to see hands going up in that room when they were asked who was coming back to the Northern Territory. There were many young students in that room and a few hands went up, and that is paying real dividends. That is what happens when you have good, sound policy - when you have a policy. It is an innovative program and I celebrate that because it really is underpinning and tying together all the other innovative initiatives which represent the Henderson government’s policy in education.
In 2011, the Centre for School Leadership, Learning and Development was established in partnership with CDU. As the minister outlined, that includes a school leaders program, principal and teacher orientation, a development program for high-performing principals, a highly accomplished and lead teacher program and, once again, developing our people - which the member for Port Darwin concentrated on - who are an extremely important element, but only one element of the minister’s holistic package.
Another important element is building a sustainable and stable Territory workforce in the Indigenous Employment and Career Development Strategy which aims to develop 200 additional Indigenous teachers and is a key policy development in the Northern Territory. The population in the Northern Territory is about 30% Indigenous, representing the traditional owners and their communities, in urban areas, regional areas, and remote areas. They are a fascinating, exciting, and extremely creative element of the Territory community. We have to concentrate on involving Indigenous people in our education delivery. We have to continue to work to involve Indigenous people, not only as Parents as the First Teachers, but also in the delivery across our curriculum areas. I celebrate the continuing push in policy development the minister has outlined.
I am an infant primary teacher by trade, and I was really pleased to hear the minister outlined as part of his statement that research has found that laying solid educational foundations in the early years of a child’s life will enable lifelong learning, especially with regard to literacy and numeracy. The minister went on to talk about some high level assessment for which the department has engaged Professor Masters, and also the Department of Education and Training’s strategic plan which identifies the ways the system can target improvements in literacy and numeracy outcomes working in that early childhood area.
It is wonderful to visit schools in the electorate, sometimes, in my portfolio as the Minister for Transport, working to promote the road safety message, particularly in those early childhood areas. Across the Territory it is wonderful to see the incredible work going on in our early childhood areas. It is great to see the creative work that is engaging parents and school communities, empowering those young kids in getting them on the track to ensure outcomes are maximised and improved across the curriculum areas and, very importantly, in literacy and numeracy outcomes.
The minister’s statement focused on the new key component of educational policy, the Every Child, Every Day strategy, and the Enrolment and Attendance Strategy. It is important to make comment that, in the minister’s presentation to this House, the underlying strategy is that really important case management model. You have to take the family, the extended family, as a model. You cannot deal with any individual component of that. It must be done together. The Every Child, Every Day strategy offers people a fair go to engage with the school and to use those very positive support networks to solve problems. Whether it is your child with challenging behaviours, your circumstances around income, providing nutrition to your children, dysfunctional families and dealing with some of the more radical challenges in our society, the school is the place to go. The school has holistic case management strategies that work right through.
The minister also acknowledged that the Commonwealth government entering this space with the SEAM trials as another additional component to support the holistic family and to give those kids the best opportunity to engage them with the educational program of their local school to support their attendance and their participation. At the end of the day, when these kids start to have a sustainable attendance pattern, it becomes quite natural - as the member for Port Darwin described when he said that he would drop everything to get to that class. In my words, it was an exciting part of his day; he wanted to be there. That is what the Every Child, Every Day strategy offers, because we need to get that period of sustainability, to get those kids’ confidence up, to get the parents support, and to make that child understand that the school is one of the most important parts of his life.
I also celebrate the member for Arafura - a very experienced member of this House who rolls up her sleeves and gets in and does the work - who has been working on the ground with the community of Gunbalanya in her electorate on an alternative timetable. It is wonderful. I congratulate the minister and the Department of Education and Training, because they took it on. That is what having a policy is all about; that alternative timetable approach taking into account cultural inferences, geography, and weather patterns but, most importantly, the community. The member for Arafura brokered that deal, working closely with the principal, who is a very close friend of hers. She has a long-standing relationship with that school community, and that was translated to a bureaucracy, and incorporated into policy. That is a case model other school communities can pick up. That is an example of doing business with a government which is prepared to do business.
I am running out of time. I conclude by thanking the minister for the Chief Minister’s point about the highly successful Clontarf - the young men’s and the girls’ academies. The Tennant Creek High School story, with its Clontarf Academy and the Stronger Sisters program, is another example of doing business in a creative way. Clontarf has moved its focus now from football, where they engaged these young people, into training to employment. I congratulate Emerson Resources, a significant company in the exploration program happening around Tennant Creek, for providing after-school jobs for these Clontarf students.
Madam Speaker, I congratulate the minister on the links which are made in this policy between education and training to employment because the prosperity is out there, and the Territory is a great place for people ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, in responding to the minister’s statement, there are good stories and we need to promote those. We also need to keep our feet on the ground because there are a number of issues that still need to be sorted through.
On the good side, the schools in my area, which overlaps with the member for Goyder’s, are great schools. Taminmin College has a middle and senior school, and probably one of the biggest high schools in the Northern Territory with some great courses, especially its VET courses.
Under the BER program Humpty Doo Primary School received a beautiful cover over its basketball court making it a fantastic outdoor covered area for activities; Bees Creek had extensions to the special education areas and the covered areas; St Francis of Assisi had some new classrooms; Sattler built a new library; Girraween Primary School doubled the size of its preschool; Howard Springs got new classrooms which were definitely needed; and the Good Shepherd Lutheran College received a new language centre.
They are great schools. I meet with principals, staff and teachers throughout the year. There are some very dedicated people doing their best to educate our children and it is important we recognise the fact. To some extent, we do not give them enough credit because there has been a discussion around violence in schools. I rang five or six of the principals from those schools and received positive feedback on the issue of violence in schools. In a number of cases, people said things had improved over the last couple of years and there were methodologies now in place which have made it much better when it comes to dealing with some of the issues. That is the kind of feedback that is great to hear from the principals in those areas.
They are great schools. I have mentioned Girraween Primary School today. There has been a large population growth in that area, and Girraween Primary School is finding it difficult to have enough resources and infrastructure to cope with the increase in children at that school. They say there are no spare rooms to cater for the increase in classes, and are having problems with where to put their specialist music program. They have 70 places for out-of-school-hours care. We do not have day care facilities in that area because, at the moment, there are still issues with the Girraween District Centre.
Getting back to the schools, they are terrific schools and there is no way we should forget they are part of our community. Our school councils are part of our community and, in many cases, our schools are the centre of the community. The one time in the year you see most of the parents get together is when they have a big dance night. You can guarantee the parents will all turn up, especially if every child in every class is going to be part of the concert. You can bet that every parent will want to come to see little Johnnie or Betty participate. They are the centre of the community; they are not just an education facility.
I listened to the member for Barkly who, along with the member for Nhulunbuy are both – I should not see ex-teachers, it is probably a case of once a teacher always a teacher. We are all teachers in some ways. However, we have qualified teachers in our parliament and it is good to hear their points of view.
I believe you have to be careful. Government wants to sell its side of the story, and that is fair enough, but sometimes we need to step back. Since I was elected to parliament there have been many debates about education. There have been many dollars spent on education. There have been many so-called improvements - whether it is infrastructure or methodologies, new IT programs, and computers and tablets in schools, and all sorts of things. On the surface, that sounds fantastic and I am sure it is great for people to use. The reality is if you pick up the 2010-11 annual report on education, and read the attendances and numeracy and literacy - especially for Aboriginal people - it has hardly moved. We have spent all this money and we have introduced new programs, but has there been a change on the ground? We talk about the future; these programs we are introducing now are going to change things. However, I heard that same debate several years ago.
I will just give you an example. There was an estimate in 2010-11 that the number of Indigenous students attending over 80% of the time would be 33%. That is pretty terrible in the first place, but it actually ended up being 32%, compared to non-Indigenous which was estimated at 100% but ended up at 97%. We have average attendance rates marked at 69%. You could say that is not too bad, but it is a bit like the employment statistics for SIHIP where, when you dig down deep and find out how many workers lasted 26 weeks, you find it is very few. When you see the number of Indigenous students attending primary school over 80% of the time, it is only 32%, and that is a very low figure. I do not have the previous annual reports with me, but the 2009-10 column was 32% as well.
If we go to reading for Indigenous students, in Year 3 it was estimated to be 47%. It has gone up to 53%. However, in Year 5 it was 36% and it went down to 34%. If you go to writing for Indigenous students, for Year 3 it was 43%, the actual for 2010-11 was 42%. In Year 5 it was 33%, the actual was 32%. If you go to numeracy for Year 3, 46%; it did go up to 51%, which is good. For Year 5, it was estimated to be 55%, and it went down to 42%.
In middle school education attendance for over 80% of the time for Indigenous students was estimated to be 21% and it ended up being 15%. That is lower than it was in 2009-10, which was 19%. These figures are concerning.
I am not saying there are not good schools out there. I went to Robinson River School where 100% of the kids attended. It is a great school. I saw a teacher from Carey Grammar in Melbourne helping the kids in the library. It was great to see that school. That is one school with 100% attendance.
You have averages here. What are the other schools that make up that average? They must be considerably low.
We do not have annual reports for the sake of just filling in the blanks. If you look at the annual reports, even our own overall reading achievements from 2008-10, the Northern Territory is lower than the rest of Australia. That is probably reflective of the figures I just quoted for Indigenous numeracy, literacy and writing.
Look at some of the detailed figures on pages 118 to 120 of the annual report and at the Year 7 writing achievement 2010 by geolocation. For very remote, the Northern Territory has a 17.2% writing achievement compared to 50.4% for the rest of Australia. Someone may know a little more about those figures, but you do not have to be a scientist to understand we still have - and I am not telling the government how to suck eggs, because they know already - some major issues to overcome.
Why do I think it is really important? I heard the member for Barkly talking about employing 200 Indigenous teachers. That is fine, but the Indigenous teachers will need numeracy and literacy skills and, if you still have these very low figures, then where are you going to get those people from? We should be doing our best to give Aboriginal people in remote areas a chance to work for the INPEX development, but if you have numeracy and literacy issues, then you have problems employing people.
I am interested in what the member for Barkly said, but I put it into this context: here are the results; this is what the annual report says. It states the facts. There may be many reasons why people do not attend school. I do not deny there are a number of reasons. The home life many of these young people have is not going to encourage them to study or advance themselves because there is no employment, or there is a great deal of social breakdown in the community. That certainly makes it hard for children to attend school or to even bother about learning.
I saw an interesting article in The Australian some weeks ago about a Chinese school which does not have computers. I think it was in Shanghai; l might be wrong there. It has achieved very good results - in fact, some of the highest results in China – without using much of the technology we use today. When you come to think of it, reading does not require technology, it requires a book. Writing does not require too much technology; it requires a pen and paper. We spend millions on ways to encourage children to feel good and to come to school because we can now do that on a computer and a tablet. That is fine, although I am not sure how much you need to teach kids. Seeing some of the young people from Indigenous communities work their thumbs on an iPhone these days, they pick it up quickly and understand how to use that technology.
That was mentioned recently when I had a discussion with the CEO of the Batchelor Institute when he said many of the people in those communities are IT savvy. Being IT savvy does not necessarily make you good at numeracy and literacy. Sometimes, you have to ask if we are looking good but not achieving. I remember saying this to Syd Stirling, who was minister for Education in this House for quite a while. He always agreed that people like my wife who went to a mission school and only reached Grade 6, can read and write, and add up, but they went to school every day. You might say that was the mission way of doing things: you had to go to school. Well, we all had to go to school, but that seems to have disappeared.
That was low technology - in fact, it was hardly any technology. It was probably a blackboard, a bit of paper and a pen. How many people of that era can read and write? Yet, if we bring that up as a possible solution, you are laughed at. You say we have all these modern techniques, we have new types of curriculum, we have what they call education theorists talking about how to improve literacy and numeracy. I say that is all very well. We pay them millions of dollars a year to tell us how to fix things up and, yet, I pick up the annual report of the Department of Education and Training which, in some cases, hardly shows an improvement in numeracy and literacy, especially with Indigenous children.
Yes, there are good stories. I am glad the Northern Territory government is promoting secondary education, but secondary education is no good if you cannot read and write. You have to have that base foundation if you want to move.
Today, I was going to talk about how the government should look at a program for increasing employment in these communities by having a fly-in/fly-out system to projects such as INPEX. Why could we not offer fly-in/fly-out from communities to Darwin for Aboriginal people to work on the INPEX project? We need to look at alternative ways of creating employment, because education is no good if there is not an outcome and no reason for people to be educated. There is an opportunity for the government to say: ‘We fly-in/fly-out workers from other parts of Australia and overseas. We ought to look at whether we can fly-in/fly-out Aboriginal people from remote communities and give them the opportunity’. We need to ensure they have reasonable levels of literacy and numeracy. We not only have the INPEX development; we have, possibly, the abattoir development where many Aboriginal people would find a job to their liking and their skills. We need to think outside the square when it comes to employment.
I go back one step and say it would be good if we could do that, but do we have the numbers of people with the right numeracy and literacy skills to achieve it? The government has tried many things, and the Commonwealth government has also been trying many ways of getting kids to school. The other side of the coin is that Aboriginal people in some of these communities have to take responsibility. By all means, government should encourage and make an effort for the attendance. However, there has to be some stick as well, and people have to take responsibility. I do not know how many school attendance officers operate in the bush. There are laws that you should send your kids to school. There has to be a certain element of push if we are going to change things. If people will not take the responsibility, then the young people are going to have a problem getting a decent education.
One of the results of kids not wanting to go to school is that they get kicked out of school when they go there. One of the good things the government has done is introduce the Edmund Rice program in Alice Springs. I was there a few weeks ago and I believe the Edmund Rice facility has great potential. I spoke to the coordinator, I believe his name is Dale Murray. He has been involved for 25 years with this type of school. This school will deal with kids who, basically, do not want to go to school. They have either been kicked out of school or do not want to go to school. They have had great success with these kids. They will never go back to school more than likely, but they will be picked up by this Edmund Rice school, and they will get the basic grounding in numeracy and literacy. They have had fairly good rates of getting young people jobs. They will be mainly trying to educate these children to get them back into the education cycle - not necessarily going back to the school they did not want to go to in the first place. They will be able to give those young people an opportunity to get a job.
That is really the key to education. As I said before, if we have plenty of employment, people can see the reason for being educated, and they will take that up. That is a good program introduced by the Northern Territory government.
I hear a fair bit about Utopia from time to time from various people. I was at Alparra about a year ago. People are very quick to talk about poor bugger me. However, I looked at the secondary school there and it is one of the finest high schools you will see anywhere, especially in remote parts of the Northern Territory. Yet, for some reason, people keep putting the Utopia area down as an area where the government does not spend much money. It has had problems with sewerage and those types of things around the houses, but it is no different or worse than any other part of the Northern Territory. It has a fine secondary school and the government needs to publicise the fact there has been money put into that high school and there are opportunities for young people to get a good secondary education.
Madam Speaker, yes, I understand there are good things in our education system in the Northern Territory ...
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I move an extension of time for the member, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr WOOD: Thank you, member for Fannie Bay. There are good schools, there are good teachers, there are good principals, there is good staff, and there are great school councils, especially in my area, which is the area I know best. However, you cannot avoid the facts written in the annual report under performance reporting. You worry when you see that and ask whether we are changing things or just talking it up. Are we spending much money but not seeing any results?
There will be cases like Robinson River school - a great school. There will be other examples, as the member for Barkly said - and no one denies that. If that was the case all over the Territory we would not have these figures in the annual report.
If these figures change substantially next year that would be great; those programs are starting to work. However, you have to deal with the facts, regardless of whether they are good to publicise or they do not quite fit in with the good news story all the time. There are still problems and, as I have said before and will probably get into trouble for, I do not get so enthusiastic about statehood. Why not? Because here is the real issue, here is where we have to make the effort. When we get 90% of these kids going to school, attending and with equal numeracy, literacy and writing, then I say let us go for the luxury items. We have to fix this first.
Madam Speaker, the statement is certainly worthy of a debate in parliament and I appreciate the minister presenting it. There are many other aspects of education that cannot be covered in the time we have been given tonight. I wanted to discuss those issues I believe important. I am interested in hearing the minister’s response when this debate finishes.
Mr GUNNER (Fannie Bay): Madam Speaker, I support the minister’s statement on education. The member for Nelson summed it up at the end - it is what counts. If you do not get education straight many of the other things we are doing in the Territory are pointless. However, I disagree with him; you cannot put education here, statehood here, and say there is no point doing that, let us do that. That is not how to approach a statehood debate. It is something you are either for or against and, in some respect it is binary. I do not believe approaching statehood prevents you from approaching or tackling the issues around education. You can do both.
The member for Nelson is not a lazy member; he is a very hard-working member and, if we work together, we can achieve both. In fact, we can achieve more than both those things. You do not have to separate them.
Statehood, for me, is a very simple issue. I was born here, have several generations of family here - let us be a state. Let us get the independence for Territorians we deserve. Let us get our status to the same level as other Australians. It needs to be done. It does not need to be a time-consuming issue; let us get on board and back statehood. I do not believe issues or challenges within education should be seen as something that prevents us from tackling statehood.
The member for Nelson made some other points I thought were quite interesting. He talked about IT and that you do not need IT to have a good education. I agree with that. I came out of the education system pretty well educated, and we did not have access to some of the technology they have now. However, that is not the point - or it should not be the point. In some respects, I agree with what he said. It is not about whether you have an iPad or a laptop; it is about how you use those tools.
SMART boards provide you with an amazing access, as a teacher, to things you can use to help educate your class, and that is good. The member for Blain used a phrase yesterday, quoting the Chief Minister, about how they are the tool kit for the modern teacher. In some respects, it is a nice catch phrase. They are a very good tool but it goes back to what you teach and how you teach it. We had a debate in this House late last year when the member for Brennan was complaining about iPads in Nightcliff Middle School and what was happening in the library there. Those iPads – I like the Kindle I have for reading – and Kindles give you access to an amazing array of books. I have almost the whole library on mine. It is how you use those tools that is critical.
You can get a good education in the Territory. We know you can get a good education in the Territory, especially if you go to school every day. That is a critical point. One of the stories the member for Nelson told was about leaving school at Grade 6 and being able to read and write. A critical part of that story was how they went to school every day. You can never get away from how critical that is.
Going back to his tech point, it is about how you use those tools. We have excellent teachers in the Territory and they use those tools very smartly. At Parap Primary School, they had a very dedicated fundraising campaign to make sure they had SMART boards in every classroom, because the teachers used them well and they got good results from those SMART boards. It is about using that as a resource. It is about using that to assist you in how you teach in your classroom.
I agree with the member for Nelson that they should not be seen as the be-all and end-all; they are not. They, themselves, do not teach you. Being able to unlock an iPad and play with the Apps does not teach you anything. How it is used in the classroom is the critical thing. We have excellent teachers, and those items such as iPads, laptops, SMART boards and other items, can be excellent tools for teachers helping educate our children.
The member for Nelson also said that education is useless unless you get an outcome from it; that it needs to be skills based and leads to a direct outcome with a job. That is critical. Probably in this statement we are debating today here, he is correct: you do want an outcome. Philosophically, education is about more than that; it is about bettering who you are, about challenging yourself, testing yourself, and becoming a better person. Education does need to lead to skill sets and then to outcomes. We have done much work to ensure that is where our education program sits.
However, education is about more than that, though; it is about continuing education. Even when you leave school, you continue to learn. It is critical that you continue to challenge and test yourself. That is a philosophical debate. I am sure the member for Nelson would agree. I will not put words in his mouth, but I am sure his comments were about, essentially, where we are with our education system.
It is wrong to say education is useless if it does not lead to an outcome. There is more to education than whether you get a skill set that leads to a job. That is a really critical and fundamental thing to education. We covered that in our statement. There is more to education than just that. It is important, though, because in the Territory we have opportunities. We have significant opportunities at the moment, and we want to ensure the people leaving our education system are capable of taking up those opportunities.
We can say young Territorians have opportunities for employment. You can talk to a classroom full of Year 12 students in the Territory and say if they want to stay here there is a job. That is almost a luxury at the moment in the global context; to be able to say that to a classroom. We have a bright future in the Territory. We can genuinely say to our young Territorians that they can stay here, go to university here, go to trade school here, and get a job here. That is fantastic for our young Territorians.
Having gone through school in the Territory, when I left Year 12 I saw too many of my classmates leave the Territory to go down south because that is where they saw their chances in life. They saw that was where they would get their education and jobs. Many of those friends have come back, which is excellent. I know we can provide more opportunities for our young Territorians now than we did then. We spoke about this last week with the Gearing up for Growth statement. There are opportunities in the Territory which we can offer our young Territorians now which are above and beyond what we had when I left high school, and above and beyond what you can gain around the world. We have an education system geared up to ensure we deliver people who can fill those jobs, and we can look them in the eye and say to them with confidence that there are jobs for them here in the Territory.
This is the one year anniversary of the medical school being opened. You can go all the way from preschool to medical school in the Territory now, and that is an exciting opportunity. A couple of weeks ago, I attended the NT Board of Studies awards with the minister, which is one of the better functions you can go to all year. It is a positive function with proud parents and excellent teachers, and we have a chance to celebrate education. The minister made some very good points during his speech about how we need to celebrate education more. We often celebrate sport and other things. Maybe we do not celebrate success in the academic field as much as we should. That is an excellent function and I really enjoy going to it. The minister made some comments, as he has in the Chamber - and the member for Port Darwin picked up on them - about how teachers can have a profound impact on your life. Those are really good words – ‘profound impact’. I had several teachers who did that …
Madam SPEAKER: Is that the member for Arafura’s phone? Could you take the phone outside please?
Mr Mills: Kick them out please, Madam Speaker.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: I do not have my phone on.
Madam SPEAKER: If it is your iPad, can you turn it to silent, please?
Mr Mills: Terrible! Criminal!
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, Leader of the Opposition, for your commentary.
Mr GUNNER: Mrs Brisbane was a teacher who had a profound impact on me as a student. I had the good fortune of having her as a history teacher through several grades of high school. That continuity of involvement with a teacher is quite powerful. She did some really excellent work, particularly in Year 11, which had a huge impact on how I saw education and always trying to challenge and test myself. I loved history. I had a very good Year 10 and, at the start of Year 11, I started to struggle a little with my history. She took me aside and talked me through where I was at and how I was approaching history in Year 11. I was approaching it the same way as I approached it in Year 10. You cannot do that; you have to continue to challenge and test yourself.
She was an excellent teacher who knew how to approach a student one on one - it is not always about the classroom experience - and sit down with that student and have an impact on them. I will always appreciate her. The comments she made in Year 11 have stayed with me ever since. It is something I test myself with now, even here as a fourth-year parliamentarian. I continue to think about what she said then and how I can apply them to me now. That is what difference good teachers can make.
The results we celebrated at that NT Board of Studies awards night were excellent. We had 1144 students graduate with the new Northern Territory Certificate of Education and Training, which included 148 Indigenous graduates. Those results are proof - as we have said in this statement and many times in this House - if you go to school every day in the Territory you receive a great education. You can achieve access to the opportunities you seek; it gets you in. That is a critical point about education, as I discussed before in that philosophical debate with the member for Nelson.
Nine of the top 20 students for the year for the NTCET are from Darwin High School. Darwin High School is an excellent school. I use this opportunity to commend Darwin High School for its involvement during the Bombing of Darwin weekend. Darwin High School students were involved in eight separate activities during the Bombing of Darwin commemorations. Darwin High School students were involved in eight separate activities during the Bombing of Darwin commemorations. Darwin High School is a school of excellence. Year after year, they produce exemplary students. It is a formidable legacy and it sets a standard for future students. Success is habitual and is not accidental. Credit needs to be given to the teachers and the staff at Darwin High, under the leadership of Marion Guppy, and now under Acting Principal, Trevor Read at the moment. They continue to do a marvellous job.
Their students represent that school with aplomb. They were in eight separate activities during the Bombing of Darwin commemorations. Darwin High School students are often sought out because people have confidence and know what to expect from Darwin High School students at a public event, and the level of expertise and professionalism they bring to those engagements.
Two students, Shelley Bryant in Year 12, and Kae Jenn Tchia in Year 11, road tested ABC radio’s Podcast Bombing of Darwin Walking Tour site on Friday, 10 February. They evaluated the material and were later interviewed by Adam Steer as to their responses. The interview went to air on Monday morning to coincide with the launch of the material. Quotes from the students were later used as scatter ads on ABC radio throughout that week.
Twenty-five Year 10 History students were accompanied by their teacher, Ms Jane Farr, a member of the Fannie Bay History and Heritage Society, and fellow society members, Mrs Judy Boland, Mr Brian Woodrow, Mrs Mary Woodrow, Mrs Catherine Southon, Mr Peter Southon, Ms Yvonne Forrest OAM, Mr Ash Dalley OAM, Mrs Dawn Conroy, and Dr Arun Mahajahni as my guests. As the local member of parliament, I was able to get those Year 10 History students from Darwin High, and the Fannie Bay History and Heritage Society members through the new Darwin Military Museum on Friday morning, 17 February, for a sneak peek of the new Defence of Darwin Experience, which everyone who has been there will agree is an extraordinary museum and a quality testament to the Defence of Darwin.
The students were enthralled by the displays and captivated by the interactive technology which provided an almost real life experience. Emily Greenwell was particularly taken by the warden’s logbook display. The logbook was safely ensconced in a Perspex display case, but students were able to turn the pages electronically by drawing their finger across a screen. As each page was displayed, it could be magnified for easier reading. As Nisia Spurr explained, it was just like reading the real book. That is the real secret to the excellence of the museum: they have captured that real life experience and the preservation of the relics. It is a clever adaptation of modern technology.
Another display which proved to be horrifyingly real for the students was the virtual reproduction of the first air raid. On Saturday, the Larrakeyah Branch of the National Trust provided entertainment and afternoon tea for almost 200 veterans and their carers. Darwin High School staff and students assisted the Larrakeyah Branch volunteers, led by Mrs Judy Boland and Country Women’s Association members under Mrs Wendy White served food and drinks to the veterans.
The visitors enjoyed items by the Sing Australia singers, and sang along to World War II favourites like Lili Marlene, The White Cliffs of Dover, and the Vera Lynn signature tune, We’ll Meet Again. The visitors were also given a brief overview of the history of Myilly Point and Burnett House by Darwin Military Museum Curator, Mr Norm Cramp, who drew their attention to the effects of the war on the house, such as shrapnel damage to louvres and machine gun bullet holes in the fence.
On Sunday, 55 Darwin High students, accompanied by 10 teachers, attended the Commemorative Service on the Esplanade. Students assisted Darwin City Council staff by helping with meeting and greeting guests as they arrived; assisting with the arrival of coaches and disembarking of passengers; assisting with VIP reception and undertaking VIP ushering; assisting the general public to find seats; handing out programs, water, fans and ear pods; manning the water stations and rotating water in the cool rooms to ensure water was chilled when handed out.
Teresa Pham was the Darwin High student who escorted me through the crowd and we had a interesting conversation; she was a charming host. Year 12 student, Shelley Bryant, said she felt tremendously honoured to be asked to deliver The Ode, which she did to perfection. Darwin High’s wreath party was Gemma Reynolds, Sarah Driscoll and Adam Ryan; all Year 12s; and George Loukataris, Year 10, while Casey Gray and Gabrielle Haines took photos for the school. The students had wonderful opportunities to converse with the nation’s Leaders.
Her Excellency the Governor-General, Ms Quentin Bryce, spoke of both Indria Lestari and Sam Smith. She complemented the students on their presentation, telling them they looked very smart. Her Excellency said she enjoyed her visit to Darwin very much. The Prime Minister, Hon Julia Gillard, also spoke to the Darwin High students, as did the Leader of the Opposition, Hon Tony Abbott. Ms Gillard complimented a group of students, telling Adam Ryan he looked great.
Following the service at the Cenotaph, 15 students joined invited guests at the Chief Minister’s reception in Parliament House. This, too, provided students with wonderful opportunities to improve their social skills. Indria Lestari was able to engage the Indonesian Consul, His Excellency Mr Ade Padmo Sarwono in an Indonesian conversation, explaining to him the significance of the event and telling him about Darwin High School, while sisters, Yuki and Nina Ruzsicska, had a lengthy conversation with the Japanese Ambassador His Excellency Mr Shigekazu Sato. Ambassador Sato was delighted to speak in his native tongue with the sisters. He, too, expressed an interest in the commemorative events and asked them about Darwin High School. He was particularly interested in whether Japanese history and culture were taught and how many students studied it.
It is to the credit of the Darwin High School students that they could converse in those languages with the representatives of those countries in the main hall of parliament, and that they represented their school with aplomb and helped forge some stronger ties with those countries and their representatives.
On display in the main hall was the 14th Anti-Aircraft Unit’s banner which had been given to Darwin High School in 2002 by the unit association. Also on display was a seven pound fragment of a bomb casing from the bomb which destroyed the Post Office claiming the lives of 10 postal department workers. The fragment had been collected by Mr Jack Mulholland, a gunner with No 1 of the 14th AA which was stationed on the old Darwin oval near where the Cenotaph stands today. Unit survivors were delighted to see their banner and relic in pride of place on the rostrum. The banner and relic had been given to Darwin High School for safe keeping and Year 11 student, Kae Jenn Tchia, acted as custodian of the relic during his sojourn in Parliament House. Kae Jenn said he was honoured to be able to look after this very valuable piece of history.
To the delight of the crowd, the Chief Minister, Hon Paul Henderson, invited students, Kae Jenn Tchia, Deni Ranasinghe and Chloe Wallent to help him cut the commemorative cake. At the reception, students assisted the Parliament House catering staff by ensuring veterans had food and drink and finding chairs for them. As she was leaving Parliament House, the Prime Minister, Ms Gillard, invited some Darwin High School students to join her in posing for the assembled media.
At the conclusion of the reception, students moved to the Northern Territory Library where they attended a book launch. Ms Wendy James OAM, herself an evacuee, launched Refugees in their Own Country. The book, written by local author and historian, Janet Dickinson, tells of the difficulties faced by the Darwin evacuees on their arrival in southern cities. Students had the opportunity to talk with many of the evacuees who were present at the launch.
On Monday, 20 February, Sarah Driscoll, Syazwani Russell, Shekira Coonan, Chelsea Buhagiar, Chloe Wallent, Kae Jenn Tchia, Isabella Holzberger, Timika King, Hamish Harty and Daniel Murdoch escorted six busloads of veterans and their carers to the Adelaide River War Cemetery for a commemorative service. The students chatted to the veterans and listened to their stories, which is a wonderful way to learn history - direct from the participants; amazing defenders of Darwin who went through a significant moment in the history of Darwin and a significant personal moment for them.
After the service, students helped veterans locate graves of comrades. Year 11 student, Chloe Wallent found this a very moving experience ...
Mrs SCRYMGOUR: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I move an extension of time for the member to complete his remarks, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr GUNNER: Following the service, the group was taken to the Adelaide River Pub where the students helped staff serve lunch. So efficient was this operation that 100 people were served, ate their meal and had their tables reset within 45 minutes.
After lunch, the group visited the Adelaide River Historic Railway precinct where they enjoyed a wander down memory lane and a cuppa or cool drink served by volunteers, Mrs Nola Smith and Ms Dianne Lunn from Darwin and Ms Gillian Banks from Katherine. The visitors were greeted by Mr Trevor Horman, Chairman of the Friends of the North Australia Railway, a volunteer group which has worked tirelessly over a number of years to restore the Adelaide River railway precinct.
All in all, the Bombing of Darwin commemorative events provided the students with a wonderful opportunity to learn of events that have shaped our history.
Darwin High School is a school of excellence with extraordinary teachers and staff and amazing students. I pay tribute to the students who, essentially, did much of the work outside school hours - eight separate events over that Bombing of Darwin weekend. It really is a testament to the students, staff and teachers that they were able to do that - and do it with aplomb.
Territorians strongly believe education and training should be front and centre of the government’s priorities, as the minister said in his statement. We know that because we talked to Territorians. We conducted an extensive consultation process through Territory 2030 and that was one of the outstanding items. It goes back to our original point about ensuring Territorians have a good education so they can take advantage of opportunities we have in the Territory. That is what we need.
Since 2002, we have employed 407 additional teachers. It is not about the numbers; it is about the outcome and effect of those numbers. We have been able to get student ratios down - essentially, more teachers per student so those students can have a more quality experience with their teacher in their classroom. As I said before, it is something more than just that classroom; it is about the one-on-one conversation the teacher can have with the student. If you have a smaller number in the class, a teacher is better able to manage that workload, have an understanding of the individual students in their care, and have those one-on-one conversations as they need.
Additional support personnel have been engaged as well: counsellors, behavioural management specialists, English as a Second Language specialists, physical education and health specialists, and information technology support. It is all about ensuring the teacher has as much quality time as they can with their students so they get those educational outcomes – they teach their students. It is not about worrying about other things peripheral to that; it is about giving them the support and the classroom sizes they need to ensure our students get the best education possible.
There are challenges in how you teach in the Territory. The member for Arafura, when she has an opportunity to speak, can talk about some of those challenges and sensible solutions. She has an interesting story to tell about how you can adjust the school year to better serve the community you are teaching in.
We also need to make dedicated decisions to devote time and effort to specific results. That is critical. We have been concerned about maths and science in Australia for a long time. In the Territory, we are establishing Centres of Excellence. Centres of Excellence align higher education and the industry sector, and resources and expertise within the industry sector to delivering outcomes - academic career and leadership outcomes - so you can provide that focus and direct that resource to getting a result.
The Darwin High Centre of Excellence is focused on maths, science and engineering. They have an industry partner in ConocoPhillips, and Charles Darwin University as well. Students who aspire to careers in those fields - whether it is engineering, chemical and mechanical, or science and, in the flyer they mentioned biotechnology and forensic science – can, through the school of excellence in those high school years, obtain that outcome. Darwin High, as I have spent a long time saying, is an excellent school which produces excellent results. Giving them a critical area in maths, science and engineering, was a deliberate decision because we know they will produce good results. That is the area where we want and need good results. We need to put more time and effort into maths, science and engineering, and giving that attention to Darwin High means we will get that outcome.
I have spoken a little about making sure kids go to school every day. The statistics in the minister’s statement are quite telling; we are going to get 151 students reengaged with school within the first six months operation of the amendment of the Education Act. We have the No School No Service agreements in place for local businesses in Alice Springs, Peppimenarti, Katherine, Borroloola, Palmerston, Nhulunbuy, Groote Eylandt, Yirrkala, and so on. Kids need to go to school and we need to offer classes that suit their needs. That, essentially, falls into two streams: either the pathway to university or the pathway to trade. We need to ensure we provide the right classes to students and we have the right opportunities available.
The member for Port Darwin was talking about the dust in trade-related classes in high school. It is not my experience; you do not have these benches covered in dust that no one is using. You have students who want to do that, who want to take that opportunity. We provide them that opportunity in our schools. I am finding the right page in the minister’s statement. In 2011, there were almost 2000 students undertaking VET in Schools, with 240 students in the middle years programs, 275 students in the work ready program, and 930 students in structured work placement. In 2012, there will be 191 courses funded at over 60 schools. That is clearly providing those two pathways. It is not my experience we have classrooms full of dusty tarps and no one is using the equipment in them.
We are providing both of those pathways. Whether it is down the route to university or the route to trade school, we are providing those opportunities in our classrooms. That is significant because we need to ensure students go to school every day. We need to ensure when they are at school the school is as good as it can be, we are providing good education, the right choices for them, and what is appropriate to what they want when they emerge. It is not about what we think is best for them, but about making sure we have the right programs for those students so they can take advantage of the opportunities that exist.
Madam Speaker, I commend the minister’s statement. It is an excellent summary of our priority as a government, and what we are doing to ensure education in the Territory is as good as it can be, and that Territory education is going to improve over the next few years. I commend the statement to the House.
Ms SCRYMGOUR (Arafura): Madam Speaker, I support the minister’s statement on education. I was listening to the member for Port Darwin who, at different times, will say: ‘We educated you. We taught you, so education under the CLP cannot have been too bad’. I want to place on the record I owe my education, which I am very grateful for, to a group of Catholic nuns on the Tiwi Islands and in Darwin. They provided me, and many people of my generation, with a very sound education and knew being literate and numerate was very important for our future. How right those old nuns were.
I agree that we need to focus on, and build the capacity of, families. Education, and turning around the attendance of young kids is the responsibility of families, but we need to work with families to get young people to school. The government’s Every Child, Every Day policy goes a long way in trying to turn around some of the issues with attendance. The Minister for Lands and Planning, the member for Barkly, spoke in his contribution about a community in my electorate, Gunbalanya. We have talked about Gunbalanya several times, and I cannot say enough how proud I am of Gunbalanya and the principal of that school, who I am very fortunate to call a friend and mentor. In all the time I have been a member of this Chamber she has been a great mentor to me. I have looked at education through her eyes and the challenges she faces as a principal trying to deliver education in that community.
When I looked at the minister’s statement, I thought about Esther and all the challenges she has as principal in that community and the many substantial changes, reforms and programs which have occurred in our bush communities since 2001. This government can feel very proud of the turnaround it has made since 2001. I know there are members on the other side who think we harp on about the past and are constantly saying the CLP did not do anything. Well, that is the sad truth. When you have decades of neglect in communities, of course it is going to take a decade to turn that around.
I was working in the health sector when the Collins report, Learning Lessons, was provided to the CLP to give it a comprehensive blueprint for getting better education outcomes for Aboriginal kids whether they lived in urban, regional, remote or very remote areas. The lack of commitment from the CLP government to implement those recommendations, particularly the ones that could make a difference in the bush, was contemptuous towards Aboriginal people. It is a bit rich when you hear members on the other side say we should not look at the negativity. Their history and their DNA indicates we should never forget. I often say to people it is important to remain vigilant and look at the history of the CLP and its commitment to education in the bush.
It was a very proud moment when we were elected in 2001. I have said before in this Chamber, it was great for the former members for Stuart and Nhulunbuy, both members for many years and during the time of the Collins report, and the pride they felt that, finally, they were able to give a commitment by government to implement the recommendations of the Learning Lessons report and move education forward. Since 2001, there has been massive reform in education by this government because, as the minister said, it is what a Labor government is all about. It is about building better education for the future of children no matter where they live, whether they are in our cities – it is important we do not neglect young people in our urban areas because the future of the Northern Territory needs to be placed in good hands. It is about all our children, which is what Every Child, Every Day is all about.
The member for Fong Lim was deriding the Building the Education Revolution. I say to the member for Fong Lim, who is often like a big ostrich in this House and constantly has his head buried in the sand, go beyond the Berrimah Line and look at some of the communities. Have a look at what the BER has done for communities like Gunbalanya where, for the first time, with commitment from the Northern Territory government, a fantastic hall has been built. Through the BER and matching funds from the Northern Territory government, they also have a science building in that community. For the first time, through the BER, again with matched funding from the Northern Territory government, they have replaced five classrooms.
While members opposite deride and throw scorn on the BER, they need to look at what that infrastructure program has provided for remote communities. The infrastructure provides pride in communities. I visited Minjilang with Warren Snowdon, federal member for Lingiari, and opened the town hall, which was provided through the BER program. It is not only on school premises and the school has access to the hall, it is also a cyclone shelter for the community. Recently, we saw a cyclone near Crocker Island and that hall provided shelter for that small community of 300 people. When the opposition says the BER was a mess, they need to get out of their ivory castles and visit some of our bush communities to see how good that program was for communities and what it provided. When you look at many of the schools around our urban centres, the BER program has provided complementary infrastructure.
When I started this speech I said the one person I admired - I asked Esther if I could read a speech she had written in 2004 for a presentation to the Education department in looking at what needed to be done with the building blocks in communities. She called it Education and Literacy for Governance – A Community’s View ...
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Arafura, forgive the interruption. It being 5:30 pm, in accordance with Standing Order 93, debate will be suspended and General Business will now have precedence over Government Business until 9 pm. Member for Arafura, you will have the opportunity tomorrow to resume your remarks.
Debate adjourned.
Ms PURICK (Goyder): Madam Deputy Speaker, I move - That the Northern Territory government be condemned for its lack of resources and priority to mental healthcare across the Territory with reference to the following:
Mental health is a big area, and while I know the government provides good services and programs to assist, it is not enough and sometimes the allocation of funding becomes blurred under the general health budget areas. There is no doubt this is a subject given one in five Australians will experience mental illness. If we have 25 members in this House, five of us have either experienced or have a mental health illness perhaps requiring medical treatment, perhaps not. Maybe it is fewer people affected, maybe it is more. This startling fact comes from the Mental Health Research Institute based in Melbourne. Another startling fact is 20% of Australians experience symptoms of a mental disorder in any one year. Severe mental illnesses are less prevalent and affect around 2.5% of the population at any one time.
It is estimated the annual cost of mental illness in Australia is approximately $20bn, which includes the cost from loss of productivity and participation in the workforce. It follows then, that improving mental health can lead to social and economic benefits to everyone within the community. It is an issue that is quickly becoming higher on everyone’s agenda, including government, as more and more people experience problems in their lives that fall under the heading of mental disorders or mental illnesses.
The personal effect on people is the main issue of concern; however, there are other associated issues which include: the impact on families; the cost on society, both financially and socially; the impact on workplaces; and the impact on government and its ability and capacity to deal with the issues.
In the Territory, we have additional issues and problems with our widespread population, high level of social and health problems in remote communities, and the capacity of government and non-government organisations to deliver services to those in need in a timely manner, given location, communication challenges and, at times, the climate and inability to access communities.
From my time on the select committee addressing the issue of youth suicide in the Territory, it is clear from submissions and meetings with people the service and care industry for this complex health area is fractured, and possibly missing the mark in some cases, through no fault of the people. It is more because the problems are so vast, so widespread, so complex and, at times, so inadequately resourced by governments - and that includes the Commonwealth government. I suggest there is a lack of coordination at the highest levels and, as a consequence, there is a patchwork of provider’s investment in funding, energies, programs, and services rather than a coordinated Territory effort to address agreed priorities.
The delivery of programs is not seamless and, from my research and observations, we need to work better to produce a well-connected mental healthcare system that will require better coordination and collaboration from all stakeholders.
There have been many parliamentary inquires around the country and independent reviews, more so in the last five to 10 years, on mental health. One of the key outcomes of those reviews is that governments have to change how they respond to mental health in society. While in the past, and even currently, there is much good work being done, and there are many positives resulting from the hard work of many people, we need to think a little differently in addressing the seemingly difficult issues of mental illness and mental disorders.
For example, what work or research is being done to make assistance and treatment more accessible to Territorians through technology, arts, and changes in care? If we look at the Canadian experience, they are thinking outside the box and delivering positive results. There are real case studies on YouTube to help people understand they are not alone. There is the use of apps on iPhones, iPads and iPods, for example. Apps have been developed for people to learn more about mental illness, track moods, and help them with exercise. Some of the apps come with audio, which talks people through a panic attack, for example. While the apps can be good, they are not a replacement for traditional medical support; however, they play a role in today’s society. I ask the minister if his department is undertaking any work in regard to the promotion of these tools that appeal to young people particularly.
Another Canadian experience is the use of technology to help people in rural and remote places. Many of our communities are remote and, sadly, where there is often great need in the mental health area. They call it telepsychiatry, and it allows medical people to use video technology to consult people and provide the medical support they would not receive or would have to travel many hours, if not days, to receive. Has the government done any research in this area? Has the government done any work, in partnership with other agencies, on the use of comics to get a message through to young people, particularly in the bush, as has been done before, very successfully, with voting and encouraging people to use condoms?
I am interested to hear how government goes about providing a mental healthcare system that provides medical attention when people need it, superior treatment, and seamless coordination between the primary care doctor and the specialist. I am interested to know what this government is doing to address these key issues and how it proposes to strengthen the capacity to deliver better and more services to address mental health issues in our Territory. What are the programs for promotion and prevention, including suicide prevention? When you provide details, as I know you can and will, how are you measuring the success of these programs? What tools will be used to measure outcomes of these programs? What work has been done on school-based early intervention programs? I know about KidsMatter and MindMatters. Why are these programs not in all Territory schools?
I know the Menzies School of Health Research undertakes a considerable level of research on mental health matters, and much of it is from the direction of government. What research is being undertaken by other agencies? What has the engagement been with the Mental Health Foundation, the Mental Health Institute and, of recent times, what is the Northern Territory’s role and involvement in the recently established National Mental Health Commission?
I have not addressed women’s health issues and specific mental health and emergency support accommodation, as they can be wrapped up together - and that is what I have done today. People with mental illnesses are amongst the most socially disadvantaged and economically marginalised in our communities. Many are not in the labour force and are unlikely to enter it. People suffering from mental health illnesses need good medical care, stable housing by linking them with personal support services, have improved pathways, and have links with all programs that work towards putting them on the best possible track to recovery. Also, not forgetting the carers, who need support and respite also. I wonder if there is accurate data on the extent of people caring for those in our community with mental illnesses.
This is an important motion and I genuinely want to hear from the minister exactly what work and, more importantly, what research is being undertaken in the area of mental health. What is the real allocation of funding to the area of mental health in urban and remote areas? Exactly what is the state of mental health illness and care in the Territory? If we take the recognised national figure of one in five people suffer from mental illness or disorders in any year, and given the Territory’s population, we have 40 000 people in need each year. Is this the true picture? What work has been done in ascertaining whether this is an accurate figure? Perhaps it is higher.
The National Action Plan on Mental Health, which the Northern Territory government participated in from 2006-11, outlined four key action areas which were: promotion, prevention and early intervention; integrating and improving the care system; participation in the community; and employment, including accommodation and coordinating care. I am interested to know how much money was spent in each of these areas and how that spending compares, per capita, to what was spent in the states.
Madam Speaker, this is an important motion and a huge and complex area of healthcare. I am concerned there is no strong strategy or programs coordinated across the Territory, and that not enough research is being undertaken or promoted by government so that proper decisions can be based on evidence and facts. I look forward to the minister’s response.
Mr VATSKALIS (Health): Madam Speaker, this motion seeks to imply there is a lack of resources and priority given to mental healthcare across the Territory. It seeks to develop this argument by drawing reference to specific issues relating to research; policies addressing women’s health and mental health; support for women’s health services, including emergency support accommodation; and prioritising the resources for mental health services. The motion, as stated, is not correct and will not be supported.
Mental health is a national priority area and a priority for the Northern Territory government. Mental health is a serious issue across Australia. It is one of the leading causes of non-fatal burden of disease and injury in Australia. It is associated with increased exposure to health risk factors, poorer physical health and higher rates of death from many causes, including suicide. Mental health problems are responsible for a large proportion of disability cases, incur high direct and indirect costs, result in high numbers of hospitalisations, and impose a heavy burden of human suffering, including stigmatisation of people with mental disorders and their families.
Mental health disorders are believed to be more prevalent among residents of rural or remote areas than those in metropolitan areas, and for people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent. Mental health was declared a priority area for the Northern Territory government in 2003 and has been a focus for Labor. Where has the opposition been for the last nine years?
Since 2003, the process of appropriately funding and building a more comprehensive mental health system has commenced. Funding for mental health services has increased from $21.8m in 2003-04 to $47.9m in 2011-12. This funding has been invested in a program of reform to modernise the approach to client care and build a system with a capacity to provide an appropriate range of service options.
The following improvements made to the mental health service system are directly attributable to the Northern Territory government’s increased investment since 2003:
we have established the mental health program as a high priority program with a dedicated director and increased funding;
` we have expanded acute assessment and after-hours services;
we have placed an increased focus on safety and quality initiatives, including accreditation and workforce development and training. We have implemented a successful Northern Territory-wide mental health service Australian Council on Healthcare Standards accreditation;
during these sittings amendments were made to the Mental Health and Related Services Act to improve services to Territorians in need;
we have established sub-acute services to people in their own accommodation in Darwin and Alice Springs, and commissioned an eight bed sub-acute facility in Darwin;
under successive Labor governments we have seen the implementation of early intervention initiatives, including the establishment of headspace Top End and headspace Central Australia, and establishment of primary health clinics within public mental health services in Darwin and Alice Springs. Further developments in information management to increase capacity to monitor service performance and quality will assist those who need support;
development of a secure care initiative Tier 1, which includes an additional 11 acute mental health beds - five in Darwin and six in Alice Springs - for special needs groups such as young people, mothers and babies and elderly people. Acute assessment stabilisation will also be provided to young people and people with a cognitive disability. New secure care beds will be commissioned early in 2012;
development of a Northern Territory-wide 24-hour telephone triage service and increased community response capacity in Darwin which commenced in June 2011;
Northern Territory government and Australian government joint funding of implementation of the National Perinatal Depression Initiative in the Territory to provide increased awareness, universal screening and access to treatment for women at risk of mental illness during pregnancy and the first year after birth;
as well as these funding initiatives we have made significant investment in mental health research. The Northern Territory has been a signatory and partner to the National Mental Health Strategy since its inception in 1992. Over this time, there have been four national mental health plans, all of which have included components designed to encourage and promote research and innovation, both nationally and locally.
Capacity to independently undertake or lead research is sometimes a factor for a small jurisdiction such as the Territory. Nevertheless, there are many examples of research being undertaken locally with active involvement by Territory-based staff and researchers. Mental health services in the Territory actively support and encourage research and innovation in mental healthcare within the Territory context wherever possible. There are many examples of past and current research initiatives which attest to substantial research activity in the following areas:
seclusion reduction research;
The Northern Territory has participated in national benchmarking activities and research conducted locally by perinatal mental health services. Staff-generated research on a range of topics supported by the mental health program included research focused on:
investigating the therapeutic value of interventions, in particular, the introduction of a 24-hour Northern Territory-wide telephone triage and a response service;
exploration of culturally appropriate response modules to provide psychological support for people affected by trauma;
investigation into the educational needs and support deficits of remote medical practitioners and remote area nurses in Central Australia working with mental health clients;
research into re-admission prevention in Ward 1 of Alice Springs Hospital;
metabolic screening project focused on developing and delivering education on metabolic syndrome, implementation of screening tools and guidelines;
research into Indigenous women’s experience of an acute mental health inpatient unit;
research evaluation of the whole-of-government approach to suicide prevention undertaken by a PhD student under the auspices of the Menzies School of Health Research; and
a two-year clinical supervision research project and implementation resulting in the establishment of staff training, clinical supervision policy, and protocols.
The second issue referred to in the member for Goyder’s motion is policies addressing women’s health and mental health in the Northern Territory. Generally speaking, the mental health program provides services on the basis of assessment against established legislative and diagnostic criteria rather than gender. Nevertheless, in providing a satisfactory response to the inpatient or the community, every effort is made to allocate an appropriate staff member to an individual’s care. Wherever possible, a female clinician will be involved in a female client’s care. In an inpatient setting, every effort is made to ensure vulnerable female patients are managed in accordance with stringent procedures to ensure they are protected from exploitation or harm. Once again, every effort is made to ensure female nursing staff are available to address any gender-specific matters which might arise during a woman’s admission.
Examples of specific policies and services addressing the needs of women currently provided include guidelines for the safe care of mothers and babies in the mental health unit to provide appropriate guidance to staff caring for a mother who has a mental disorder and her child. New beds established in Darwin and Alice Springs will provide capacity to manage women and babies in a separate and more appropriate part of the hospital in order to provide such care.
As mentioned earlier, perinatal mental health services were formally launched in the Territory in November 2009. These services are designed to improve the prevention and early detection of antenatal and postnatal depression and provide better care, support and treatment for expectant and new mothers experiencing perinatal depression. Special support for primary health professionals and referral pathways for women requiring special intervention care have now been created through the establishment of a small multidisciplinary specialist perinatal mental health team based in Darwin. Services provided directly, or supported by this team, include:
routine and universal screening for perinatal depression;
follow-up support and care for women assessed as being at risk or experiencing prenatal depression;
workforce retraining;
development of health professionals working with women experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, perinatal depression;
research and data collection, including the collection of data and analysis and translation of the Edinburgh Depression Scale into Indigenous languages; and
community awareness activities related to the importance of detection, treatment and management of perinatal depression.
The mental health program has a limited role in women’s policy issues. However, the Northern Territory government has a dedicated Minister for Women’s Policy to oversee the development of women’s policy, including policy pertaining to mental health issues specific to women, and a dedicated officer to pursue this work. The Department of Health has a Women’s Health Strategy Unit which was established to: inform policy development in relation to women’s health issues in the Northern Territory; set strategic directions in relation to women’s health issues in the Northern Territory; facilitate action, in partnership with stakeholders, to develop and implement best practice models that improve women’s health; and where broad women’s health policy issues require specific advice or input from a mental health perspective, this is provided by the mental health program on request.
The final issue referred to in the member for Goyder’s motion is resources to support women’s health centres, including emergency support accommodation. The Department of Children and Families has committed funding to support the establishment and operation of 20 safe places in 15 remote communities across the Northern Territory, including two urban houses. Safe places aim to provide increased safety options in remote communities by providing safe houses for women and children, and a cooling down place for men and youths.
Safe places are more than crisis accommodation services. Their primary function within the community is to serve as a hub for family violence, education and intervention. The safe places in remote communities employ local people and are a place of respite and support for women and children escaping violence. Safe places are available to the community 24/7 through the use of a full-time and casual workforce. Safe places also work closely with police, night patrols and clinics, and provide regular activities and community education programs that relate to strengthening community safety and families.
Women with mental health issues accessing these services may, from time to time, require the support or intervention of mental health services while residing in such accommodation. Existing mental health clinic services are accessible 24-hours a day, 365 days a year, to women’s health centres or associated emergency accommodation services by contacting 1800 NTCATT, the 24-hour Northern Territory-wide telephone triage service.
As you can see, it is this Northern Territory Labor government which has shown the initiative and laid down the dollars to provide resources and priority to mental healthcare across the Territory.
Madam Deputy Speaker, mental health is a national health priority area, and a priority for the Northern Territory government.
Ms PURICK (Goyder): Madam Deputy Speaker, I thank the minister for his comments. It is heartening to hear the level of research being undertaken. However, given the seriousness of the issue, there is still more work to be done because it is such a complex and complicated area. Many people put much work and time into trying to understand mental illness and disorders. As I said, I genuinely wanted to find out more because there is more we need to do to keep our Territory people - young, old and in between - in a state of wellbeing. I thank the minister for his comments.
Motion negatived.
Mr GILES (Braitling): Madam Deputy Speaker, I seek to remove this matter from the Notice Paper.
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! I seek clarification. Will this whole motion now be removed from the Notice Paper? Is that correct? It will not be moved; it is not reordering it? Madam Deputy Speaker, that is extraordinary ...
Mr GILES: Clarification, Madam Deputy Speaker: it is to place it at the end of the list.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: You are not withdrawing this from the Notice Paper?
Mr GILES: No, I meant to put it to back of the list, Madam Deputy Speaker.
Dr BURNS: Madam Deputy Speaker, I am glad we have clarified that. I question why this motion is being moved tonight. It is very important motion. Some from our side were keen to speak on it. One wonders whether it could have anything to do with the adjournment I gave last night. Could it be the member for Macdonnell is not keen to have a further discussion on Indigenous affairs ...
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Leader of Government Business, I have been advised that the member needs to move to have the motion postponed.
Mr GILES: Madam Deputy Speaker, I move that the motion be postponed.
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! Am I allowed to speak to this motion?
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Let me seek some advice on this given the motion is about to be put. I am just going to seek clarification.
Yes, you can put the motion, member for Braitling. However, as with any other motion, it can still go to debate before the question is put. You have moved to postpone the motion so it is open to debate.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! Does the member for Braitling wish to speak to his motion first? He should be afforded that opportunity.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: That would be the order if the member for Braitling had moved the motion to postpone then wanted to make comment in opening the debate. You are not obliged to, member for Braitling.
Mr GILES: Madam Deputy Speaker, the reason I am seeking to postpone this debate is we have had a great deal of debate over Indigenous affairs recently. This morning I approached the minister and advised her I would be seeking to postpone this motion to a later date. We have debated Indigenous affairs a great deal over the last week and a bit, and, whilst the debate will always be continuing in most of the things we do, I would like to have the debate later.
Dr BURNS (Leader of Government Business): Madam Deputy Speaker, I reluctantly support the member for Braitling; it is his motion and if he wants to move it down the list he can. However, I express some hurt or reservation about this. The opposition has loaded up the General Business Day Notice Paper with a series of motions - which is fair enough, that is its prerogative.
In November last year, I was speaking about Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory and had 10 minutes with another 15 minutes in continuation. Because there is so much on the Notice Paper, that very important debate - as members know there is a Senate inquiry and it is certainly topical – was moved down to the bottom of a Notice Paper with about 12 different motions. I had prepared a great deal of material for that, some I used in adjournment last night. I have a great deal more, particularly about education and Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory.
We have another important debate - the assertion by the opposition that government has failed in Indigenous affairs over the last 11 years. The minister had prepared for that debate and now it is postponed. Knowing the member for Braitling is so keen on Indigenous affairs - he does much hard work - I would say he had prepared solidly for this. It does not ring true for the member for Braitling to say: ‘Oh, we have had enough over the last week, let us call it quits’.
This is a crucial issue for the people of the Northern Territory, particularly Indigenous people. I cannot help but think the content of the adjournment - I have a great deal more. This is a very good book with a real wealth of anecdotes, chronicles and narratives which go to the heart of Indigenous affairs and where the opposition stands on Indigenous affairs. Unlike the media, which has asserted: ‘Well, what the member for Johnston said last night we knew; it was said when the CLP was in government and there is nothing new there’. I assert there is a great deal of new material in this book - a great deal of very damaging material, particularly for the member for Macdonnell. There is material about price gouging in stores. That is topical because it is all about Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory and the intervention of Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory on community stores. Education is front and centre in Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory, and I am going to have a little to say about Ms Diane de Vere and the goings on at Papunya School, as related in this book.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I feel a little shortchanged now that the member has decided to withdraw this motion. I do not know what pressure he has come under, but he has. I always look forward to the contributions of the member for Braitling. SIHIP is a very important element of Indigenous affairs. We debated that and I have acknowledged it is a program which got off to a very bad start but is delivering goods. I feel a little shortchanged over this, nevertheless, I am not going to oppose the motion. I agree to it and we can move on to General Business.
Mr GILES (Braitling): Madam Deputy Speaker, it is very sad to see the minister feels shortchanged. I have a dollar in my pocket, minister - $2. There has been no pressure. We have debated many of these issues. I presented to the minister for Indigenous affairs today and advised her I would be making this change. We could go on talking about SIHIP and education - many things. I am sure these issues will arise in discussions on other topics on the Notice Paper. These policy debates will continue over many days. In that debate I would have covered SIHIP and the 65 houses out of 85 in Alice Springs town camps, the rectification works and the budget. What is the budget called - not the defects budget?
Dr Burns: The contingency budget.
Mr GILES: Yes, the contingency budget, thank you, minister. I would have asked questions about that and why Territory taxpayers have to pay for repairs and, if they are paying for repairs, how big the contingency bucket is and what responsibility the contractors should have for the repairs. I would have asked those types of questions. I would have also asked about core filling of the 85 houses and why, when the walls were put up, the cores were only filled part of the way to save money for the contractors. I would have talked about that, but we will save that for another day, minister.
Dr Burns: I hope you have the X-rays for that. You have pictures of everything else.
Members interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Mr GILES: I got it from your staff in Alice.
Dr Burns: You will need X-rays.
Mr GILES: Madam Deputy Speaker, I put the motion.
Motion agreed to.
Mr TOLLNER (Fong Lim): Madam Deputy Speaker, I move – That this Assembly urges the Henderson Labor government to immediately clean storm water drains in order to mitigate flooding around Darwin.
This might seem like a benign motion and something that is rather fiddly. The Leader of Government Business talked about peccadilloes, this might seem like a peccadillo - a small trivial matter to some people. Indeed, the interesting thing about storm water drains is, if they are working properly, no one realises they are around. It is only when storm water drains become clogged and are not working people notice a problem.
I have to admit, when I became involved in this Legislative Assembly I was not prepared for some of the things that would be coming my way as a member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly. I was contacted by people in my electorate about flooding matters, something I had never had to deal with in the federal parliament. I started to take an interest in what people were saying.
Needless to say, things really did not strike home until I was walking back from the Shiers Street units, which the Leader of Government Business knows well - he has been there several times. In fact, I have been there several times with him and I pay tribute to him, as Housing minister, for doing his bit trying to fix the place up. It is not letting you off the hook, minister, because there are still many problems in that block of units, as you well know. I am glad to say you are aware of them and are doing what you can to fix issues. With a different government, there would be a greater drive to fix problems in those units. In any case, I thank the minister for taking an interest in that.
I was walking back from those units to my office one day, and saw a bunch of workmen putting a cap on a storm water drain manhole. I pulled up and spoke to the fellows, asked them how they were going. They had a concrete mixer, one fellow was down a hole and there were a couple of fellows mixing concrete, putting up formwork and all the things you do to replace a cap. Someone had obviously driven a truck over the cap and busted it and they were fixing it. I looked inside this manhole and asked: ‘Is this a Telstra manhole?’ They said: ‘No, it is a storm water drain’. I said: ‘Right, where are the drains?’ They said: ‘No, the drains are clogged. There are four drains there and it was a junction’. The drains were probably 1.5 ft across and all four of the pipes were completely clogged. I said to the fellows: ‘When you have fixed the cap I take it you will be cleaning out these drains?’ They said: ‘No, our contract is to fix this manhole and put a new cap on it’. I said: ‘Who is going to fix the drains?’ They looked at me said: ‘We don’t know; we have no idea. That is not our job, we are just contracted to fix the cap’.
I was aware there were problems with flooding in that area. Dwyer Park is there and members who previously had that in their electorate would know that park floods every Wet Season.
I took some interest in the fact these drains were clogged. In fact, I know of stories where former member, Matthew Bonson, was aware of it. Before him, member Phil Mitchell - he had a photograph of himself standing almost waist deep in water on Dwyer Park one Wet Season, a particularly bad year for flooding. The former Chief Minister, Clare Martin, lives on the next street around. There has been much flooding in that park.
At council level, they tried to address the flooding by spending quite a bit of money putting levy banks through the park to stop the water flowing into it.
I was interested in the fact these drains were completely and totally clogged so I started making some inquires. I have to say, working out who had responsibility for this drain was not an easy task. I would ring the council and they would say: ‘No, we do not own any storm water drains, they are the property of the Northern Territory government’. I would ring the Department of Construction and Infrastructure and ask them. ‘They are nothing to do with us, that is a council matter - talk to council’. Even to the point where people were saying: ‘That is a Commonwealth matter because it is a drain that comes off the RAAF Base’. You need to talk to people on the RAAF Base because that drain, somehow, is the property of the Commonwealth.
We have a situation which I imagine goes back several years - I am not having a crack at the current government for this, but there seemed to be to be real lack of information about whose responsibility it was to maintain these drains. However, after a long process of trying to find out whose drains they were we found out, in this case, the Northern Territory government was responsible. Once we found that out it was a simple matter of getting onto them and kicking up a stink.
I do not know if some of the government departments are a bit wary of me, but I find when I make a phone call to them they are very responsive. I do not know whether they think I might drag them off to A Current Affair, or some minister will come down on them if they do not respond. However, they were very good and very quick in responding. Those drains were cleaned out. That was probably about two years ago.
Since that time, Dwyer Park has not flooded - it has been amazing. The drains I am talking about go into Sadgroves Creek and into the harbour. They are quite important drains because they take much of the water off the RAAF Base. Because that drain was clogged, the water coming off the RAAF Base, instead of flowing through the drain, would flow through the Winnellie Shopping Centre. The Winnellie Shopping Centre car park was often 1.5 ft deep in water. Then, you have all the problems that come with having water in a car park. The car park was full of potholes and was always very poorly maintained. It is very difficult to maintain a car park when, every year, you have water coming through and flooding it. Many problems were caused by one clogged drain.
Seeing the results of having the drains cleaned out and water flowing into our harbour, and the fact this last Wet Season has not been a particularly harsh Wet Season - everybody would agree it has been a very dry Wet Season in the Top End. However, in the previous one there was much rain and Dwyer Park did not flood. It is the first time in a very long time that park has not flooded. I was scratching my head thinking: ‘Goodness me, how crazy it is that council would be putting levy banks in at Dwyer Park, our car park had to be resurfaced every couple of years because of flooding through the Winnellie shops, when it was simply a matter of cleaning out the storm water drains’.
That has put me on a bit of a crusade to get drains cleaned out. There is a big drain at the back of Ludmilla Primary School. In fact, it is a huge junction of drains. The area goes to the back of Ludmilla Primary School and right at the end of Racecourse Creek are four or five massive drains probably 1 m in diameter each. If you go there in the Dry Season you can see water covering at least half those drains. The point is, whilst we have these big drains, nothing is draining from there.
If you go back several decades before much of the development occurred in Darwin, Racecourse Creek and Sadgroves Creek were joined. It is a very low area right through Ludmilla, The Narrows and parts of Winnellie. It is only over the years we have seen land built up and reclaimed. However, Racecourse Creek is probably wrongly named, because it became a drain when those five big pipes were put in place. They drain almost the entire RAAF Base - right out into the northern suburbs flows out of those four or five giant storm water drains.
In the 1960s, Interconstruction Enterprises, the company that rebuilt Bagot Road, was given an extra contract to extend those drains to where they are, and those outlets were built. Racecourse Creek or Ludmilla Creek was excavated and turned into a big drain. At the time the Commonwealth Department of Works was involved in the Northern Territory and it had given approval to fill in the deep gully at St John’s College and create its football field. They used earthworks to fill up what is behind Ludmilla Primary School now, and Richardson Park, and a heap of work was done there. Peter LaPira Senior and another fellow, Joe Vogliotti, were very much involved. It was a real community project. I am informed the Bishop at the time, Bishop John O’Loughlin, said a Mass for Peter LaPira and Joe Vogliotti for the contribution they made to the earthworks and land reclamation in Darwin.
Back in those days there seemed to be - so I am told - a much greater community involvement with government departments than exists today. Who knows why that has changed? It is sad we do not utilise the resources in our community the way they did in years gone by. Then again, maybe people are far too busy with their day-to-day jobs to have time to volunteer in the capacity they did then.
I am informed the last time Racecourse Creek was cleaned out was in the late 1960s. Since then, Racecourse Creek has filled up with silt, there are now mangroves, a range of tea trees and pandanus and, to all intents and purposes, it is a beautiful, pristine environment in the middle of Darwin.
The Ludmilla Creek Landcare Group does a fabulous job around that area ensuring the place is clean and trees are planted. Only a couple of weekends ago I was out with that group planting trees along Racecourse Creek. Any suggestion of cleaning out Racecourse Creek or running an excavator through it meets with a certain amount of hostility by the Ludmilla Creek Landcare Group because it is a beautiful pristine piece of environment. The worst thing anyone can do is call it a drain. There is a community focus and a sense of ownership of that land, which is a great thing.
Having said that, I also recognise there is a need to clean the creek out. If the minister has done his homework on this - and I am sure he has - he would have found government late last year issued a tender for work to be done on Racecourse Creek. I applaud the government for taking that initiative; it has been a bold initiative. It is not easy to face a group of community-minded citizens and say: ‘We have to find an entrance and we are going to stick an excavator down this beautiful creek you tend and care for so much’. I am saddened there seems to have been some problems in issuing that tender. There is a dispute about the contract, which has held up works at that site.
I understand these things happen. Not everything runs perfectly to plan and I do not hold the minister accountable for those problems. I am not holding this government accountable for the lack of action which has occurred on drains, because this is an issue which precedes this government and other governments. In the case of Ludmilla Creek, the last time it was cleaned was in 1968, or thereabouts. We are talking 40-odd years ago since there has been any action and, to blame this government for work that should have been undertaken on a regular basis 40 years ago, would be to draw a long bow.
Minister, I am not having a crack at the government with this motion. I am asking the government to look at storm water drains because I have seen, in a small way in The Narrows, simply cleaning out a couple of pipes that are about 1.5 ft in diameter, maybe less, has an enormous impact on reducing flooding in Dwyer Park. There is enormous opportunity where government can be saving a fortune every year. Every Wet Season, you drive down Bagot Road and at some stage it is flooded. In so many cases that flooding could be avoided if we spend some money cleaning out storm water drains.
I also acknowledge there are arguments where people say: ‘In the Wet Season you have a big downpour and a king tide - the water is not going to drain away’. Well, that is true, but eventually the tide goes out and, when the tide goes out, the city should drain out. Anyone who has lived in the Top End for some time knows, in a big downpour, no matter how big your drains are, they are never going to have the capacity to clear all the water. For people living in Darwin, intermittent flooding is a reality of life. The point is, when the weather dries up and the tide goes out, Darwin should drain. There should not be water sitting around. If you go to the back of Ludmilla Primary School in the Dry Season and see the drains are half full of water, that is telling you there is a problem - it is not draining out.
In this case, I acknowledge the department is onto it and, after 40-odd years, we are going to see Racecourse Creek cleaned up and, hopefully, the beautiful environment will not be too disturbed. However, at the end of the day that is the price we have to pay if we want to have good roads, good infrastructure and all that type of thing.
Not only is there money to be saved by government in reducing road maintenance costs, there is also money to be saved in the community with things like the Winnellie shops. It would save an enormous amount of money not having to reseal the car park every couple of years. I am sure there are other parts of Darwin like that.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I implore the government to take this motion seriously. It is not a rap over the knuckles, it is simply a strong request that government look at the storm water drains in Darwin. It is not a sexy issue, I understand that - you get more bang for your buck in other areas if you want to be political. However, there are not too many areas that can be fixed as cheaply and, at the end of the day, we will save the community so much money. I ask the government to respond to the motion and at least give some indication there will be a commitment to at least investigate what is going on with storm water drains in Darwin.
Mr McCARTHY (Lands and Planning): Madam Deputy Speaker, at the outset I am a little disappointed the debate on Indigenous affairs issues throughout the Northern Territory did not go ahead. I am a little confused because I know members on this side had prepared for that debate, such an important debate, and the shadow for Indigenous affairs from the Country Liberal Party pulled the debate ...
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! Relevance. This has nothing to do with the motion before the House. I ask you to draw the minister’s attention to the issue around drains the member for Fong Lim raised rather than wax lyrical about issues that have already been before this House and set aside for another time.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: I do not believe there is a point of order ...
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker!
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Excuse me. I am talking to the first point of order, member for Fong Lim.
Given there is so often latitude in debates, the minister has risen to his feet and is making opening remarks. Before you jumped to make a point of order I was going to ask the member for Barkly if he could come to the point quickly and address the motion before the House.
Mr McCARTHY: I would like to refer to the member for Greatorex, who continually challenges us about our workload in this House. I am delivering for government in response to the member for Fong Lim ...
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The time for debate was when the member for Braitling moved the motion. Indeed, the Leader of Government Business spoke to that motion. There was ample opportunity for the member for Barkly to make comments in that debate. We have since moved on to an area that is very important to me personally, and my constituents, and it would be wonderful if the minister could turn his mind to that.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister for Lands and Planning, if you could come to the subject of the motion, please.
Mr McCARTHY: Madam Deputy Speaker, knowing the members for Greatorex and Braitling are such great mates collegially, and the member for Greatorex continually reminds us about our workload in this House, I was quite surprised this debate, which is an important debate ...
Mr STYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! My understanding is we are dealing with item 3 from Mr Tollner to move that this Assembly urges the Henderson government to immediately clean storm water drains. I thought that was the item being debated tonight, not the matter Mr Giles raised.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, if you could come to the motion, please.
Mr McCARTHY: Madam Speaker, I would like to say there is always so much latitude in this House, but this is an important debate the member for Fong Lim has brought. It seems the CLP is prepared to use latitude but not prepared to allow anyone else to - a bit one-sided, I suggest.
Mr STYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I thought it was up to you to make observations about the latitude given to each member. What I am hearing - and I am trying to listen to the debate - is a lecture on the decisions you make, Madam Speaker. I ask you to ask the minister to come back to the motion in question.
Madam SPEAKER: I do not believe the minister was reflecting on the Chair. Minister, can you please come to the item before us, which is No 3: that this Assembly urges the Henderson Labor government to immediately clean storm water drains in order to mitigate flooding around Darwin. Minister, you have the call.
Mr McCARTHY: Madam Speaker, it achieved the reaction I was looking for.
The member for Fong Lim shared many good stories about drains. I would like to respond by saying I am a bit of an expert on drains and am learning all about Darwin drains. I know about Tennant Creek drains; however, I grew up in the western suburbs of Greenacre, Sydney, which was between the Enfield brickworks, the Rocla pipe works and the Enfield marshalling yards. That was an extensive network of drains, and we grew up in the brick pit, in the drains, and explored that area.
I get it, member for Fong Lim; I understand what you are talking about. However, in relation to the motion, there is real bipartisanship because we are both talking about the same thing. I cannot agree with the semantics because we are talking about what the Northern Territory government is already doing. Also, we have a good example of an MLA reporting important aspects of storm water maintenance in his electorate on behalf of his constituents for the management of Territory government assets and, of course, council assets - that is an important point - which is great bipartisanship.
I say to the member for Fong Lim, my door is always open. He made a comment about ringing the department and getting a positive response. That is the way we do business; we are on the same page here.
When a GBD motion comes before the House, members of government work diligently to prepare for that debate. I did likewise. I have three items I have been preparing for. That means working with the departments, with experts in the field, learning every step of the way, and delivering for Territorians. That is the business of government. The touchy business over the other side, and the interjections – well, that is interesting. However, let us stay on track, member for Barkly, let us stay on track.
The Territory government has had a long maintenance program in place for storm water drains across Darwin, Palmerston, Katherine, Tennant Creek, and Alice Springs. It is important to note in Darwin and Palmerston in particular, about 60% of all drainage infrastructure is owned and managed by the City of Darwin, and the City of Palmerston. That 60% includes much of the underground network, most of the grass drains throughout the suburbs of Palmerston, including Durack golf course, and the large drains in The Garden’s golf course and Vesteys Beach. Therefore, this area is not the sole responsibility of the Territory government, as rightly pointed out by the member for Fong Lim when he talked about the Shiers Street drains – the junction he became familiar with. That was a great response. It was good to hear he had spoken to the contractors, did his research, contacted the department, found out who is responsible, and the response facilitated a great outcome with those drains being cleared.
In speaking about the drains this government is responsible for, I can advise the Department of Lands and Planning routinely identifies drains for repair and maintenance work. More than $5.4m has been budgeted in 2011-12 to maintain storm water drains on Crown land and Northern Territory owned road reserves. That is a very strong commitment from this government to the ongoing maintenance of storm water drains. It is, by the way, a 50% increase on the previous financial year. That relates to the 1-in-100 and 1-in-1000 year weather events we have been seeing in Darwin which have influenced government spending and allocation of important funds towards maintaining storm water drains on Crown lands and Northern Territory owned road reserves. As is appropriate, these works are prioritised for delivery, taking into account issues such as the impact on the adjoining property or the scale of works required. With the Territory entering an incredible period of growth, it is appropriate to consider some of the newer suburbs as well.
Member for Fong Lim, it is not just about existing drains and maintenance programs, it is also about the important planning that goes into storm water drainage on new subdivisions, on industrial subdivisions, and on new country opened up by the Northern Territory government. One of the key ways the government is gearing up for Territory growth is through our record land release program. Members should be aware of the incredible development at Palmerston East ...
Mr Styles: A record? Yes, a bad record.
Mr McCARTHY: I will pick up on the interjection from the member for Sanderson. He has not taken my advice and visited Palmerston East. He, obviously, does not understand the level of work going on out there in record land release programs. I have not seen him in Tennant Creek looking at our land release, or Kilgariff at the work going on there. I did not bump into him in Katherine either. However, he regularly interjects with the same line - uninformed gossip, no substance. I again encourage him to visit Palmerston East and look at what is going on in Johnston, Johnston Stage 2, and Zuccoli. He needs to be informed, as an MLA, to participate in a good debate the member for Fong Lim has brought to this House.
With more than 1600 lots coming online across Bellamack, Johnston, and Stage 1 of Zuccoli, significant work is being undertaken to ensure the new subdivisions deliver an appropriate level of essential services. That, rightly, includes the construction of adequate and appropriate storm water drainage. These new drains will become the jurisdiction of the City of Palmerston - that is how the system works. As more subdivisions come online as a result of our record land release program, government will continue to support this level of infrastructure development and delivery.
Ongoing maintenance of open drains within the urban areas of Darwin and Palmerston is undertaken as part of a grounds maintenance contract. Depending on the nature of the drain, this may include mowing, rubbish removal and/or clearing of debris such as vegetation in the drains. Just as there are a number of agencies responsible for drain maintenance across Darwin and Palmerston, there is also a range of drain infrastructure requiring a different maintenance approach. For example, pipe drains, concrete line drains and some open unlined drains which do not require regular maintenance are repaired or upgraded as required. Depending on the nature of an open drain, its maintenance could include mowing, rubbish removal, and clearing of debris such as the flora and vegetation it supports.
Maintenance on a number of government-managed drains in the rural area is included within a weed maintenance contract for action each Wet Season to ensure long grass and weeds do not prevent drains from flowing freely. The Department of Lands and Planning has recently conducted a review of its drain management program and is confident the existing program is robust and capable of mitigating flooding around Darwin. Local members and the public advise us it is a great way to do business. Our door is open, our phone lines are open. The member for Fong Lim has outlined to this House a good way to work together to deliver the best outcomes for Territory taxpayers.
In relation to drainage in Ludmilla Creek between Bagot Road and Dick Ward Drive - I am aware of that area, member for Fong Lim. I used to bring Rugby League teams to the big end of town to compete in Territory carnivals, and many games were played behind Ludmilla Primary School. We always enjoyed our best games on Richardson Park. We rose through the ranks and were relegated to the secondary oval. I have walked that area extensively.
Ludmilla drain is one of the oldest drains in Darwin. Over many years, heavy downpours in the Wet Season have led to temporary flooding at the site. Over time, Ludmilla drain has become silted and the trees, both native and planted, have grown to mature size within the creek. In recognition of the potential flooding risks some months ago, I asked the Department of Lands and Planning to investigate flood mitigation solutions. The Department of Lands and Planning has undertaken significant consultation with local residents and interested groups, including Landcare, to gain support for appropriate clearing of the drain. I am aware the member for Fong Lim participated in those consultations. I commend him for that - an active local member working in a positive sense and bringing positive contributions to this House. We take that seriously. I commend him for that and for working in a bipartisan manner, which I am very proud of this evening.
We have reached an important agreement with the Landcare group for the appropriate clearing of the drain. Works to clear the drain need to be undertaken in two stages. The first stage of the works will clear the outfall on Bagot Road behind Ludmilla Primary School and will commence as soon as appropriate environmental considerations are in place. The second stage, desilting and clearing of the drainage channel, will be undertaken in the Dry Season, for environmental reasons. Maintenance of drains is a sensitive issue and it is important to acknowledge the consultation which has occurred with the public, particularly the Landcare group, to ensure we have the scope of works right and deliver the best outcome for value for money and good drainage in our urban areas, as the member for Fong Lim seeks.
Maintenance of drains also occurs outside Darwin and Palmerston. Coming from a regional remote area, I am aware of the drainage system around Tennant Creek. In relation to Katherine, a recent pre-Wet Season inspection of government-managed drains did not identify any maintenance concerns for this year. However, we continue with this program. We look at where work is needed and continue to monitor drains across Territory urban areas and rural areas. In Tennant Creek, a number of drains are cleaned each year. There is also an ongoing project to concrete line the main drain for protection and to allow for efficient movement of storm water. Desilting of drains in Alice Springs is ongoing to allow storm water to flow freely to alleviate localised flooding.
Madam Speaker, in conclusion, the Northern Territory government has a rolling maintenance program for the drains within its responsibility in Darwin and Palmerston - about 40% of the infrastructure across the region. We will continue to deliver that program. I thank the member for his contribution to the debate and look forward to others.
I cannot support the semantics in the motion; however, I can assure members in this House, and Territorians, that the Department of Lands and Planning has a robust program - a well-informed program. We also encourage communication between elected members and their constituents to inform us so we can work in partnership to deliver the best outcomes.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I would like to speak on this issue which for some might be mundane, but is quite an important matter. One thing we forget when talking about storm water drains is the problems that may occur because of government policy, especially with open drains. Practically all road contracts in the Top End are released just before the rains come in the Wet Season. At the intersection of the road to the prison and Howard Springs Road, a huge amount of silt has moved down the open drain, through the brand new culverts put there, and not all of it came out the other side. Quite a large amount of silt had settled in those culverts and it is no small job to clear those drains out.
I have said before we need to look at whether contracts should be set for around March or April. The cost of losing materials from roads must be enormous for companies that stockpile. They run their materials out early in the Wet Season and, suddenly, there could be two or three months of continuous rain and much of that material is washed away and they have to start again. I do not see the point in that. That is where you see problems with drains because we have not had a chance to grass them down. The rains have washed much of that material into our drains. The government should seriously consider when it does major road works to see if we could have contracts for that road work at the end of the Wet Season not the beginning.
Some of the issues the member for Fong Lim was talking about - the clogging up of drains - may be historical, but in other cases it is because somewhere upstream there have been poor controls over what goes into that drain. I will give you a classic example. At the moment, there is a drain going from the new Berrimah business centre. It is a big wide sweeping drain with some grass with a concrete centre in it, and it goes straight into Ironstone Lagoon and Knuckeys Lagoon. I could see no controls over pollution or silting going into that conservation area. I have written to the EPA, which is conducting an investigation to see whether there are adequate controls by the department and by Darwin City Council of what movement of silt or pollutants could come out of that drain, and whether there could be some downstream effects - flooding caused by extra water into Knuckeys Lagoon. If anyone was driving around Knuckeys Lagoon last year during Cyclone Carlos you could see how close those floodwaters came to people’s houses.
There is sometimes a misunderstanding that drains should take water away from an area as quickly as possible to avoid flooding. That is the concrete drains theory. No, I would not call it a theory. There is a group of people – engineers - who would go crook at me, but they think drains should be made of concrete and water should go whoosh, into the harbour as quick as possible and that is the best thing you can do with storm water.
I come from another school - you should slow water down. If you have a problem with flooding you should not be building houses in that location. Flooding is an important process which reduces the likelihood of pollution into the harbour. Why? Because if you can allow those pollutants to drop out as water goes down a drain you can have much better quality water entering the harbour, especially, in this case, Darwin Harbour.
I will give you some examples. There are some straight drains in Palmerston, which I find unbelievable, that could have been put in over the last 10 years or so. When I visited the United States to see the Strauss family I did a number of other things. I went to a seminar at a local agricultural college. At that time, a company called Oxbow gave a lecture on the repair of water courses - in this case a drain - to reduce pollution. There was a poultry farm and much agricultural production - mainly corn - and a drain which led straight into the nearby river. That river was the water supply for the city of Columbus.
The water people said: ‘This drain is causing pollution. Fish are dying, the number of species has dropped remarkably, and there is much nutrient in the water’. Oxbow, an engineering company, has a number of projects in the United States. It rehabilitates rivers and, in the case of the drain, it cleared about 100 yards - in American terminology - of land and lowered it about 1 m or so, which became the floodplain. It had a geometrical design - it does not always do it that way - and followed the pattern a river would be, which is winding. Why does it need to be winding? There is physics in the design of a river. It has ripples, it has areas that are quiet and areas that speed up. The ripples, for instance, help produce oxygen in the water and are also a habitat for some species. It then had local groups plant aquatic plants within that drain and on the floodplain. Within a fairly quick period of time the water quality from the drain improved remarkably, so much so that species of fish that had not been there for quite a long time returned. The macroinvertebrate population returned and the water quality, from a nutrient point of view, had changed so much it was suitable to go back into the Columbus water supply.
There are natural engineering solutions which tend to be put to one side when we are designing subdivisions. Developers are looking for a minimum space and, often, government will do the same. It will look at developing parcels of land which should not be developed. However, to develop them they need to get rid of the water. To get rid of the water they build straight concrete drains, something which is antiquated today especially in the tropics. We have simple ways of doing things and that is what we should be doing.
The minister spoke about slashing drains and, when I was on Litchfield Council, road drains were a - you get caught between two things. With a road, you have to move water off so you have a drain and you try to keep the grass low. On the other hand, that grass itself is catching silt and pollutants and allows a better quality water to go into the nearby creeks. If that builds up too much you can have flooding and people will complain that the drains are not cleaned, etcetera.
In some cases, especially roadside storm water drains, it is not as simple as you think. When it is major drains feeding out from subdivisions we can do much better than a straight concrete drain. Those times should be gone, because we have a Beneficial Uses program for Darwin Harbour. We are continually monitoring Darwin Harbour water quality to ensure it is okay. It has its problems so we should ensure, when we design storm water drains, they will help reduce pollution in Darwin Harbour and not have water going off at a fast rate.
Another thing is you might have people downstream. You might put concrete drains at the top of Mitchell Creek in Palmerston and, all of a sudden, you have water getting closer to people’s houses downstream because you increased the speed by which the water gets there, and that, in itself, can cause major troubles.
I appreciate what the member for Fong Lim has brought forward today. He spoke to me some time ago about the issue of drains in his electorate. It is an important one, especially when dealing with old drains. Sometimes the solutions are not so easy because people built those drains thinking they would never need maintenance. However, as time has passed, it is obvious some of these drains need cleaning out.
Minister, sometimes the problems are caused by contracts being let before the Wet Season. As the Wet Season gets going - I mentioned the classic example of Howard Springs Road and the prison road where the water races down that hill. The new road was being built, very expansive culverts were being put in, and they were about half full after the first rains came because there was no chance to settle the drains with some grass. The new prison road, of course, disturbed some fairly fragile soil. Although governments are supposed to, like private developers, put in erosion mitigating facilities such as fences and hay bales, it probably made little difference to that development. You get blocked drains which cost much money to unblock. If you cannot unblock them they cause flooding because they cannot do the job they are required to.
I believe, minister, part of the reason we have blocked storm water drains is our contracts are at the wrong time of the year - not the whole of the Territory, naturally. However, in high rainfall areas such as the Top End we should be rethinking the way we undertake major road works at that time of year.
Madam Speaker, I appreciate the member for Fong Lim bringing this matter today, and I hope my comments might be of some assistance.
Mr TOLLNER (Fong Lim): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister, also the member for Nelson for putting in his 2 worth. The member for Nelson raised some interesting points. I had no idea the idea was to slow water down, in some cases, as far as drainage is concerned. It shows you learn something new every day. Mind you, I do not think the good citizens of Ludmilla or The Narrows would be too impressed seeing water continue to flood and think that, somehow, was a good thing. So, horses for courses. In some places we need to clean the drains and get the water out as quickly as possible. Other places where it is more appropriate can be allowed to settle.
I have to respond to a couple of things the minister said. At the outset, I thank him for taking it in the spirit it was given. I am disappointed he will not support the motion, but I will talk about that in a minute.
The minister made the point there is a long-standing maintenance program in the government which is well-resourced. He said it is robust and well-informed. I never apportioned blame anywhere. I said this has been a developing issue over a long period of time. The fact is, the system is not working as well as it should be. In the case of the drain near Dwyer Park with someone fixing a junction box and putting a new cap on it not recognising all four drains inside were clogged, shows me there is a problem. You should not necessarily be waiting for members of the community to call to say the drains are clogged. Most people are not going to know whether the drains are clogged or not.
The minister said he lived in Greenacres, Western Sydney and played inside the drains. As kids you can play inside a drain; however, there is no possible way kids would be playing in the drains which runs through Shiers Street and out into Sadgroves Creek. They are 1.5 ft in diameter; only babies could play in that type of drain. It was 100% clogged and it was pot luck we recognised the drains were clogged. In hindsight, it amazes me. Everything is easy with 20/20 hindsight, but it amazes me that we went for decades with those drains obviously clogged. No one phoned in, no one raised the alarm, and, clearly, whatever government was doing was not working because the drains were never cleaned. Goodness knows how long that existed.
What we are doing at the moment is not working. I am glad the minister is onto the issue with Racecourse Creek. He is probably not aware there is a small dispute over the contract let; however, that is neither here nor there. The fact is, that situation has existed for many decades. It was only in the late 1960s that drain was cleaned out. We are now in 2012, finally letting contracts to clean the drain out.
The minister says 60% of the drains around Darwin are council drains. That means the other 40% are owned by the Commonwealth or the Northern Territory governments. My concern is when I called the department initially they duck shoved me to the council. They said it was not their problem; it was Darwin City Council’s problem. From there I was put onto a Commonwealth department, who said it was nothing to do with them. Only after much detailed investigation did we zero in on the fact it is a Northern Territory government drain. I would have thought, as the Northern Territory government, you have a responsibility to understand what drain belongs to who. This is not really an ‘us and them’ situation.
I understand the council has a budget to clean its drains, the Northern Territory government has a budget to clean its drains, and the Commonwealth, one would hope, has a budget to clean its drains out because an enormous amount of water comes off the RAAF Base. If the Commonwealth drains are not working it puts enormous pressure on the Northern Territory government’s drains and even bigger pressure on the council’s drains. It is in everyone’s interests to take an interest in everyone else’s drains – if that makes sense. It should make sense: if drains are not working it damages roads, road maintenance becomes more expensive and it damages parks and infrastructure. That infrastructure will either be owned by the Commonwealth government, the Northern Territory government, council, or private citizens and organisations around Darwin.
The fact is drains are not being cleaned, and it is almost a reactive situation in the department - the department waiting for people to call in to say: ‘Oh, look, we have a clogged drain’. That is not good enough. We need to have a tripartisan meeting with the council, the Australian government and the Northern Territory government. You need a coordinator to say: ‘The three tiers of government have an issue with drains in Darwin. Let us look at it and all work together to find a solution where we can ensure we have sorted our drainage issues out. Let us identify which drains are clogged, who owns what drain, and how we can fix it at the least cost to all concerned’. At the end of the day, it is in everyone’s interest.
Clearly, the situation we have at the moment is not working. It is too easy for the Northern Territory government, the council, or the Commonwealth government to duck shove the issue to someone else, which is probably the worst thing that can happen.
I am concerned that the minister will not support this motion. It is interesting that the minster thanked me for putting forward a positive motion. He said we cannot support it because of semantics. I find it curious that the minister is saying: ‘Look, it is great that you want to work in a bipartisan way; it is great you have called us. Let us all work together, I am all for that’. However, he then said: ‘No, we cannot support your motion’. Whether this motion is supported or not really does not matter. The point is the message gets across, and in this case it probably has.
If you are genuinely bipartisan, if you are genuinely supportive of it, you do not say you are not going to support it. You say: ‘We will support it with the following amendment. This sounds good to us; let us get it on the record. Let us ensure the motion goes on the public record as being supported by the Northern Territory parliament. It is an important issue, thank you for raising it. We cannot agree with the way it is written now, let us amend it’. That would be the bipartisan way. However, this government is not interested in bipartisanship. There is no way, even the smallest skerrick - it would now let a member of the opposition get a motion up.
I have been lucky in this House, I have had several motions get up in the past but it has been like pulling teeth! It is only through the support of the Independent member for Nelson they have got up because there is no way known government will support anyone in any bipartisan way to get a motion up. It does not happen in this House, which is sad.
I urge you, minister, in the future, do not talk about bipartisanship unless you are genuinely interested in it. Do not cry crocodile tears and whinge about the opposition being the opposition. That is the reality of our job; it is not called an opposition for nothing. It is not called being in government for nothing; you have a job to do. You have to govern and we have to provide opposition, debating points, and question the policies of government. If you genuinely want bipartisan support, you should genuinely act in a bipartisan manner. To say thank you, you are trying to be bipartisan but cannot because of semantics is nothing but a cop-out and not bipartisan. If you want to be bipartisan, suggest an amendment. Suggest something we might be able to agree on so we can get a motion up.
Madam Speaker, having said that, I am glad the minister sat through the entire debate. I am glad he has taken on board some of the issues. I pray the minister has a chat to his departmental people saying: ‘Maybe there are some things the member for Fong Lim raised where we can lift our game. Maybe we can consult a little more with council and the Commonwealth government to ensure some of these issues are dealt with’. Whilst everyone is trying to duck the issue, I am worried things will not be dealt with and flooding will continue across Darwin in a much greater way than it should.
Motion negatived.
Mr STYLES (Sanderson): Madam Speaker, I move - That the Northern Territory government be condemned for its failure to address the concerns of young Territorians and the families of young Territorians.
I am very fortunate in my role as member for Sanderson to have contact with numerous young people and have done so over a considerable period of time working in the community. It was quite appropriate, and I am grateful to the Leader of the Opposition for bestowing on me the shadow portfolio for youth. As such, I have young people come to me from all over the Territory.
The Top End is where the committees are; however, I travel and, member for Barkly, I have been in your town on a number of occasions. If you had contact with some of the youth there they might tell you the shadow minister has been in town. I move on.
When I took on this role in the community part of the job description was representing my constituents, anyone else who walked into my office, and anyone else I had contact with. Every Saturday morning when I am out and about with my mobile office at shopping centres I have people talk to me about many things. They talk to me and give me information.
The one thing many people do not want is to be identified. They do not want me coming into this House identifying them and talking about them. In fact, Madam Speaker, you have counselled us on numerous occasions in relation to only using names of people in this House when it is absolutely necessary. I always thought constituents had privacy rights just like other people in our community. If they talk to me about issues I should not be telling everyone in the community, even members of this House. Who brings what to me in the privacy of the electorate office or at the mobile shops or, indeed, at any function where I am approached by people. should remain with me. However, I have a copy of the Hansard from last week where the member for Daly ridiculed me because I will not name who is talking to me and who does what.
It is interesting because people with real issues and real problems come to this side of the House - we seem to be getting them. It appears they do not see the government members in their offices or when they are out and about in their electorates. Hearing the statements the member for Daly made last week, no one goes to him or there are no problems in his electorate. I find that hard to believe. A whole raft of issues has been discussed in this House, by this side and the government side, in relation to issues not only in Daly, but all electorates. If the member for Daly believes there is nothing happening, or people do not talk to him about issues, I am really surprised.
Not too many people come to my electorate office, waltz in, sit down and want to talk about how wonderful the world is. Most of those people are working, paying taxes to keep the Territory going, and there are many good stories out there. We all know them, despite what the government does or some of the poor government policies they have to work with. They get on with it and are having a great time. I am on the Parliamentary Record in adjournment debate speeches talking about some of the good things. However, I will quote the member for Daly from the Hansard last week. In a debate on another issue he said:
It is interesting, because people have many issues and it would appear the government does not understand how many people in the community are struggling and have issues. It is really sad they have to say these things, but they do.
I will make another point in relation to the member for Daly holding the portfolio of Attorney-General. As Attorney-General, he should know people have privacy rights; he should be across that. I have spoken to a number of people who have come to me with issues and concerns about themselves, their family, and what is happening in the Territory. I have copied this and sent it to them.
I am grateful to the member for Daly for making that point because it shows a lack of understanding of what is happening out there, and can only do us on this side of the House the world of good in the next election. I hope the member for Daly continues with that attitude, because I will continue to send his comments to people who come to me with real concerns, real issues - and not necessarily on our side of politics - and say: ‘We have major issues’.
I move to some of the issues young people talk to me about. Not only young people, they come with their parents as well. Some of the issues are law and order, cost of living, and the living environment. They are the three top issues people talk to me about. Let us start with law and order. Last week I raised concerns about crime and antisocial behaviour around Casuarina Square. Parents come along and say: ‘My kids cannot go to Casuarina Square; on the way there they are being harassed’. That is not uncommon and is happening far too often.
I was out doorknocking recently and spoke to a lady. In the last three months, her daughter has been inappropriately touched whilst going to the shops. In the same period of time, her son was in town driving around in a car with his friends when an inebriated person walked in front of the car. The car did not hit the person but it had to stop. This person was angry after nearly being hit by the car, thought the car should not have been on the road, and they had every right to be in the middle of the road even thought traffic was coming. This person walked to the stationary car, the window was down, the young man was sitting in the passenger’s seat, and this person reached through, punched him and broke his nose.
This lady is concerned about law and order issues and said to me: ‘What do I do? In three months two of my three kids have had bad interactions which are law and order based’. What do I tell them? I told her we have to do something. She is angry at the community and is asking why they have to put up with it. Their jobs are here, their family is here, they have raised their kids here and they are concerned. That is one of many.
When we talk about law and order, the other thing mentioned last week - I raised the issue in a motion about Casuarina Square - I will quote again from the debate which is very relevant to the young people I am talking about. It is from the member for Daly on Wednesday, 15 February, in the motion on Casuarina Square. He said:
We have searched far and wide to find where those statistics come from. I ask the member for Daly to table those statistics became we cannot find them. We can find offences against the person from April 2007 to March 2008, which total 6147. Twelve months later, to March 2009, that figure increased to 6372. To March 2010 it increased to 7110, and in March 2011 it increased to 7123. I challenge the member for Daly to produce figures which demonstrate we have had the reductions he claims and tell us where he found those figures.
To those people listening, and those I might send a copy of the Hansard to, the member for Daly has been asked to produce those figures and it will be interesting to see if they are forthcoming. From the figures we have access to, there is a clear indication offences against the person have increased.
Let us move to the issue of people with young families wanting to go to the movies. We hear about young families in Alice Springs going to the movies and coming out to find their car damaged and windows smashed. They have to be very careful what they say, where they walk and who they look at. There is a real law and order issue for young people and young people with kids. Issues confronting young people now, as opposed to 10 to 15 years ago, are horrific.
I will raise the cost of living for young people. We have always known living in the Territory is a little more expensive than in southern states. The cost of transport is always a little more and the cost of doing business is always a little more. However, for most of us who chose to call this place home we were compensated by lifestyle choice. We accepted that and got on with it. The problem is when one looks at the cost of housing, rent, food, childcare and fuel, everything is going up dramatically.
I have a number of people - again, I am not going to say who, what, where, how and when I have been talking to just because the member for Daly wants me to. I will not tell him who I have been speaking to; however, I can assure him I speak to many people on Saturday mornings and at functions. I ask them how they are travelling; how they are going, what is going on in their lives and what is happening in their streets.
I am appalled at some of the stories I hear. I talk to the business people in my community and ask them how they are travelling. ‘Well not very well. People are not spending; they do not have the disposable income’. They talk to people who tell them they are struggling paying rent, rent has gone up and their disposable income is coming down. When you look at some of the business people - the constituents do not have the ability to support some of the businesses in my electorate and, I know, in other electorates.
They struggle to find a few extra dollars to buy things which might make their day a little better. One of the supermarket owners I spoke to used tomato sauce as an example. ‘I used to sell many bottles of tomato sauce. If they ran out at home and someone was having spaghetti bolognaise, people would buy a bottle of sauce but they do not do it now. It is amazing, that is how basic it is. I do not sell many bottles of tomato sauce’. I asked him why. He told me he was talking to people and they do not have the disposable income. People will say their rent went up $50 that week. For people on a reasonable salary, or having assistance with housing that may be okay, but the people who are struggling are young people with young families who are trying to survive in a very tough environment.
If the member for Daly does not think there is a problem or people are not going to see him, perhaps he needs to talk to some of the people I do. Perhaps, as the member for Barkly said, I should go to Tennant Creek. I was talking to young people there recently. How about the member for Daly going to the northern suburbs and talking to some of the young families who are struggling? He might understand some of the implications of the government’s policies. One of those policies, of course, is land. They struggle and, as a result, youths say to me: ‘Well, sorry, Mr Styles, we have to go’. These are young people I have known since they were school kids. I say: ‘But all your family is here’. They say: ‘Well, we are struggling. We can go south, we can get cheaper houses, a cheaper cost of living, cheaper everything, and we can get jobs down there as well’. They are moving. I say: ‘Well, what about mum and dad?’ ‘No, they are staying here because this is where their job is. They have a house, they are okay’. Families are breaking up.
I have mentioned this in the House before: not enough land is being released. The member for Barkly made a statement in response to the member for Fong Lim’s motion where he said and I quote: ‘... the land release, we have 1600 blocks coming online’. About 12 months ago the Chief Minister said at least 1800 blocks of land were needed. I understand this is Treasury modelling, and it is predicting we need 1800 blocks.
I was reliably informed recently we are talking about an extra 20 000 people moving to Darwin over the next five years. That is 20 000 ...
Mr Knight: I thought people were leaving.
Mr STYLES: That is what I am told. I pick up on an interjection from the member for Daly. We have lost 3500 people. They are the young people who have had to leave town because they cannot afford to live here.
We are not talking about unemployed people. Unemployed people can hardly afford to live here. People have to leave immediately so they can survive, which is why we do not have higher unemployment figures - you cannot afford to live here if you do not have a job. You cannot live on the dole because of the high cost of living and the high cost of rent. What we are losing in that 3500 is electricians, refrigeration mechanics, motor mechanics and nurses. We are losing nurses because they cannot get accommodation, it is too expensive, and they are better off going elsewhere because, at the end of the day, their families are better off if they are working somewhere else. We have high turnover rates in teaching and nursing because the cost of living is atrocious.
I was at a function recently talking to some people and they said: ‘We are struggling’. I was talking about the cost of land and they said: ‘We are struggling’, because people come here and do not realise just how expensive it is. They come here, they are trained at a cost to business - I am reliably informed the government conducts training programs, which it should; however, as soon as the training is finished they leave because they cannot afford to live here. They realise, when they add it all up, sometimes it is not worth it to stay. So we have a problem with the workforce. Where does the workforce come from?
Approximately 20 000 people are expected to move to Darwin over the next five years with the growth of oil and gas and a range of other industries. Where are we going to house them? Where is the plan? I do not see a plan. With that many people we will require schools. An announcement has been made for Palmerston hospital. Will that be sufficient? Law and order issues - where is the plan? Waiting times are increasing in hospitals. We do not seem to have enough doctors. Where do we house these people? You talk to people who want to engage in downstream industrialisation of products and by-products from oil and gas, but when you try to get the head office here they say they are concerned about waiting times in the health system, schooling, law and order issues, and they do not necessarily want to bring their families here.
Madam Speaker, I am sure the government is hearing this as well. I do not believe any government will come into this House and say: ‘We have these problems; this is what people are telling us’. If we are hearing these issues the government is hearing them as well, but what is it doing about it? I am sure it will not come into this House and admit these things are happening.
The government will say we are all gloom and doom, but I am repeating what people are telling me and am sure they are also telling government. I expect the government will not say that; however, my job is if people are asking me to raise things in parliament I do so everyone can hear. I also encourage people to tell the government as well. In some instances they say they have, but where are the plans to resolve some of the issues I have raised which have been raised with me?
The living environment is another issue related to the three basic services any community should have and a pillar of the community - health, education, and law and order. Many people in the community have deep concerns in relation to those three things.
The fourth thing we need is a good economy. Despite what government does, there are many good things happening. I will give credit where credit is due. There are a number of things the government is to be congratulated on. Not everything it does is bad, but there is much out there as a result of its policy failures where it has upset people, and many people are concerned about the future.
The living environment is about what people have to live in. What happens in their parks? What happens in their shops? Can their daughter walk to the shops without being accosted? Can their son drive around the streets without being punched in the nose for no good reason? At another house I asked: ‘How is law and order?’ ‘Well, the kid’s bikes were stolen the other day’. Go to another one and the downstairs fridge had been raided so they cannot leave drinks there. People have had to put up fences. Where does it stop? You can go on and on and on with the issues that are raised.
Some people say they do not have any issues. Their kids have grown up, they do not own push bikes, they do not have a downstairs fridge; they have a big fence around their yard and a huge dog. They do not have too many problems and have good jobs.
Certain demographics do not have too many issues but others do. I ask the government to take note of some of the issues I raise. They are not imagined, they are not made up; they are real issues from real people. If the government wants to continue to ridicule members of this House for highlighting the concerns of their constituents, I encourage it to do so. We will continue to send out the Hansard to people who raise concerns. They will not be impressed that they have enlightened me and will not like what is now being said. However, if the government wishes to adopt that attitude then do so and we will keep sending it out.
I ask members on the other side of the House to support this motion. If they do not, take note of the plight of some of the young families who have been split up and forced to leave the Territory when they do not want to. Quite often, when that happens we do not get them back. Therefore, the Northern Territory, and our community, is a poorer place.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have before me a document relating to pairs for the members for Karama and Katherine from 8 pm to close of the day. It is signed by both Whips. I table that document.
Mr KNIGHT (Young Territorians): Madam Speaker, well, old sad sack Styles from Sanderson is at it again. He wanders around with this big cloud over his head - a magnet of negativity. He draws it in. He lives in this world where everything is wrong. It is a parallel negative universe he wanders around. He has a cloud over his head and everything is bad. I do not know where you go, current member for Sanderson, because I am sure we will have a bright, bubbly, positive person from Sanderson after the next election …
Dr Burns: A positive parallel.
Mr KNIGHT: A positive parallel universe it will be in Sanderson after 25 August.
It is a very strange world the member for Sanderson lives in. On this side of the House - I do roadside stalls, I do market stalls, the member for Johnston does market stalls. We get people saying: ‘I have this issue’. We say: ‘Righto, what is your name? What is your phone number? Let us take it down and fix it’. The member for Johnston will ring me on a Sunday afternoon and say: ‘Someone has just come in, they have an issue, can you do something about it?’ I say: ‘No worries, get the details’. Monday morning, bang, off to the department and they respond to it.
No, not the member for Sanderson. All the people who come to him have no names, no details, just all eye-level negative - things are bad. The member for Sanderson seems to attract people with no names. Every member on this side of the House wants to deal with issues. We want to give something back to these people. People say: ‘I have this issue. Everything else is good, but I have this issue. I would like it fixed’. The good local members on this side of the House do something about it. We take a proactive approach to resolving issues. Not old sad sack from Sanderson! He is a magnet for negativity.
The motion was supposed to be about young people, but it seemed to drift into obsessive behaviour about my last contribution which the member for Sanderson was pretty titchy about.
I would like to talk about youth, an important group in the Territory because they are the future. Members of my Youth Round Table are fantastic youth leaders. This is the third one and they are fantastic kids. They come with positivity to deal with issues in our community. That can be to do with youth suicide or the cost of living, but they come with an approach of: let us find a solution; let us get on with it. This government has really taken youth in the Northern Territory seriously.
Previous to the Labor government coming to power there was no youth policy. The CLP did not have a youth policy. In 2003 Labor developed a youth policy, but the CLP did not have one. Our focus on young people, addressing their issues, trying to understand what they want and what issues are facing them is ongoing. Over the last four months, my Office of Youth Affairs has been reviewing our current policy. I am not going to tell you what is in it, member for Sanderson, because you will copy it and put your badge on it because you are too lazy to get your own policy ideas.
Our policy has come about from face-to-face consultation with over 200 kids, other groups, and youth organisations from across the Territory. It has been extremely extensive. They have gone to Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine, Palmerston, Nhulunbuy, Batchelor, Elliott, Ngukurr, Borroloola and over to the Tiwi Islands - extensive consultation. It was not just face-to-face, but via e-mail, phone calls and the inevitable Facebook where they have drawn from the ideas of young people.
I will give you a hint on one of the areas, member for Sanderson. If you are still working on the youth policy of the CLP, it really is about the importance of improving access to education and employment. We understand and are focused on that, and looking at ways to improve access to employment and education. One of the big things over the last couple of years has been the economic stimulus package. Not only did it boost our construction industry during the global financial crisis, it put valuable infrastructure into our schools. However, opposition members said: ‘No, you young people, you cannot have a new library, you cannot have a multipurpose building, you cannot have a new hall to have your assembly in or play sport or have concerts in’. The opposition would have denied those children that opportunity. That money went across urban schools, regional schools and remote schools. It enabled all that to happen. We are very focused on education, training, through to employment. We are working on the training side and on creating jobs for people coming through.
The member for Sanderson hates INPEX, the Marine Supply Base, and economic development because they are driving up the cost of living. That is what a boom in the economy does. Go to Cairns - there is cheap housing but no jobs. There is no economy; Cairns is in the doldrums. Tasmania has nearly 10% unemployment, but a great place with cheap housing. You might pick up a house for $160 000 there but there are no jobs - so what is the point? What is driving the cost of living in the Northern Territory is the boom economy. We want to ensure young Territorians have the opportunity to gain the high-paying jobs in the high-paying industries. That is our focus.
It riles the member for Sanderson that the economy is going so well. It has always perplexed me that the CLP said: ‘Everyone is leaving town, but you need to build more houses’. How does that work? The member for Sanderson talked about 20 000 people coming here but the opposition keeps saying people are leaving town. Well, 20 000 people are coming here. People are staying here for the high-paying jobs and there are opportunities in the Territory. Go down south. I know people who have gone down south and have come back within six months because they know the Territory is the best place in the world and there are jobs here. Go down south and there is nothing.
You would think the other side of the House would be focused on economic development and supporting major projects. However, they seem so negative and divided. We know the member for Fong Ling is pro-business, pro everything to do with getting jobs and economic development at the cost of the environment and the rights of individuals. That is where he is coming from. The Leader of the Opposition said the biggest project to hit the Northern Territory ever, and one of the biggest projects in Australia, was a 19th century project. If he had been leader of the government of the day it would not have come to the Northern Territory. That is a fact. It would have been: ‘Negative, no, you cannot come onto Middle Arm, you have to go out here. It is going to take you another 10 years to develop Glyde Point’. INPEX would have said it was all too hard and gone back to Western Australia.
The member for Blain has no idea about economic development and does not understand business. He is a good school teacher, I accept that, but he does not understand business. The business community tell us that all the time. He does not understand economic development ...
Mr Chandler: And you do?
Mr KNIGHT: Absolutely. I have spoken to more businesses than you have, member for Brennan - small, big, medium. We know what they want and we create a path to ensure business keeps going in the Northern Territory and jobs are created. The Leader of the Opposition, the member for Blain, said it was a 19th century project and had the gall to write to everyone about his comments.
Without the stimulus package coming to the Northern Territory and the attitude of this side of the House to keep the economy moving, to keep the jobs coming to the Northern Territory, we would not be in the position we are now.
There is a great deal for young people in the Northern Territory to do. We have Leanyer water park, the new Palmerston water park coming. The members for Brennan, Drysdale and Blain drive past there each day, and say: ‘Gee, why didn’t we think of that? Why didn’t we think of doing something for the youth of Palmerston?’ They did nothing for the youth of Palmerston. There was no commitment in 2008, no commitment in 2005, and no commitment in 2001. In the last three elections there were no commitments for youth in Palmerston. This government put facilities in, upgraded the netball courts, upgraded the tennis courts, upgraded the Rugby oval, and upgraded the football oval. We have facilities galore there and now we have a water park as well. What wonderful facilities for young people in the Northern Territory, particularly in Palmerston. I will be in your electorate, member for Brennan, telling people what this government has done for them and what the CLP refuses to do because it does not support youth, does not support the children or those voters in Brennan, Drysdale and Blain. I will be there door to door. I will be seeing every single one of them ...
Mr Chandler: You should be in Daly.
Mr KNIGHT: I get out there too. I go everywhere, member for Brennan.
We have many things for young people. We have AFL games being played here, we have just had the Super 7s and other sporting events. I know the member for Drysdale is a bit of a metal head or whatever is it called ...
Mr Chandler: Rev head!
Mr KNIGHT: Rev head - he thinks he is a truck, but that is an aside. We have the V8s - what a tremendous event brought to town by this government, also the Superbikes. The Superbikes are coming soon - I love the Superbikes. I do not like the time of year because it is still a bit warm and I do not really like those guys going around on wet tracks. It is a great facility there. I have been to the mud racing too and what a great facility that is. I have been in some of the cars at the mud racing as well. That whole complex is for youth. My son used to ride in the go-karts. We have upgraded the go-kart track and it is great to see we have the national titles here this year. There are great facilities at the Hidden Valley complex. There is much happening here for young people.
I have touched on the fact the CLP has never had a youth policy. I will talk about Youth Week. What a fabulous week that is, with youth events right across the Northern Territory. The opening ceremony is sponsored by beyondblue - a great collaboration. Some of the events are targeted towards depression and youth suicide. Last year, there were some fabulous events across the Northern Territory, many of which I attended. The big concert at Casuarina pool was a fabulous event. There are many services for young people to find out what is available for youth. The name of the band that won the Battle of the School Bands was Ned & Friends. We support youth in the Northern Territory. I would like to talk about the Youth Round Table. No, I will do that another day. I want to talk about this year’s Youth Round Table members.
I reject this bizarre motion because he did not speak to the wording at all; he spoke about me all the time and his obsession with what I touched on last week. The member for Sanderson has a very gloomy nature. It is not what we experience. We experience people with issues and we deal with those issues. The member for Sanderson, no, no, no; he attracts different people who do not want their issue resolved, which runs counter to what we experience. Everyone on this side of the House works very hard.
The member for Sanderson talked about land release. Member for Sanderson, you need to drive through Johnston. The member for Brennan has probably driven through there. The truck has been for a drive through there and what a fabulous new suburb it is. It has developed really quickly. Houses are being built, the new unit block is going in, and the Mary MacKillop middle school and secondary school is well under way. It is fantastic to see all that land being released.
The Breeze at Muirhead is well under way - a private sector development through Defence Housing Authority. Also, all the work is happening on the other side of Lambrick Avenue at Zuccoli - all the backbone roads are going in as we speak. It does not look like much in the beginning, but after the drainage and the roads go in it comes on very quickly. Also, when you are out there, member for Sanderson, have a drive through the Bellamack area because not only has the first development occurred, but the third, fourth and fifth stages are all happening as well. It is a fabulous facility.
This government mandated 15% affordable and social housing in those suburbs. We received much criticism around Bellamack Gardens; however, I have been past there a few times using the back road to Berry Springs and there are some lovely homes. I attended an open day and had a look inside the houses and they are lovely. They are not for everybody; they are for people entering the market, either singles or couples, or people exiting the market if I could use that term, where people are downsizing. It fits a segment of the market and, for young people getting into the market, it provides an option. It has been the focus of this government to get land release happening, to push it along, and we continue to do that.
Work is going on at Weddell also and is well advanced. We are seeing some of the first designs. There were some fantastic designs in the design competition for the first suburb, and the housing designs were great.
I do not accept this motion. I have pretty well ridiculed the member for Sanderson for his attitude towards young people and the Northern Territory. He really lives in a very different world to other people. We see issues and we deal with them, but there is a happy world there - there is sunshine, member for Sanderson. You can be happy in your life; we can all be happy.
Young people should see the Northern Territory has opportunities and there is a future for them, their families, and all our children. The Northern Territory should be the place where they grow up and have their families and, through our land release, they will have a home. Through the additional education and health services we are providing and the lifestyle infrastructure we are putting in place, they will have a wonderful life and the fundamental thing - they will have a job in the Northern Territory if a Labor government stays in power.
The Leader of the Opposition does not seem to be attracted to major business and does not understand small business. We will not be accepting this motion and I look forward to the summing up.
Mr STYLES (Sanderson): Madam Deputy Speaker, I will pick up on a couple of things the member for Daly has pointed out. He said I hate INPEX, I hate development, I hate this, I hate that, and I hate everything else. Member for Daly, you are wrong in your assumptions. That is all I have to say about that - totally wrong and misinformed.
He talked about driving up the cost of living. INPEX is great, it is driving up the cost of living and the driver of the cost of living is development. Perhaps what is driving up the cost of living to the point where young people cannot afford to live here is the government’s failure to plan, failure to release land, and failure to look at what is coming, and act. This government’s policies have let young people down in the Northern Territory, and its failure to act. I do not need to say much more on that issue.
He said: ‘We are teaching young people, we are giving them opportunities, we are giving them jobs in high-paying industries’. Well, that is great. There are young people who will get good jobs, will survive, do very well and have a great life in the Northern Territory because it is a great place and there is some sunshine out there despite the government’s lack of planning. However, what do I say to young people who are working at Coles, who do not have a high paying job, when they cannot afford to rent? They are in their 20s but are still at home because they cannot afford rent. They are desperately trying to save to get into the property market. They cannot even buy a bedsitter because, while they are trying to save money, the bedsitter increased in value to what they have in the bank. They are struggling. The member for Daly said: ‘It is great, we are going to have high paying jobs’ Well that is fine, some will get high paying jobs, but not all.
This will also create a fly-in/fly-out economy. People in this town are already flying in staff for periods of time because they cannot afford to get staff and pay them what it will cost to live here. Some of those industries, such as hairdressers, cannot afford to pay staff because they cannot charge people coming into their salons enough. They are struggling to pay wages now. Their staff are struggling to survive. What happens is we lose the basic services.
I am grateful to the member for Daly for denigrating what I do. He is also denigrating the people I talk to. I am glad I can take the Hansard from tonight back to those people and say: ‘This is what the government thinks of your concerns. It denigrates me for raising your concerns’. I encourage the government, if that is the attitude of the member for Daly, to continue doing that because it will give me more information I can send out to people with real concerns who come to me in desperation asking: ‘Can you say something about this because we think this sucks’ That is the language they are using. Member for Daly, keep denigrating me because that will give me plenty of ammunition to send to people to say this is what the government thinks of your issues and concerns.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I commend this motion to the House. I do not believe the government will support it; however, I hope it takes note of what has been said here tonight.
Motion negatived.
MOTION
Mining Projects - Development
Ms PURICK (Goyder): Madam Deputy Speaker, I move - That the Northern Territory government be condemned for its inability to develop world-class mining projects.
When I gave notice of this motion last year, the minister laughed at the prospect of talking about world-class mining projects. Perhaps he was laughing because he has the view all is well within the minerals industry world. Perhaps it is. However, the intent of this motion is to demonstrate this government has taken its eye off the game, mostly because of the allure of Japanese perfume. We have not had a world-class mining project since the exploration boom of the 1960s resulting in the GEMCO manganese mine on Groote Eylandt, the Alcan bauxite mine at Nhulunbuy, the Ranger Uranium mine at Jabiru, and the Callie deposit in the Tanami.
Many mining projects, past and present, have brought great benefit to the Territory. I do not take anything away from what those projects brought to the economy, the people, and the community in general. The intent of this motion is to show this government has failed to facilitate new world-class mining projects …
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition! Telephones in here have become a real issue today. Can you please leave your phone out there? Members, if there are any in the Chamber, please check that they are switched off. Sorry, member for Goyder.
Ms PURICK: … which can and do bring almost everlasting benefits to the people of the Territory. I acknowledge exploration expenditure levels are exceptional and the interest in the Territory from industry is at an all time high. However, given the level of money spent looking for minerals, why are we not seeing new mines open at a time when the mining boom is right upon us? Why are projects opening either side of us in Western Australia and Queensland and not in the Territory when we have known mineral deposits and potential?
I will provide some background information as to why world-class mining programs are important to the Territory and why we have not seen a world-class mining project open in years. A world-class mining project can mean different things to different people. Geologists think the size of an ore body is important, an investor thinks it is about how much money can be made, and perhaps community considers how many people can be employed and for how long.
Whatever people think of a world-class ore body, the fact is the economics of a project stand a potential project apart from others. There is no such thing as a world-class mineral deposit. There are only world-class mining projects - when the mine opens and becomes operational. We need to focus on things which are economic that can be turned into mines. It is no good finding a big deposit smack bang in the middle of a national park if it cannot be mined. It is no use finding a large deposit 1000 m underground if it is low grade and not economical to mine, or finding a deposit that, potentially, will compete with other land users who have priority for community.
A minable ore body has to bring value to the community as well as to the businesses involved in the mining of the deposit. Why is it preferable to have a world-class deposit and not many small mines across the landscape? World-class mining projects bring certainty to government, community and investors in the project. A mine which runs for many years makes a great deal of money for the investor but, more importantly, a long-term mine grows across business cycles, changes and grows, and adapts with technologies.
If you have a large and rich deposit you can grow and grow it. Such is a mine at Escondida in Chile, which is one of the biggest copper mines in the world and employs around 2500 people. The mine has grown and grown and will continue to grow - a massive project by world standards. Closer to home, when Olympic Dam first started it had a production rate of less than 30 000 tonnes a year, now it is over 220 000 tonnes per year and they are talking about going to 600 000 tonnes per year. Olympic Dam is here for a very long time and will see out most of the people in this House and perhaps our children as well. That is a world-class mining operation.
The other thing which needs to be considered about having a world-class mining project is looking at it from a government’s perspective. Governments like world-class mines as they generate strong revenue and loads of tax which are of benefit to government in their revenue streams and budgeting. Additionally, large, long-term mines contribute enormously to regional development and often provide services which are usually the responsibility of government. They also underwrite infrastructure which is required to develop a place. Look at the roads, ports and railway infrastructure around Australia and the Territory - often they lead to a mining project. Extending the Arnhem Highway to service the uranium province is one example. The airport at Nhulunbuy is another. It is used by industry and the community in general, but is only there because of the mine. Long-term mines underwrite our long-term prosperity, which is critical to why we are here today.
However, we cannot rest on our collective laurels as we need to think about what we do today to underwrite the Territory’s community in 20 years time, if not longer. The mines we have today will not last forever given they are well into their operating life. Where is the new GEMCO, Alcan or Callie, or where is the planning for them? What is a world-class mining project or deposit? The term is an informal one, but is well used and well recognised in the minerals industry. It is applied to ore deposits with an exceptionally large tonnage of economically recoverable metals and is widespread in current economic and geological literature. When quantitatively defined, the world-class definition applies to the upper 10% deposits of metals. The other thing about identifying a world-class mine is, when found, the oil body has obvious signatures. They have large footprints, large geochemical signatures, and large geophysical signatures as well. Simply put, they are big, if not huge, rich and readily accessible, and will make money for the investors and bring benefits to the community.
The challenge industry faces is many of the deposits found in the Territory and Australia have been what industry calls ‘at surface’, that is, not too deep - maybe 200 m or so – and easy to get at. These have been found in what is considered mature landscape. It makes sense: why go any deeper if you find what you are looking for at a relatively shallow depth?
The increasing challenge for industry and the government is the need and desire to find deposits deeper in the ground at depth, that is, under the 200 m or so mark. That brings challenges in that geologists or geophysicists need to use technology that can see through the ground to find the deposits deep in the earth’s crust. It is a tricky business, and it is not a problem just in the Territory.
The other challenge is not all ore bodies have the same kind of signatures that are clear, obvious and easy to interpret. Some can be very subtle and have variation in grades through the ore body. Such is the case in nuggety gold and uranium deposits. These kinds of minerals are difficult to find at depth and are the ore bodies we want to find. It is a challenge for industry, researchers and government. I am interested to hear what the minister has to say in response to these challenges confronting us in the Territory. I do not want a summary of trips to China and the geosurvey program, but real answers to the very real challenges we face in the Territory.
Australia, Canada, America and Western Europe are considered mature, well experienced places of exploration and mining. Over the past 50 years, these countries have had many mining projects established and exhausted, and these projects have been under cover, that is, not too deep. Australia and the Territory are very much in this mix. In the Territory, we have had projects come and go under cover, but nowadays the industry has to go deeper and deeper, which presents many challenges. Emerging mining countries such as those in South America are not mature mining locations, and while we have to dig deeper and deeper, those countries are still swimming in the shallow end of the pool and is why they are attractive for investment. They are greenfield location mining places, meaning the land has not been worked on and where new projects are generally found.
Finding ore deposits at depth is one of the biggest challenges, and research into this field of work has to be supported if we are to succeed into the next phase of the Territory’s mining industry. I know new world-class mining projects are not going to drop out of the sky, and that such deposits are, indeed, rare. If we add up all the money that has been spent over the last 35 years - about $US154bn in today’s terms - on mineral exploration, and we have about 59 world-class discoveries according to my industry contacts, and on average each industry find less than two years, that means you have to spend about $2.6bn per discovery. That is much money and would come with risks and challenges. If one looks at websites or reads reports of big companies they all say: ‘We want to find world-class mines’. Of course they do, for the reasons I have outlined previously.
If you are a small- or mid-tier mining or exploration company spending big levels of money looking for the elusive world-class project, it is problematic given the risk and caution expressed by finance houses. As one of my industry contacts says: ‘You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince or princess’.
Let me put some facts on the record; however, before I do I thank industry people who have assisted me with this item and my comments. They also believe it is a real issue and want to see a reinvigoration of the industry in the Territory resulting in new world-class mines.
Fact 1: in real terms, the rate of discovery has gone down in Australia and the Territory. While mineral exploration is strong in places like the Territory, the metres drilled has decreased, as I have stated previously in this House.
Fact 2: there is a shift towards exploration expenditure on bulk minerals such as coal, iron ore and other bulk minerals, and away from precious metals, for example, gold.
Fact 3: over half of all exploration in Australia and the Territory is done by the junior sector, and in the last decade the junior share has risen from 36% to 53%.
Fact 4: when we look at world exploration, Australia’s share has nearly halved over the last 14 years and the Territory is not excluded from this mix.
Fact 5: in percentage terms, grassroots exploration - that is, a mixture of brown and greenfield exploration - is now at an all time low and since 2003 has dropped from 50% to 34% of total spend on exploration, that is, all exploration spent at mine sites and by major companies.
Fact 6: despite higher expenditure in the Territory, the discovery rate has declined in recent years.
Fact 7: unlike Canada, where local companies are spending more on domestic exploration, our companies are steadily going offshore, partly for the greenfield geology, partly because of our taxation regime - carbon tax and mining tax for example - and partly due to the ability to source a good labour supply.
Looking for and finding world-class mines is a huge challenge and, while much of the industry’s activities are not dictated by government and subject to world forces, there is much the government can do if it understands the real issues. More money is being spent elsewhere and drilling rates are down. If we do not drill, we do not find. Companies are switching to bulk minerals away from base metals and precious metals, and there is more focus on brownfield exploration. Brownfield exploration generally does not deliver world-class mining projects. New deposits need to be found given it takes 10-plus years to find and develop a new mining project to replace the mines we are going to lose in the Territory over the next five to 16 years.
What does government need to do that it is not doing now? Yes, the geological program undertaken by the geosurvey division within the department is an excellent program, as is the associated annual geological seminar, and both activities must continue. Perhaps the commitment to the exploration initiative program needs to be expanded. Perhaps the drilling support program needs to be expanded. Yes, the two scholarships are an excellent initiative and I do not take that away from the current minister. Where we need to have greater focus is in the geophysics discipline and I would like to hear, specifically, how the government is addressing this interpretative discipline. There needs to be more focus on geophysics programs and the government needs to have a careful look at how it can assist industry in this discipline, bearing in mind many junior exploration companies do not have geophysics staff for many reasons, particularly at the senior interpretative level.
Members in this House may wonder why this job is important - the geophysicist. I will explain. Geology is the study of the earth and the processes that shape its formation and evolution. Geophysics is the branch of geology in which the methods of physics and maths are applied to help solve the geological problems. A company may have the best geologists in the world, but if what they have found is technically tricky or complex a mine will not result unless the physics and the maths is worked out. Surface riches are running out, so government needs to invest in research or form partnerships with those that invest in research.
We need to bring the relevant expertise into a coherent collaborative research network, working within a well-designed strategic framework or road map to address the fundamental needs of the exploration industry in the Territory. There is nothing to suggest that rich world-class ore bodies are not deeper into the earth’s crust; however, we need better and improved technology to find them. This is where I would like to hear what government is doing to assist. I do not want to hear what companies are doing. I know about Emerson Resources and their technology. What is government doing and what has it done over the last little while when it was common knowledge where industry was heading as outlined previously?
Madam Deputy Speaker, this motion is about putting the government on notice. You cannot rest on your laurels and think all is well in the minerals world. Yes, delegations to attract investment are important and, yes, our geoprograms are important and, yes, working with industry is important. However, if you take into consideration all the issues I have previously outlined, we could have some serious issues in the Territory in the next 10 to 20 years if we do not start finding world-class ore bodies that turn into world-class mines and assist with ensuring our ongoing economic strength and prosperity.
Mr VATSKALIS (Primary Industry, Fisheries and Resources): Madam Deputy Speaker, I am surprised the member opposite would bring a motion like this to the House because she explained why world-class mining projects have not developed in the Territory. The minister for Mines from the previous CLP government told me something the member opposite confirmed. It takes 10-plus years from exploration to develop a mine. Ten years ago there was a CLP government. The CLP government at the time lost the plot, did not have exploration in place, and we do not have world-class mines.
Do you know why there was no exploration 10 or 11 years ago under the CLP government? The CLP government used the mining industry to play political games with the allocation and granting of Aboriginal land rights and Aboriginal land. It is well-known and we have said many times before - me and the Chief Minister, the then minister for Mines - when he took over as minister for Mines he found 700-plus exploration applications sitting on his desk. The minister for Mines from the CLP government refused to grant these because he wanted to make the mining industry think it could not explore as Indigenous people would not agree because of Indigenous land rights and native title.
That was far from the truth. It takes 10-plus years to develop a mine – any mine - from exploration to results. That is exactly why today there is no world-class mine project, as the member claimed. That is the reason.
Despite the best efforts of the CLP government of the day to stop mining exploration, this Labor government has made leaps and bounds into the mining industry. This Labor government has increased exploration in the Territory. This Labor government has attracted mineral resources and investments from China and Japan. This Labor government will continue the initiatives to attract more resources to the Territory.
There are more world-class mining projects in the Territory. Some, such as Alcan, go back a long way. Some others have become world-class mining projects because of continued investment by the companies. In 2011, Newmont announced its board had approved a $450m expansion of the Tanami gold mining operation, the so-called Callie ore body, with development of staff to support expansion of the underground operation. The annual production, currently, of Newmont is 90 000 ounces of gold, and the expansion will bring the total production to 400 000 ounces a year. The first production from the shaft is expected in 2014 to early 2015, and the project is set to extend the mine life by five years to 2027. If this is not a world-class mining project, I do not know what is.
Another company, Crocodile Gold Australia at Pine Creek, is moving to a new phase with an underground development of the rich Cosmo deposit, with full production planned this year. Groote Eylandt produced 15% of the world’s magnesium. That is a world-class mining project. Recently, it announced a $280m Phase 2 expansion which increased the production of GEMCO from 4.2 million tonnes per annum to 4.8 million tonnes per annum and is expected to be completed this year.
Talking about world-class mining projects, McArthur River Mine announced a proposal to increase mine production from McArthur River to approximately five million tonnes per annum, resulting in an increase in bulk zinc lead concentrated volume to 800 000 tonnes a year. It will cost about $270m and will increase the life of the mine for many years to come. This is the third biggest zinc lead mine in the world. Is this a world-class project? Yes, it is.
Let us talk about Ranger ERA. ERA, with continued exploration, has discovered a new ore body underneath the existing pit which will increase the lifespan of the mine for another 15 years. The cost to access the ore body is $120m. This money is spent by the companies to develop world-class projects.
Let us look at exploration. Exploration in the Territory 10 or 11 years ago was worth about $46m a year. Currently, exploration in the Territory is $195m a year, the highest growth in exploration of any jurisdiction in Australia. Even when the global financial crisis hit Australia the Territory went against the trend; we increased our exploration. Not only did we increase exploration, we increased exploration in the greenfield sites - not the brownfield sites but the greenfield sites. As a result, we have potential for world-class mines like Wonarah of Minemakers near Tennant Creek, Rum Jungle Resources in Central Australia, and a possible potash mine and rock salt mine in the centre of the Northern Territory.
This did not happen by accident. This happened because this government proactively supported the industry, proactively contracted all the necessary work to provide information to the junior explorers, which are now doing the exploration in the Territory, in Australia and around the world. The big companies have moved away from exploration because it demands a great deal of money and is high risk. The junior explorers work very closely with our government. Our government does the geophysical surveys together with Geoscience Australia. Our government employs new technology to look deep into the earth’s crust to find potential new ore bodies. Our government provides all this information free of charge to explorers to provide some comfort and reduce exposure to the risks when they are doing exploration.
It is also our government which gathers information, compiles it and provides it to possible investors in Japan, Korea and China. Because of that practice, we have seen a significant increase in the presence of Chinese companies in the Northern Territory. We have seen an increase of people investing in the Territory in mining exploration and production. Ten years ago there was not one Chinese company in the Territory. Ten years ago the Japanese company had walked out of the Territory. Today, they not only invest in joint ventures, but they apply in their own right to conduct exploration in the Northern Territory. They invest in the Territory; they invest in offices, in premises, in bringing people from their countries to conduct the exploration and, eventually, progress to mining.
Currently, we have 10 separate mining projects. We have development proposals submitted and at various stages in the assessment and approval process. Some are in early stages, some in advanced stages. The capital expenditure for the 10 projects is estimated to be between $1bn and $2.5bn, with an additional 1200 jobs in operation and up to 3000 jobs in construction. Six of the 10 projects have the potential to be long-term operations with an estimated mine life of 20 years or more.
The Wonarah phosphate project in the Barkly region, the iron ore mines – both Sherwin and Western Desert Resources - before the announcement by the stock exchange, provided me with information about the new exploration and drilling results, which are mind-blowing. When they told me they expect to have about three billion to four billion tonnes of iron ore I thought they were dreaming. I now find the results from the exploration will confirm, in a year or two, that the potential of that area to become the second Pilbara in Australia is very real.
We have worked with and supported the industry. We have a drilling support program - dollar for dollar up to $100 000 - for companies to undertake exploration in greenfield sites subject to them providing the results to us. We are working with Geoscience Australia. We have done the exploration in Tanami, and one of the people working there said it was like X-raying the earth up to a depth of 50 km. This is new technology which has been used in Australia and will be used in the Territory.
When we took government, about 10% of the Territory had been actively mapped by the geophysics department of the department of Resources. Today we have mapped 30%. We continue to look at the Territory in areas where we have not looked before and we keep discovering more and more. This information is provided, I repeat, free of charge to all companies who come here for exploration.
I call the Territory the last frontier. We know Western Australia has a history of mineral exploration and production from the early days of the 20th century. In the 1960s and 1970s the government worked very closely with Japanese companies to develop the iron ore mines in Western Australia. With the investment of BHP, Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals, we have seen the establishment of railways and ports in Western Australia. Of course, it was a time when the big companies did the exploration, now things have changed. Now it is not the big companies but junior explorers. Even with junior explorers, we know much interest is generated with the results of junior explorers being announced by the Australian Stock Exchange or provided to potential investors.
There is much potential in the Territory. Unfortunately, we had a delay in exploration for many years with the CLP government sitting on 700 exploration licences. If those licences had been approved and exploration had taken place, those mines would be operating today. But, no, they are not because the CLP government at the time chose to play political games, not grant licences. The proof was on the desk of the new minister, who found 700 applications. That is recorded and it was common knowledge not only in this parliament, but also in the industry.
We have worked very hard to make the Territory a destination for mining companies for exploration and mineral production. We now see our efforts paying dividends and will continue to do so. There is no way I am going to support this motion. I would have supported it if it had said the CLP government should be condemned for its inability to allow exploration with a potential to develop a world-class mining project. The CLP government of the day has to stand condemned for its inability and unwillingness to work with industry to develop the mining industry in the Northern Territory.
Mr TOLLNER (Fong Lim): Madam Deputy Speaker, I commend the member for Goyder for bringing on this motion because, frankly, the government should be condemned for what it has done to mining in the Northern Territory ...
Mr Vatskalis: Improving it?
Mr TOLLNER: The minister is interjecting again. He said improving. Goodness me, he is living in another world if he believes that ...
Mr Vatskalis interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Mr TOLLNER: Look at the Northern Territory borders. To the east we have Queensland, to the west we have Western Australia, both big mining states. I am certain the minerals do not stop at the lines we drew on a map - that is a reality. There are huge opportunities in the Northern Territory to improve the prospects of mining companies. One thing which tends to escape this government sometimes is mining is a very difficult industry to get ahead in. Even in the best of circumstances, it is very difficult to get a mine up.
I once heard someone say mining is the riskiest industry in the world outside the film industry. That is probably true, because for every BHP there are 1000 or more corpses of other mining companies that have tried and failed. Of course, the problem in the Northern Territory is we have a government that is very anti-mining. It seems everything comes before mining companies, whether it is community interests, environmental interests; it is all put in front of mining companies as a big hurdle they cannot get over. Of course, the interests of the community are served by mining companies. They provide jobs, opportunities, and wealth for the nation.
When you talk about the environment, most people say environmental and mining concerns are generally each side of the spectrum. Obviously, that is not the case because you cannot look after the environment, you cannot protect the environment, and you cannot help the environment if you do not have money in the bank to do so. You cannot get rid of one single introduced weed or any feral animals if you do not have the wherewithal and the resources to do it.
The fact is you need balance. You need to balance the needs of the economy, and you need money in the bank to pay for programs to protect and preserve the environment. One does not exist without the other. Sadly, that is lost on this government because it is doing everything in its power to create obstacles and put more and more hurdles in front of mining companies that are trying to get off the ground.
My good friend, the member for Goyder, outlined a list of obstacles the government has put in the way of mining companies. She has also outlined a list of mines that should have been given more assistance from government.
For the last four years at least, the Northern Territory government has taken its eye off the ball and been completely and totally preoccupied with one project - INPEX. We on this side of the House congratulate the government for the work it has done with INPEX. INPEX is not the be-all and end-all. There is a whole Northern Territory out there that requires the government’s attention which, sadly, has been lacking.
As soon as someone says: ‘This government is anti-mining and anti-development’, it says: ‘No, we are not. Look what we did with INPEX’. What it has done with INPEX is great and should be applauded. However, what else has gone on around the Northern Territory? What projects have failed? When was the last mine opening? The member for Goyder has asked: where are the world-class mines? We have Ranger, we have Groote Eylandt, we have Nhulunbuy and we have McArthur River Mine. However, outside those four there are not too many you would call world-class resources with more than 25 years mining ahead of them. The question is: where is the world-class mine going to come from because it is not obvious with this government. This government has not outlined where it thinks the next big mining proposal is.
I have taken some interest in mining over the years and see some of the opportunities the Northern Territory has. Whilst I am loathe to put the knockers on particular projects, a few provinces are worth mentioning. The Roper region is quickly developing into a very special place of interest with Western Desert Resources and Sherwin Iron. A number of gas companies are looking for gas southeast of Alice Springs. Of course, we have Central Petroleum which boasts the world’s largest brown coal resource. If there is any fact to that the minister has not been saying: ‘We have the world’s largest coal resource in the Northern Territory’. However, that is an anathema to this government. The last thing it wants to find in the Northern Territory is coal. That would scare this government.
The other thing it is scared of finding is uranium. If you find a uranium resource in the Northern Territory, the reaction of this government will be a long-standing one.
A few years ago my good friend, Ian Macfarlane, came to the Northern Territory when this government said it was not going to open any new uranium mines. The then federal minister for Resources came up and explained the facts of life at which time they shot out of this building, held a quick press conference and abdicated their responsibility for uranium mining. What a sad situation. I was in Canberra at the time and felt highly embarrassed about this government abdicating responsibility for uranium mining, particularly at a time ...
Mr VATSKALIS: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! The member has to be very careful because he is misleading the House. If he does not know the legislation, I suggest he says nothing. If he knew, he would realise the Territory never had control of the uranium; it was under the control of the Commonwealth all the time. If he says we abdicated responsibility he is misleading the House and Territorians.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, there is no point of order but I caution you, member for Fong Lim, about your choice of words.
Mr Tollner: Caution me on what? Sorry?
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: About your choice of words.
Mr TOLLNER: Goodness me. Thank you very much, Madam Deputy Speaker, but I can assure you I do not need cautioning on my choice of words; it is a fact of life.
Clare Martin did not want any new uranium mines in the Northern Territory - that is a fact. The government did not want it and, now, is trying to reinvent history. When the minister gave the government some facts about how the Commonwealth Grants Commission worked, this mob ran at 100 km/h. They did not want to have anything to do with uranium mining so they abdicated their responsibility to the Commonwealth government …
Dr Burns: What about Alice Springs - Angela Pamela?
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Mr TOLLNER: What a pack of curs; what a pack of cowards. Rather than face up to an issue - what will happen if Central Petroleum reach the stage where it is prepared to develop the brown coal resource it has? What will the government do then? Will it abdicate responsibility on that one? That is a good question because this government is not going to pull on any contentious issues. Goodness me, if the Country Liberals had not been in government for 27 years we would not have a single mine. If it was left to this mob none of these things would be developed.
It is interesting to see the way McArthur River Mine has developed. This government almost tore itself to bits over that with 400 jobs left in the balance because its plans to develop the mine could not be approved. We waited for months for the then federal Environment minister, Peter Garrett, to make a decision to sign off on that river diversion. These people who call themselves a government in the Northern Territory, responsible for Territorians, did they go to Canberra to talk to the minister? Did they proclaim loudly they were not happy the minister was putting in the balance 400-odd jobs and goodness knows how many indirect jobs? No, of course, they did not; they almost internally imploded.
We saw the member for Arnhem making impassioned speeches about the dangers of expanding a mine. That, in itself, was bizarre. She is so proud she comes from Borroloola, in an area she is so proud of and she was advocating for the complete shutting down of that local economy. Just bizarre!
We saw the member for Arafura join forces with them - we all know she is anti-development on everything - lobbied long and hard to shut down the forest in …
Ms SCRYMGOUR: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! I am offended. The member for Fong Lim is misleading the House. I am offended at his suggestion that I am anti-development. He has no substance in ...
Mr Tollner: Is this a point of order?
Ms SCRYMGOUR: No, hold on. You have also misled the House …
Mr Tollner: Honestly, if I tried to make a point of order …
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Ms SCRYMGOUR: … the former Environment minister was Ian Campbell not Peter Garrett. He has misled the House and is wrong, wrong, wrong.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Arafura, there is no point of order. If you wish to make a personal explanation you may do so through the process of standing orders. Member for Fong Lim, you have the call.
Dr Burns: It was Mr Campbell.
Members interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Leader of Government Business!
Mr TOLLNER: Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. From my recollection of the McArthur River Mine expansion, I do recall Ian Campbell being minister at the time. I recall Peter Garrett took weeks to fly up. I do not know why he would have been doing that from opposition. I do not know why anyone would have been talking about Peter Garrett if he was in opposition ...
Mr Vatskalis: Ian Campbell was the minister.
Mr TOLLNER: Goodness me! You talk about reinventing history. This is quite recent history and you are trying to paint Peter Garrett out of the picture completely. Getting back to the point I was making ...
Members interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Members, cease interjecting, please!
Mr TOLLNER: ... Ian Campbell was the minister prior to the end of 2007 and I was in federal parliament at the time. I do not think that was the case. I believe Peter Garret was the minister at the time. He delayed his decision over Christmas. No one at McArthur River Mine had any certainty as to whether they would have a job. The workforce was put on hold - they were stood down. Fortunately, they were not sacked but they were stood down for a period, waiting for a decision from Peter Garrett. I do not recall them waiting for a decision from Ian Campbell, but if that is the way you want to reinvent history, then go for it ...
Members interjecting.
Mr TOLLNER: Goodness me, you hit a raw nerve when you mention Labor colleagues in Canberra! They are trying to suggest Clare Martin was not opposed to uranium mining. What a joke this mob is. Next they will be telling us they tried to develop a coal industry in the Northern Territory, or they want a nuclear reactor built here to put electricity into our grid. Does this mob have any shame? Is there no depth they will not plumb. Of course there is not. They will try to convince you black is white and white is black. It is the nature of these people; they invent.
Mr TOLLNER: There is no doubt this is an anti-development government. It has done everything it possibly can to stop development everywhere except one place, which is what all members hang their hats on. They all walk around sticking their chests out saying: ‘Aren’t we great? We delivered INPEX. We are so development focused’. Well, look at the thing. In a minute we are going to be talking about land release. My good mate, the member for Barkly, the bipartisan champion, said the government has an enviable track record. ‘The greatest land release in history’, he said today in Question Time. Sometimes my stomach hurts from listening to these clowns ...
Members interjecting.
Mr TOLLNER: It is bizarre when you listen to these guys. I apologise, member for Barkly, if it was not Question Time; I am certain at some stage today you were talking about the great land release policy of your government ...
Mr McCarthy: Record land release.
Mr TOLLNER: I do not know what record he is talking about but it is a funny one. However, this is the most anti-development government in the Northern Territory’s history. It proudly runs around telling everyone how it put a moratorium on clearing land and pumping water from the Daly like it is some great achievement to shut down a whole area, to put the lives and livelihoods of a range of farmers in an area into the balance and give them no certainty. You had that moratorium running for eight years, I believe. You say that was an achievement. What did you achieve? Where was the achievement? Who did you help by doing that?
It is a bizarre situation: ‘We have stopped this, we have stopped that, and now we have stopped you going to the shops without taking plastic bags and stopped you buying takeaway alcohol without your licence’. They have stopped many things, but I do not know what they have done to help anyone or help industry get ahead. Probably the hardest hit in the Northern Territory has been the mining industry because this government has been stubborn when it comes to allowing and supporting miners to get ahead.
Thank you again, member for Goyder, it is an impressive motion. I will be glad to support your motion. Obviously, these Luddites, or whatever you want to call them on the other side, will not be supporting the motion because they are not into developing the Northern Territory, building a strong economy or improving the lifestyle of Territorians. Consequently and ironically, because of those actions, the government has no way of improving the environment in which we live.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Deputy Speaker, it was not my intention to contribute to the debate today but I could not contain myself. I have to say, having listened to the member for Fong Lim and the government’s response, you cannot help but realise the reason the member for Goyder brought this into the House. I agree. I do not see any real signs of a pursuit of world-class mining projects. We have had a few, we have had some beauties, and each of those world-class projects ...
Dr Burns: Mt Todd.
Mr ELFERINK: No, I have not forgotten Mt Todd.
Dr Burns: No, we have not forgotten either.
Mr ELFERINK: Yes, you will never forget it; it is your one thing in the locker. Let us talk about the way you guys have organised mines in the Northern Territory. Let us look at the McArthur River Mine and the shambles this government found itself in, with members crossing the floor because they had personal political interests in their own electorates rather than the interests of the general welfare of the people of the Northern Territory.
Who bailed out the government on that occasion? The Country Liberals, because without the Country Liberals there would not have been sufficient votes on the floor of this House to pass the legislation enabling the expansion of the McArthur River Mine. Why? Because members of the Labor Party were too busy trying to stop it happening. I ask you, Madam Deputy Speaker, where was Peter Garrett? You can imagine the way he was trying to negotiate with people the whole way through. I am surprised he does not take his eye out every time he speaks in federal parliament. For goodness sake, this ...
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! I thought after 2005 it was 19, four and two. Can the member for Port Darwin explain his equation, please?
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Mr ELFERINK: Great, you are making a point. Your blokes were a shambles and were prepared to see the mining industry in the Northern Territory cast to the winds, and all you want to do is make cheap political points in the House. Well, bully for you! Guess what the people at McArthur River were thinking about the government and the way it conducted itself?
This is not about cheap political points; this is about the creation of a world-class mining industry in the Northern Territory. With the exception of the INPEX project, which was a refugee from the Labor Party in Western Australia to the Northern Territory, you guys have not achieved a world-class mining project.
Western Desert Resources wanted to build a slurry pipeline out to the gulf. Where was the assistance? Where was the help? Nothing from this government. It left Western Desert to find its own solution. This government sat on its hands and provided zero assistance. Yes, we are really cool and good at taking people over to China on trips so we can attract Chinese investment to the Northern Territory. Well, where are the mines? Where are they? Where are all the Chinese mines we are promised from all the trips to China? I do not see them. I keep hearing about Chinese ownership of exploration leases. Where are the mines? There are none.
The problem is you put out the media releases, go to China, and think the job is done. The job is not done because what you are getting out of this process is retarded development in an area where we should be far more aggressive and advanced. Ranger is a world-class mine. McArthur River is a world-class mine. Jabiluka would be a world-class mine for want of some real passion and desire on that side of the House to see the Northern Territory developed. Yes, I can understand the reticence of some of the people who live there, but I can also see a government that talks about jobs in remote areas for the people who live there. Well, these mines provide jobs. Here is a world-class mining arrangement. What is happening at The Granites? They were there prior to the change of government. Where are the new ones? That is what this motion from the member for Goyder is about.
You talk the talk but you are not walking the walk. That is why I become so frustrated. I spent eight years being the member for Macdonnell. It was so glorious in some ways and so frustrating in others because of the incapacity of land under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act - I hate talking about Aboriginal land - that land to be effectively explored. I know exploration leases were stymied over areas of Macdonnell because the explorers were not big enough or did not come up to the land council’s expectations, and that is frustrating. Where is the government knocking on the land councils’ doors – all four of them – saying: ‘We want to help you. We want to get these places opened up. We want to see what it takes to get these places opened up’.
However, government is jammed in negotiations with the NLC over the intertidal zone. The way it treats the NLC is astonishing. Basically, it took out full page advertisements saying: ‘We are going to take these people to the High Court rather than engage with them’. That is what you promised. I was almost glad in one respect when the ALP won the 2001 election because I thought the fear and concerns the land councils had with the former CLP government would not be reproduced in the Labor government. I thought there were some upsides to this, but was that development reflected? Was that optimism on my part reflected in the conduct of this government? No. The negotiations were done over small areas concerning native title issues around Alice Springs which retarded the growth of Alice Springs. There was none of the massive engagement I was hoping for or an opening up of traditional lands under a Labor government to mining and to create jobs and wealth.
None of that happened. That opportunity has gone begging now for 10 years and I am so disappointed. We talk about education, health and welfare issues in remote areas and what do we get? The same platitudes and the same words when the opportunities to have those areas developed are being missed time and time again. Do we hear ministerial statements on what the government is doing to open up those lands? No. We hear about the trip to China but not about the engagement with the land councils to really open up these areas.
What did the Northern Territory government do in relation to the sea bed mining proposals in the Anindilyakwa area? It is private land, but the exploration permits were there. What did government do to encourage that development? What did government say to the Anindilyakwa Land Council, or the proponents of any sea bed mining in that area, to see how it could assist this process? Can we do any research to demonstrate this is either safe or unsafe as a process? Did the minister pick up the phone and speak to the chairman of the Anindilyakwa Land Council? I suspect not ...
Mr Vatskalis: Yes, he did. I had a personal meeting.
Mr ELFERINK: You did? Well, why do you not tell us about it? You had an opportunity. You do not think about it. It is not in the forefront of your mind. The minister should be waking up every day and saying: ‘How can I improve mining in the Northern Territory? What is my role; what is my function? Goodness gracious me, there is a problem with the slurry pipeline for the Western Desert proposal. How can I make that work better? What bridges can I build to achieve that?’ Not sit on your hands and wait for Western Desert to come up with another arrangement with Xstrata over trucking that material out ...
Mr Vatskalis: Western Desert Resources was advised to find another solution.
Mr ELFERINK: That is your response. You told Western Desert Resources to find another solution. That was the sum total of your involvement. Picked up the phone and said: ‘Mate, that slurry pipeline is just not going to work, find another solution’. Where is the passion, where is the drive, where is the desire to make the Northern Territory a place where Aboriginal people, non-Aboriginal people, Chinese people, Japanese people make their fortunes and their wealth? What do we have against generating wealth? Why do we hate it so much? Why are we shy of it? Why do we want to bury companies under mountains of bureaucratic red tape?
We are talking about the native vegetation act. Have you seen how that stuff operates? I saw an article the other day where they are sticking dead trees in concrete in some jurisdictions to avoid having to deal with the payments in relation to the native vegetation act. Get this! In New South Wales, if you clear a piece of land and some native vegetation grows up in the form of weeds on that land, you have to get a bloody permit to clear it again. That is how we are planning to assist development in the Northern Territory, be it mining or through agricultural development.
The member for Fong Lim made the point perfectly well. The government is finding ways to completely stifle and baffle people who have a bit of ticker about them and a bit of drive. There is a saying: people who can, do; people who cannot, teach. I often believe politicians are like teachers, because people who can do and we, as politicians, cannot so we try to assist people who can. The best way to assist those people is get out of their way and do not introduce onerous things like structures of legislation such as native vegetation legislation.
Yes, we need to have protocols to protect the environment, but it does not mean creating a regime where someone will stick dead trees in concrete to avoid having to pay bills. It drives me insane when I see bureaucracy producing those results.
It is so pedestrian nowadays when I hear the minister for Mines, the minister for Business, and the minister for Development with a speech prepared by someone in the department. There is a monotone delivery from the minister in relation to the issue under discussion - the CLP are all bad and it is really awful. It drives me nuts!
This is why I support the motion from the member. It is about fire in the belly, getting up and having a go, caring; it is giving a damn about the future of the Northern Territory not just worrying about how it looks in the next media release.
Madam Deputy Speaker, this motion should not be supported - it should be championed.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Goyder, in closing debate be mindful that at 9 pm consideration of General Business finishes.
Ms PURICK (Goyder): Madam Deputy Speaker, I thank my colleagues, the members for Fong Lim and Port Darwin, for their excellent speeches in regard to this motion. It is an important motion. The minister missed the point in his comments.
The point was not about what we have now, the point was about the issues facing industry in the Territory as well as in Australia - issues that are very real. They are issues industry talks about at conferences and researchers at universities write papers on and make presentations. The fact is, yes, exploration expenditure in the Territory is at a good level, but the level of metres of drilling is declining. So, they are spending money on something, but they are not drilling as many holes or as many metres as they have in past years. That is a worry. It is happening elsewhere in this country also, not just in the Territory. However, we are only talking about the Territory now.
The industry is also moving away from exploring for uranium and precious metals; it is going more towards large bulk commodities - coal, iron ore and large nickel. The member for Fong Lim pointed out, quite rightly, there is huge potential in Central Australia for an underground coal deposit but we are not blessed, geologically, with large iron ore deposits like Western Australia, or large nickel or coal deposits such as on the eastern seaboard. It would be great if we were, but we are not.
They are turning away from certain types of exploration and it has to be asked why. The reason is because that is where they are making the best money. The facts are the industry is turning back to brownfield exploration. They are looking at ground they have looked at before. They might be clever at what they are doing and be using different technology, but you do not get world-class mines - even half world-class mines - from brownfield exploration, you get them from greenfield exploration. That is a fact of industry.
They are some of the key issues facing our industry. There are other issues I did not touch on which impact on industry’s ability to explore and to mine. I mentioned briefly the carbon tax and the mining tax. Those are disincentives for companies. It states that in the Fraser Institute reports you read every year. I read them every year. It is a disincentive. If regulatory regimes are burdensome and cost industry a great deal of money they will look elsewhere, and they are looking elsewhere. That was another fact. They are going to countries like South America and Kazakhstan. They are going to places in eastern Russia because they can get on the ground quickly. They might not make as much money as they would in Australia and perhaps South America, but they can get on the ground.
I have no issue with much of what you said, minister, but what constitutes a world-class mining project? Yes, we have them in the Northern Territory, but they are products of the 1960s exploration boom ...
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Goyder, it is 9 pm. If you are to finish in the next couple of minutes that would be fine, but if you require longer we will need to adjourn this item to the next General Business Day. What would you like to do?
Ms PURICK: Yes, if we could adjourn it.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you member for Goyder.
Debate adjourned.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Honourable members, it now being 9 pm, pursuant Standing Order 41A, I move that the Assembly do now adjourn.
Mr HENDERSON (Wanguri): Madam Deputy Speaker, tonight I incorporate into the Hansard a speech given by the Ambassador of the United States, Jeffrey L Bleich, at the USS Peary commemoration, the 70th anniversary, on Sunday this year.
As I said when we debated the series of commemorations for the 70th anniversary of the bombing of Darwin at the beginning of this week, the speech given by Ambassador Bleich at the Peary commemoration was one of the most powerful and moving speeches I have heard in defining why the alliance between the United States and Australia is so enduring and so important, and why it means as much as it does to Australians. There were probably 200 to 250 people at that commemoration. The speech was of such significance that it should be placed on the public record through the Hansard for people who are interested in Northern Territory history, in exploring the reasons for the US alliance with Australia and why it is so important. It should be part of the historic record, not only of this parliament and this Territory, but also of this nation.
For me, the speech said a great deal about my background, my family’s background and, in particular, my father’s background. My father served in the Pacific in World War II and was one of a very small handful of Australians who moved from the Australian/United States forces and served with the US forces in a US uniform. My father spent the last two years of World War II serving in the US Army as a marine engineer on landing craft around the Philippines and the Pacific. One of the treasured photos I have is of my father, my Australian father, serving in a US Army uniform. That is a piece of history.
After his stint serving with US forces in the Pacific in World War II, my father moved to Indonesia where he started a shipping line with a Dutch friend of his. When General Sukarno claimed independence for Indonesia, all of the Australian and Dutch assets were nationalised. My father and his business partner lost everything. My father ended up in Europe, where he joined NATO as a marine surveyor. I and my brother were born on American military bases in France, and then moved to an American military base in the United Kingdom when France withdrew from NATO.
So for me, I was born and grew up with US military personnel and their families. They were very happy childhood years. We had many American friends and grew up with American kids, and I also have a half sister who is American. So the whole United States story comes home to me very personally through my father’s service, both of the Australian forces and the US forces during World War II, and being born and growing up on American military bases.
There is a sense of a personal thread for me, through the alliance with the United States. The Ambassador’s speech clearly articulated what I would have struggled to articulate of why this alliance is so enduring and so significant, and will be enduring for this nation, I believe, for many, many decades to come.
I commend this speech to all members of this House, to anyone in the Territory who is interested in this history, because it is a very important speech in the history of the Northern Territory. I table this speech for incorporation into the Hansard record.
I would also like to ...
Madam SPEAKER: That is two separate things, Chief Minister. So you are tabling this speech?
Mr HENDERSON: I am tabling this speech, yes.
Madam SPEAKER: Tabling is different to incorporating.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, I seek leave to have this speech incorporated into the Hansard record.
Madam SPEAKER: Can I just make a comment about incorporation. Normally you could not incorporate that, but I was at the Peary Memorial, and I know the Leader of the Opposition was, the Leader of Government Business, and possibly the member for Fong Lim and the member for Sanderson. We heard the speech. Are you comfortable with that speech being incorporated in the Hansard, because it is an exception. You are happy to do that?
Members: Yes, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Leave is granted, Chief Minister. I just wanted to make people aware that this is not something we would normally do, but it is an exception because it is extraordinary.
Leave granted.
Mr ELFERINK: Before we incorporate, Madam Speaker, I just note that we will graciously not resist this. I would just remind the Leader of Government Business that he was not so gracious himself in the past.
Dr Burns: Thank you, member for Port Darwin.
Madam SPEAKER: Leave has been granted, thank you.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, I genuinely thank all honourable members for their indulgence.
At the commemoration on Sunday I was handed a poem by Waldo, the bush poet. We all know and love Waldo, and I will not seek leave to incorporate Waldo’s speech, but I will read the poem into the Hansard record whilst we are on the commemoration. This is Waldo’s poem, The Bombing of Darwin 19th February 1942:
That is from Waldo, and I am pleased to read his poem into the Parliamentary Record.
I take this opportunity to thank everyone who contributed and worked so hard to make a significant series of events around the commemoration of the 70th anniversary the success it was.
I am pleased to see the Ambassador’s speech incorporated in the Hansard record. I also table Waldo’s poem.
Mr GILES (Braitling): Madam Speaker, I comment on the attack by the Chief Minister during Question Time today. I would like to clarify a few points.
I thought it was very interesting to hear the Chief Minister wanting to say I am misleading the House. Surely, if the Police minister had reports of fighting and allegations of knives his response would be to take a different approach rather than attack me in this Chamber. I have reviewed the Hansard of what I said in a couple of speeches during these sittings over the last two weeks. I have also reviewed what he said in parliament today during Question Time. I have also reviewed the transcript of e-mails between me and police. I would like to clarify several things.
The Chief Minister said today that I said the call did not even go through to police. I cannot find anywhere in Hansard where I am alleged to have said that.
The other component of this story is the Chief Minister, in his first answer, had a couple of issues tied together. There were two separate issues. I will explain to the Chamber what occurred.
I received a phone call on Wednesday, 4 January from the owner of a business at the Northside shops complaining about the police call centre. Complaining, as I have said in Hansard before, that she was not receiving an adequate response - and I am referring to her comments to me, not verbatim. She had been hung up on as she requested to be put through to the Alice Springs police because she would get a better response time. I went to see this business owner and was talking to her about the issues, the same issues I talk to so many constituents about on a regular basis. While I was there I received a phone call from David Woods from the NT News talking about the rail line on the way to Darwin. While I was talking to him I went outside and stood by my car. While I was there a lady who seemed to be somewhat inebriated, although I cannot tell how much, came running up to me telling me there was a fight and that people had knives and wanted to stab her.
At that point, while I was on the phone listening to Dave and listening to this lady simultaneously, I said to David: ‘I am going to have to go; I have to call the police’. I called the police and the transcript has been tabled by the Chief Minister. I said in debate that on the first call - what is quoted from Hansard - I am referring to what the police said: ‘I will try to get someone there’. In my debate I was not quoting verbatim. I do not have the benefit of the Police Commissioner and his resources to trawl through transcripts to find out exactly what was said on a phone call. I tried to recall what was said. In the heat of the moment, when there are 10 or 15 people fighting and allegations of knives flying around, you take in the context of the conversation you receive.
From there, the lady who approached me was telling the people fighting that I was CIB, or police, and they should stop fighting because I was calling the police. This is all in Hansard. The police called back some five or 10 minutes later; it could have been longer, I am not sure. There are no times on the transcript that was produced today. It is interesting in the first transcript that it does not say that police will be turning up. The operator said to me: ‘Okay. Thank you very much for letting us know’, not: ‘I will send someone around’.
On the second phone call when the call centre called me back, the police did say, towards the end of the conversation: ‘All right, we will get someone there, but just call back if they start fighting again’. That was after I had said: ‘They are not punching anymore and I cannot see a knife. They are all loitering around’. I said: ‘There is no physical fighting right now. I cannot see any injuries’. The operator said: ‘All right, so they are just loitering around?’ I said: ‘There are probably 50 or 60 people’. The operator said: ‘There are probably 50 or 60 people?’ I said: ‘Yes’. The operator said: ‘Okay, just give us …’. I said: ‘They are loitering around the car park’. The operator said: ‘All right, give us a call back if anything escalates, all right?’ I said: ‘It is a pretty unsafe environment, but if it escalates I will call you back’. The operator said: ‘All right, we will get someone there but just call us back if they start fighting again’.
To me, that does not say that anyone is going to turn up. I note the Police minister, the Chief Minister, today reflected - and I am not going to quote specifically - saying they said they were going to get someone there. Well, that conversation there says to me that the police communications were not. I understand the resourcing issues police have in Alice Springs; that is why the Country Liberals have committed 20 extra police.
The Chief Minister also said today that they did attend the scene and they did not leave until peace had resumed. Well, I stayed there for a long period of time after that second phone call, and I did not see police turn up. They could have turned up an hour or two later when I had gone home. I do not know. But, they had not turned up when I was there so I find that very interesting.
The Chief Minister then tabled a letter or an e-mail I sent to police two days after the incident, thanking police for their good work. It should be known that that e-mail had nothing to do with the police call I made. That e-mail had to do with a meeting I called with all the Northside shop owners, and I invited two officers from Alice Springs police to come and explain the problems of the police communications call centre and what was going on. I will not say what the conversation of that was, because that would be unfair to many people who were at that meeting. As soon as that meeting was finished, on the Thursday at 3 pm, I can tell you – roughly between an hour to an hour-and-a-half - the police van had turned up at Northside shops, and everything had cooled down. That was on the Thursday.
On the Friday, I went past and had a look and spoke to shopkeepers after receiving an e-mail from the police advising me of concerns and issues he had raised with police officers about the call centre. I went past on the Friday and saw that the police van was there again. At 5.10 pm that evening, I sent an e-mail - the one that was tabled - thanking police for their impressive response - and I am not quoting from the e-mail, the words are there – saying: ‘Thank you very much for your impressive response, the shopkeepers are happy’.
We know that the day after, the police van was not there and, to my knowledge, has not been seen again at Northside shops, and that crime has escalated once again.
I reflect on a briefing I had with the Police Commissioner in my office late last year, where I raised concerns about why the police van was not out more often. Why is it not at Northside shops, or Larapinta shops? Why is it continually parked in the police station? Without verballing the Police Commissioner - and I will say very loosely, for the purposes of the Chief Minister - he is not an advocate of utilising that police van. Well, I am. So, I sent that e-mail after two days of the police van being present, and thanked them. It had nothing to do with the phone call to police about an allegation of a knife, where there was a fight of between 10 and 15 people, which eventuated in 50 or 60 people yelling and screaming and putting shoppers in a nervous position.
So, the Chief Minister’s attack today is misconceived and ill directed. Sure, I did not quote verbatim from a transcript of a telephone call but I was recollecting what my phone calls were at that point in time. For the Chief Minister to engage police to dig up transcripts is a poor use of police resources and time. He should be identifying why I received a phone call asking me to call back if the fight started again. When a constituent rings up with 10 or 15 people fighting and an allegation of a knife, the real concern is why the police did not turn up. If they did arrive a long time after I had gone, what about the police response time? I would like the Chief Minister to tell me when the police did arrive, what they did, and how long they were there. Who did they arrest? What was done? I was not there all night to midnight. I was there for a while and I did not see the police arrive. I would question that.
Madam Speaker, this is not about the words you use in parliament; it is about the issue. You reflect on what happened at the Aurora hotel where police did not arrive for 40 minutes and it is exactly the same issue.
Ms WALKER (Nhulunbuy): Madam Speaker, last Thursday I participated in a debate in this House in support of the Chief Minister’s statement, Gearing Up for Growth. During my contribution I made reference to the many positive initiatives in the electorate of Nhulunbuy in the areas of government service delivery, including health. I also made very brief reference to dental health services in my electorate. It was just one sentence. I said, and I quote from Hansard:
That is all I said. I did not make any reference to dentists or dental therapists. I did not make reference to school dental health services, or private or public services. That did not stop the member for Brennan, the shadow for Education, that evening launching a nasty and baseless attack on me and my integrity which was entirely inaccurate, less than honest and, quite simply, out and out wrong.
The member for Brennan has never let truth get in the way of the opportunity to score a political point and use parliamentary privilege to launch attacks on others on the floor of this House. He has form in this area, having delivered an attack on the Education minister’s advisor during Question Time last year, and in the lead-up to the federal election in 2010 he also used Question Time to attack the former member for Solomon with baseless, scurrilous and unsubstantiated accusations - something he did at the bidding of his leader because we all know he is a snitch.
In response to one solitary sentence in a debate last week - and I will repeat what I said:
The member for Brennan went on to say:
On a bit of a roll, the member for Brennan went on:
How on earth does the member for Brennan deduce from my one sentence about a dental clinic refurbishment in Gove, a very modest one at that in a building which is 40 years old, that I have acted inappropriately, to see the Bakewell School dental therapist relocate to Gove for goodness sake? There is no misunderstanding or having misheard here. What I said, and what the member for Brennan said in response, is very black and white. Inspector Clouseau over there got it wrong, again, and he owes me, on the floor of this House, an unqualified apology ...
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Given that there is a limited time for adjournments, maybe we could ask the member to table the speech ...
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, resume your seat.
Mr TOLLNER: ... and have it incorporated rather than reading it.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, resume your seat.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Resume your seat. Order!
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, cease interjecting. Order!
Ms WALKER: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Inspector Clouseau and his little army behind him have it wrong once again, and he owes me on the floor of this House an unqualified apology and retraction for the shameful, completely baseless and outrageous accusation levelled at me accusing me of corruption.
It is actually worse than that, Madam Speaker. It goes beyond me and my integrity. He has been totally irresponsible in reporting of the school dental service in Bakewell Primary’s newsletter. In this House last week when referring to the Bakewell newsletter, he said:
Wrong again, member for Brennan. What the notice actually says - and I too quote from the Bakewell newsletter:
Inspector Clouseau over there missed the fact that any number with 8999 is a government number, but he cannot work that out.
This is not a private dental clinic. It is a free public dental clinic in Palmerston, and clinic staff will see any children from Bakewell Primary until the vacant position at the school is filled. To be doubly sure, I phoned that number and I can confirm, members of the opposition, Leader of the Opposition, supposedly, that it is a public and a free service for eligible patients, including schoolchildren.
The member for Brennan’s reckless disregard for accuracy, his propensity to be more than loose with the truth has upset the Bakewell School community, and he should also apologise for the alarm he has triggered at that school, a school which I have visited and I know.
The attack actually goes even further and extends to a public servant, a school dental therapist. With Nhulunbuy being the small and friendly community that it is, I met the new dental therapist socially over the weekend. She tells me she has worked in Nhulunbuy previously and was keen to get back out there because she loves the place and has some good friends there. That is fantastic, because we find it hard to attract certain professionals to take up positions in remote areas. This individual has worked in public health for well over two decades, most of it in the Northern Territory, and has spent the last six years at the Bakewell clinic. Indeed, in the school newsletter she said how much she had enjoyed her time at Bakewell and that she was a bit sad to be leaving, but also excited about her new position.
The member for Brennan did not share that one bit. And, without any prompting from me, she said she was aware of what was said in this House about her by the member for Brennan, and is angry about it and the silly and scurrilous suggestion that I had somehow engineered her move. It is as outrageous as it is offensive. I trust the member for Brennan will also write and apologise to her.
The member for Brennan is clearly clueless when it comes to operational matters of the public service, and also as to exactly which minister is responsible for school dental services. It is not Education, it is Health. He is long on complaints, short on ideas, and absolutely hopeless when it comes to detail.
The member for Brennan is a bit of a joke, a bit of a bumbler, sweating away over there, coming up with an alternative education policy, or no policy Pete as the member for Barkly calls him, and wringing his hands and telling us it is coming when we all know he does not have a clue. Putting himself up as the dedicated member for Brennan, working for the people of his electorate - help me! Well, the people of Brennan and Palmerston deserve better. I understand there is a Labor candidate in the wings ready to take on this hapless, miserable failure of a member who has proven he is more interested in scoring low political points by sidestepping the facts and the truth.
Madam Speaker, I wish to apologise for an inaccurate comment I made about the member for Brennan last week. I said he was hard-working; he is not. He is lazy, he is devious, and he is a repeat offender when it comes to using his privileged position as a member of parliament to wrongfully assassinate people’s characters in this House, whether they are politicians or hard-working and dedicated public servants.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Speaker, methinks the lady doth protest too much.
Madam Speaker, I love this House and I will tell you why. It is because members can say almost anything in this House and that is what is so important about this House. I listened to the strident attacks, including wonderful abuse against the member for Brennan, from the member for Nhulunbuy, and good on her! She is defending her position, and that is what this House is about. She can come here and demand apologies until she is blue in the face, and I guess she is not going to get one because the dentist in question, who I will not name and make any reference ...
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Not a dentist. It is a dental therapist. You were not listening either.
Madam SPEAKER: Order
Mr ELFERINK: ... at the risk of being accused of misleading the parliament, the dental therapist in question is really a pawn. What the member for Nhulunbuy, in all seriousness, must recall is we should not be bringing the pawns into this House. We should be attacking the other players. The problem with quoting the dental therapist in question is that it drags the dental therapist into the debate and, by quoting from the dental therapist and saying the dental therapist is all in for it, invites the media to speak to the dental therapist. That is problematic because ...
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member opposite spoke previously in this House about a former school teacher and was quite scurrilous in his remarks about her and she was a former college of mine.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nhulunbuy, there is no point of order.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Port Darwin, please direct your comments through the Chair, thank you.
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Speaker, I was fully prepared when I made those comments to be answerable for them. The point is I remain that way. I am not using that public servant as a human shield. I had my problems with that public servant; I made that clear. This member uses that public servant as a human shield. I will quote from that public servant. ‘Go and ask that public servant’, is the invitation from the member for Nhulunbuy. Well, do not do it because the media ends up ringing ...
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I did say with the knowledge of that particular public servant and her blessing.
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! You would think the Deputy Speaker ...
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Resume your seat, member for Fong Lim.
Mr TOLLNER: ... would have a clue about standing orders.
Madam SPEAKER: Same for you, member for Fong Lim. Many frivolous points of order come from you, member for Fong Lim.
Mr ELFERINK: I recall when another public servant, a legislative drafter, was dragged into this House. I cannot remember which minister it was but they decided they were going to have a crack at the former member Jodeen Carney with a signed letter from that legislative drafter. That legislative drafter’s job in this House became untenable to the point where she was moved into the department. That is the problem with this approach for the member of Nhulunbuy.
I do not care how bent out of shape the member from Nhulunbuy is about my comments earlier today. I did what I did with full knowledge of the potential repercussions and I will stand by what I said. The problem I have with what is going on here is that I wonder if the member for Nhulunbuy, in her enthusiasm to garner an ally, has actually exposed that dental therapist/public servant now to be dragged into this public controversy. The controversy was between the member for Nhulunbuy and the member for Brennan; there was no necessity to bring in that third party. That is a part I am concerned about.
The fact is that this House is a wonderful place where people can exchange their opinions. Those opinions we hear expressed are often speculations, and we heard the speculations from the Chief Minister in relation to the member for Braitling today. The member for Braitling is able to defend himself and argue whatever he has to argue to defend his own position because the arbiters of what we do in this House are not in this House. The arbiters of what we do in this House are out there. They are the ones who make the decisions as to whether or not we continue to maintain our position in this House as members of parliament. They are the ones we are answerable to.
The rules of this parliament should only be sufficient to enable the parliament to operate effectively. That is why we have sections about unbecoming words and that type of thing, because we do not really want to hear expletives and those sorts of things in here.
However, it is not unbecoming for one member to question the motives of another member - we do it all the time as a matter of course. We speculate, we guess, we make comments about each other’s leadership, we talk about what this person was thinking over there, we use the thinnest and most veiled tissues of evidence to create opinions about each other, and we talk about each other all the time. That is the nature of what this place does. Woe betide us if we ever tried to lock that down or shut that down. The member for Brennan had every right to ask those questions, and the member for Nhulunbuy had every right to deny any knowledge or involvement in that process. Let the people be the judge.
In the process, of course, the kids of Palmerston are without a dental therapist - because I believe that therapist serviced all the schools in the Palmerston area – and the kids of Nhulunbuy now have a dental therapist. Well, that is bully for the kids for the Nhulunbuy but it is bad for the kids in the Palmerston area. If the member for Brennan wants to ask questions about that, and even suggest motives, then he is not answerable to the member for Nhulunbuy so much as answerable to the people of Brennan.
I heard the member for Nhulunbuy say: ‘You had a crack at public servant’, and I do so very carefully when I do it. However, I am prepared to say outside this House what I said inside this House about that public servant 32 or 33 years ago. I can tell you, I do so carefully and with deep consideration. Even when I am speaking positively about public servants I still consider carefully what I say. However, that is a side issue. The real issue is this House is a place where people can talk and accuse each other of all sorts of things. That is what I love about this democracy.
I can tell you, any attempt to get rid of that and limit it is something I will rail against. I railed against it when we had ministerial reports - those tawdry little five-minute jobbies - and they are gone. I am grateful to the member for Nelson for their departure. If the rural area got that sort of that support, I think you would have a pool ...
Mr Wood: It is coming. I am going to throw you in it.
Mr ELFERINK: What the member for Nhulunbuy needs to realise is she can be as angry as she likes and she can use all the names. I notice the old Labor habit, in particular - not that I am saying we are sweetness and light over here – of, if you do not like what you are hearing you just call people names, was strident and resplendent in her response to the member for Brennan’s questioning and assertions. She can do it and continue to do it, and I welcome it for the reasons that I may not agree with what she says but, by God, I will fight for her right to be able to say it. That is why I like this House so much.
The member for Brennan had every right to do what he did; the member for Nhulunbuy had every right to do what she did. Thank God for the system of government we have because I do not like the alternatives at all.
Ms SCRYMGOUR (Arafura): Madam Speaker, in my adjournment tonight I would like to pick up on the member for Port Darwin’s hypocrisy when he jumps up regarding the Westminster system and what this House is all about. It was quite interesting last night listening to the member for Port Darwin all gallant and sticking up for the member for Brennan and his colleagues - so he should. That is an important attribute of being within parties. We often stick up for the Independent member for Nelson in ...
Mr Tollner: Of course you do, you would be out of government if you do not.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Ms SCRYMGOUR: And it is eating you away. It is eating you to the core, Dave, because he did not side with the CLP.
Mr Tollner: Absolutely! It was a disgusting thing for Territorians. I am sick to death of it.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order! Member for Fong Lim!
Ms SCRYMGOUR: It was interesting listening to the member for Port Darwin, because last night, one of my colleagues delivered an adjournment on the member for Macdonnell. The member for Port Darwin was sitting there. The member for Johnston actually delivered the adjournment following the member for Port Darwin. Did he run back from the door to call a point of order, or to object to any slight on the character of the member for Macdonnell? No, he did not. The hypocrisy on the other side when this House is used like a coward’s castle and you can point all you want on this side. It has been used conveniently by various members over many years to slur the characters of different members on this side.
Yes, there have been slurs on former members of this House, but I did not see any member of the CLP run in and object, or stand up and defend, the member for Macdonnell last night - the hypocrisy. If I was the member for Macdonnell I would be thinking seriously about why she went to the CLP, and it is just to keep one number for the Leader of the Opposition.
I wanted to speak in the adjournment debate tonight about the Bombing of Darwin commemorations and going to the Cenotaph. It was fantastic to attend that celebration. All the events and the speeches were good. I was a little disappointed in the speeches by the Prime Minister and the federal Leader of the Opposition. I felt there was a little politics in both of those speeches, which could have been kept out of the Bombing of Darwin celebrations.
Talking to the Tiwi dancers, the women who came in and sang in the hall - certainly for Tiwi people, it is a time of celebration. Reflecting on the Garden Point mob in the book, written by Auntie Thecla Brogan, who was in the home at the Garden Point Mission, they talk about 1942 and the evacuation, and the time in which Darwin was bombed. I had completely forgotten that my mother was with a group of nuns at that time. Sister Annunciata, who I am sure the member for Nelson would remember - the Sisters Annunciata, Eucharia and Antonius brought all of these young women, 35 of them, into Darwin because they were going to take them on a trip to Melbourne. They left Garden Point on Saturday, 14 February 1942, arriving in Darwin. It was interesting that on the day of the bombing my mother and all these young girls were in front of the presbytery, which was near the present site of St Mary’s Cathedral. They were there dancing and singing when the bombs went down. It was Tom Lewis was the historian, or Cherie Beach the ABC reporter, who pointed out the photo of these young women. It was a delight to see the happy faces of all these young women, although the bombs were falling - the poignant and serene happiness on the faces of these young women because they were preparing to go on a big journey down south.
Straight after that, my father, who was at another mission at Croker Island, was led across the continent by Margaret Somerville. Whilst my parents were not old enough to fight in that war being young children, on Sunday at the Cenotaph I was reflecting on how they would have felt with the bombs coming down, and those Tiwi women thinking that lollies and balloons were coming from the sky. Little did they know that it was the Japanese dropping the bombs. The Bishop at the time had told them all to go into the convent and take cover, because they were bombs. So looking at that photo gave cause for reflection.
It was really sad to see all those old servicemen, knowing there were not many years left for those old men, and remembering their sacrifice and their fighting for their country. As an Aboriginal Territorian, and as an Australian, to stand there and to look at those old men and women and the sacrifice that they made, makes you feel humble and privileged that you are at a ceremony where, maybe in years to come, many of those old people will not be there. I parked my car at one end of The Esplanade and walked up. To see the crowds of people on The Esplanade and hear them talking about all the events was very moving.
I have to say to the Minister for Arts and Museum that many people were talking about the interactive display at the museum. I also join in acknowledging the fantastic work your agency did over that weekend. In particular, I think Alan James in your office who did a fantastic job assisting with the many events that occurred over that weekend. It was a fantastic weekend. I know how much my countrymen who came in and participated enjoyed it. The dancers went to the ceremony at the wharf, because whilst the Cenotaph is important, the ceremony at the wharf is just as important because there were people who were killed whilst they were working. Both ceremonies are important.
Madam Speaker, I wanted to put on the record my acknowledgement of a fantastic weekend, and my acknowledgement of those servicemen and women, both past and present, and what they fought for in this great country of ours to give us the freedoms we have today.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I was going to continue with my discussion about the agreement, but something popped up last night which I thought was worth investigating today. It was in relation to comments made by the member for Braitling last night. He said:
I am not sure whether the member meant 24 or 30, but I spent part of the day ringing around various hotels to get the price of a 30 block of VB as a sample. The price of a 30 block of VB at Northside in Alice Springs, which is part of the Celebrations group, and that is the shop that the member for Braitling refers to, is $67.99 a carton. I rang them twice to verify this price. Now we are talking about a 30 block of VB. The same slab of VB in South Australia, which is where a container deposit system operates, is interesting.
Here are some prices from a number of hotels in South Australia. These are the two Celebrations hotels: The Castle Tavern, Edwardstown - $49.99, normal price $51.00, that is $18.00 cheaper than Northside; The Commercial Hotel, Jamestown - $50.99, that is on special, normally somewhere around $54.00, that is $17.00 cheaper.
I do have some other prices there, I might see if my assistant can get them to me before I go, but I will give you some other prices as well. The prices in the Northern Territory, for instance: at Northside, it was $67.99, as I said. Howard Springs Supermarket - $60.99. That is interesting, because they are both Celebrations outlets. Howard Springs Supermarket is a long way from Northside yet the carton of beer was $7 dearer. The Thirsty Camel in the Northern Territory has the Todd Tavern, Alice Springs at $66; the Howard Springs Tavern, which is further north at $63, the Parap Tavern at $63, and Pit Lane at $63.99. It is funny that Alice Springs Todd Tavern is $3 dearer.
The other two shops you might be interested in, in the Northern Territory: Liquorland, Alice Springs, $63; Palmerston Liquorland, $63; Woolworths Coolalinga, $56; and Humpty Doo Woolworths, $56 not on special. It is interesting to see the difference in price.
If I go back to South Australia under the Thirsty Camel hotels – Woodville, $51, $16.99 difference from Northside; Glenelg, $52.99; Cremorne, $49.99; Streaky Bay, a fair way from the city, $54 - still $13.99 cheaper than Northside; and Coober Pedy out the back of nowhere, $52, nearly $16 cheaper than Northside.
Go to Queensland. I have picked a couple of places which are a long way from anywhere –these are Thirsty Camel outlets – Bellevue Hotel, Townsville, $52.50; Central Hotel, Cloncurry, now you are getting out back there, $50.95 – cheaper than Townsville. Western Australia, Broome Celebrations, $51 and this is on special; Broome Liquorland, $45; and Broome Liberty Liquor, $43, normal price $60. It is a wonder someone has not taken a truck to Broome at that price. Kununurra is just as far away as anywhere else in Australia. At Celebrations at Kununurra the normal price is $52.
This raises a few questions. First, the average price for South Australia is about $14 different to the price at Northside. It will cost $6 altogether because of the container deposit so you will get $3 of that back, a very conservative handling fee. That is the only bit that should cost you, that $3 for the handling fee because you get $3 back. In fact, you are paying $8 more at Northside.
When I did an average of prices in the Northern Territory and an average of prices in South Australia, you are paying $5 more. You pay $6 for the container deposit - that is $3 for the 30 cans and $3 for the handling fee, and you pay another $5 on top of that and that is the question. Why are we paying $5 more? Why, in the case of Northside, are you paying $8 more? The other question is, South Australia has a container deposit scheme. It has 10, and it has handling fees. Why is it at Streaky Bay, which is out the back of nowhere, it is only $54 for a carton of VB? How come the manufacturers are quite happy to have the normal prices at Streaky Bay? There are prices in South Australia which are cheaper than in other parts of Australia. How come? How come South Australians do not get hooked with up to $14 extra for a carton of beer when we do? That is the question we need to be asking, and the government needs to be telling people we are being ripped off.
The second question is: why we are paying this extra money when there is no difference between us and South Australia or Queensland. You could argue there is the freight. Well, there is not the freight because a 30 block of VB is $52 in Kununurra. A fair bit of freight goes there. It is the same price as Coober Pedy; it is the same price at Glenelg; it is the same price in Broome; and it is the same price in Townsville. The beer has to travel a long way to get to all those places yet it is the same price as in South Australia. Why? Because these companies have special transport deals. I worked for Mitre 10 for a long time. You could land hardware in Howard Springs at the same price as in Melbourne because they have a deal which covers the freight. So, freight is not an issue.
So, what is the problem? Why are we getting charged anywhere between $5 to $8 more per carton? I say there has been a conspiracy between the brewers, the manufacturers, and the retailers. Someone is gouging the price. The maximum price of a slab of beer at a Thirsty Camel hotel should be somewhere around $59 to $60 - that is what you should be paying. Yet, there are some places where you are paying $68 and some even higher. I know you have to give and take a little, but it is quite ridiculous.
When the member for Braitling said this has to do with the container deposit scheme, it is not. Part of it is - and that part we should not be paying for anyway because, in South Australia, it has made no difference. What you have is a deliberate attempt by the industry which does not support container deposit to ensure the consumer in the Northern Territory will feel the full brunt of their opposition to container deposits. They will do it by not passing that deposit and handling fee over the cost of their products throughout Australia, as they have done for South Australia, and they will deliberately bump the prices up. It is either them or the retailers.
If they say I am wrong, show us the invoices. Show us the invoices for a 30 pack of VB in South Australia. Give us the price and show us what the difference is in the Northern Territory. Are they the ones putting up the price, or the retailers?
I say to the member for Braitling, please do not use the CDL scheme as an opportunity to knock a great scheme. Do the research. The research is ring up around Australia and find out how much it costs everywhere else but the Northern Territory. Ask yourself why it is costing so much in the Northern Territory? It can only be one reason: that the industry wishes to kill the Container Deposit Scheme. I would rather the member for Braitling put his energy into making this work.
The inflation cost for a carton of 30 VB cans should be no more than $3 on a carton – 10 per can. It is still pretty cheap at around about $2 a can. Tell me how much I have to pay, as a non-drinker, for a can of soft drink. Look at who is complaining. I pay more for soft drink than some people pay for beer.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I support the CDL. I ask the manufacturers why they are trying to wreck it.
Mr McCARTHY (Barkly): Madam Deputy Speaker, I acknowledge and thank tonight one of the Territory’s long-term public servants, Bonnie Kappler-Thomson. She is often referred to as one of our matriarchs of Tennant Creek. I remember going to Tennant Creek as a young teacher over 30 years ago and hearing that name and meeting Bonnie Kappler, at that time, and learning of her wonderful work in the public service, about her family history, and about that respected position she held in the town, and still commands today.
Bonnie commenced employment with the Northern Territory government on 23 October 1978, and will retire next week, on 29 February, after some 33 years employment. Bonnie has worked her entire career in the Tennant Creek/Barkly region. Over the years, Bonnie has significantly contributed to the regional development of Tennant Creek and the Barkly region through her involvement in the community.
Bonnie has been involved in the Barkly Regional Co-ord Committee, the Tennant Creek Main Street Project, the Barkly Regional Road Safety Committee, the Barkly Blueprint, and the Barkly Regional Development Plan. Work colleagues, and the community, have spoken highly of the dedication and support Bonnie has provided over many years. Bonnie is to be applauded for her commitment and dedication to the Northern Territory government.
Tennant Creek is losing a real pioneer of its community. Bonnie and her husband, Stan, are relocating interstate to Mannum on the Murray in South Australia, where she will spend well-deserved quality time with her family. I wish Bonnie all the very best for the future, and thank her for her support and commitment over the last 33 years. As a Tennant Creek local, I add my personal thanks for her commitment to our town and community. Both Bonnie and Stan will be missed in the Barkly.
Today, Darwin Harbour played host to one of the world’s most beautiful vessels, the Queen Mary 2. One of the world’s largest ocean liners, the QM2 was a truly impressive sight. At a whopping 151 400 tonnes, 345 m long and 40 m wide, she commanded the harbour and looked brilliant with Darwin’s azure waters in her backdrop.
Our retail traders and tour operators will have had a great day and, by the look of the crowds along the road to Fort Hill Wharf, many Darwinites enjoyed the spectacle too.
I commend the great people of the Darwin Port Corporation who managed the successful berthing of the Queen Mary 2, along with six other cruise ships, over a monumental two-week period. As part of their work the port team managed the logistics, including effective communication to the public and control of buffer zones, as well as utilising pilot vessels to guide the cruise liners in and out of this great harbour.
More than 12 000 people will be travelling to Darwin over this period so it is a great time for our local businesses and the Darwin economy, and a busy time for the port.
This period of cruise ship arrivals closely follows the recent Eline Enterprise incident. Staff from the port and all members of the multi-agency incident management team are to be commended on an effective and efficient response to the gas leaks reported on Australia Day. At 3 am on the day, Darwin Harbour control took a call from a cargo ship which was moored on the outskirts of Darwin Harbour. The vessel, the Eline Enterprise, was leaking ethylene gas from several containers which were stored on the deck after the Darwin region was lashed by huge storms. The Harbour Master immediately took initial actions to minimise the potential impact on the Darwin public and the environment. The situation was stabilised and, directed by the Harbour Master, the ship’s captain moved the Eline Enterprise safely to an outer anchorage.
A multi-agency incident management team was formed under the Harbour Master’s leadership, comprising key members of the Darwin Port Corporation; the Department of Lands and Planning; the Department of Natural Resources, Environment, the Arts and Sports; the Fire and Rescue Service; police; and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. The container owners flew in from Singapore to assess, as did a specialist industrial chemist who provided valuable advice on safe handling of the leaking gas. Ship company representatives, the charterers, the insurers and legal counsel also participated in the incident management team.
Over the next few days, working in often inclement weather, the team kept the situation under control as damaged containers were moved and the gas discharged. The damaged containers were declared gas free last Saturday and the damaged containers were discharged at East Arm Wharf.
The Harbour Master worked 16 days in a row during the incident and clocked up some 135 hours straight during the emergency response. Other members of the incident management team worked similar hours. Ministerial, government department and media briefings were conducted by staff sometimes several times each day. The Harbour Master spoke to media frequently to keep the public informed.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I thank all those involved in the management of the gas leak incident. They did an excellent job and proved Darwin Harbour is well equipped to deal with emergency situations.
Mr BOHLIN (Drysdale): Madam Deputy Speaker, I will talk about a fantastic group of community-minded people who I am involved with in Palmerston in the seat of Drysdale. They are not what one would first think of as a community group, but rather a gathering of community support network people. Its members are from the Housing Commission through to the council and local members. At times we even have representatives from the local cinema.
This is the Palmerston Regional Safer Communities Committee. It is coordinated through the Palmerston City Council. It meets monthly and, bar having to come into parliament, I have missed very few of those meetings. I have always had a representative there and feel proud to be part of this group. When you have people from the YMCA and such organisations working with the Territory Housing, the police, and small businesses within Palmerston, you feel you are part of a community group. You really feel that your input can make a difference.
That leads me to the point we are now at. The Palmerston Regional Safer Communities Committee has moved to a place where they are now considering running a small course of crime prevention through environmental design, a course I was accredited with whilst in the police force. I was lucky enough to use those skills whilst I was in community policing to assist some schools, like Driver Primary School, in putting forward a plan, which under the current government they were able to complete late last year, with some finalising of some fencing, and also with other community groups.
This will allow those community elements to take those skills to their workplace and assist people, in maybe sometimes the simplest way, have a better understanding of how they can assist those people to improve their own personal safety when dealing with clients one-on-one. This is a community group getting together, seeing a need and an important change, and doing their lot in life, I suppose.
It came about when I raised issues about Reg Hillier Park. I raised it with the council, and through the Palmerston Regional Safer Communities. We also raised it through the media and through direct contact with the community around the park. The issues identified perhaps opened the eyes of some of the other people around. They now understand how, with the right tools, they can help others in our community. That to me is what community spirit is about. These great people come together every month, not because they are forced to, but because they have a desire to help the community of Palmerston, an absolutely beautiful part of the Territory, and I am so proud to be a part of that. When I cannot be there due to my commitments in parliament, I am proud to have representatives there, as the member for Brennan and the member for Blain have representatives, to attend where they can as well. It is truly great to see such a group move forward, see a community need and think, how can we deal with that? How can we get on with making direct change? And so they are.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I look forward to seeing some further outcomes. You are moving the right way, guys, and doing a great job. I am very proud to be part of this Palmerston team.
Dr BURNS (Johnston): Madam Deputy Speaker, tonight I want to talk about a very sensitive issue related to Thorak Regional Cemetery. About a week ago I was approached by a constituent, Mr Ron Riddle, whose wife is buried in Thorak Regional Cemetery. She died around four years ago, and his son is buried there also. His son died in very tragic circumstances last year. Mr Riddle was very upset about the treatment he felt he had received from Thorak Regional Cemetery in relation to the memorials of his wife and his son.
From the outset, I acknowledge that I understand that Thorak Regional Cemetery, which I understand is under the Litchfield Shire Council, has to enforce rules in a cemetery over a whole range of things. I understand that there needs to be a certain standard of memorials there, and there have to be rules. I also understand that the council has liability in things like cyclones and the like. They do have a hard job, and I acknowledge that.
The feeling I got from Mr Riddle, who essentially wanted to place some memorials on his wife and son’s grave, and they were approximately 15 cm over the size allowed by Thorak Regional Cemetery. Mr Riddle reported to me that the memorials he had made fitted the cement structures that were part of the grave. He is very upset, particularly with his son’s memorial, because he had done it especially for his son who was a very keen and talented footballer, and put various logos and emblems of football clubs on there. He was told he had to take that 15 or 20 centimetres, which is about six inches, off this and it would cut right through the memorial.
He also reported to me that in the area he wanted to place this memorial there were quite a number of others that were bigger than the memorial he wanted to place. He also went to the Northern Territory News which last Saturday, wrote an article. I do not have the page number - it is quite a large article - where the person who is in charge of the cemetery, the cemetery manager said:
I am not sure whether that is a very good description to be saying where someone’s loved ones are interred at the cemetery.
There was also a letter to the editor some weeks ago signed by a Lyn Russell of Wanguri asking about the changes at Thorak cemetery. It was regarding no flowers and curbing removed. Mr Riddle also told me various things he had put there - some pavers to do with his wife’s grave - had been removed and no one had spoken to him about it, etcetera. Lyn Russell from Wanguri talks about various things that seem to have been banned, trees removed - a whole range of changes within the cemetery.
I intend to write to Litchfield Shire Council on this issue. As I have said before, I understand the difficulties, I understand the challenges - I think I do – but Litchfield Shire Council and the management of Thorak cemetery should be engaging with people who visit graves there. It is a very emotional, personal thing when one of your loved ones is buried somewhere and it does need a special relationship. If things were explained better to people, if there was a bit more flexibility with things, particularly for someone in Mr Riddle’s situation - he was told he would have to go through Litchfield Shire Council to get the oversized plaque approved. I will be writing to Litchfield Shire Council on this issue asking them to show some flexibility towards Mr Riddle.
I understand there are a number of people upset about changes in rules at Thorak Regional Cemetery. There is much feeling out there and I urge Litchfield Shire Council to meet with people as a group and hear their concerns, and find ways in which they can address those concerns, and really try to communicate with families who have loved ones there - the challenges of maintaining and administering that cemetery for the benefit of all.
I listened with interest tonight when the member for Nhulunbuy put forward her complaint, if you like, against the member for Brennan about what was said in this place last week. I also listened to the member for Port Darwin who spoke about the jousting of parliament and people accusing each other of various things. As always in this place, when we mount an argument against someone, we should try to be reasonable, stick to the facts, and give people an opportunity to respond to what is said.
To the member for Brennan, instead of impugning the integrity of the member for Nhulunbuy - and I believe he was accusing the member for Nhulunbuy of corruption; that is the way I interpreted what he was saying - a better course of action would have been for you to ring my office for an explanation of the situation with the dental clinic. I certainly would have made contact with my colleague, the Health Minister, because these clinics are administered through Health, to try to find a solution. I would have ascertained that the number that was given is a public clinic with free treatment. I certainly would have been talking to the Minister for Health about expediting recruitment into that position, to try to support the schools in Palmerston.
It was really a window, if you like, on the way the member for Brennan operates, and the sort of things he must be saying in his electorate about people. I am very alarmed about that, although I suppose another window that we saw was during the federal election in 2010 where he said certain things about Damian Hale, which I thought were quite inappropriate.
What I say to the member for Brennan is, obviously, you have offended the member for Nhulunbuy. She has looked at you now and, from what she said in this place today, you have been put in the balance and you have been found wanting. Keep on remembering the Book of Daniel, with the writing on the wall about the King of Babylon. It said Mene, Mene, Tekel u-Pharsin, which means you have been put in the balance and you have been found wanting. The last bit says that your kingdom is going to dissolve and be divided. Well, that will be up to the voters of Brennan to work out in the next election.
The member for Nhulunbuy has certainly shown you what she thinks - she has put you in the balance and found you to be wanting. Some of the people of Brennan would also see that. There is a long way to go yet. There is a bit more balancing to be done on your performance yet, member for Brennan. I am looking sideways at you, and the things you say and assertions you make in this place are untrue. I will be very sceptical of the questions you put to me in Question Time, and of your letters to me.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
VISITORS
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Year 4/5 Gray Primary School students, accompanied by Ms Keira Stewart. On behalf of honourable members I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
BUSINESS NAMES (NATIONAL UNIFORM LEGISLATION) IMPLEMENTATION BILL
(Serial 199)
(Serial 199)
Bill presented and read a first time.
Mr KNIGHT (Justice and Attorney-General): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a second time.
As members will recall, on 2 July 2009 all Australian governments signed the Intergovernmental Agreement for Business Names agreeing to the establishment of a single national scheme for the registration and regulation of business names. This new national scheme is to be administered by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission, ASIC, and is currently scheduled to commence on 28 May 2012.
On 20 October 2011, this parliament passed the Business Names (National Uniform Legislation) Request Act 2011. This act, which commenced on 21 December 2011, was the first step in the Northern Territory’s process for transferring the responsibility for regulating NT business names to the Commonwealth. This bill is the second and final step. It repeals the Business Names Act and makes necessary provisions for transitional matters and consequential amendments.
In particular, the bill provides for the migration of data to the Commonwealth prior to the changeover date; repeals the NT’s Business Names Act as at the changeover date which is the date when the Commonwealth legislation starts; makes provision for various transitional matters, particularly with respect to how outstanding matters occur or are being dealt with prior to the changeover date after progressing thereafter; and provides that the Commissioner for Consumer Affairs must notify the Commonwealth ASIC that certain outstanding matters are to be held on the Commonwealth’s Business Names Registration until they are finally dealt with in the Northern Territory. This ensures that the Commonwealth does not deal with these matters until they are finalised in the Northern Territory. It also safeguards the relevant NT business name for that outstanding matter and, last, amends the NT legislation where reference to the repealed Business Names Act appears and serves the appropriate references to the new Commonwealth legislation.
This bill is consistent with similar bills introduced into other jurisdictions and has been developed in consultation with the Commonwealth and other relevant delegates for the Northern Territory Commissioner of Consumer Affairs who has the responsibility for the Business Names Act.
I commend the bill to honourable members and table the explanatory statement.
Debate adjourned.
WORKERS REHABILITATION AND COMPENSATION LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL
(Serial 200)
(Serial 200)
Bill presented and read a first time.
Mr KNIGHT (Justice and Attorney-General): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a second time.
The Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Legislation Amendment Bill 2012, the bill, amends the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act, the act, which governs the Northern Territory workers compensation scheme. The scheme is a pension-based scheme which is privately underwritten. The act is beneficial legislation, designed to assist injured workers, amongst the most vulnerable of all workers.
The bill seeks to improve the operational efficiency of the act, and specifically the workers compensation scheme itself. The bill will amend:
1. the definition of worker to remove references to the Australian Business Number;
Madam Speaker, I will address each of the above amendments in turn.
The definition of ‘worker’ is a fundamental issue in determining who is covered by the Northern Territory workers compensation scheme and who therefore is entitled to claim for a workplace injury. The current wording of the definition of ‘worker’ has been identified as problematic and in need of amendment for some time.
Section 3(1) of the act currently defines a worker as:
- ... a natural person who, under a contract or agreement of any kind (whether expressed or implied, oral or in writing or under a law of the Territory or not), performs work or a service of any kind for another person; and
unless and until the person notifies the other person,
… in writing, of a number that is, or purports to be, the ABN of that person for the purposes of the work or service ...
Madam Speaker, the act is different from workers compensation legislation in other jurisdictions, as the definition of ‘worker’ in section 3(1) provides that person is not a worker once they provide an ABN to an employer, regardless of the type of work and the nature of the relationship between the worker and the employer.
Under the act, section 3(6) provides that a person and the employer can agree in writing that the ABN is no longer applicable to the work. This, however, essentially leaves it to the discretion of the employer as to whether the employer will accept liability for the worker under the act.
This has provided an unintended opportunity for employers to void the need to purchase workers compensation insurance for their workers by being able to stipulate that a prerequisite to gain employment is for the worker to obtain and supply an ABN. This means injured workers, in these circumstances, would have to rely on the taxpayer funded public health and social security networks.
At the national level, the Heads of Workers’ Compensation Authorities have identified the definition of worker as an area for harmonisation. The Heads of Workers’ Compensation Authorities recommended approach for harmonising the definition of worker is use of the ‘results test’ a test used by the Australian Taxation Office in considering a person’s status as a sub-contractor.
Two other jurisdictions have adopted the results test in defining a worker in workers compensation legislation. The ‘results test’ provides that even if a person is supplying their own plant, equipment or tools, the person will be a worker if they are not being paid to achieve a specific result or outcome. The test ensures that people who work substantially for the provision of labour are deemed to be at work for the purposes of workers compensation unless they meet the results test.
Therefore, the bill seeks to amend the unintended loophole in the act relating to the definition of a worker by providing that a person who works under a contract or an agreement of any kind is a worker unless the person meets the results test, or the person performing the work has a personal services business determination in effect issued pursuant to the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, the Commonwealth Act. A personal services business determination is also based on the results test.
The proposed amendment to the definition of worker will not capture true independent contractors. The satisfaction of the results test, or the existence of a personal services business determination, will provide for the exclusion of those people who legitimately operate their own business. The amendment will ensure that the Northern Territory workers compensation scheme achieves its public policy intent, that is, it will provide protection to injured workers and avoid the transfer of costs of claim for workplace injuries to the taxpayer funded support schemes.
On to the next subject - non-resident workers. Section 65B currently provides that a worker is not entitled to be paid weekly compensation during any period the worker resides outside of Australia unless the worker’s rehabilitation is complete. This section has been identified as problematic and unfair for workers who are employed on a working visa, are then injured and leave Australia either as requested by their visa obligations or by choice to rehabilitate outside the jurisdiction for family support.
The bill amends the act to allow workers who move out of Australia to continue to claim compensation if they can demonstrate good reasons why a payment should continue. The amendment provides that a worker will be entitled to claim weekly benefits so long as the worker continues to prove at regular intervals their identity and the continuance of their incapacity.
The amendment provides certainty for employers and insurers in that it is proposed that the period of weekly compensation to be paid will cease after 104 weeks whilst the worker resides outside of Australia. Flexibility will also exist for applications to be made to the Work Health Court for payments to continue beyond a 104 week period if there are exceptional circumstances and the court considers it fit to do so. Any extension by the court for the continuation of payments will be for a further fixed period not exceeding 104 weeks. A worker who returns to Australia will still be entitled to claim weekly compensation. The worker’s entitlement to claim medical and rehabilitation benefits is not currently affected by their location, and that position will remain unchanged.
In relation to the change of retirement age, the majority of workers’ compensation schemes in Australia provide for a relationship between the notional retirement age and the cessation of weekly compensation entitlements. Weekly compensation benefits cease at the age of 65 years in the Northern Territory, as this is traditionally the age workers qualify for the aged pension, and the age at which workers have greater access to superannuation. This notional age is used in most workers’ compensation jurisdictions although many workers might choose to work beyond the age of 65, or intend to take earlier retirement. For all workers who continue to work past the age of 65, whether by choice or economic necessity, it is necessary that a more equitable level of protection be provided for those older workers. This shift in the workforce is reflected in the Commonwealth’s decision to progressively increase the qualifying age for the aged pension from 65 to 67 years between 1 July 2017 and 1 July 2023. Therefore, the bill amends section 65 of the act to:
(a) reflect the Commonwealth decision; and
It should be noted that by establishing a link in a bill between the age limit in the act and the qualifying age for the aged pension under the Social Security Act (Commonwealth), it will mean the age limit in the act will increase at stages between 2017 to 2023. However, in order to provide immediate benefit for those people who are currently working at 65 years of age and over, the intention is to extend the period of payment of weekly benefits for a maximum of 104 weeks, and for payments to cease at age 67 years.
The key elements are: if a worker is injured after the commencement of the legislation and is aged 63 years or older, the worker will be entitled to a maximum of 104 weeks compensation payment or until the worker reaches an age of 67, whichever occurs first; and workers who are older than 67 years when they are injured are entitled to weekly compensation for up to 26 weeks - and that is no change.
The change can be demonstrated by the following examples. A worker injured at age 64 will cease to be entitled to weekly compensation two years after, at age 66. A worker injured at age 65 will cease to be entitled to weekly compensation at age 67. An injured worker at age 66 years 2 months will cease to be entitled to weekly compensation when they turn 67 and, lastly, a worker injured at age 68 will cease to be entitled after six months.
The bill sets out transitional arrangements in preparation for the increase to the retirement age, and will only affect future claims. Entitlements for current claims within the scheme will only be affected when the pension age is changed pursuant to the Commonwealth’s Social Security Act. Once the aged pension is increased, all injured workers will be entitled to receive their weekly compensation payments until they reach the relevant pension age.
With respect to the non-cash remuneration, the concept of non-cash remuneration is one that is well known within the Northern Territory worker’s compensation insurance sector. In making policy decisions which affect the worker’s compensation scheme in the Northern Territory, this government is mindful of the need to balance the interests of injured workers with those of insurers and employers. The worker’s compensation insurance is priced by reference to a number of factors, usually by reference to a percentage of the employer’s payroll. The concept of non-cash benefits initially presented difficulties for insurers in setting a price for insurance premium as there is no requirement for the employer to disclose the types of non-cash benefits provided to workers on the relevant application for insurance. Items often claimed as non-cash benefits include accommodation, meals, airfares, gym membership, school fees, electricity subsidy, cars and telephones.
The bill seeks to strike a balance of interest by limiting the application of non-cash remuneration to accommodation, meals and electricity for the purposes of calculating the worker’s normal weekly earnings. In balancing workers and employers interests, the bill does not describe a value for the accommodation, meals and electricity claimed, but allows consideration of the value of such benefits on a case-by-case basis.
With respect to reduction of interest rates, the bill includes amendments to the payment of interest on benefits so this amendment goes directly to the costs of claims. The current interest rate applicable to the late payment of claims is 20%. The interest rate was prescribed in the 1980s when interest rates were generally higher than they are today. Examples can be provided where the interest rate component of a late payment is disproportionate to the actual award of compensation. The bill amends the prescribed rate of interest payable on late payments to be the same as the rate applicable to Supreme Court judgment debts. The current Supreme Court rate of interest is 10.75%.
It is acknowledged that the higher interest rate has acted as an incentive to some insurers to pay compensation promptly. As a balance to this eventuality, the bill provides that the interest is payable from the date weekly payments are taken to have fallen due had there been no dispute. This means that the lower interest rate will apply from the date the benefits were ceased or reduced rather than the date that the court decides the employer was liable for the benefit. This will ensure the worker is compensated appropriately for the period without benefits.
The matter relating to the power to remit matters to the Supreme Court - the bill also makes a technical amendment to section 116 of the act to allow the Supreme Court to remit matters back to the Work Health Court for final determination. Section 116, as it currently is drafted, requires a party to commence a new application to the Work Health Court following a successful appeal to the Supreme Court. An amendment is necessary to include an express power to the Supreme Court to remit cases back to the Work Health Court to improve the operational efficiency of the act. Power is also conferred on the Supreme Court to vary the decision or determination of the Work Health Court, or to substitute his own decision or determination. The bill would provide for the efficient disposal of court matters by reducing legal costs associated in having to commence new applications to the Work Health Court following a decision on appeal to the Supreme Court.
This bill has been developed over a long period of time with input from a range of Northern Territory stakeholders. I would particularly like to thank all the members of the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Advisory Council, Unions NT, the Insurance Council of Australia and the Council of the Ageing for their valuable contribution.
This bill is a clear statement of this government’s commitment to insuring the fair and effective operation of the Northern Territory workers compensation scheme, while balancing the interests of all stakeholders. The bill will amend the act to ensure that it operates validly and efficiently.
I commend the bill to honourable members and table a copy of the explanatory statement.
Debate adjourned.
HOSPITAL NETWORKS GOVERNING COUNCILS BILL
(Serial 201)
(Serial 201)
Bill presented and read a first time.
Mr VATSKALIS (Health): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a second time.
The purpose of this bill is to establish a legislative framework for the appointment and operation of Hospital Network Governing Councils.
Since 2010, the Northern Territory has been involved with the Australian government and other states and territories in a series of major reforms for the Australian health system, known collectively as National Health Reform.
One of the major changes of the National Health Reform is the formation of hospital networks. The establishment of hospital networks in the Northern Territory will:
recognise the Northern Territory government’s commitment to more involvement of community and key stakeholders in the planning and performance assessment of health services;
align with reforms negotiated between the states and territories and the Australian government under the National Health Reform Agreement.
On 14 December 2010, following an extensive public consultation process I announced the creation of two hospital networks in the Northern Territory. The Top End Hospital Network will be based in Darwin and will be made up of Royal Darwin, Gove and Katherine Hospitals, as well as the new Palmerston hospital when it becomes operational. The Central Australian Hospital Network will be based in Alice Springs and will cover Alice Springs and Tennant Creek Hospitals.
Each hospital network will have a governing council selected through an open public expression of interest process. The governing council will be made up of community members and clinicians appointed by the Minister for Health. Hospital network governing councils will play an important role in setting the strategic direction of the hospital network and will build on the excellent work of the current Northern Territory hospital boards.
Hospital network governing councils will provide a high level consultative function to the hospital network. It will include a response to system-wide issues, considering the needs of the population across both the hospital network and the primary healthcare system. The councils will work with the Chief Executive of the Department of Health and the hospital network executive directors to oversee performance and accountability of the hospital network against agreed targets.
The council will engage with clinical and community stakeholders, and will provide feedback to me as Minister for Health on issues of strategic importance for the hospital network and the health needs of the community they serve.
The chairperson of each governing council will also be a member of the selection panel for the recruitment of senior executive staff in the hospital network. This covers the roles of Hospital Network Executive Director, Director of Medical Services and Director of Nursing. The governing councils will comprise of people with a range of expertise and knowledge, including Indigenous health, community development, health leadership, business and finance, community engagement, teaching and research, primary healthcare and governance.
In selecting the members of the governing council, due regard will be given to the Indigenous status and the residential address of the person applying for appointment. This will ensure that there is a strong Indigenous voice for health improvement in the hospital networks and ensure that there is appropriate representation from the regions that form the hospital network.
The proposed bill serves to provide clear guidelines for the selection of governing council members and for the operation of the governing councils.
Extensive consultation with the current hospital boards and community has gone into the development of this bill. It incorporates feedback from current hospital board members on issues they believe require clarity to facilitate the optimal functioning of the new governing councils.
Extensive operating guidelines are also under development to assist with the smooth operation of the councils. Using contemporary legislative styles, some matters that were raised by boards are best dealt with in the operative guidelines than in legislation, allowing for flexibility to deal with the rapidly changing environment.
Northern Territory Hospital Networks come into full effect on 1 July 2012 as Government Business Divisions for the Department of Health, making the introduction of this bill timely. This bill will also involve the repeal of the Hospital Boards Act 2009.
I take this opportunity to sincerely thank all current and former members of Northern Territory hospital boards for their dedication and commitment to improving the health of Territorians over many years, and for their significant involvement in the development of the functions to be undertaken by the new governing councils.
I commend this bill to honourable members, and table a copy of the explanatory statement.
Debate adjourned.
MENTAL HEALTH AND RELATED SERVICES AMENDMENT BILL
(Serial 189)
(Serial 189)
Continued from 1 December 2011.
Mr CONLAN (Greatorex): Madam Speaker, I do not think there is any need to drag this out for 45 minutes, as much I would love to stay here and speak for 45 minutes to keep the government working. I fear we might adjourn the House early. Nevertheless, we have a General Business Day to get through so we will be working late into the night or as late as this House possibly allows us to. I can signal the opposition supports this ...
A member: I want to go home.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr CONLAN: There is a glaring omission in some of our mental health strategies across the Northern Territory and this is one of them. This is providing, essentially - as the minister stated in his second reading speech - access to treat someone with a mental disturbance or a mental health issue in a maximum low risk environment and that is very important.
In our discussions today, and over the last couple of weeks, the opposition highlight - it was recognised there is a significant gap between our current mental health facilities in the Northern Territory and our gaols. We do need to fill that space. My interpretation of this is that these amendments to the act allow that. We will be throwing our support behind this. It is very important that we establish this capacity in the field of mental health in the Northern Territory.
There are a couple of questions which really are legal questions and we will take those into committee, minister. I will defer to our shadow Attorney-General to ask those questions, who has raised some questions in our shadow Cabinet surrounding some of the legalities of this. I am sure you should be able to satisfy his curiosity when we move into committee stage.
I have a couple of questions for you, minister, which perhaps you can take note of and answer in your reply. Tier 1 is basically clients who provide a high level of physical security that eliminates their exposure to significant risk. That is around hospitals, tier 1, I understand.
Tier 2 is around secure care group homes. The question is: what exactly are these secure care group homes, where will they be built, and under what capacity will they be operating? I see the member for Nelson is concerned about that and the member for Goyder was concerned about some of that. Is this whole secure care facility stuff that has inflamed - we have seen some concerns over that over the last 12 months or so.
If you can answer some of those questions regarding Tier 2, that is, secure care group homes. Where will they be built and when? If you could make a note of those, minister, and is there any chance you can answer some of those questions in your reply? I believe the member for Nelson would like to speak on this, and we indicate we will take it into committee. I defer to our shadow Attorney-General to ask a couple of legal questions.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, this is very important legislation, and it is not particularly easy legislation to understand. Neither is the whole of the Mental Health and Related Services Act easy to understand. From a lay person’s point of view, I have not found it easy to understand issues that have been raised in parliament in previous times. Therefore, last week, I went out to visit the Tier 1 complex cognitive impairment facility at the Mental Health Unit at the Royal Darwin Hospital. I was shown around the facility by Bronwyn Hendry, Director of Mental Health, Lea Torrens, the Clinical Nurse Manager Top End Mental Health Inpatient Unit, and Terry Barker, the Senior Policy Officer of Mental Health. I appreciate the time they gave me to look at the facility and also to educate me on certain matters in relation to this particular bill and mental health in general.
From my notes, I will talk about what I saw when I was out there. This is a facility which has maximum flexibility and it is referred to as a swing unit. In other words, you can secure and house adults in one section, or children in another, or male and female, or you can separate them by the way in which this facility has been designed. Both areas have a sensory room. The bedrooms have an en suite and all fixtures are designed for the safety of clients and staff. There is a secure area for children to have access to fresh air, and a place to run around and play games. There is also an outdoor area for adults. The people in the facility have access to a gym, which is nearby, for group sessions, and there is a kitchen and dining area which can be separated, if needed. There is also a central staff room for observation.
One of the things I noticed when I was there was some mosaics on the wall. It was mentioned to me that these mosaics where actually done by a person who had suffered major brain injuries in a car accident in New Zealand some years ago. Her name was Lyn Temby and I will read an article taken from the website which talks about Lyn:
- A car accident a little over 10 years ago changed award-winning Australian businesswoman Lyn Temby’s life forever. Whilst sitting stationary at traffic lights in New Zealand a few days before Christmas 2000, her car was rammed at high speed from behind.
- Lyn suffered major brain injuries. The subsequent slow and painful rehabilitation process over the next decade helped her put some resemblance of life back together. Whilst a complete personality change was one immediate outcome, she lost none of her intelligence. Instead, Lyn had to deal with depression, loss of memory, double vision and prescribed medication - as well as relearning many skills we take for granted, including simply getting out of bed.
- Having moved to live in Darwin in the Northern Territories of Australia, she was introduced to the art of mosaics as therapy as part of her rehabilitation. But it was not simply the placement of small tiles into patterns. Collecting and smashing bottles, glass, ceramics was a fundamental part of her approach, helping relieve some of the pent-up frustrations of not always being able to communicate as clearly as she would have liked.
It certainly helped. Slowly, Lyn’s more vivacious personality reappeared. And she found an outlet for her creativity - something she believes was never there before the accident. ‘I was a businesswoman, not an artist’.
Four years after being introduced to the world of mosaics, Lyn has found her niche and achieved considerable success as an exhibiting artist, including a solo exhibition at Darwin’s Supreme Court Gallery and sales to local, national and international collectors.
For Lyn, it was important to exhibit outside of Darwin. An endorsement of a wider audience was crucial to her self-belief as an artist. And, never being a person to do things in half measures, she chose a baptism of fire - the daunting challenge of showing in Melbourne, the proclaimed cultural capital of Australia.
I go on to the end:
- A key aspect of Lyn’s approach to mosaics, eliciting comments of being brave to do so, is the fact she makes a feature of the grouting - going against the grain in the art form. The smoothest of finishing is something Lyn is rightly proud of and one of the favourite parts of her art practice.
I read that because those mosaics are on the wall within this facility, and it is a reminder of the ability of people who have some brain damage - these people are capable of reaching high standards in things like art. We need to ensure we treat people with complex cognitive impairment with respect. That is exactly what the facility at RDH does and, of course, talking to the people involved you obviously hear their respect for the patients they deal with.
That is what this legislation is about; it is setting up the legislative backing for this new facility. If you go through the initial parts of the act it gives the definition of what cognitive impairment is, and it says under new section 6A:
- A person has a complex cognitive impairment if the person has a cognitive impairment with a behavioural disturbance.
- A person has a cognitive impairment if the person has an intellectual impairment, neurological impairment or acquired brain injury (or any combination of these) that:
(a) is or is likely to be, permanent; and
Further down it says:
- A person has a behavioural disturbance if the person’s mental condition has deteriorated to the extent the person is behaving in an aggressive manner or is engaging in seriously irresponsible conduct.
We have legislation which will enable care for these people and care that is supported by legislative changes to the Mental Health and Related Services Act, and I believe it is very important that happens.
This facility is to be used extensively by clients who need assessment, treatment, and management plans developed either when they first come in or later when their medication and treatment needs review and modification. It is not a respite area. The maximum stay is four weeks subject to the Mental Health Tribunal ruling and conditions. Clients who pose a risk to themselves or others will not be in this facility but will be in other mental health units in RDH.
One of the notes we have from the briefing is that the criteria for CCI provides the opportunity to carry out a full medical examination as well as diagnosis of mental illness. It was noted that most people coming in have other medical conditions and, under the other criteria, cannot be detained to carry out full examination. That is one of the benefits of this legislation.
We had some comments from the Community Visitor Program. There is a lady called Judy who visits regularly, I believe every Friday. Staff said that these visits were very valuable especially for clients who do not believe they should be in the facility. Judy said these facilities in Darwin and Alice Springs are necessary and will alleviate the following: there was a CCI client who had been detained in Alice Springs for over 12 months; the time frames in the legislation are welcome to ensure clients are treated quickly. Currently, vulnerable and frail young people are housed in the Joan Ridley Unit at RDH with mentally ill and disturbed patients. It is totally inappropriate that young people have to be housed with adults. She does make a note that we must ensure there is sufficient funding for all the associated services which go with the Community Visitor Program, and she has also made a note about ensuring the need to improve interpreter services for these clients. I believe this is a note in the annual report regarding that, as well.
This is very important legislation. I recommend to people who do not know much about mental health that they actually talk to the staff. I should have mentioned that this facility will have three staff on morning shift, three on afternoon shift, and two on night shift. There will be a regular psychiatric nurse every shift. The qualifications for patient care and assistance will hold a Certificate IV in Disability and Youth Worker.
There will be the required staff in this facility. One of the issues government will have, and I think also it may have in relation to the new mental health unit at the new prison, will be, can they get enough people to work there? Is there a shortage of qualified people to work in these areas? If so, maybe we should also be - I may be speaking out of turn here - talking to the university in relation to training these people. We now have the medical training facility at the university. Will that include perhaps some growing our own psychiatric nurses and people who need to work in this area, which would certainly be a good thing?
I recommend to anyone, it does not matter whether you are actually involved in this particular debate today, to visit the new facility. I have to make a little more time in my life to get a better understanding of this area because sometimes we are a little old-fashioned, the 18th century type, or 19th century type approach - out of sight, out of mind. These people are members of our society; they are Territorians. We need to understand the illnesses these people have, how they are being treated, get a better understanding of where they are treated, and talk to people who are involved in looking after these people, so we, as legislators, have a better understanding of what is required, also, as members of parliament, whether there needs to be more financial input into some of these areas.
It is obviously a costly exercise because of the number of staff required for a relatively small number of people. However, it is certainly a sign of whether we, as a parliament, care for the weak in our society, the people who have, to some extent, less chance to speak up for themselves because of their illnesses, and the people who actually need the most care. I believe it is reflective on us as a parliament to ensure people in these facilities are given the best treatment possible and the best care possible. This legislation and the new facility that has been built is certainly going a long way towards that happening.
Madam Speaker, I support the bill. I will also be asking some questions during committee stage.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Speaker, today I make some observations in relation to this legislative instrument we are being asked to support. The minister is essentially coming into this House saying there is a gap in the system we have, and that gap is somewhere between gaol, the operation of the mental health legislation, and the facilities available. We know that in Alice Springs and Darwin there have been issues with the locations of certain units, and without entering into those debates because I do not want to do so today, I understand what the minister is asking for and, on first blush, and on second blush, it does not appear to be unreasonable.
A cognitive shortcoming as described by this instrument could be considered different to a mental health problem. A high profile case, I suppose it will not do any harm if I mention the name, was the matter of Roland Ebatarinja, which, to a degree, would be in the minister’s mind regarding the operation of a legislative instrument of this nature.
There are some observations I want to make because of the involuntary component some of this legislative instrument contemplates. Those observations are about the security protocols that will be in place to ensure that the rights of people who are subject to the operation of this legislation are not overridden on the grounds of medical superiority, for a lack of better terms.
By way of example, one the issues I am aware of is a particular fellow who lives in my electorate we will call Mr X, who regularly comes to me. There is no doubt Mr X has a mental health issue. Mr X freely admits there is a problem; however, Mr X, nevertheless, despite his schizophrenia, tries very hard to make his way in the world and generate income by working. To his enormous credit, whilst he is seriously affected by his schizophrenic disorder, he nevertheless scrapes a few shekels together by way of his own business. For that reason, I have much time for Mr X because I could not begin to imagine someone who has that problem still finds the capacity within themselves to make their own way in the world.
The problem Mr X has is the Mental Health Review Tribunal from time to time meets and determines what treatment Mr X should receive. Whilst he has had legal representation at this tribunal, he has not been fulsomely satisfied with that legal representation. I, quite frankly, cannot say I blame him because on one occasion I met Mr X, who was receiving treatment for his condition, and clearly the drugs were so potent they changed him to the point of being a zombie. He was clearly drug-affected and it was at the order of the tribunal. He does not like being drugged up to the eyeballs but obeys the direction of the tribunal. When he is ordered to take these drugs, despite the adverse reactions - and there other side effects including diarrhoea and other problems - he obeys the directions of the tribunal. I can tell the health minister it is clear to me, and should have been clear to any professional let alone layman, that the treatment being offered by the tribunal was substantially worse than the disorder.
I was distressed by it to the point where I spoke to Mr X’s lawyer. I am pleased to announce to the House that Mr X’s drug regime has been changed. What became apparent to me through that process was that the tribunal is quite prepared to intervene in an impaired person’s life in a most invasive way and there seems little consideration for the outcomes of what the tribunal does.
I do not suggest that the tribunal acts in any way with any malice towards Mr X or any other person that comes before them; however, sometimes I wonder if there does creep into this tribunal’s, and any other number of tribunals thinking, a certain amount of professional superiority over the needs of the people they are making determinations for.
The reason I raise this issue is because this legislative instrument will have the effect of casting a slightly wider net than is currently being cast under the legislation. I am concerned that the instrument we pass will create in the tribunal a power to make these determinations for involuntary people and that there may not be a sufficient check or balance representation on behalf of the person who comes before the tribunal, particularly in this instance, where a mental health issue and a cognitive disability issue are two quite different things.
At least in the case of Mr X, whilst he has schizophrenia and it manifests itself in quite a profound way without drug treatment, Mr X is at least able to signal his objections to the tribunal’s determinations. A person with a cognitive function may not necessarily enjoy the same capacity and so there may well be a temptation on the part of the tribunal to interfere even more - where up until now they have no powers of interference whatsoever. That is not to say I do not understand what is being attempted here by the Minister for Health. I believe the motives of the people behind these ideas are, essentially, bona fide; the motives are good-faith motives. Nevertheless, as these bureaucratic arrangements settle down into a routine, it is that aspect of the routine which has the capacity to create a familiarity - and familiarity, as we all know, breeds contempt.
Having made those observations, I look forward to the summation by the minister in relation to these issues. I seek reassurances from the minister that there will be a capacity for, if you like, appeal or at least some form of representation on behalf of the individuals who are subject to involuntary determinations. It is an area of concern for me. I am concerned enough about Mr X to raise it in this place. Whilst I realise Mr X would not be covered by this legislative instrument, the parallel is important. It clearly demonstrates that there is still, no matter how well intended, a capacity for errors to be made.
I remember reading an article some 10 years ago where an experiment, essentially, was done by two psychologists in the United States who deliberately feigned certain personality disorders to get them institutionalised within a mental health institution. The moment they entered the mental health institution - and I wish I could find this article; I have been looking for it, but I just cannot lay my hands on it - these two individuals then began to present as normal human beings. All they did was go about their business as they normally would, showing no signs of any mental disorder or mental malfunction. The effect, though, of the institutionalisation of systems was that the normality of these two individuals was not picked up for months. They simply continued to go about their business quite normally, showing all the signs of lucidity and sanity and, yet, nobody picked up the fact that they were sane.
It is that preponderance towards familiarity with a system that creates these gaps. I particularly want to hear from the minister today, if he can give an indication, as to what checks and balances he sees will be put in place, and to see if he can reassure this House that those checks and balances will be sufficient to protect the interests of somebody who is, essentially, being incarcerated without any form of trial.
Mr VATSKALIS (Health): Madam Speaker, thank you very much to the members of the opposition for their support, and the member for Nelson. These particular amendments fill a gap in the existing legislation. The legislation refers clearly to people with mental disorders. This one refers to people who do not have, necessarily, a mental disorder, but who have a cognitive impairment that can be as a result of a car accident or other reasons.
These 11 beds are Tier 1 beds - five in Darwin and six in Alice Springs - to cater for these people. If the member opposite remembers, last week I introduced legislative amendments with regard to Tier 2. Tier 2 will care for people in out-of-hospital environments. There will be two areas, one will be in Darwin in the Holtze area, the other one will be in Alice Springs near the prison precinct, and they will cater for adults who have cognitive disabilities, but they do not have to be in an area such as a hospital.
I note the shadow Attorney-General’s concern. Mr X, obviously, has a mental disability rather than cognitive impairment - two different issues. Under the existing legislation, Mr X can be ordered by the tribunal to undergo treatment or to be detained up to three months, where a person with a cognitive disorder can only be held in total for 28 days. I also note your comment made here that Mr X was administered or ordered to take medication ...
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Goyder, please take that phone outside.
Mr VATSKALIS: He was ordered to take medication that would turn him into a zombie. I have personal experience with these things happening. However, in this situation where we have a person with cognitive disability, the tribunal will have a legal representative, usually a magistrate, a medical person, preferably a psychiatrist, but also a person who will have expertise in complex cognitive impairment. So we have three experts who would be able to assess the situation before they prescribe the treatment, or they prescribe any detention, or treatment plan. In addition to that, there will be guidelines, legal representation, but also the adult guardian or carer will have a role to play in the tribunal hearing because the guardian or the carer will be notified in writing of the tribunal’s decision. The guardian or the carer will be consulted in the development of an application, and treatment and management plan. The guardian or the carer may request the tribunal to review the admission of a person, so there will be an added level of security there.
What we are trying to manage and address are some personal issues without impeding on the person’s rights and, at the same time protect the community. I agree with you. I have personal experience with my first wife being admitted twice involuntarily to a psychiatric institution by the police. My main concern was her rights - her personal rights and her human rights. I was strong enough to be there and to make sure her human rights were respected. Other people may not be strong enough; other people might not have representation.
I would be very happy to discuss this issue with Mr X, member for Port Darwin, to see if there are any gaps in the Mental Health and Related Services Act, so we can ensure people, if they have to go to the tribunal for mental illnesses, are considered as human beings not as patients alone. If they are administered medication, then it is the best for their ability considering the circumstances. You said Mr X wants to work. If he is provided medication that really makes him a zombie, he would be unable to work and perform a meaningful life.
However, I believe the checks and balances are here. We will try to protect the individual and the community without impeding on their human rights. Some of the most important sections are the order can be made for a total of 28 days, not indefinite, not a long period of time; the expertise involved in a tribunal making the decision; and also the added level of security. The carer or the adult guardian will be involved in the whole thing and they have the ability and opportunity to object, or to request the tribunal to review the decision.
If you want to go into committee stage, I am happy to go there. If there are any other questions, I am happy to answer other questions.
Motion agreed to; bill read a second time.
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Visitors
Madam SPEAKER: I advise honourable members of the presence in the gallery of Year 7, 8 and 9 Sanderson Middle School students accompanied by Ms Jan Leo and Mr Bill Simpson. On behalf of honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
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In committee:
Madam CHAIR: Honourable members, the committee has before it the Mental Health and Related Services Amendment Bill 2011 in the name of Mr Vatskalis.
Is it the wish of the committee that the bill be taken as a whole?
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Chair. You are not introducing any amendments to the bill?
Madam CHAIR: No, there are no amendments.
Mr ELFERINK: All right, then we will take it as a whole.
Bill, by leave, taken as a whole.
Mr ELFERINK: Thank you, minister, for your second reading closing remarks. You go some way to alleviating my concerns. I also acknowledge the fact that you understand my concerns. You outlined the assessment process and protocols. Do you have any sort of orders or instructions, documents of that nature, that outline how those protocols will be applied in the department, and within the tribunal? If so, can you table them?
Mr VATSKALIS: The procedure will be developed when the legislation is passed and we have something in front of us and can draft the relevant procedures. I will be very happy, when they are developed, to table them in the parliament.
Mr ELFERINK: Okay. Whilst I realise it is a different legislative instrument, in terms of the Mental Health Tribunal, do similar procedures currently exist under the Mental Health and Related Services Act for people appearing as people with mental issues?
Mr VATSKALIS: Yes, there are procedures drafted.
Mr ELFERINK: Whilst I realise that it does not directly touch on this bill, are you able to produce them here and table them?
Mr VATSKALIS: I am happy to table them at a later date, I do not have them with me.
Mr ELFERINK: You do not have them with you, okay, that is fine.
Mr VATSKALIS: I am happy to table them at a later date.
Mr ELFERINK: The processes of involving carers and those sorts of things in the management plans, will that be incorporated into these procedures?
Mr VATSKALIS: Yes, they will be.
Mr ELFERINK: In relation to the legislative instrument before the House now, can you assure this House that carers and their representative organisations have been sufficiently consulted, and are you able to table any evidence of those consultations?
Mr VATSKALIS: While there have been numerous consultations and discussions with service providers, and individuals, both in Darwin and Alice Springs, I cannot give you any evidence at this stage of consultation, but we can actually provide something later on. People can write to us and advise they have been consulted.
Mr ELFERINK: Yes. You can understand my concern, minister, at this point, that you ask for this House to pass a law which will enable certain things to be done against people’s will should they be determined to have a cognitive disorder, yet when I ask for procedures and evidence of consultation, I get told, ‘yes, look we have had a consultation but the procedures are not yet written’. The consultations, I am told, are done, but there is no direct evidence of those consultations. You can understand why I get concerned then, minister, about the professional superiority I flagged during the second reading debate.
Mr VATSKALIS: Well, procedures will not be drafted until the legislation is passed, because there may be amendments on the floor. I cannot foresee what the amendments may be on the floor so I cannot draft procedures.
On the other hand, these consultations have been taking place. I would be happy to provide you with the dates of when and where the consultations took place. You have to remember, a lot of qualified legislation comes here when consultation has taken place. We do not have all the documents here with us when we bring in legislation. In other cases I have not been asked this question, but as I said to you before, I am very happy to table this information because I know it is vital and I believe that these procedures should be scrutinised by parliament. The evidence of consultation can be provided, and I will provide it to you as soon as I have it in my hands.
Mr ELFERINK: I am indebted to you, minister. In the consultation process, did any person or organisation being consulted raise any concerns which have not been attended to in this legislation? If so, what were those concerns and why has the legislation not been amended accordingly?
Mr VATSKALIS: I am not aware of any objections that were raised in these Tier 1 facilities. This legislation applies only to Tier 1.
Mr ELFERINK: Yes, that is right, it is Tier 1. The Tier 2 stuff is just coming down the pipeline, is it not?
Mr VATSKALIS: Yes.
Mr ELFERINK: Did you give notice of that this morning?
Mr VATSKALIS: No, it was actually last week.
Mr ELFERINK: Last week, okay, just shows you how one day blends into another in this place. All right. Thank you, minister, I appreciate your time and trouble and I look forward to those documents either being tabled or forwarded to me directly.
Mr VATSKALIS: I will ensure when we debate Tier 2 that I have all this information about consultation, when it took place and who we consulted, so we do not have the same problem.
Mr ELFERINK: I am obliged to you, minister. Thank you.
Mr WOOD: Madam Chair, my question is probably more technical at this stage. Minister, in relation to clause 9, which is the section 22 amended, it amends section 22(3)(a) of the existing act, the insertion you want to put in says:
(a) is a medical practitioner who holds specialist registration under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law in the recognised speciality of psychiatry, or
- The person has the qualifications for subsection 2(a)(i) if the person:
I cannot understand the difference between one and the other.
Mr VATSKALIS: The previous one refers to people who are registered under state or territory legislation. We have now moved to a national registration system and we have changed to cover the national registration.
Mr WOOD: Thank you, minister. A similar question in relation to clause 13 of the amended act which is referring to section 44(4) where you omit – it relates to where an authorised psychiatric practitioner considers etcetera – that is in the existing act – and we have put in a new section. Can you tell us why that was reworded? Was there a major problem before?
Mr VATSKALIS: Is it section 44?
Mr WOOD: Yes, section 44(4):
- … an authorised psychiatric practitioner considers that a person to be released under subsection (2) may cause serious harm to someone else on release, the authorised psychiatric practitioner must notify:
- not later than 12 hours before the person is released.
That has been replaced with something which looks ...
Mr VATSKALIS: My advice is that is not a change, it is just rewording the existing clause.
Mr WOOD: My question was: why did it need rewording? Was there some problem with it?
Mr VATSKALIS: Parliamentary Counsel reworded something to fit the current drafting instructions.
Mr WOOD: Are we always like Parliamentary Counsel, minister?
This question was brought up during the briefing and it relates to clause 14 under the new section 44A(2), it just has a definition in this section:
- entities includes the Agency and units of the Agency.
The question we had during the briefing was: why not non-government agencies? There was a suggestion that units of the agency means non-government agencies, but we did not have any confirmation as to whether that is exactly what ‘units of the agency’ meant.
Mr VATSKALIS: My advice is that only government entities can be involved in this application, not NGOs.
Mr WOOD: What then does ‘units of the agency’ mean?
Mr VATSKALIS: Divisions of sections of the agency.
Mr WOOD: Is there any reason why non-government agencies are not included in that definition?
Mr VATSKALIS: They are not including any involuntary provisions in this act.
Mr WOOD: Another matter which came up during the briefing, minister, was in relation to the clause 14 which refers to 44D, Notice of Application. Our question was in relation to the way it is worded. For instance, it says:
(1) Within one day after making the application the applicants must give written notice of it in the approved form to the following persons:
It then goes (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e).
The question was: is there meant to be an ‘and’ or an ‘or’, or is everyone included? Do you need all those people to ...
Mr VATSKALIS: My understanding is, yes, all these people should be notified.
Mr WOOD: All right. Section 18, minister, refers to section 60 of the old act. The words ‘is reasonably likely’ were removed from what was in the old act. The old act was in relation to sterilisation:
- A person must not perform on another person, as a treatment for mental illness or mental disturbance, a treatment that is intended, or is reasonably likely, to render the other person permanently infertile.
In the change those words were removed. Is there any reason why those words ‘is reasonably likely’ were removed?
Mr VATSKALIS: It is against the drafting protocol that is responsible for the way it is drafted.
Mr WOOD: It does not have any effect on ...
Mr VATSKALIS: Connotations? No.
Mr WOOD: Okay. In clause 24, section 66 is amended. Under the new section 66(1)(b) it says:
- the other person’s adult guardian consents to the treatment.
- The tribunal may authorise electro convulsive therapy to be performed on a person if it:
And I will go to section 66(2)(c):
- (c) is satisfied that:
(i) all reasonable efforts have been made to consult the person’s primary carer;
Mr VATSKALIS: That was an omission in the old act, and it has now been rectified by providing this into the legislation.
Mr WOOD: What I was saying is that the new clause 66(1) says:
- A person must not perform electro convulsive therapy on another person unless:
And I go to:
- (b) the other person’s adult guardian consents to the treatment.
We are dealing with the same matter in a further clause, which says, as I quoted:
- The tribunal may authorise electro convulsive therapy to be performed on a person if it:
…
(c) is satisfied that:
(i) all reasonable efforts have been made to consult the person’s primary carer;
Why is it not saying, ‘all reasonable efforts have been made to consult the adult guardian’? Or are two separate consents required? Am I getting that mixed up?
Mr VATSKALIS: I do not know if I understand what you say. It is a legal requirement for the guardian to be consulted and provide his consent. The person will have a guardian because he has an impairment, but he might not have a carer. You do not have to get the consent of the carer if there is no carer in place.
Mr WOOD: I may need to get another briefing at another date for that. It is just that the second one says that the tribunal may authorise electroconvulsive therapy to be performed. One is saying that a person must not perform electroconvulsive therapy on another person unless the other person’s adult guardian consents and, then further on, it says that the tribunal may authorise electroconvulsive therapy to be performed on a person if it is satisfied all reasonable efforts have been made to consult the person’s primary carer. I just thought there might be some inconsistency in who was meant to be consulted, that is all.
Mr VATSKALIS: I can come back to that one. My understanding is the important thing is the guardian because there will be a guardian, but there may not be a carer in place. That is why all reasonable efforts are to be made to consult the person’s primary carer. If there is no carer, there is no consent to be obtained. But I will clarify that one and come back to you.
Mr WOOD: Clause 31 - and by the way, minister, we thank you for the briefing. Sometimes, these questions come back later on. Clause 31(4) talks about inserting 6(B) and here we are actually amending existing clause 123(6A). It says that if the tribunal makes an order under section 123(5)(ba), which is above that:
- the Tribunal cannot further review the person’s detention on the grounds of complex cognitive impairment.
Does that mean once a decision is made it is final?
Mr VATSKALIS: No, but the person may be detained as an involuntary patient on the grounds of mental illness or mental disturbance following an assessment under Part 6 Division 2 or 3 if the person fulfils the criteria for involuntary admission on those grounds.
Mr WOOD: It says under the new (ba) - this is a new insert:
- the person fulfils the criteria for involuntary admission on the grounds of complex cognitive impairment, it may order that the person continue to be detained as an involuntary patient on those grounds for not longer than 14 days;
And then of course 6B is referring to that subsection that the tribunal cannot further review detention on the grounds of complex cognitive impairment. Does that mean that once they have been given an extension of 14 days, that is it? Is that correct?
Mr VATSKALIS: The way the act is drafted, a person can be detained for 14 days plus an extra 14 days and that is it. The only difference would be if a person is admitted in an emergency they get 10 days and then the tribunal can give 14 days.
Mr WOOD: Thanks, minister. Clause 40 in relation to documents relating to examination, admission and treatment, in the existing act, which is section 160 headed ‘Recommendation or certificate not to be signed without examination’, it goes on to say that:
- A person must not sign a recommendation for psychiatric examination or a document …
The word ‘recommendation’ has gone. Why has it gone? Is there a reason for that?
Mr VATSKALIS: It is a drafting instruction - Parliamentary Counsel’s drafting. But all relevant documents will cover every document related to the particular person’s history, medical records or any reference to a situation. The way I see it, it is actually a generic term to cover all possible documents rather than listing each document of the act.
Mr WOOD: Fair enough, minister. Is there a definition of ‘document’ which would mean that the word ‘recommendation’ is included somewhere? That is the change.
Mr VATSKALIS: All these issues have been prescribed by the act, and definitions, like ‘recommendations’, are clearly defined in the act.
Mr WOOD: Thanks, minister. Just a general question: I mentioned in my opening remarks whether we are going to have enough trained people to run these facilities, and what the government is doing to make sure we will have an ongoing number of people who can work in this area, especially referring to when we have Tier 2. We are going to have mental health facilities for the prison, so will we have enough qualified people to run these places?
Mr VATSKALIS: We currently have recruitment under way to finalise starting arrangements for these 11 beds. We will be following this very closely and, depending on the demand, we will address the issue of staffing.
Mr WOOD: This might be a question slightly out of left field, minister. Royal Darwin Hospital is a very busy place and there is hardly any more room to expand unless you go up. If you have tried to get there, minister, parking spaces are absolutely at a premium. If people want to access, it is certainly very difficult to get to any of the facilities. Menzies School of Health Research, the palliative care section, and even the general hospital - you have to go half a mile to get to it. Are there any moves to look at even multistorey car parking because it is chockers?
Mr VATSKALIS: Member for Nelson, we have added 200 extra spaces for car parks. The problem we had before is that extra spaces were added but no one knew where they were. I have asked the hospital to provide a map to highlight where each of them are. We certainly pay for past mistakes. Everything was flat, one or two storeys. My instructions now are very clear: nothing less than four storeys. We are looking into multistorey public/private arrangements to put in place and I will expect something to come to me in the next two or three months.
Mr WOOD: That is all the questions I have, Madam Chair.
Bill reported without amendment; report adopted.
Mr VATSKALIS (Health): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a third time.
Motion agreed to; bill read a third time.
MOTION
Note Statement - Education – Investing in our Future
Note Statement - Education – Investing in our Future
Continued from 21 February 2012.
Ms McCARTHY (Local Government): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to speak today in support of the minister for Education’s statement on all of the good work we have done, and will continue to do, to meet one of our most critical obligations as a government. That is, to ensure our kids - all children, no matter where they live - have access to a good education to enhance their ongoing wellbeing and maximise the choices and opportunities they have available for them in the future.
The Northern Territory government has been, and continues to be, working hard to ensure business confidence and to broker significant new private sector investment in the Northern Territory. To ensure our continued economic prosperity, we have also made the necessary commitment and investments in our most precious resource in the Northern Territory, our young people. It is unprecedented in our education infrastructure and teaching resources to ensure every Territory child, no matter where they live, will get a top-class education if they go to school every day.
I contrast that with the record of the alternate Territory government: not one secondary school in the bush when we came to office. How can that be? Well, this year, we saw a release of Cabinet records showing how the CLP government of the day declined the advice of education professionals in the public service and refused to invest in secondary education in the bush. That is why there was no secondary schooling in the bush after 27 years of CLP government.
The Henderson Labor government recognises that, in order to continue to deal with the consequences of those decades of neglect, we have to look at a holistic approach to the regions across the Northern Territory and the advancement of the people of the Northern Territory wherever they may live. This neglect included critical community infrastructure - essential services infrastructure within our towns and transport infrastructure connecting the bush to town; gross neglect of community housing; and neglect of government services, including family support services that others living elsewhere take for granted.
These are the very real challenges of our government, and we have been unafraid and unashamed of dealing with it head on. We are about dealing with the decades of neglect in order to build the firm foundations for decades of prosperity for all people across the Northern Territory.
Our 2007 Closing the Gap generational plan of action provided over $286m and action to support key initiatives including the introduction of the Children’s Commissioner from June 2008, and $9.6m for antenatal and early childhood care education programs over five years. We appointed the Indigenous Affairs Advisory Council to provide expert advice on the development of Indigenous policy, including the development of a holistic Northern Territory Indigenous languages policy to not just focus on the use of Indigenous languages in the education system.
In 2009, our A Working Future policy introduced new processes for working with local reference groups, developing our growth towns as service centres, building strong families, working to improve school attendance and education outcomes, as well as provide more jobs for school leavers through economic development.
The Indigenous Employment and Career Development Strategy led to a rise in the number of Indigenous people working in the Northern Territory public sector - many of them school leavers - lifting the percentage of Indigenous employees from 5% to 8% between 2003 and 2011. We have our Indigenous Economic Development Strategy growing Indigenous employment, business and participation in our growth economy. This included job guarantees to every student from a Territory growth town who graduates with a Year 12 Northern Territory Certification of Education and Training.
There is our response to the 2010 Growing them strong, together report promoting the safety and wellbeing of the Northern Territory’s children with a new investment of $130m over five years, investing, protecting and supporting our most vulnerable children. Our Every Child, Every Day strategy and action plan to build on all of these other initiatives to improve school enrolment, school attendance, and the participation of young Territorians in education and training is exactly what our government is about. Our overarching Territory 2030 plan has, at its core, developing lifelong learning opportunities and wellbeing for all Territorians no matter where they live.
All this activity reflects the work we have done to redress the decades of neglect, and is a sign of our real commitment to this work. Education and opportunity for all certainly does light the core of our government’s values.
It is terrific to see, in many of the bush electorates, some of the initiatives that are taking place. We have seen the early indications of the good work happening at Gunbalanya school and how the community there is determining the way it wishes to see it improve for their children.
At Groote Eylandt, in my electorate, there have been some great initiatives in the education system. It is now used as a case study of good practice in the Prime Minister’s most recent Closing the Gap report to the Australian people. In the Groote Eylandt regional partnership agreement, education is a priority. Schools in the Groote Eylandt archipelago off the coast of the Northern Territory have some of the lowest attendance rates in the country. I commend the many teachers who work on Groote Eylandt, and Milyakburra or Bickerton, for the work they do with all the families - the Anindilyakwa families and the families at Alyangula who are there as part of the mining company, GEMCO.
The school teachers on Groote Eylandt are doing a terrific job in very difficult circumstances. Education is a key priority in the Groote Eylandt regional partnership agreement between the local Anindilyakwa Land Council, the Australian and Northern Territory governments, the Groote Eylandt mining company, GEMCO, and the East Arnhem Shire Council. The agreement was first signed in May 2008 and, since then, a comprehensive review of the region’s education system has led to the establishment of the Anindilyakwa Education and Training Board which is supported by the Ngakwurra Langwa College Advisory Board - and that means ‘our way’ in the local Anindilyakwa language. Langwa board member, Elaine Mamarika says there is an absolute determination to turn things around:
- We are putting our heads together, the community and especially the Groote advisory group. I think there is more hope …
Today, there is better coordination of resources, recruitment and professional development between Groote Eylandt’s four schools, now known as Ngakwurra Langwa College.
Infrastructure is also being boosted with a commitment from GEMCO to build an early childhood training centre at Alyangula, a $350 000 Australian government commitment to a children and family centre at Umbakumba under the National Partnership Agreement on Early Childhood Development, plus the current construction of eight new teacher houses in the community. There are new Indigenous traineeships and an early childhood language and literacy course, children’s playgroups, and parenting support services.
Community development is a new focus for the schools and courses in construction. Carpentry and industry-based literacy and numeracy are being offered after classroom hours. There are classes aimed at young mums, and reengaging older students, which is a terrific initiative.
In 2008, COAG agreed to ensure access to early childhood education for all Indigenous four-year-olds in remote communities by 2013; halve the gap in reading, writing and numeracy achievements for children by 2018; halve the gap for Indigenous students in Year 12 or equivalent attainment rates by 2020; and halve the gap in employment outcomes between Indigenous and other Australians by 2018. There are some huge challenges here, but this is critical and very necessary work. Across the nation, only 26.4% of Indigenous Year 5 students in very remote areas achieved at or above the national minimum standard in reading, compared with 76.7% in metropolitan areas in 2011.
The implementation of the Northern Territory government’s Every Child, Every Day strategy has resulted in a new coordinated approach to attendance by schools, government, and local communities, and this has seen a rise of 2.3% in attendance between Term 1 in 2010 and Term 1 in 2011, representing an extra 860 children attending school.
Since 2005, the Northern Territory government has established new schools at Emu Point, Mapurru, Manyallaluk, Donydji, Borroloola Primary has been rebuilt, Wugularr has been relocated and rebuilt, Alparra, and Yilpara. New secondary schools have been built in Ramingining, Maningrida, Papunya, Kalkarindji, Minyerri, Galiwinku and Wadeye. These are extraordinary achievements, but very basic needs that should have been there a long time ago. Our government has been consistently focused on education for all children everywhere across the Northern Territory
Investment from the Commonwealth has also strongly supported our reforms to school education in recent years, enabling additional teachers to work with remote Indigenous communities to improve educational outcomes. Teacher retention has improved over the last four years by around 18.5%. Approximately 500 extra students are attending on any given day in locations where attendance and truancy officers have commenced under the Northern Territory government’s Every Child, Every Day strategy.
The largest gains in Australia are being achieved by Northern Territory Indigenous students who sat NAPLAN in 2008 and 2011 in reading, spelling and grammar, and punctuation at Levels 3, 5, 7 and 9. A 43% increase has been achieved in Indigenous Northern Territory Certificate of Education and Training completions between 2007 and 2011, from 74 in 2007 to 106 in 2011.
Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory is also extending early childhood education and care programs in remote regions. Eight new crches are now up and running in Milikapiti, Timber Creek, Peppimenarti, Robinson River, Areyonga, Docker River, Papunya, and Yarralin. Construction of a ninth new crche is due to start in Lajamanu this year. Thirteen existing crches have been upgraded. Eight play groups, including three new groups in remote service delivery locations, are serving Indigenous families in the Northern Territory.
In addition, the Australian government has committed $44.3m over the three years to June 2012 under the Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory national partnership agreement for education providers to improve student literacy and numeracy outcomes and upskill local Indigenous education workers in targeted remote communities. Over four years to 2012-13 $107.8m has been provided by the Australian government under this partnership agreement to recruit, train and deploy up to 200 extra teachers. Other Australian government support includes new support for quality teaching, career pathways for Indigenous staff, and increasing the number of Indigenous staff with education qualifications.
To assist remote students to complete Year 12, three new boarding facilities are being established in the Northern Territory, with the Australian government providing $28.9m for the construction and operation of the facilities. The Indigenous Land Corporation is committing a further $15m in capital bringing the total investment to $43.9m. Like the minister for Education, I also acknowledge the critical improvements in our bush schools thanks to the Building the Education Revolution program. This is more evidence of the Australian government’s work with us to address infrastructure gaps in the Northern Territory - unlike the opposition which rejected outright the Building the Education Revolution.
In 2012, we see the launch of a new annual operation plan and school improvement plan for the schools at Ramingining, focusing on the following five priority areas under the leadership of principal, Darryl Bullen: student wellbeing and leadership; pathways and enterprise; teaching and learning; staff wellbeing and retention; and Indigenous pathways. It is good work that is taking place in many of my schools across Arnhem, in particular at Ramingining. Examples of key initiatives to be achieved this year include:
the implementation of the peer support program throughout the entire school to see senior students trained as peer leaders taking a proactive role in supporting students both educationally and socially. The program focuses on resilience, encouraging students to develop a stronger sense of self, increasing self-esteem, self-awareness and celebrate individuality;
the creation of a Student Representative Council, giving the students a chance to put forward suggestions in the development of school policy and generating a sense of empowerment, affiliation and pride within the school;
In 2012, there will be more emphasis than ever being put onto teacher retention and development. All staff will be provided opportunities for both internal and external professional learning, and we are already seeing created an on-site gym for teachers to use. The philosophy is that by providing opportunities and facilities to increase the health, happiness, and ability of teachers, they will maintain a higher rate of motivation throughout the year, perform at a higher level in and around the classroom, and be more likely to stay with the school well beyond their initial contract.
It is also for local Indigenous staff as well, which is a crucial part of what our reforms in the Northern Territory are all about: ensuring our students who come through this system have jobs to go on to, and some of those jobs could include being teachers, either in their local regions or anywhere else across the Northern Territory - or Australia, for that matter.
I am very proud of our government’s achievements in the commitment and focus we have in wanting to see every child at school every day in the Northern Territory, and in ensuring that there is infrastructure in places where there was no infrastructure - and certainly no secondary schools - across the regions of the Northern Territory. I am incredibly proud of the work being done in ensuring access to good education is available across the Territory for every child.
Madam Speaker, I commend the minister on his statement to the House.
Mr KNIGHT (Justice and Attorney-General): Madam Speaker, I support this statement on education and thank the minister for Education for presenting this statement.
At the core of our society and all the operations of government, is education. Without a good education, you lack the opportunities for economic development, social cohesion, and advancement. What we are seeing in the remote communities is trying to improve the education standards. There is a great deal of work to be done and we have a great deal of work out there.
For me, one of the great highlights of our educational achievements has been the Emu Point School, which has been a great benefit to that community. What inspired the then Education minister, Syd Stirling, to establish the school was the kids were being taught under, basically, a bough shelter. Every single child in that community was attending a makeshift school every single day. That was through strong leadership of the family groups there and the great work of the local teacher, who was one of the lady teachers who acted as a principal at one stage. They turned up every day. The then Deputy Chief Minister saw this on a Community Cabinet visit, and committed to establishing a school.
They put in two classrooms at the school and now it has been expanded through the BER to three classrooms. There is a commitment to that school. There is only a primary school there. That community has a belief in sending the kids away. Many of them are going to boarding schools down south, which is a great opportunity for children of the Northern Territory - black and white - to experience life outside the Territory, the local community, or Darwin, to live down there and develop their independence. Also, we know society is different up here to down south so it is a great opportunity for those children to experience something different.
At the non-government school at Wadeye, the education levels are not as good as they should be. Even though much infrastructure has gone in, attendance is very poor. We have to do more there. We have to take some more innovative and radical steps to get the education level up. Of the 1000 school-aged children in the community, there are probably only 300 or 400 at the most going to school, and that has been happening for many years. There is a whole generation of children who have not gone to school. That places a burden on the kids who go to school, as future leaders to carry this group into the future. Everything we have done in that area is important.
Expansion of the school at Palumpa is welcomed. I attended the opening of a new much-needed multipurpose centre. They are doing fantastic work. We have a progression of teachers coming through. Some stay for a long time, some stay for a short period of time, but they are very passionate in what they do. They deal with so much that is outside the norm for a teacher in front of a class. They deal with many external after-hours issues and, within the classroom, with issues which have nothing to do with the school. They do a fantastic job.
One of real stand-out school in my electorate is Woolianna Primary School. This school has shown that the most basic facilities - having great teachers and a good curriculum - will get the kids attending. At this stage, there are some 70 kids enrolled at that school. The kids are picked up in two buses. The buses make two trips each back to the Nauiyu community to pick up all the kids and bring them all the way to Woolianna Road where the school is located. Those kids make the trip. The parents have made a conscious decision to send their children to Woolianna school, as opposed to walking to the non-government school in the community, because they feel they are getting more out of it. They want to make that journey and also get out of the community for the day as well. I hope in the future we get a new school on government land there. Certainly, with 70 kids enrolled it is warranted, and has been needed as that school is growing. It is not going away, it is growing, and we will see that growth happening into the future.
There has been much new infrastructure through the Commonwealth’s Building the Education Revolution. Batchelor has welcomed the big fans that have been installed. It took a little while to get them there, but we had them in place for the Christmas graduation. They were much better than the old wall-mounted noisy fans we had. This money came from this government with our commitment to all the schools in the Northern Territory - the $300 000. That community has used that money well and has also expanded its library with money from the Commonwealth program. We have some new teachers, and that community is doing well. We look forward to its growth into the future.
Education is the key to everything this government really should be focused on. Without education it does not matter how good your roads are, your port is, or what major projects you bring to the Territory. Unless your education is right, it is all to no end. We want our young people to stay in the Northern Territory. We are creating the variety and number of jobs as required to sustain the population. We have to do it right at the other end in primary school and the preschools; getting those kids used to school life and getting the community to focus that the most important thing they can do in that community is get kids to school - and get them to school every single day. The more they go to school the better their education levels are. That is the focus of the government; it has been the focus of the government for a while.
We are dealing with a whole range of very complex matters in the community, but we are gradually getting there. However, more work will need to be done: innovative school curriculums and school years. At Wadeye, it has been mooted for a while with respect to the school calendar for the school year. The work that has gone on at Gunbalanya with running the school through the Wet Season is great. At Gunbalanya, Wadeye, Palumpa, and Peppimenarti, people are trapped in their communities for the Wet Season, and they have this massive six-week break. Of course, the kids get up to a bit of mischief, parents are driven a bit mad, and get a bit of cabin fever in those communities. They cannot get back out on to country to have a bit of a break, so shortening that Christmas/New Year period and having a longer period in the Dry Season when people want to go back out on to country - they want those bush holidays - would be a much better way to go.
Many of the teaching staff have friends and family interstate or overseas who they would like to spend that Christmas/New Year period with, however there needs to be some discussion about it and a look at those opportunities to try to make that happen because the kids would benefit from it as well. We must support our teachers; we must keep those teacher numbers up. We have an extra 300 teachers since we have come to government, and that reflects this government’s focus on education - improving our educational system in the Northern Territory.
We look forward to further increases in the budget for education and training. That leads through to the training aspects, and getting kids educated through primary, middle, and secondary is what we need to achieve. We are very cognisant of many kids such as my son, who does not want to go on to university - he wants to get out there working. So that alternative pathway through the VET programs into their middle years certainly is a way to go.
Trades are getting much more respect than previously. It seems that everyone was channelled through the academic area and now the trade area is where much of the work is, where the highly paid work is, and where many of the kids want to go. They get very despondent with the classroom at that age. They want to get out there working, earning, and getting on with their career. So, it is great to see that alternative pathway being offered.
We also have to look at those opportunities for our bush kids, because the jobs are not out there in the communities in the required numbers. When you are churning out 200-odd senior kids a year, there are not that many jobs year in, year out being developed in those communities. So, mobility is the real opportunity for those young people. The jobs are in remote mines and in major urban centres - that is the reality. They are commercial decisions about where the jobs are created. Government can only make non-commercial decisions to put jobs where they can but we do not have an endless supply of jobs and budgets to go with that. It is about finding those mobility pathways into those jobs. The reality of what is happening in Australia is the fly-in/fly-out workforce ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, it is now midday. I ask that you continue your remarks after Question Time.
Mr KNIGHT: I will just wrap up. I commend the minister for bringing the statement to the House. Education is the fundamental foundation stone for our society.
Debate suspended.
STATEMENT BY SPEAKER
Conduct of Question Time
Conduct of Question Time
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, before I call the suspension for lunch, I ask members to review Chapter 12 of the Standing Orders prior to Question Time. I particularly ask members to read Standing Order 109 which is about questions to ministers. Essentially, it says that questions need to relate to any matter of administration for which a minister is responsible.
I also remind you of Standing Order 112, the general rules involving questions:
(1) Questions cannot be debated.
I particularly note Standing Order 115, the Power of the Speaker:
- The Speaker may direct that the language of a question be changed if it seems unbecoming or not in conformity with the Standing Orders.
I also refer to Standing Order 121, Improper Questions:
- Questions shall not be asked which reflect on or are critical of the character or conduct of those persons whose conduct may be challenged only on a substantive motion, and questions critical of the character or conduct of either persons must be asked in writing.
Honourable members, I ask you to remember those matters during Question Time today.
VISITORS
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of staff from the Department of Resources. On behalf of honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
MOTION
Note Statement - Education – Investing in our Future
Note Statement - Education – Investing in our Future
Continued from earlier this day.
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I enthusiastically support the minister for Education’s statement. As the Chief Minister, and also a parent, education is my No 1 priority. As the Chief Minister, as the local member, and also as a father, I value nothing more than visiting schools throughout the Northern Territory, revelling in the great work our schools and teachers do across the Northern Territory.
Whether it is the desert schools of Central Australia, through Darwin, or the island communities to our north, when visiting schools one always gets a great sense of contribution from our teachers. I love watching kids engaged in school and in their learning. There is nothing more important we do as parents than to ensure our kids get the best possible education and reach the highest levels of their ability whilst they are at school. As a government and a community, it is all of our responsibilities to ensure kids are getting the best possible education.
There is nothing more important for the Northern Territory than to continue to work to improve access to, and results from, our education system. I have said once - I will say it again, and I will keep saying it, because it is the truth: if a child goes to school every day in the Territory, they will receive a first-class education. That is guaranteed. Where kids go to school every day - apart from kids who have learning disabilities - they will get to benchmark. Most will surpass benchmark if they have a very strong attendance pattern. They will surpass benchmark if their parents and the people around them are engaged in and encourage them in their education. If there is a culture of talking about school and the importance of school in the home, kids will fly in our system. That is because we have a very good system, both in the public sector and the non-government sector. That system is being strengthened all the time in evaluation of what is happening in the classroom and the results that kids achieve.
The advances we have made are, in no small part, due to the reforms and investments made by this government. Since 2001, we have worked very hard to significantly improve the education system in the Northern Territory. We have restructured the education system in introducing middle schools to support students in the vital Years 7, 8 and 9 prior to going to high school and the rigors of high school. I believe that has been a successful transformation of our school system. My children have been through middle school and I have been very happy with the results from the experience I have had as a parent.
We have transformed education in the bush, both through investing in infrastructure and teachers, in partnership with the Commonwealth. Schools in the bush today bear no resemblance to what they did when we won government in 2001. There has been a massive investment. Every member on this side of the House, particularly my colleagues who have bush seats, is involved in vigorous conversation in our Caucus room when we talk about education. Everyone is passionate about seeing education outcomes improve. For a Labor government it is certainly right up there as one of the very highest priorities.
At lunchtime today I was at the open day or induction day at Charles Darwin University. Education is not only through our kindergartens, preschool, primary school, middle school and high school system, but also our university. I am pleased to advise the House that on early enrolment numbers, enrolments at Charles Darwin University across the Territory are up 17% this year. The Engineering Faculty is up by 34%. Our clinical school is entering its second year. I place on the record my thanks to our Vice-Chancellor, Barney Glover, the Board of Charles Darwin University, and all the lecturers. It is a wonderful institution that is going from strength to strength. It was an absolute privilege to be there at lunchtime today, chatting to students who are starting university, to experience the enthusiasm and vibe around the place, and to meet with new students and also lecturers.
I was touched by talking to two second-year students who came up to me while I was there. I was asking them how they were going. We got onto a bit of a conversation, and they wanted to go to university, to stay with their families, and stay here in Darwin. One volunteered that education has improved enormously in the Territory over the last 10 years – and that was volunteered to me by a student today, I am not making that up – and I was really pleased to hear that.
In all aspects we continue to strive to improve. There is no doubt about our commitments and our reforms in curriculum and our reforms and strategies in teacher retention. I thank Gary Barnes and his leadership team at the Department of Education and Training, and everyone who works there.
I heard the banal questions from the shadow minister for Education today about teacher retention. If he was seriously interested in teacher retention he would get a briefing from the Chief Executive about the enormous programs which are being put in place to improve teacher retention. In fact, when we came to government - I have had two opportunities to serve as Education minister - it was really hard to get teachers to stay in the bush. He was right; when we came to government the retention rates for teachers in the bush were about three or four months. It was a revolving door because there was very little support for teachers in the bush, people felt isolated in the bush - isolated from the rest of the department - and they were not prepared, if coming from interstate, with the cultural impacts and the isolation of working in the bush, and we had a very high turnover.
That turnover has been reduced significantly over the years. The support from the department for teachers in the bush is there today and they are nowhere near as isolated - and feeling as isolated and not supported - as when we came to government. The retention figures have improved. There used to be a culture in the department of as long as we had a teacher out there - as long as someone was in front of that class - that was okay. That whole culture has changed now, and the culture now of recruiting teachers for the bush is asking the teacher the question on interview: ‘Are you good enough? Are you actually good enough to work in a remote setting? We want you to commit to at least three years’.
That is a world away from the culture that existed when we came to government which was any warm body is good enough. Essentially, what happened in those bush schools was that no one was really monitoring. The department was not monitoring, and there was no testing of children in the bush. There was no real focus on measurements and management of performance, and the system had been allowed to drift over the years. Of course, there had been some great and very committed teachers in the bush. There had been many people who, despite the lack of support and focus, both politically and departmentally on education in the bush - we have any number of real heroes who worked for many years in the bush and were dedicated to the bush. However, systemically, through the department, through the policies of the previous government, there was no focus, no attention, and there was no culture of continuous improvement in regard to Indigenous education.
The tide has certainly turned. Of course, we are by no means out of trouble in getting kids to school every day, but no one can say there is not focus, continuous improvement and evaluation going on to turn thing around in the bush.
For the member for Brennan to throw around some figures and make it up as he goes along with regard to teacher retention - if he was seriously interested (a) he would get a briefing and understand what the department was doing, and (b) it is going to be very interesting to see what their policies are. My colleague, the Education minister, bandies it around - there is a paper on early childhood education. I believe it goes to two pages, but there is not one mention of remote Indigenous education and what a CLP government’s policies would be in this area. We know in their mad, headlong pursuit to bring the budget back to surplus, they would have to cut funding. Where would the funding be cut? The first axe would fall in bush programs - whether it is infrastructure, health, or education - as it always fell under CLP government.
It was good we actually got Question Time today back on to questioning the government about things we have responsibility for, as opposed to a whole day yesterday of questioning me on things I have no responsibility for. Those questions, as important as they are in Question Time, mean nothing for the opposition until we see their policies.
Also, it is not enough just to release a policy; there will have to be funding commitments with that policy. We want to see the colour of your money in what you are going to commit financially, not only to education in the bush, but health, infrastructure, and housing in the bush. Any commitments made without commitments to funding – and I again challenge the Country Liberal Party in debate today on education. The challenge is to at least match Labor’s commitments to the bush: 53% of the entire Territory government budget outlay is for providing services and infrastructure to Indigenous people. You have to at least match that. If you can better that, then all the better. How you are going to do that and bring the budget back to surplus, goodness only knows. It will be some financial chicanery of the highest order, and we will wait to see it.
We have to remember the history to understand how far we have progressed. Prior to 2001: minimal investment, minimal attention, no testing of kids, and no secondary education in the bush. Given we do not have any policies from the opposition we doubt there would be any difference a second time round.
We are investing in education at record levels with this year’s budget at $930m. I know the mantra from the Leader of the Opposition is it is not about spending money. Well, I do not know how we can have 400 extra teachers in our service without spending money to recruit them, to keep them and - if they are in the bush – to house them. You cannot do that without spending money. You cannot build new schools in the bush without spending money. You cannot provide a world-class IT platform for every child in our schools across the Northern Territory - whether they are in the bush or in town - without spending money. Maybe that is where the axe will fall: on the IT platforms that are in place across the Northern Territory, giving kids access to virtual classrooms and great teachers, wherever they live.
Not only does the Country Liberal Party have to deliver an education policy, it also has to back it with funding if it is going to demonstrate a commitment to education. Education sits at the centre of my government’s overarching strategic vision for the Territory out to 2030 - our Territory 2030 plan. Education is right at the core of everything we need to do in the Northern Territory to reach those aspirations of Territorians. That has been articulated in our 2030 plan. Territorians understand how important education is for our future. Being at the university at lunchtime today, amongst several hundred new first-year students, seeing the excitement on their faces of continuing their education journey, was just fantastic.
A major challenge is attendance. The enormity of this challenge is with us every day. We have a policy in place in Every Child, Every Day that is already delivering improved results in those remote communities. My colleague talked about some of those results in compulsory conferencing that is now in place. Unfortunately, we have had to fine - I think the minister said - some 34 parents for failing to get kids to school. We all understand it is better to use carrots instead of sticks and, if we have kids wanting to go to school, that is fantastic. However, there has to be a culture of going to school in that family for kids to want to go. We are making progress and it is a responsibility, first and foremost, for parents and carers of children to get their kids to school every day. That conversation is being had ever more loudly in those communities across the Northern Territory and also in town. If kids do disengage then it is very hard to get them back again.
Our investment in infrastructure has been unprecedented. I thank the Commonwealth government for the massive investment during the BER program: $270m invested in infrastructure in our schools. I heard interjections from the potential Leader of the Opposition, the member for Fong Lim, during Question Time today, rattling on about it being a waste of money - ‘rorting school halls’, I think the interjection was. Well, that is offensive to every single school in the Northern Territory which has worked very hard with their school council, with the Education department, with contractors throughout the Territory, to deliver new classrooms, libraries, and infrastructure in their schools. Each and every one of those schools has been excited about not only receiving the funding, but receiving the improvements in their schools.
We have a member of parliament - someone who has been elected by the good people of Fong Lim - who resorts to federal Liberal Party rhetoric about a rorted school halls program. That really insults every school, every person on a school council, every teacher, everyone in the department about that program. That program was evaluated independently by the Commonwealth government. Every single school, every single state and territory, was evaluated. Out of the $270m expended in the Territory, out of every school that received funding in the Northern Territory, there was one complaint. Yet, the potential Country Liberal Party Leader of the Opposition, basically, just mouths Tony Abbott’s rhetoric about a rorted school program. I find that absolutely unbelievable.
We have also invested $300 000 in all government primary schools during this term of government in the Territory budget. Overall, over this four-year term of this parliament, infrastructure investment in our schools in this Northern Territory has over doubled. That is investment supporting every child every day and every teacher in every community across the Territory. We have employed over 400 extra teachers. I acknowledge the Commonwealth contribution of 200 extra teachers in those numbers. I acknowledge and thank each and every teacher for the work they do across the Territory. Theirs is amongst the most important jobs in the Territory. When you see a really good teacher in a classroom, it takes your breath away. I am indebted to the vast majority of our teachers for their commitment and hard work ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! I move that the member be granted an extension of time, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed.
Mr HENDERSON: I thank my colleague for the extension of time.
Two programs I will never cease to be enthusiastic about are the Clontarf program and the Girls Academy program. There is no silver bullet in turning around Indigenous education, but programs that are working and working well are the Clontarf program and the Girls Academy program. These programs, and the people who run these programs, are making a life-changing difference to the lives of many young Indigenous men and women. We can all remember those great teachers who made a huge impact on our lives. All the kids in those Clontarf and Girls Academy programs, as I get around the Northern Territory and talk to them, will forever be indebted to the people in those programs who have committed themselves 150% to the students in those programs. It is an absolute inspiration to be around.
This year, I had the privilege of attending the graduation dinner for just over 60 Clontarf Year 12 students who graduated from Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Arnhem Land, from schools all over Darwin and, I believe, we had some from the Tiwi Islands. It was amazing to work the tables at that dinner. I sat at every table and spoke to every school group, to hear their stories about how Clontarf got them to Year 12 and how pleased they were that they finished. The fact that the vast majority of those kids had already got jobs was a real highlight of the year for me.
There is no overarching auspicing body like Clontarf for the Girls Academy programs. There are a couple of others, but the department is working hard to put an overarching program in place. Like Clontarf, the Girls Academy programs are transforming these young people’s lives.
The reason these programs work is they provide very strong role models for these young men and women at a very important stage of their life, the teenage years, and it gives them great people to look up to.
I urge everyone to not only support Clontarf and the Girls Academy but, in their electorates, talk to business people, business groups, business entities, to sign up to the foundation and to commit financially. Not only are any donations they make tax deductible, but it is providing an opportunity for work experience in their business and, potentially, being a good host employer in those businesses.
Talking with Gerard Neesham a couple of weeks ago when he was in Darwin, there is still a great deal of work to be done in the Northern Territory business community to get financial support for these programs. I am sure that will come over time, but it is a responsibility for all of us. I know we all get challenged with supporting various charities around the place, but if businesses say they want to support Indigenous employment, then put them on to Clontarf, get them on to the website, urge them to support Clontarf because we need that financial support. The vast majority of funding to run programs in the Northern Territory from Clontarf actually comes from the top end of town in Collins Street in Melbourne. As much as we are grateful for that support from the top end of town, it is important that, wherever possible, Territory businesses can make a contribution if they have a commitment to Indigenous employment programs.
Charles Darwin University is going from strength to strength. We have a formal partnership agreement not only with CDU, but also with Batchelor. I believe that, apart from Tasmania, we are the only government that has formal partnership agreements with our tertiary institutions. These partnerships are very important for government because, wherever possible, if we need research in any particular area, we commission Charles Darwin University to undertake that research, which helps their research base, provides interesting research opportunities for their students, and builds the reputational capability and capacity of Charles Darwin University. It is a strength we have here.
I am very pleased to see a 34% increase in engineering studies at CDU. The new Centre for Oil and Gas Research will be opened this year to support the growing workforce needs of that industry in northern Australia. While I was at the university today, it was great to catch up with some of the TAFE students as well. A couple of young fellows - my colleague, the member for Arnhem will be interested in this - were second-year diesel mechanics at GEMCO on Groote Eylandt. It was great to chat to them, because they are doing the same apprenticeship I did, except that I did mine in a shipyard and they have done theirs in a mine. It was great to talk to those two young fellows who are into the second year of their apprenticeship. They are living on Groote Eylandt. They love Groote Eylandt, but they also like to get into town and enjoy the bright lights of Darwin when they can.
In conclusion, in regard to the Gonski review which has just been made public, my colleague, the Education minister, has already said, in broad terms, that that review is good for the Northern Territory. The financial impacts are something we are going to have to work through. The national review of education recognised there needs to be more transparency in funding flowing through to students with special needs or who live remotely. Any transformation of our system, over time, which focuses on transparency, special needs and disadvantage, regions and remote, has to be good for the Northern Territory. We have to work through those issues.
I advise the House we are already ahead of most of the other states in that transparency. We amended our funding formula for schools a few years ago, over time, to move to student-based funding as opposed to school-based funding, and that student-based funding really looks at the issues of disadvantage and special needs. We are well on the way to meeting the recommendations there.
In regard to that transformation which has slowly been taking place over the past few years, I thank the education union in the Territory, and the principals association and school councils for their support, because any movement of funding, over time - and it has happened over time - sees some schools benefit to the disadvantage of others. However, we have had a mature, transparent, and honest debate about this, and people have acknowledged that in funding there has to be transparency, and funding should follow students rather than historic funding at a school-based level.
In all, there is still much more work to do. You never achieve success in education because improvements can always be made, but we are heading in the right direction. I am very confident in our education in the Territory; I really believe if kids go to school every day they will get as good an education in the Territory as anywhere else in Australia. Attendance, particularly remote, is a significant issue and we are moving forward in that area too, slowly. I would like to see it happening much faster than it is but at least it is moving forward. We will continue to debate education in this House,
Madam Deputy Speaker, I commend the minister on his statement.
Ms LAWRIE (Treasurer): Madam Deputy Speaker, as you heard from the Chief Minister, education is our priority. It is the key to overcoming disadvantage, and the key to a good pathway for a healthy and productive life. We know in the Territory if a child goes to school every day they will receive a great education. We know if a child gets a good education then, as an adult, there will be opportunities for further education and training, and a fulfilling and productive career.
Education has been at the top of our agenda. We have built new schools, improved existing schools, and made major reforms to the education system. We have put in place that all-important attendance policy, Every Child, Every Day, which targets improvement in enrolment, attendance, and participation of our young Territorians at school.
When children go to school every day in the Territory they will get a great education. How are we delivering this? We have a record education budget in place right now, with $930m provided for education and training. I know the CLP does not like it when we talk about record investment in education, but it is this record investment which delivers a robust and dynamic education system. Whether it is resources for the teachers, increased teachers in the classroom, innovative learning programs, you have to fund all these initiatives.
We have completed a $246m four-year Territory government initiative to upgrade every primary and group school across the Territory. Through this program, every primary school and group school received $300 000 for upgrades over the past four years. This year, we have the last tranche of 24 schools being upgraded, including Alpurrurulam, Bakewell, Borroloola, Clyde Fenton, Driver, Durack, Gillen, Gray, Kalkarindji, Larapinta, Leanyer, MacFarlane, Malak, Milingimbi, Moil, Nakara, Nganmarriyanga, Nightcliff, Parap, Ross Park, Sadadeen, Stuart Park, Wanguri, and Woodroffe.
We have better schools. We have more great teachers and programs on a par with any in the country. The recruitment of quality teachers has been absolutely vital in our efforts to improve outcomes for our children. We now have over 3000 teachers in our schools across the Territory; 407 additional teachers since 2002. These extra teachers are critical to delivering better teacher/student ratios and better able to support students through their learning process.
We know that expenses at the start of school can often present a difficulty for our families. That is why we have introduced the Back to School Bonus payment scheme to help families offset these costs. Families can use the $75 per student to help them with the cost of textbooks, stationery, school uniforms, excursions, travel, and other costs associated with school.
We have also been delivering high-quality programs; I believe equal to the best in the nation. The government has focused on literacy and numeracy as a foundation for quality education, and on improving attendance and outcomes. We are seeing encouraging signs emerge from our effort in this area. The minister for Education said that recent NAPLAN tests show that mean scale scores exceed Australian average cohort gains in 11 out of 12 reportable domains and year levels - no small feat, no small turnaround in less than a decade of significant funding increase since 2002.
Our key goal for my Department of Business and Employment is to support that smooth transition from school to work. Under the NT Education Act it is now compulsory for all Territory students to complete Year 10 and then participate in education, training and/or employment until they are 17 years of age. As a government, we have improved our training pathways in education.
Just take a look at VET in School. VET is the school-based apprenticeship and traineeship program providing a clear pathway for Territory students to transition from school into the workforce. The program provides students with better skills to take into the workplace. This will lead to increased career choices and opportunities for full-time apprentices, employment, or further education and training. In 2011, there were nearly 2000 students undertaking VET in Territory schools. We have the highest VET participation rate in the nation.
The beyond school guarantee is available for NTCE and NTCET graduates who need assistance with pathways between employment and educational training choices in the first two years after leaving school. These pathways ensure that young Territorians are among the first wave of workers we know can benefit from the opportunities associated with that significant economic boom the major project of INPEX and Total is delivering in the Ichthys LNG. Pathways into training while at school will continue to be a critical part of our education system. This will ensure young Territorians who wish to take these pathways have the best chance of success because we are entering the biggest economic boom in the Territory’s history.
We are expecting the second highest economic growth in our nation through the next five years. Our government wants to ensure these opportunities drill down to our young Territorians in our school system today, and in the apprenticeships and traineeships we are investing in today. We have been focused on growing the number of apprentices and trainees in the Territory to provide a large skilled workforce. Our Jobs NT 2010 to 2012 Employment Strategy set four major targets. They have either been already achieved or considerable progress has been made: labour force participation rates continue to exceed national participation rates - 75% in the Territory compared to 65% elsewhere; an increase in the number of people with Certificate III or above, 48.2%; more than 24 000 Territorians are in training; and more than 3000 Indigenous Territorians commencing employment in the past three years.
I note here the guffawing and chuckling from the CLP in Question Time today when the minister for Education talked about the 1981 release of Cabinet papers which looked at the clear and absolute policy decision taken by the CLP government not to provide secondary education in the bush. They guffawed and chuckled and said: ‘That was back in 1981. What has that to do with today?’ How on earth do they think that people can get into jobs without a secondary education? The 15-year-old who missed out on secondary education 20 years ago is a 35-year-old today, struggling with the despair of being unemployable. That is the genuine daily legacy borne out by despair across the Territory. Today, we saw members of the Country Liberal Party laugh and question its relevance to the Territory today. I have seen many shocking things in my time in the Chamber. I have to say that is one of the most appalling I have ever witnessed. For people who would purport to set the policy and the distribution of resources for Territorians to not understand the simple link between education and the opportunity of getting a job defies belief. I say shame! Clearly, they have not changed; the leopard has not changed its spots.
We have also achieved the increase in the number of young Territorians achieving Year 12 or equivalent Certificate II qualification to 73%. Isn’t it great? Isn’t it absolutely a thing to rejoice that we are getting Year 12 graduates in the remote communities in the Territory? They can study in their own community and can achieve through until Year 12 certificate. Yet, we heard all the jokes and the laughter in Question Time today from the Country Liberal Party when the minister for Education referred to the disgraceful 1981 Cabinet decision by the Country Liberal Party not to provide secondary education in these communities ...
Mr Chandler: What was their budget compared to yours?
Ms LAWRIE: I will pick up on the interjection from the member for Brennan: ‘What was their budget compared to yours?’ I say this to you, member for Brennan: if you do not, as a shadow minister for Education, apply a priority to the education budget then you absolutely deserve to be stripped of a shadow title. Give it to some other clown over there, Leader of the Opposition, if he wants to, already in opposition, make up excuses for failure in delivering education to Territory children. Unbelievable!
Since the start of 2011 to 30 January 2012, there were 2819 apprenticeship and traineeship commencements across the Territory. There are currently 4220 apprentices and trainees in training, and we are well on track to meet that four-year target of 10 000 commencements. More than $24.6m per annum is committed to fund training and support for apprentices and trainees in this financial year. Since 2008, more than 4662 Territorians completed apprenticeships and traineeships, with 1728 of those being in those all-important identified occupation shortage list areas. We have a proud culture of investing in training and we boast the highest per capita VET participation rate in the nation.
I have witnessed firsthand the dedication of our principals in their leadership roles at our local schools; of our teaching staff who deliver good and positive learning outcomes and opportunities in our classrooms; the aspirations of the parents who rely on the public education system in the Territory; the opportunity they are provided if their child has a learning disability in support; the opportunity and programs that are provided if their child comes in with a pre-existing disadvantage; and the support provided through the Indigenous education workers across our school system, whether it is urban, regional or remote. I am a fan of Indigenous education workers. I point out that it was a program axed by the Howard Liberal government. The funding was stripped from that program. The Territory government stepped up and provided the funding to continue and expand the Indigenous workers who were there at the front line every day supporting our disadvantaged students, and ensuring they were supported through attendance at school, and also through the learning programs delivered at school.
I am an enormous fan of our support workers at the school who work with our children with a learning disability. We have had to increase funding significantly into the ISA program bucket to meet the increase in the number of students with learning disabilities, and to ensure that, as assessed, they are provided with the right level of support within the school system. I also congratulate our minister for Education on the efforts he and the Chief Minister have gone to, to improve funding for our disabled students, whether it is in the mainstream school system through that all-important ISA funding model, which, as the Chief Minister said, is the most transparent and progressive, and meets with the recommendations of the Gonski report or, indeed, through the dramatic improvements right across our special needs schools.
We have transformed funding and support to our special needs students, often the ones whose parents have to fight the hardest and be the strongest advocates for their needs. I am proud of efforts of my Cabinet colleagues, our current minister for Education, and the Chief Minister previously, as minister for Education, and in his role as Chief Minister. I am proud to sit alongside my Cabinet colleagues who have vigorously pursued improvements, both in infrastructure and logistical support, to our special needs schools, providing opportunities for our disadvantaged students.
Education is fundamental to our government. We have seen through the comments and behaviour today the vast difference between the government and the opposition.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I am proud to be a product of the public school system. I know very well that in my time growing up and being educated here, through the years, if a child my age wanted a secondary education, too many had to leave their community and their families to be even given the chance of that education. I say shame on people who would think that was a laughing matter in Question Time today. Hang your heads in shame.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Deputy Speaker, I was not going to speak on this; however, there were a couple of comments which attracted my attention. I will simply ignore the offering by the Treasurer because, despite her best efforts to restrain and recast herself, you do not have to scratch deep to get the member for Karama to rear her head in this place and generally resort to what she resorts to. I am not going to speak for a long time on this, largely because it is not my shadow portfolio.
I believe education is an important component of advancement, both in our built-up areas, our larger communities, our cities, as well as in remote areas. I am often fascinated by this assertion that the top priority of government is education, along with all of its other top priorities. They articulate a top priority for nearly every occasion. Okay, I understand that is just the use of language, and I do not doubt that members opposite are genuinely concerned about matters of education. Why would they not be? We certainly are on this side of the House.
What I will not do is try to reinvent, if you like, the history of this government. They have spent a lot on education - there is no doubt about it - and the government is proud of its expenditure. However, I wish they would spend less time mucking about trying to make up stories about the history of the Country Liberals when they were in power. We have heard it from the minister for Health saying we denied secondary education to kids in the bush, as if it was some purpose-built plan not to enable any kids in the bush to have education.
It was not denied! In fact, it was provided. The limited circumstances available to the government of the day meant that education was provided in our larger communities. Yes, there was not much secondary education, if any at all, in the remote communities. This government has started bringing secondary education to those remote communities. What can I say? Good. It is great, and I am glad they have.
The concern I have is the quality of that. An example of that is when I was, not so long ago, in Wadeye, where a potential employer said: ‘The problem I have with some of the kids coming out, some of the applicants I am getting with NTCE certificates, is they cannot read or write’. I heard that from a person who ran an operation inside that community - and I can identify that person. I am not going to because they have not cleared me to do so. That information came directly and it was from someone who was seeking to employ these kids. It bothers me they felt that way because it makes me ask the question about the NTCE certificates being given out. What does a kid do to qualify for an NTCE certificate if they do not have effective numeracy and literacy at the other end? Nevertheless, secondary education is being attempted in the bush and I imagine it is expensive. Education, generally, is.
The Chief Minister said we all have memories of teachers when we were kids who have had a lasting effect. Absolutely! That is so correct. I remember in my maiden speech in this House I congratulated a fellow by the name Graham Parker, a teacher of many years standing, because he had a profound effect on me, particularly at a difficult time in my life. Another teacher I mentioned in my maiden speech was a bloke by the name of Warren Snowdon. We may have heard about him. He was a teacher of mine and a good one. He was dedicated to the job he did at the time, and had a profound effect on me.
I remember another teacher - I cannot remember her Christian name - but her name was Callahan and she was a monument to beads, unkempt hair, and cheesecloth. I recall her sitting in a classroom one day leaning back in her government issued chair with a sad and despondent look on her face saying: ‘The only real reason I am here is the money because I need it’. I remember that because that has a profound effect on kids. Ms Callahan was an English teacher, and I hope she did not survive very long in the education field because she was not good. She was resentful, unpleasant and clearly saw the kids she had to teach as a source of some contempt ...
Ms Purick: Sounds like my primary school.
Mr ELFERINK: She was a high school teacher.
Another high school teacher I had was a lady by the name of Helen Coburn. Because of the way she taught English, when I did my Bachelor of Arts I chose to do Literature as one of my majors. I have such fond memories of what she taught me and how she taught me to read. I did not do my Bachelor of Arts until a long time after I left school; but she had such a profound effect on me that 15 years after I left school and started doing a degree, her lessons were enough to guide me in my decisions of how and what I studied.
It is interesting to compare Ms Callahan with Mrs Coburn, because Ms Callahan was everything a teacher should not be, and Mrs Coburn was everything a teacher should be – a Mrs Chips, if you like, or Mrs Chipping. The curious thing about these two is I suspect both ladies were on exactly the same income, yet one was able to provide a really amazing educational experience. I was a bit of a tearaway as a kid and there were few lessons I would run for to ensure I could extract every moment of time out of that classroom, yet Helen Coburn managed it - and in English no less. To avoid a Ms Callahan class, If I could possibly sit in the E block toilets smoking - if I could drag it out any longer, I would.
What I gained from this - and the reason I talk about this is it is now worth reflecting on two different reports. The first one I will reflect on, announced last week, was research by a bloke by the name Ludger Wβmann from the OECD. Ludger Wβmann, I believe, is the fellow who was interviewed on radio last week. I was very interested to hear because he came to the same conclusion as Gonski. Gonski and Wβmann made a similar study, as I understand it, and both of them came to a conclusion that Australia is slipping. We are slipping in our academic outcomes, particularly in our schools when compared with Southeast Asia and other jurisdictions. That is really what has got Gonski a lot of press because that is what he was saying. If it was Wβmann - I think it was Wβmann - the week before, he was saying exactly the same thing.
Curiously, these academics held two polarised and different positions. Gonski says the fix is $5bn. Wβmann said: ‘No, no, you do not have to spend any more money. The money has been spent. There are other issues to be dealt with here that are causing the problems’. This is where, I suspect, the Leader of the Opposition is coming from. The Leader of the Opposition said we can look at curriculum: what are we actually teaching these kids in school and how are we teaching it? Are we driving this from the top down as some centralised regime, or are we allowing these schools some latitude to make these decisions for themselves? Gonski’s answer, as has been the Labor government’s answer in the Northern Territory, has been spend more money.
Case in point is the new schools built under the middle schools program. Prior to the arrival of the Labor government in the Northern Territory, we only had high schools and primary schools, with the exception of the university, of course. The road to Damascus conversion which was going to bring about a massive change in our educational standards in the Northern Territory was the introduction of the middle school regime. I remember hearing the then Education minister and Treasurer, Syd Stirling, speaking at length about how this transformation - dare I say, Territory-wide education revolution - was going to change the results of students in the Northern Territory.
What I have not heard from government is a comparison between the bad old days when there were just the high schools and primary schools system, and the results nowadays. What I do know is the NAPLAN testing that has been introduced, and previous testing, demonstrates, with a few exceptions, that most of the school students in the Northern Territory do not perform at the same level as the required national standard. The government post-2001 spent a bomb on these new schools - an absolute fortune, tens of millions. It must have been close to $100m on building new middle schools. I am not bagging them; I am glad for the new infrastructure in the education system. However, for all the money spent on the structures, the buildings, we hear that thread again - and I know the government likes to attack us for arguing this point – in the answer from government that ‘We spent all this money’. It is in this statement as well: ‘We have spent, spent, spent, spent’.
However, if you spend money you want a result. Considering the amount of money that has been spent in pursuit of improved educational outcomes in the Northern Territory, I have not seen a corresponding raising of results and I find that frustrating.
Gonski’s response is: ‘Let us spend more money’. Wβmann’s response was more like the Leader of the Opposition’s response which is, let us not necessarily spend more money, let us change curriculum, let us change the way we do things, change the way we teach, find new ways to pursue benchmarks and pursue excellence. If we look at Ms Callahan and Mrs Coburn, Ms Callahan I would have argued - I do not doubt she would have performed better if she had gotten more money. Clearly, she was only there for the money in the first place. I wonder how long Ms Callahan would have been able to maintain an increasing quality of education before she started to slide back to old habits. Whereas Mrs Coburn, if you had given her money, I do not believe she could have produced a better product; she was the Rolls Royce of teachers at the Casuarina High School - I believe the finest teacher at that school for a very long time. It was showing in my results and I know it was showing in the results of other students. The quality and the passion of the teaching captured in the way that material was taught, and what was taught, were miles apart, and it was being achieved for exactly the same money.
For that reason, I believe it is worthwhile being critical of an assumption that more money necessarily equates to better results. I do not believe so. I do not believe it occurred on the local level in the example others cited. I do not believe it will occur on a state or national level if you do not change what you do. If you provide a particular curriculum in a gilt cage, or if you provide it in a concrete box, it is still going to be the same curriculum.
Madam Deputy Speaker, perhaps it is time we revisit our curricula and have higher expectations of our students, and demand more of them, than simply thinking we are going to fix our educational problems by cashing them up.
Mr McCARTHY (Lands and Planning): Madam Deputy Speaker, I am honoured to support the minister’s statement. I always enjoy the literary contributions from the member for Port Darwin. If I ever get back into the education arena, I will use the Parliamentary Record to deconstruct those literary performances. Seriously, I will debate the member’s contribution of the concentration on teaching and the teacher as opposed to this government’s holistic package of developing a suite of initiatives right through from the early childhood area to parents as teachers, to the infants to the primary, to the middle to the senior, to the support structures around that, to the school support staff, to the quality teachers, to recruitment, retention, and to the outcomes focus of a very dedicated teaching service. I enjoy those contributions because the member has had a good education and that is what we aspire to. That is why we have very powerful policies to deliver it.
It is with pleasure that I add my support to the minister’s education statement. The minister is a man with a strong conviction for ensuring all Territory students, from preschool right through to senior years, have access to the best possible education. As we have heard in this House time and time again, education opens the doors to opportunities. As the Territory enters a phase of record growth and development, I am passionate about seeing all our young people, whether they are in Parap or Papunya, Borroloola or Bakewell, grasp that opportunity with both hands - and education is the key.
I comment on the member for Goyder’s contribution. She felt she had to be an aggressive opposition member and attack the government. She said: ‘We only spoke about education in August last year’. But then she got on with the job and gave a positive contribution to the debate. Good on you, member for Goyder! She realises that it is an important topic and we should talk about it as much as possible.
I have to make a comment on ‘no policy Pete’, the member for Brennan. When the CLP policy on education is delivered, I will look very closely at the bibliography. On that bibliography it will acknowledge Burns, C B, minister for Education. The member for Brennan should be taking serious notes on the Henderson government’s policy for education and training. That will be the benchmark for any good policy developed by the CLP. I look forward to that bibliography, acknowledging the important policy and education statements, and all those attributes which have come from this debate.
We know in the Territory that if a child goes to school every day they will receive a great education. That was how the minister started this statement. The member for Stuart spoke about the challenges of today. There is no doubt that the challenges in the community today are complex and, in an historical perspective, acute. There are more challenges today and there will be more challenges in the future. Therefore, we need strong policy and procedures to deal with those challenges.
The member talked about remote schools that are taking the bit between their teeth and working with their communities. He was very proud to talk about the remote schools in his electorate where the work is ongoing on that whole suite of initiatives, right through from the early childhood to making parents aware of what education is all about, the values of education, how to support their kids, through to secondary education in the bush. Having said that, the minister outlined for this House the important work being done, and also acknowledged the challenges we face, and that there is more to do. We know there is more to do, and it is a moving feast. Education is exciting because it is that moving feast.
The minister outlined for the House, because it is good to learn from history, that in 2001 we inherited an education system which was essentially neglected as a result of a government which took no real interest in Territory education, especially education in the bush. I can comment on that, because I spent two decades - actually over two decades - of a career in education under the Country Liberal Party. I worked directly under those policies. I will not go right back to the start, but I tell you there is a huge difference when you talk about education and infrastructure supporting good programs and outcomes. There is a very strong link. It cannot be denied, and it requires cash and commitment.
I move forward to an era where the Country Liberal Party was out of gas - they were tired, they were dead in the water, and their economic situation was failing. They knew the education policy was on the rocks so they commissioned a review - the third major review in the Northern Territory; one under the Northern Territory Administration, and two under the self-government act. This third one was the major review into Indigenous education, Learning Lessons. Member for Fong Lim, I give credit where credit is due. I commend the commissioning of that review, and I celebrated the recommendations of that review, because I was recruited to the team to implement them.
I came to Darwin - I came to the big end of town out of the bush - to work for a government that walked away from that review. They turned their back on that review and on the recommendations of that review. They chose the cost-neutral initiatives. They chose to create spin around those recommendations. Once again, they walked away from Indigenous education. I walked away from the Country Liberal Party and went back to Tennant Creek, back into the Aboriginal hearing program, because that was one area that definitely needed support in improving literacy and numeracy outcomes for those kids suffering disadvantage of otitis media and continual middle ear infections who were striving to improve their education. It was crisis management after years of neglect.
Consequently, history shows that, in 2001, the Labor government came to power, picked up many of those recommendations and has been working with them ever since, and has continued to develop policy over the next decade - real policy, real investment in education, real investment in educational infrastructure to support program delivery.
When we talk about efforts being considered and strategic, we have to acknowledge the minister’s statement where he says important amendments to the Education Act were necessary and the robust Every Child, Every Day strategy we are implementing to address unsatisfactory levels of school attendance, because that is the basis. My message in the constituency is we have to help parents, we have to support families. We have to get the message out. It is not good enough to say: ‘Come on, you kids, you have to get to school’. We have to make those families and those extended families aware that the school has a host of support networks.
The school has well-defined and sophisticated case management strategies to support attendance through this government’s Every Child, Every Day policy. When we talk about those support networks, we can start with cash - the $75 Back to School Bonus payment. We can talk about improved infrastructure but, most importantly, we can talk about the support networks involving assistant teachers, Aboriginal and islander education workers, attendance officers, school counsellors, people who are really focused on supporting families with kids with challenging behaviours and kids with special needs. This message needs to be firmly entrenched in the community because there is help, and we are all about getting these kids to school and improving attendance.
It is great to hear the anecdotes from members talking about their educational experiences. One of mine was when I started the school at Epenarra on a cattle station 30 years ago - it was amazing. I ended up changing careers with 53 weeks sick leave on full pay. I could not take a sick day, it was incredible. I must outline to this House I tried, but the kids would bang on the caravan door and be climbing all over the caravan. ‘What is the matter, Kumadjai? Hey, you have not opened the school. Get on with it. Get up here’. That was the way we did business.
As the member for Stuart said, times have changed and there are real challenges, particularly in the Indigenous communities because that overarching structure of the traditional elders is changing. We have those incredible influences of pop culture. We have those high mobility factors. The communities are struggling to deal with the accelerated changes within society. Do not underestimate that cycle of grief our Indigenous communities have to work through every day - those really sensitive, challenging times of grief where not only are there cultural obligations, there are also very high levels of emotional challenge people have to work through with their families and their kids. In small communities, that complicates the whole environment and impacts on school attendance. We have to work through ways of supporting parents, families, and communities. The minister has outlined in this statement many of those working machinations on the ground.
I was very proud when I read the minister’s statement, particularly the part about working together - the Northern Territory government and the Australian government – which relates to Building the Education Revolution. There are some amazing figures around that. The member for Blain talked about it not just being about investment. It certainly is about investment! It is investment with the Australian government which provides the significant resources to make our policies work and to support what this government is doing. As an educator for over 30 years in many regional and remote areas, I have never seen anything better than what has been delivered in the last couple of years under the Northern Territory government and the Building the Education Revolution.
To quote from the electorate - members are so proud of talking about what happens in their electorate. I am interested in those on the other side because they should stand up, ‘fess up, and talk about their Building the Education Revolution projects and about the Northern Territory government’s significant investment.
I will quickly mention Barkly College and the new multipurpose sports facility - $3.3m by a local contractor, G.K. Painting Contractors Pty Ltd. It opened in the 2012 school year, and that infrastructure is not only supporting the education programs, but supporting those great links with the community. I was talking to the principal of the Barkly College about all those great ideas about how this infrastructure will support community involvement in the school, and get people involved in supporting their own kids’ education.
The member for Blain talked about the lack of trade training. There were many comments in this House about the changes. We can all talk about the historical changes, but when we talk about education and infrastructure, I go back to the Barkly College. Between the Australian and the Northern Territory governments, the investment has seen a trade training centre workshop - $1.2m Australian government funded - once again, with local Tennant Creek contractor, G.K. Painting Contracting Pty Ltd. Following that was a science learning centre. This is two major pieces of infrastructure added to the Barkly College, Tennant Creek High School Campus, followed up by a Northern Territory government investment into a new multipurpose sports facility and general purpose hall. That also had the add-on effect of freeing up existing space within the college which allowed the housing of a Clontarf program, and supports more program delivery with good, adequate and purposely designed new program space.
I could talk about the Tennant Creek Primary School and the Elliott school upgrades, the Minyerri Primary School, the Borroloola school, Ali Curung school, the Canteen Creek School, Epenarra School, Rockhampton Downs school, Murray Downs School, and Corella Creek school. We could keep going on and on, right across the Territory, talking about this significant period in the Territory’s history, where working with the Australian government has delivered the best investment in regional remote schools’ infrastructure in the last 30 years. I am proud to say this has happened in town as well.
Those members on the other side should be jumping, one after another, to tell this House, to tell Territorians, the story about the same level of infrastructure development in the urban areas in schools that are doing incredibly well, where our Territory kids power the mainstream programs. We should always acknowledge that. We should always acknowledge what is going on that is working really well, and providing those outcomes.
It is also important to talk about the minister’s statement in relation to the investment in information communication technology. That is something that is now right across the board, and is keeping pace in the bush. At the end of last year, I left Darwin and travelled through the Barkly electorate. I was at Minyerri school on the way home to Tennant Creek. I saw the level of technology in the classrooms and these young, enthusiastic teachers working with the latest in ITC in a bush school. I suppose if I checked carefully in the kit I probably had a piece of chalk left over from my career as a teacher. It was just wonderful, in classroom after classroom - I got a tour of the school on the way home. It was not just in one classroom, it was across the board. It is an investment in specific infrastructure that certainly boosts outcomes.
It is also important to look at the whole suite of initiatives that are in place. We talk about our teaching staff - excellent teachers and excellent principals. When we look back over the years - and the minister has made it very clear in his statement in this House - since 2002, the Territory Labor government has employed 407 additional teachers. They are not just your traditional classroom teacher; there are specialist areas as well which are important when we are dealing with the challenges of providing education in the postmodern world: school counsellors, behaviour management specialists, English as a Second Language specialists, PE and health specialists, ITC support, programs in music and school performance, and career guidance.
There was an interesting comment today in the House about teacher recruitment and retention. I will comment on a couple of models that relate to what is happening in Tennant Creek in the Barkly region. I acknowledge Eric Brace and the professional relationship the Barkly College and the Tennant Creek High School campuses have developed with the University of Western Sydney. Their work bringing students to Tennant Creek and supporting practicums from students from the University of Western Sydney is paying real dividends. Not only are those students having a fantastic experience in their teacher training and being inspired about the bigger picture of Australian education, some of them are coming back to the Northern Territory and even coming back to Tennant Creek, which is a great outcome.
I really enjoy International Teacher’s Day in Tennant Creek each year because that coincides with one of the practicums where I meet these students from the University of Western Sydney. That is a creative example of what this government is doing: empowering our school communities to look at new ways of recruitment and retention. Minyerri school - an outstanding school …
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I move an extension of time for the minister to continue his remarks, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr McCARTHY: Thank you, Madam Speaker and I thank my colleague. I was moving on to Minyerri school because this is a remote school and over the past 10 years it has been achieving above 90% attendance. This is an outstanding school. It really demonstrates outstanding commitment from teachers and the school community and can show the Territory important ways of doing business in a very remote area.
They have also developed a relationship with Melbourne University. Last year, it was wonderful to host a room full of students from Trinity College who spent a couple of weeks at Minyerri, and then came Darwin. I met with those students and we had an incredible time swapping ideas, unpacking their time in Minyerri, and their relationship with the university and Minyerri school over quite a number of years. It was extremely rewarding to see hands going up in that room when they were asked who was coming back to the Northern Territory. There were many young students in that room and a few hands went up, and that is paying real dividends. That is what happens when you have good, sound policy - when you have a policy. It is an innovative program and I celebrate that because it really is underpinning and tying together all the other innovative initiatives which represent the Henderson government’s policy in education.
In 2011, the Centre for School Leadership, Learning and Development was established in partnership with CDU. As the minister outlined, that includes a school leaders program, principal and teacher orientation, a development program for high-performing principals, a highly accomplished and lead teacher program and, once again, developing our people - which the member for Port Darwin concentrated on - who are an extremely important element, but only one element of the minister’s holistic package.
Another important element is building a sustainable and stable Territory workforce in the Indigenous Employment and Career Development Strategy which aims to develop 200 additional Indigenous teachers and is a key policy development in the Northern Territory. The population in the Northern Territory is about 30% Indigenous, representing the traditional owners and their communities, in urban areas, regional areas, and remote areas. They are a fascinating, exciting, and extremely creative element of the Territory community. We have to concentrate on involving Indigenous people in our education delivery. We have to continue to work to involve Indigenous people, not only as Parents as the First Teachers, but also in the delivery across our curriculum areas. I celebrate the continuing push in policy development the minister has outlined.
I am an infant primary teacher by trade, and I was really pleased to hear the minister outlined as part of his statement that research has found that laying solid educational foundations in the early years of a child’s life will enable lifelong learning, especially with regard to literacy and numeracy. The minister went on to talk about some high level assessment for which the department has engaged Professor Masters, and also the Department of Education and Training’s strategic plan which identifies the ways the system can target improvements in literacy and numeracy outcomes working in that early childhood area.
It is wonderful to visit schools in the electorate, sometimes, in my portfolio as the Minister for Transport, working to promote the road safety message, particularly in those early childhood areas. Across the Territory it is wonderful to see the incredible work going on in our early childhood areas. It is great to see the creative work that is engaging parents and school communities, empowering those young kids in getting them on the track to ensure outcomes are maximised and improved across the curriculum areas and, very importantly, in literacy and numeracy outcomes.
The minister’s statement focused on the new key component of educational policy, the Every Child, Every Day strategy, and the Enrolment and Attendance Strategy. It is important to make comment that, in the minister’s presentation to this House, the underlying strategy is that really important case management model. You have to take the family, the extended family, as a model. You cannot deal with any individual component of that. It must be done together. The Every Child, Every Day strategy offers people a fair go to engage with the school and to use those very positive support networks to solve problems. Whether it is your child with challenging behaviours, your circumstances around income, providing nutrition to your children, dysfunctional families and dealing with some of the more radical challenges in our society, the school is the place to go. The school has holistic case management strategies that work right through.
The minister also acknowledged that the Commonwealth government entering this space with the SEAM trials as another additional component to support the holistic family and to give those kids the best opportunity to engage them with the educational program of their local school to support their attendance and their participation. At the end of the day, when these kids start to have a sustainable attendance pattern, it becomes quite natural - as the member for Port Darwin described when he said that he would drop everything to get to that class. In my words, it was an exciting part of his day; he wanted to be there. That is what the Every Child, Every Day strategy offers, because we need to get that period of sustainability, to get those kids’ confidence up, to get the parents support, and to make that child understand that the school is one of the most important parts of his life.
I also celebrate the member for Arafura - a very experienced member of this House who rolls up her sleeves and gets in and does the work - who has been working on the ground with the community of Gunbalanya in her electorate on an alternative timetable. It is wonderful. I congratulate the minister and the Department of Education and Training, because they took it on. That is what having a policy is all about; that alternative timetable approach taking into account cultural inferences, geography, and weather patterns but, most importantly, the community. The member for Arafura brokered that deal, working closely with the principal, who is a very close friend of hers. She has a long-standing relationship with that school community, and that was translated to a bureaucracy, and incorporated into policy. That is a case model other school communities can pick up. That is an example of doing business with a government which is prepared to do business.
I am running out of time. I conclude by thanking the minister for the Chief Minister’s point about the highly successful Clontarf - the young men’s and the girls’ academies. The Tennant Creek High School story, with its Clontarf Academy and the Stronger Sisters program, is another example of doing business in a creative way. Clontarf has moved its focus now from football, where they engaged these young people, into training to employment. I congratulate Emerson Resources, a significant company in the exploration program happening around Tennant Creek, for providing after-school jobs for these Clontarf students.
Madam Speaker, I congratulate the minister on the links which are made in this policy between education and training to employment because the prosperity is out there, and the Territory is a great place for people ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, in responding to the minister’s statement, there are good stories and we need to promote those. We also need to keep our feet on the ground because there are a number of issues that still need to be sorted through.
On the good side, the schools in my area, which overlaps with the member for Goyder’s, are great schools. Taminmin College has a middle and senior school, and probably one of the biggest high schools in the Northern Territory with some great courses, especially its VET courses.
Under the BER program Humpty Doo Primary School received a beautiful cover over its basketball court making it a fantastic outdoor covered area for activities; Bees Creek had extensions to the special education areas and the covered areas; St Francis of Assisi had some new classrooms; Sattler built a new library; Girraween Primary School doubled the size of its preschool; Howard Springs got new classrooms which were definitely needed; and the Good Shepherd Lutheran College received a new language centre.
They are great schools. I meet with principals, staff and teachers throughout the year. There are some very dedicated people doing their best to educate our children and it is important we recognise the fact. To some extent, we do not give them enough credit because there has been a discussion around violence in schools. I rang five or six of the principals from those schools and received positive feedback on the issue of violence in schools. In a number of cases, people said things had improved over the last couple of years and there were methodologies now in place which have made it much better when it comes to dealing with some of the issues. That is the kind of feedback that is great to hear from the principals in those areas.
They are great schools. I have mentioned Girraween Primary School today. There has been a large population growth in that area, and Girraween Primary School is finding it difficult to have enough resources and infrastructure to cope with the increase in children at that school. They say there are no spare rooms to cater for the increase in classes, and are having problems with where to put their specialist music program. They have 70 places for out-of-school-hours care. We do not have day care facilities in that area because, at the moment, there are still issues with the Girraween District Centre.
Getting back to the schools, they are terrific schools and there is no way we should forget they are part of our community. Our school councils are part of our community and, in many cases, our schools are the centre of the community. The one time in the year you see most of the parents get together is when they have a big dance night. You can guarantee the parents will all turn up, especially if every child in every class is going to be part of the concert. You can bet that every parent will want to come to see little Johnnie or Betty participate. They are the centre of the community; they are not just an education facility.
I listened to the member for Barkly who, along with the member for Nhulunbuy are both – I should not see ex-teachers, it is probably a case of once a teacher always a teacher. We are all teachers in some ways. However, we have qualified teachers in our parliament and it is good to hear their points of view.
I believe you have to be careful. Government wants to sell its side of the story, and that is fair enough, but sometimes we need to step back. Since I was elected to parliament there have been many debates about education. There have been many dollars spent on education. There have been many so-called improvements - whether it is infrastructure or methodologies, new IT programs, and computers and tablets in schools, and all sorts of things. On the surface, that sounds fantastic and I am sure it is great for people to use. The reality is if you pick up the 2010-11 annual report on education, and read the attendances and numeracy and literacy - especially for Aboriginal people - it has hardly moved. We have spent all this money and we have introduced new programs, but has there been a change on the ground? We talk about the future; these programs we are introducing now are going to change things. However, I heard that same debate several years ago.
I will just give you an example. There was an estimate in 2010-11 that the number of Indigenous students attending over 80% of the time would be 33%. That is pretty terrible in the first place, but it actually ended up being 32%, compared to non-Indigenous which was estimated at 100% but ended up at 97%. We have average attendance rates marked at 69%. You could say that is not too bad, but it is a bit like the employment statistics for SIHIP where, when you dig down deep and find out how many workers lasted 26 weeks, you find it is very few. When you see the number of Indigenous students attending primary school over 80% of the time, it is only 32%, and that is a very low figure. I do not have the previous annual reports with me, but the 2009-10 column was 32% as well.
If we go to reading for Indigenous students, in Year 3 it was estimated to be 47%. It has gone up to 53%. However, in Year 5 it was 36% and it went down to 34%. If you go to writing for Indigenous students, for Year 3 it was 43%, the actual for 2010-11 was 42%. In Year 5 it was 33%, the actual was 32%. If you go to numeracy for Year 3, 46%; it did go up to 51%, which is good. For Year 5, it was estimated to be 55%, and it went down to 42%.
In middle school education attendance for over 80% of the time for Indigenous students was estimated to be 21% and it ended up being 15%. That is lower than it was in 2009-10, which was 19%. These figures are concerning.
I am not saying there are not good schools out there. I went to Robinson River School where 100% of the kids attended. It is a great school. I saw a teacher from Carey Grammar in Melbourne helping the kids in the library. It was great to see that school. That is one school with 100% attendance.
You have averages here. What are the other schools that make up that average? They must be considerably low.
We do not have annual reports for the sake of just filling in the blanks. If you look at the annual reports, even our own overall reading achievements from 2008-10, the Northern Territory is lower than the rest of Australia. That is probably reflective of the figures I just quoted for Indigenous numeracy, literacy and writing.
Look at some of the detailed figures on pages 118 to 120 of the annual report and at the Year 7 writing achievement 2010 by geolocation. For very remote, the Northern Territory has a 17.2% writing achievement compared to 50.4% for the rest of Australia. Someone may know a little more about those figures, but you do not have to be a scientist to understand we still have - and I am not telling the government how to suck eggs, because they know already - some major issues to overcome.
Why do I think it is really important? I heard the member for Barkly talking about employing 200 Indigenous teachers. That is fine, but the Indigenous teachers will need numeracy and literacy skills and, if you still have these very low figures, then where are you going to get those people from? We should be doing our best to give Aboriginal people in remote areas a chance to work for the INPEX development, but if you have numeracy and literacy issues, then you have problems employing people.
I am interested in what the member for Barkly said, but I put it into this context: here are the results; this is what the annual report says. It states the facts. There may be many reasons why people do not attend school. I do not deny there are a number of reasons. The home life many of these young people have is not going to encourage them to study or advance themselves because there is no employment, or there is a great deal of social breakdown in the community. That certainly makes it hard for children to attend school or to even bother about learning.
I saw an interesting article in The Australian some weeks ago about a Chinese school which does not have computers. I think it was in Shanghai; l might be wrong there. It has achieved very good results - in fact, some of the highest results in China – without using much of the technology we use today. When you come to think of it, reading does not require technology, it requires a book. Writing does not require too much technology; it requires a pen and paper. We spend millions on ways to encourage children to feel good and to come to school because we can now do that on a computer and a tablet. That is fine, although I am not sure how much you need to teach kids. Seeing some of the young people from Indigenous communities work their thumbs on an iPhone these days, they pick it up quickly and understand how to use that technology.
That was mentioned recently when I had a discussion with the CEO of the Batchelor Institute when he said many of the people in those communities are IT savvy. Being IT savvy does not necessarily make you good at numeracy and literacy. Sometimes, you have to ask if we are looking good but not achieving. I remember saying this to Syd Stirling, who was minister for Education in this House for quite a while. He always agreed that people like my wife who went to a mission school and only reached Grade 6, can read and write, and add up, but they went to school every day. You might say that was the mission way of doing things: you had to go to school. Well, we all had to go to school, but that seems to have disappeared.
That was low technology - in fact, it was hardly any technology. It was probably a blackboard, a bit of paper and a pen. How many people of that era can read and write? Yet, if we bring that up as a possible solution, you are laughed at. You say we have all these modern techniques, we have new types of curriculum, we have what they call education theorists talking about how to improve literacy and numeracy. I say that is all very well. We pay them millions of dollars a year to tell us how to fix things up and, yet, I pick up the annual report of the Department of Education and Training which, in some cases, hardly shows an improvement in numeracy and literacy, especially with Indigenous children.
Yes, there are good stories. I am glad the Northern Territory government is promoting secondary education, but secondary education is no good if you cannot read and write. You have to have that base foundation if you want to move.
Today, I was going to talk about how the government should look at a program for increasing employment in these communities by having a fly-in/fly-out system to projects such as INPEX. Why could we not offer fly-in/fly-out from communities to Darwin for Aboriginal people to work on the INPEX project? We need to look at alternative ways of creating employment, because education is no good if there is not an outcome and no reason for people to be educated. There is an opportunity for the government to say: ‘We fly-in/fly-out workers from other parts of Australia and overseas. We ought to look at whether we can fly-in/fly-out Aboriginal people from remote communities and give them the opportunity’. We need to ensure they have reasonable levels of literacy and numeracy. We not only have the INPEX development; we have, possibly, the abattoir development where many Aboriginal people would find a job to their liking and their skills. We need to think outside the square when it comes to employment.
I go back one step and say it would be good if we could do that, but do we have the numbers of people with the right numeracy and literacy skills to achieve it? The government has tried many things, and the Commonwealth government has also been trying many ways of getting kids to school. The other side of the coin is that Aboriginal people in some of these communities have to take responsibility. By all means, government should encourage and make an effort for the attendance. However, there has to be some stick as well, and people have to take responsibility. I do not know how many school attendance officers operate in the bush. There are laws that you should send your kids to school. There has to be a certain element of push if we are going to change things. If people will not take the responsibility, then the young people are going to have a problem getting a decent education.
One of the results of kids not wanting to go to school is that they get kicked out of school when they go there. One of the good things the government has done is introduce the Edmund Rice program in Alice Springs. I was there a few weeks ago and I believe the Edmund Rice facility has great potential. I spoke to the coordinator, I believe his name is Dale Murray. He has been involved for 25 years with this type of school. This school will deal with kids who, basically, do not want to go to school. They have either been kicked out of school or do not want to go to school. They have had great success with these kids. They will never go back to school more than likely, but they will be picked up by this Edmund Rice school, and they will get the basic grounding in numeracy and literacy. They have had fairly good rates of getting young people jobs. They will be mainly trying to educate these children to get them back into the education cycle - not necessarily going back to the school they did not want to go to in the first place. They will be able to give those young people an opportunity to get a job.
That is really the key to education. As I said before, if we have plenty of employment, people can see the reason for being educated, and they will take that up. That is a good program introduced by the Northern Territory government.
I hear a fair bit about Utopia from time to time from various people. I was at Alparra about a year ago. People are very quick to talk about poor bugger me. However, I looked at the secondary school there and it is one of the finest high schools you will see anywhere, especially in remote parts of the Northern Territory. Yet, for some reason, people keep putting the Utopia area down as an area where the government does not spend much money. It has had problems with sewerage and those types of things around the houses, but it is no different or worse than any other part of the Northern Territory. It has a fine secondary school and the government needs to publicise the fact there has been money put into that high school and there are opportunities for young people to get a good secondary education.
Madam Speaker, yes, I understand there are good things in our education system in the Northern Territory ...
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I move an extension of time for the member, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr WOOD: Thank you, member for Fannie Bay. There are good schools, there are good teachers, there are good principals, there is good staff, and there are great school councils, especially in my area, which is the area I know best. However, you cannot avoid the facts written in the annual report under performance reporting. You worry when you see that and ask whether we are changing things or just talking it up. Are we spending much money but not seeing any results?
There will be cases like Robinson River school - a great school. There will be other examples, as the member for Barkly said - and no one denies that. If that was the case all over the Territory we would not have these figures in the annual report.
If these figures change substantially next year that would be great; those programs are starting to work. However, you have to deal with the facts, regardless of whether they are good to publicise or they do not quite fit in with the good news story all the time. There are still problems and, as I have said before and will probably get into trouble for, I do not get so enthusiastic about statehood. Why not? Because here is the real issue, here is where we have to make the effort. When we get 90% of these kids going to school, attending and with equal numeracy, literacy and writing, then I say let us go for the luxury items. We have to fix this first.
Madam Speaker, the statement is certainly worthy of a debate in parliament and I appreciate the minister presenting it. There are many other aspects of education that cannot be covered in the time we have been given tonight. I wanted to discuss those issues I believe important. I am interested in hearing the minister’s response when this debate finishes.
Mr GUNNER (Fannie Bay): Madam Speaker, I support the minister’s statement on education. The member for Nelson summed it up at the end - it is what counts. If you do not get education straight many of the other things we are doing in the Territory are pointless. However, I disagree with him; you cannot put education here, statehood here, and say there is no point doing that, let us do that. That is not how to approach a statehood debate. It is something you are either for or against and, in some respect it is binary. I do not believe approaching statehood prevents you from approaching or tackling the issues around education. You can do both.
The member for Nelson is not a lazy member; he is a very hard-working member and, if we work together, we can achieve both. In fact, we can achieve more than both those things. You do not have to separate them.
Statehood, for me, is a very simple issue. I was born here, have several generations of family here - let us be a state. Let us get the independence for Territorians we deserve. Let us get our status to the same level as other Australians. It needs to be done. It does not need to be a time-consuming issue; let us get on board and back statehood. I do not believe issues or challenges within education should be seen as something that prevents us from tackling statehood.
The member for Nelson made some other points I thought were quite interesting. He talked about IT and that you do not need IT to have a good education. I agree with that. I came out of the education system pretty well educated, and we did not have access to some of the technology they have now. However, that is not the point - or it should not be the point. In some respects, I agree with what he said. It is not about whether you have an iPad or a laptop; it is about how you use those tools.
SMART boards provide you with an amazing access, as a teacher, to things you can use to help educate your class, and that is good. The member for Blain used a phrase yesterday, quoting the Chief Minister, about how they are the tool kit for the modern teacher. In some respects, it is a nice catch phrase. They are a very good tool but it goes back to what you teach and how you teach it. We had a debate in this House late last year when the member for Brennan was complaining about iPads in Nightcliff Middle School and what was happening in the library there. Those iPads – I like the Kindle I have for reading – and Kindles give you access to an amazing array of books. I have almost the whole library on mine. It is how you use those tools that is critical.
You can get a good education in the Territory. We know you can get a good education in the Territory, especially if you go to school every day. That is a critical point. One of the stories the member for Nelson told was about leaving school at Grade 6 and being able to read and write. A critical part of that story was how they went to school every day. You can never get away from how critical that is.
Going back to his tech point, it is about how you use those tools. We have excellent teachers in the Territory and they use those tools very smartly. At Parap Primary School, they had a very dedicated fundraising campaign to make sure they had SMART boards in every classroom, because the teachers used them well and they got good results from those SMART boards. It is about using that as a resource. It is about using that to assist you in how you teach in your classroom.
I agree with the member for Nelson that they should not be seen as the be-all and end-all; they are not. They, themselves, do not teach you. Being able to unlock an iPad and play with the Apps does not teach you anything. How it is used in the classroom is the critical thing. We have excellent teachers, and those items such as iPads, laptops, SMART boards and other items, can be excellent tools for teachers helping educate our children.
The member for Nelson also said that education is useless unless you get an outcome from it; that it needs to be skills based and leads to a direct outcome with a job. That is critical. Probably in this statement we are debating today here, he is correct: you do want an outcome. Philosophically, education is about more than that; it is about bettering who you are, about challenging yourself, testing yourself, and becoming a better person. Education does need to lead to skill sets and then to outcomes. We have done much work to ensure that is where our education program sits.
However, education is about more than that, though; it is about continuing education. Even when you leave school, you continue to learn. It is critical that you continue to challenge and test yourself. That is a philosophical debate. I am sure the member for Nelson would agree. I will not put words in his mouth, but I am sure his comments were about, essentially, where we are with our education system.
It is wrong to say education is useless if it does not lead to an outcome. There is more to education than whether you get a skill set that leads to a job. That is a really critical and fundamental thing to education. We covered that in our statement. There is more to education than just that. It is important, though, because in the Territory we have opportunities. We have significant opportunities at the moment, and we want to ensure the people leaving our education system are capable of taking up those opportunities.
We can say young Territorians have opportunities for employment. You can talk to a classroom full of Year 12 students in the Territory and say if they want to stay here there is a job. That is almost a luxury at the moment in the global context; to be able to say that to a classroom. We have a bright future in the Territory. We can genuinely say to our young Territorians that they can stay here, go to university here, go to trade school here, and get a job here. That is fantastic for our young Territorians.
Having gone through school in the Territory, when I left Year 12 I saw too many of my classmates leave the Territory to go down south because that is where they saw their chances in life. They saw that was where they would get their education and jobs. Many of those friends have come back, which is excellent. I know we can provide more opportunities for our young Territorians now than we did then. We spoke about this last week with the Gearing up for Growth statement. There are opportunities in the Territory which we can offer our young Territorians now which are above and beyond what we had when I left high school, and above and beyond what you can gain around the world. We have an education system geared up to ensure we deliver people who can fill those jobs, and we can look them in the eye and say to them with confidence that there are jobs for them here in the Territory.
This is the one year anniversary of the medical school being opened. You can go all the way from preschool to medical school in the Territory now, and that is an exciting opportunity. A couple of weeks ago, I attended the NT Board of Studies awards with the minister, which is one of the better functions you can go to all year. It is a positive function with proud parents and excellent teachers, and we have a chance to celebrate education. The minister made some very good points during his speech about how we need to celebrate education more. We often celebrate sport and other things. Maybe we do not celebrate success in the academic field as much as we should. That is an excellent function and I really enjoy going to it. The minister made some comments, as he has in the Chamber - and the member for Port Darwin picked up on them - about how teachers can have a profound impact on your life. Those are really good words – ‘profound impact’. I had several teachers who did that …
Madam SPEAKER: Is that the member for Arafura’s phone? Could you take the phone outside please?
Mr Mills: Kick them out please, Madam Speaker.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: I do not have my phone on.
Madam SPEAKER: If it is your iPad, can you turn it to silent, please?
Mr Mills: Terrible! Criminal!
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, Leader of the Opposition, for your commentary.
Mr GUNNER: Mrs Brisbane was a teacher who had a profound impact on me as a student. I had the good fortune of having her as a history teacher through several grades of high school. That continuity of involvement with a teacher is quite powerful. She did some really excellent work, particularly in Year 11, which had a huge impact on how I saw education and always trying to challenge and test myself. I loved history. I had a very good Year 10 and, at the start of Year 11, I started to struggle a little with my history. She took me aside and talked me through where I was at and how I was approaching history in Year 11. I was approaching it the same way as I approached it in Year 10. You cannot do that; you have to continue to challenge and test yourself.
She was an excellent teacher who knew how to approach a student one on one - it is not always about the classroom experience - and sit down with that student and have an impact on them. I will always appreciate her. The comments she made in Year 11 have stayed with me ever since. It is something I test myself with now, even here as a fourth-year parliamentarian. I continue to think about what she said then and how I can apply them to me now. That is what difference good teachers can make.
The results we celebrated at that NT Board of Studies awards night were excellent. We had 1144 students graduate with the new Northern Territory Certificate of Education and Training, which included 148 Indigenous graduates. Those results are proof - as we have said in this statement and many times in this House - if you go to school every day in the Territory you receive a great education. You can achieve access to the opportunities you seek; it gets you in. That is a critical point about education, as I discussed before in that philosophical debate with the member for Nelson.
Nine of the top 20 students for the year for the NTCET are from Darwin High School. Darwin High School is an excellent school. I use this opportunity to commend Darwin High School for its involvement during the Bombing of Darwin weekend. Darwin High School students were involved in eight separate activities during the Bombing of Darwin commemorations. Darwin High School students were involved in eight separate activities during the Bombing of Darwin commemorations. Darwin High School is a school of excellence. Year after year, they produce exemplary students. It is a formidable legacy and it sets a standard for future students. Success is habitual and is not accidental. Credit needs to be given to the teachers and the staff at Darwin High, under the leadership of Marion Guppy, and now under Acting Principal, Trevor Read at the moment. They continue to do a marvellous job.
Their students represent that school with aplomb. They were in eight separate activities during the Bombing of Darwin commemorations. Darwin High School students are often sought out because people have confidence and know what to expect from Darwin High School students at a public event, and the level of expertise and professionalism they bring to those engagements.
Two students, Shelley Bryant in Year 12, and Kae Jenn Tchia in Year 11, road tested ABC radio’s Podcast Bombing of Darwin Walking Tour site on Friday, 10 February. They evaluated the material and were later interviewed by Adam Steer as to their responses. The interview went to air on Monday morning to coincide with the launch of the material. Quotes from the students were later used as scatter ads on ABC radio throughout that week.
Twenty-five Year 10 History students were accompanied by their teacher, Ms Jane Farr, a member of the Fannie Bay History and Heritage Society, and fellow society members, Mrs Judy Boland, Mr Brian Woodrow, Mrs Mary Woodrow, Mrs Catherine Southon, Mr Peter Southon, Ms Yvonne Forrest OAM, Mr Ash Dalley OAM, Mrs Dawn Conroy, and Dr Arun Mahajahni as my guests. As the local member of parliament, I was able to get those Year 10 History students from Darwin High, and the Fannie Bay History and Heritage Society members through the new Darwin Military Museum on Friday morning, 17 February, for a sneak peek of the new Defence of Darwin Experience, which everyone who has been there will agree is an extraordinary museum and a quality testament to the Defence of Darwin.
The students were enthralled by the displays and captivated by the interactive technology which provided an almost real life experience. Emily Greenwell was particularly taken by the warden’s logbook display. The logbook was safely ensconced in a Perspex display case, but students were able to turn the pages electronically by drawing their finger across a screen. As each page was displayed, it could be magnified for easier reading. As Nisia Spurr explained, it was just like reading the real book. That is the real secret to the excellence of the museum: they have captured that real life experience and the preservation of the relics. It is a clever adaptation of modern technology.
Another display which proved to be horrifyingly real for the students was the virtual reproduction of the first air raid. On Saturday, the Larrakeyah Branch of the National Trust provided entertainment and afternoon tea for almost 200 veterans and their carers. Darwin High School staff and students assisted the Larrakeyah Branch volunteers, led by Mrs Judy Boland and Country Women’s Association members under Mrs Wendy White served food and drinks to the veterans.
The visitors enjoyed items by the Sing Australia singers, and sang along to World War II favourites like Lili Marlene, The White Cliffs of Dover, and the Vera Lynn signature tune, We’ll Meet Again. The visitors were also given a brief overview of the history of Myilly Point and Burnett House by Darwin Military Museum Curator, Mr Norm Cramp, who drew their attention to the effects of the war on the house, such as shrapnel damage to louvres and machine gun bullet holes in the fence.
On Sunday, 55 Darwin High students, accompanied by 10 teachers, attended the Commemorative Service on the Esplanade. Students assisted Darwin City Council staff by helping with meeting and greeting guests as they arrived; assisting with the arrival of coaches and disembarking of passengers; assisting with VIP reception and undertaking VIP ushering; assisting the general public to find seats; handing out programs, water, fans and ear pods; manning the water stations and rotating water in the cool rooms to ensure water was chilled when handed out.
Teresa Pham was the Darwin High student who escorted me through the crowd and we had a interesting conversation; she was a charming host. Year 12 student, Shelley Bryant, said she felt tremendously honoured to be asked to deliver The Ode, which she did to perfection. Darwin High’s wreath party was Gemma Reynolds, Sarah Driscoll and Adam Ryan; all Year 12s; and George Loukataris, Year 10, while Casey Gray and Gabrielle Haines took photos for the school. The students had wonderful opportunities to converse with the nation’s Leaders.
Her Excellency the Governor-General, Ms Quentin Bryce, spoke of both Indria Lestari and Sam Smith. She complemented the students on their presentation, telling them they looked very smart. Her Excellency said she enjoyed her visit to Darwin very much. The Prime Minister, Hon Julia Gillard, also spoke to the Darwin High students, as did the Leader of the Opposition, Hon Tony Abbott. Ms Gillard complimented a group of students, telling Adam Ryan he looked great.
Following the service at the Cenotaph, 15 students joined invited guests at the Chief Minister’s reception in Parliament House. This, too, provided students with wonderful opportunities to improve their social skills. Indria Lestari was able to engage the Indonesian Consul, His Excellency Mr Ade Padmo Sarwono in an Indonesian conversation, explaining to him the significance of the event and telling him about Darwin High School, while sisters, Yuki and Nina Ruzsicska, had a lengthy conversation with the Japanese Ambassador His Excellency Mr Shigekazu Sato. Ambassador Sato was delighted to speak in his native tongue with the sisters. He, too, expressed an interest in the commemorative events and asked them about Darwin High School. He was particularly interested in whether Japanese history and culture were taught and how many students studied it.
It is to the credit of the Darwin High School students that they could converse in those languages with the representatives of those countries in the main hall of parliament, and that they represented their school with aplomb and helped forge some stronger ties with those countries and their representatives.
On display in the main hall was the 14th Anti-Aircraft Unit’s banner which had been given to Darwin High School in 2002 by the unit association. Also on display was a seven pound fragment of a bomb casing from the bomb which destroyed the Post Office claiming the lives of 10 postal department workers. The fragment had been collected by Mr Jack Mulholland, a gunner with No 1 of the 14th AA which was stationed on the old Darwin oval near where the Cenotaph stands today. Unit survivors were delighted to see their banner and relic in pride of place on the rostrum. The banner and relic had been given to Darwin High School for safe keeping and Year 11 student, Kae Jenn Tchia, acted as custodian of the relic during his sojourn in Parliament House. Kae Jenn said he was honoured to be able to look after this very valuable piece of history.
To the delight of the crowd, the Chief Minister, Hon Paul Henderson, invited students, Kae Jenn Tchia, Deni Ranasinghe and Chloe Wallent to help him cut the commemorative cake. At the reception, students assisted the Parliament House catering staff by ensuring veterans had food and drink and finding chairs for them. As she was leaving Parliament House, the Prime Minister, Ms Gillard, invited some Darwin High School students to join her in posing for the assembled media.
At the conclusion of the reception, students moved to the Northern Territory Library where they attended a book launch. Ms Wendy James OAM, herself an evacuee, launched Refugees in their Own Country. The book, written by local author and historian, Janet Dickinson, tells of the difficulties faced by the Darwin evacuees on their arrival in southern cities. Students had the opportunity to talk with many of the evacuees who were present at the launch.
On Monday, 20 February, Sarah Driscoll, Syazwani Russell, Shekira Coonan, Chelsea Buhagiar, Chloe Wallent, Kae Jenn Tchia, Isabella Holzberger, Timika King, Hamish Harty and Daniel Murdoch escorted six busloads of veterans and their carers to the Adelaide River War Cemetery for a commemorative service. The students chatted to the veterans and listened to their stories, which is a wonderful way to learn history - direct from the participants; amazing defenders of Darwin who went through a significant moment in the history of Darwin and a significant personal moment for them.
After the service, students helped veterans locate graves of comrades. Year 11 student, Chloe Wallent found this a very moving experience ...
Mrs SCRYMGOUR: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I move an extension of time for the member to complete his remarks, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr GUNNER: Following the service, the group was taken to the Adelaide River Pub where the students helped staff serve lunch. So efficient was this operation that 100 people were served, ate their meal and had their tables reset within 45 minutes.
After lunch, the group visited the Adelaide River Historic Railway precinct where they enjoyed a wander down memory lane and a cuppa or cool drink served by volunteers, Mrs Nola Smith and Ms Dianne Lunn from Darwin and Ms Gillian Banks from Katherine. The visitors were greeted by Mr Trevor Horman, Chairman of the Friends of the North Australia Railway, a volunteer group which has worked tirelessly over a number of years to restore the Adelaide River railway precinct.
All in all, the Bombing of Darwin commemorative events provided the students with a wonderful opportunity to learn of events that have shaped our history.
Darwin High School is a school of excellence with extraordinary teachers and staff and amazing students. I pay tribute to the students who, essentially, did much of the work outside school hours - eight separate events over that Bombing of Darwin weekend. It really is a testament to the students, staff and teachers that they were able to do that - and do it with aplomb.
Territorians strongly believe education and training should be front and centre of the government’s priorities, as the minister said in his statement. We know that because we talked to Territorians. We conducted an extensive consultation process through Territory 2030 and that was one of the outstanding items. It goes back to our original point about ensuring Territorians have a good education so they can take advantage of opportunities we have in the Territory. That is what we need.
Since 2002, we have employed 407 additional teachers. It is not about the numbers; it is about the outcome and effect of those numbers. We have been able to get student ratios down - essentially, more teachers per student so those students can have a more quality experience with their teacher in their classroom. As I said before, it is something more than just that classroom; it is about the one-on-one conversation the teacher can have with the student. If you have a smaller number in the class, a teacher is better able to manage that workload, have an understanding of the individual students in their care, and have those one-on-one conversations as they need.
Additional support personnel have been engaged as well: counsellors, behavioural management specialists, English as a Second Language specialists, physical education and health specialists, and information technology support. It is all about ensuring the teacher has as much quality time as they can with their students so they get those educational outcomes – they teach their students. It is not about worrying about other things peripheral to that; it is about giving them the support and the classroom sizes they need to ensure our students get the best education possible.
There are challenges in how you teach in the Territory. The member for Arafura, when she has an opportunity to speak, can talk about some of those challenges and sensible solutions. She has an interesting story to tell about how you can adjust the school year to better serve the community you are teaching in.
We also need to make dedicated decisions to devote time and effort to specific results. That is critical. We have been concerned about maths and science in Australia for a long time. In the Territory, we are establishing Centres of Excellence. Centres of Excellence align higher education and the industry sector, and resources and expertise within the industry sector to delivering outcomes - academic career and leadership outcomes - so you can provide that focus and direct that resource to getting a result.
The Darwin High Centre of Excellence is focused on maths, science and engineering. They have an industry partner in ConocoPhillips, and Charles Darwin University as well. Students who aspire to careers in those fields - whether it is engineering, chemical and mechanical, or science and, in the flyer they mentioned biotechnology and forensic science – can, through the school of excellence in those high school years, obtain that outcome. Darwin High, as I have spent a long time saying, is an excellent school which produces excellent results. Giving them a critical area in maths, science and engineering, was a deliberate decision because we know they will produce good results. That is the area where we want and need good results. We need to put more time and effort into maths, science and engineering, and giving that attention to Darwin High means we will get that outcome.
I have spoken a little about making sure kids go to school every day. The statistics in the minister’s statement are quite telling; we are going to get 151 students reengaged with school within the first six months operation of the amendment of the Education Act. We have the No School No Service agreements in place for local businesses in Alice Springs, Peppimenarti, Katherine, Borroloola, Palmerston, Nhulunbuy, Groote Eylandt, Yirrkala, and so on. Kids need to go to school and we need to offer classes that suit their needs. That, essentially, falls into two streams: either the pathway to university or the pathway to trade. We need to ensure we provide the right classes to students and we have the right opportunities available.
The member for Port Darwin was talking about the dust in trade-related classes in high school. It is not my experience; you do not have these benches covered in dust that no one is using. You have students who want to do that, who want to take that opportunity. We provide them that opportunity in our schools. I am finding the right page in the minister’s statement. In 2011, there were almost 2000 students undertaking VET in Schools, with 240 students in the middle years programs, 275 students in the work ready program, and 930 students in structured work placement. In 2012, there will be 191 courses funded at over 60 schools. That is clearly providing those two pathways. It is not my experience we have classrooms full of dusty tarps and no one is using the equipment in them.
We are providing both of those pathways. Whether it is down the route to university or the route to trade school, we are providing those opportunities in our classrooms. That is significant because we need to ensure students go to school every day. We need to ensure when they are at school the school is as good as it can be, we are providing good education, the right choices for them, and what is appropriate to what they want when they emerge. It is not about what we think is best for them, but about making sure we have the right programs for those students so they can take advantage of the opportunities that exist.
Madam Speaker, I commend the minister’s statement. It is an excellent summary of our priority as a government, and what we are doing to ensure education in the Territory is as good as it can be, and that Territory education is going to improve over the next few years. I commend the statement to the House.
Ms SCRYMGOUR (Arafura): Madam Speaker, I support the minister’s statement on education. I was listening to the member for Port Darwin who, at different times, will say: ‘We educated you. We taught you, so education under the CLP cannot have been too bad’. I want to place on the record I owe my education, which I am very grateful for, to a group of Catholic nuns on the Tiwi Islands and in Darwin. They provided me, and many people of my generation, with a very sound education and knew being literate and numerate was very important for our future. How right those old nuns were.
I agree that we need to focus on, and build the capacity of, families. Education, and turning around the attendance of young kids is the responsibility of families, but we need to work with families to get young people to school. The government’s Every Child, Every Day policy goes a long way in trying to turn around some of the issues with attendance. The Minister for Lands and Planning, the member for Barkly, spoke in his contribution about a community in my electorate, Gunbalanya. We have talked about Gunbalanya several times, and I cannot say enough how proud I am of Gunbalanya and the principal of that school, who I am very fortunate to call a friend and mentor. In all the time I have been a member of this Chamber she has been a great mentor to me. I have looked at education through her eyes and the challenges she faces as a principal trying to deliver education in that community.
When I looked at the minister’s statement, I thought about Esther and all the challenges she has as principal in that community and the many substantial changes, reforms and programs which have occurred in our bush communities since 2001. This government can feel very proud of the turnaround it has made since 2001. I know there are members on the other side who think we harp on about the past and are constantly saying the CLP did not do anything. Well, that is the sad truth. When you have decades of neglect in communities, of course it is going to take a decade to turn that around.
I was working in the health sector when the Collins report, Learning Lessons, was provided to the CLP to give it a comprehensive blueprint for getting better education outcomes for Aboriginal kids whether they lived in urban, regional, remote or very remote areas. The lack of commitment from the CLP government to implement those recommendations, particularly the ones that could make a difference in the bush, was contemptuous towards Aboriginal people. It is a bit rich when you hear members on the other side say we should not look at the negativity. Their history and their DNA indicates we should never forget. I often say to people it is important to remain vigilant and look at the history of the CLP and its commitment to education in the bush.
It was a very proud moment when we were elected in 2001. I have said before in this Chamber, it was great for the former members for Stuart and Nhulunbuy, both members for many years and during the time of the Collins report, and the pride they felt that, finally, they were able to give a commitment by government to implement the recommendations of the Learning Lessons report and move education forward. Since 2001, there has been massive reform in education by this government because, as the minister said, it is what a Labor government is all about. It is about building better education for the future of children no matter where they live, whether they are in our cities – it is important we do not neglect young people in our urban areas because the future of the Northern Territory needs to be placed in good hands. It is about all our children, which is what Every Child, Every Day is all about.
The member for Fong Lim was deriding the Building the Education Revolution. I say to the member for Fong Lim, who is often like a big ostrich in this House and constantly has his head buried in the sand, go beyond the Berrimah Line and look at some of the communities. Have a look at what the BER has done for communities like Gunbalanya where, for the first time, with commitment from the Northern Territory government, a fantastic hall has been built. Through the BER and matching funds from the Northern Territory government, they also have a science building in that community. For the first time, through the BER, again with matched funding from the Northern Territory government, they have replaced five classrooms.
While members opposite deride and throw scorn on the BER, they need to look at what that infrastructure program has provided for remote communities. The infrastructure provides pride in communities. I visited Minjilang with Warren Snowdon, federal member for Lingiari, and opened the town hall, which was provided through the BER program. It is not only on school premises and the school has access to the hall, it is also a cyclone shelter for the community. Recently, we saw a cyclone near Crocker Island and that hall provided shelter for that small community of 300 people. When the opposition says the BER was a mess, they need to get out of their ivory castles and visit some of our bush communities to see how good that program was for communities and what it provided. When you look at many of the schools around our urban centres, the BER program has provided complementary infrastructure.
When I started this speech I said the one person I admired - I asked Esther if I could read a speech she had written in 2004 for a presentation to the Education department in looking at what needed to be done with the building blocks in communities. She called it Education and Literacy for Governance – A Community’s View ...
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Arafura, forgive the interruption. It being 5:30 pm, in accordance with Standing Order 93, debate will be suspended and General Business will now have precedence over Government Business until 9 pm. Member for Arafura, you will have the opportunity tomorrow to resume your remarks.
Debate adjourned.
MOTION
Mental Healthcare and Women’s Health – Resourcing and Priorities
Mental Healthcare and Women’s Health – Resourcing and Priorities
Ms PURICK (Goyder): Madam Deputy Speaker, I move - That the Northern Territory government be condemned for its lack of resources and priority to mental healthcare across the Territory with reference to the following:
- (a) lack of research in mental healthcare;
(b) lack of policies addressing women’s health and mental health; and
(c) lack of resources to support women’s health centres including emergency support accommodation.
Mental health is a big area, and while I know the government provides good services and programs to assist, it is not enough and sometimes the allocation of funding becomes blurred under the general health budget areas. There is no doubt this is a subject given one in five Australians will experience mental illness. If we have 25 members in this House, five of us have either experienced or have a mental health illness perhaps requiring medical treatment, perhaps not. Maybe it is fewer people affected, maybe it is more. This startling fact comes from the Mental Health Research Institute based in Melbourne. Another startling fact is 20% of Australians experience symptoms of a mental disorder in any one year. Severe mental illnesses are less prevalent and affect around 2.5% of the population at any one time.
It is estimated the annual cost of mental illness in Australia is approximately $20bn, which includes the cost from loss of productivity and participation in the workforce. It follows then, that improving mental health can lead to social and economic benefits to everyone within the community. It is an issue that is quickly becoming higher on everyone’s agenda, including government, as more and more people experience problems in their lives that fall under the heading of mental disorders or mental illnesses.
The personal effect on people is the main issue of concern; however, there are other associated issues which include: the impact on families; the cost on society, both financially and socially; the impact on workplaces; and the impact on government and its ability and capacity to deal with the issues.
In the Territory, we have additional issues and problems with our widespread population, high level of social and health problems in remote communities, and the capacity of government and non-government organisations to deliver services to those in need in a timely manner, given location, communication challenges and, at times, the climate and inability to access communities.
From my time on the select committee addressing the issue of youth suicide in the Territory, it is clear from submissions and meetings with people the service and care industry for this complex health area is fractured, and possibly missing the mark in some cases, through no fault of the people. It is more because the problems are so vast, so widespread, so complex and, at times, so inadequately resourced by governments - and that includes the Commonwealth government. I suggest there is a lack of coordination at the highest levels and, as a consequence, there is a patchwork of provider’s investment in funding, energies, programs, and services rather than a coordinated Territory effort to address agreed priorities.
The delivery of programs is not seamless and, from my research and observations, we need to work better to produce a well-connected mental healthcare system that will require better coordination and collaboration from all stakeholders.
There have been many parliamentary inquires around the country and independent reviews, more so in the last five to 10 years, on mental health. One of the key outcomes of those reviews is that governments have to change how they respond to mental health in society. While in the past, and even currently, there is much good work being done, and there are many positives resulting from the hard work of many people, we need to think a little differently in addressing the seemingly difficult issues of mental illness and mental disorders.
For example, what work or research is being done to make assistance and treatment more accessible to Territorians through technology, arts, and changes in care? If we look at the Canadian experience, they are thinking outside the box and delivering positive results. There are real case studies on YouTube to help people understand they are not alone. There is the use of apps on iPhones, iPads and iPods, for example. Apps have been developed for people to learn more about mental illness, track moods, and help them with exercise. Some of the apps come with audio, which talks people through a panic attack, for example. While the apps can be good, they are not a replacement for traditional medical support; however, they play a role in today’s society. I ask the minister if his department is undertaking any work in regard to the promotion of these tools that appeal to young people particularly.
Another Canadian experience is the use of technology to help people in rural and remote places. Many of our communities are remote and, sadly, where there is often great need in the mental health area. They call it telepsychiatry, and it allows medical people to use video technology to consult people and provide the medical support they would not receive or would have to travel many hours, if not days, to receive. Has the government done any research in this area? Has the government done any work, in partnership with other agencies, on the use of comics to get a message through to young people, particularly in the bush, as has been done before, very successfully, with voting and encouraging people to use condoms?
I am interested to hear how government goes about providing a mental healthcare system that provides medical attention when people need it, superior treatment, and seamless coordination between the primary care doctor and the specialist. I am interested to know what this government is doing to address these key issues and how it proposes to strengthen the capacity to deliver better and more services to address mental health issues in our Territory. What are the programs for promotion and prevention, including suicide prevention? When you provide details, as I know you can and will, how are you measuring the success of these programs? What tools will be used to measure outcomes of these programs? What work has been done on school-based early intervention programs? I know about KidsMatter and MindMatters. Why are these programs not in all Territory schools?
I know the Menzies School of Health Research undertakes a considerable level of research on mental health matters, and much of it is from the direction of government. What research is being undertaken by other agencies? What has the engagement been with the Mental Health Foundation, the Mental Health Institute and, of recent times, what is the Northern Territory’s role and involvement in the recently established National Mental Health Commission?
I have not addressed women’s health issues and specific mental health and emergency support accommodation, as they can be wrapped up together - and that is what I have done today. People with mental illnesses are amongst the most socially disadvantaged and economically marginalised in our communities. Many are not in the labour force and are unlikely to enter it. People suffering from mental health illnesses need good medical care, stable housing by linking them with personal support services, have improved pathways, and have links with all programs that work towards putting them on the best possible track to recovery. Also, not forgetting the carers, who need support and respite also. I wonder if there is accurate data on the extent of people caring for those in our community with mental illnesses.
This is an important motion and I genuinely want to hear from the minister exactly what work and, more importantly, what research is being undertaken in the area of mental health. What is the real allocation of funding to the area of mental health in urban and remote areas? Exactly what is the state of mental health illness and care in the Territory? If we take the recognised national figure of one in five people suffer from mental illness or disorders in any year, and given the Territory’s population, we have 40 000 people in need each year. Is this the true picture? What work has been done in ascertaining whether this is an accurate figure? Perhaps it is higher.
The National Action Plan on Mental Health, which the Northern Territory government participated in from 2006-11, outlined four key action areas which were: promotion, prevention and early intervention; integrating and improving the care system; participation in the community; and employment, including accommodation and coordinating care. I am interested to know how much money was spent in each of these areas and how that spending compares, per capita, to what was spent in the states.
Madam Speaker, this is an important motion and a huge and complex area of healthcare. I am concerned there is no strong strategy or programs coordinated across the Territory, and that not enough research is being undertaken or promoted by government so that proper decisions can be based on evidence and facts. I look forward to the minister’s response.
Mr VATSKALIS (Health): Madam Speaker, this motion seeks to imply there is a lack of resources and priority given to mental healthcare across the Territory. It seeks to develop this argument by drawing reference to specific issues relating to research; policies addressing women’s health and mental health; support for women’s health services, including emergency support accommodation; and prioritising the resources for mental health services. The motion, as stated, is not correct and will not be supported.
Mental health is a national priority area and a priority for the Northern Territory government. Mental health is a serious issue across Australia. It is one of the leading causes of non-fatal burden of disease and injury in Australia. It is associated with increased exposure to health risk factors, poorer physical health and higher rates of death from many causes, including suicide. Mental health problems are responsible for a large proportion of disability cases, incur high direct and indirect costs, result in high numbers of hospitalisations, and impose a heavy burden of human suffering, including stigmatisation of people with mental disorders and their families.
Mental health disorders are believed to be more prevalent among residents of rural or remote areas than those in metropolitan areas, and for people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent. Mental health was declared a priority area for the Northern Territory government in 2003 and has been a focus for Labor. Where has the opposition been for the last nine years?
Since 2003, the process of appropriately funding and building a more comprehensive mental health system has commenced. Funding for mental health services has increased from $21.8m in 2003-04 to $47.9m in 2011-12. This funding has been invested in a program of reform to modernise the approach to client care and build a system with a capacity to provide an appropriate range of service options.
The following improvements made to the mental health service system are directly attributable to the Northern Territory government’s increased investment since 2003:
we have established the mental health program as a high priority program with a dedicated director and increased funding;
` we have expanded acute assessment and after-hours services;
we have placed an increased focus on safety and quality initiatives, including accreditation and workforce development and training. We have implemented a successful Northern Territory-wide mental health service Australian Council on Healthcare Standards accreditation;
during these sittings amendments were made to the Mental Health and Related Services Act to improve services to Territorians in need;
we have established sub-acute services to people in their own accommodation in Darwin and Alice Springs, and commissioned an eight bed sub-acute facility in Darwin;
under successive Labor governments we have seen the implementation of early intervention initiatives, including the establishment of headspace Top End and headspace Central Australia, and establishment of primary health clinics within public mental health services in Darwin and Alice Springs. Further developments in information management to increase capacity to monitor service performance and quality will assist those who need support;
development of a secure care initiative Tier 1, which includes an additional 11 acute mental health beds - five in Darwin and six in Alice Springs - for special needs groups such as young people, mothers and babies and elderly people. Acute assessment stabilisation will also be provided to young people and people with a cognitive disability. New secure care beds will be commissioned early in 2012;
development of a Northern Territory-wide 24-hour telephone triage service and increased community response capacity in Darwin which commenced in June 2011;
Northern Territory government and Australian government joint funding of implementation of the National Perinatal Depression Initiative in the Territory to provide increased awareness, universal screening and access to treatment for women at risk of mental illness during pregnancy and the first year after birth;
as well as these funding initiatives we have made significant investment in mental health research. The Northern Territory has been a signatory and partner to the National Mental Health Strategy since its inception in 1992. Over this time, there have been four national mental health plans, all of which have included components designed to encourage and promote research and innovation, both nationally and locally.
Capacity to independently undertake or lead research is sometimes a factor for a small jurisdiction such as the Territory. Nevertheless, there are many examples of research being undertaken locally with active involvement by Territory-based staff and researchers. Mental health services in the Territory actively support and encourage research and innovation in mental healthcare within the Territory context wherever possible. There are many examples of past and current research initiatives which attest to substantial research activity in the following areas:
seclusion reduction research;
The Northern Territory has participated in national benchmarking activities and research conducted locally by perinatal mental health services. Staff-generated research on a range of topics supported by the mental health program included research focused on:
investigating the therapeutic value of interventions, in particular, the introduction of a 24-hour Northern Territory-wide telephone triage and a response service;
exploration of culturally appropriate response modules to provide psychological support for people affected by trauma;
investigation into the educational needs and support deficits of remote medical practitioners and remote area nurses in Central Australia working with mental health clients;
research into re-admission prevention in Ward 1 of Alice Springs Hospital;
metabolic screening project focused on developing and delivering education on metabolic syndrome, implementation of screening tools and guidelines;
research into Indigenous women’s experience of an acute mental health inpatient unit;
research evaluation of the whole-of-government approach to suicide prevention undertaken by a PhD student under the auspices of the Menzies School of Health Research; and
a two-year clinical supervision research project and implementation resulting in the establishment of staff training, clinical supervision policy, and protocols.
The second issue referred to in the member for Goyder’s motion is policies addressing women’s health and mental health in the Northern Territory. Generally speaking, the mental health program provides services on the basis of assessment against established legislative and diagnostic criteria rather than gender. Nevertheless, in providing a satisfactory response to the inpatient or the community, every effort is made to allocate an appropriate staff member to an individual’s care. Wherever possible, a female clinician will be involved in a female client’s care. In an inpatient setting, every effort is made to ensure vulnerable female patients are managed in accordance with stringent procedures to ensure they are protected from exploitation or harm. Once again, every effort is made to ensure female nursing staff are available to address any gender-specific matters which might arise during a woman’s admission.
Examples of specific policies and services addressing the needs of women currently provided include guidelines for the safe care of mothers and babies in the mental health unit to provide appropriate guidance to staff caring for a mother who has a mental disorder and her child. New beds established in Darwin and Alice Springs will provide capacity to manage women and babies in a separate and more appropriate part of the hospital in order to provide such care.
As mentioned earlier, perinatal mental health services were formally launched in the Territory in November 2009. These services are designed to improve the prevention and early detection of antenatal and postnatal depression and provide better care, support and treatment for expectant and new mothers experiencing perinatal depression. Special support for primary health professionals and referral pathways for women requiring special intervention care have now been created through the establishment of a small multidisciplinary specialist perinatal mental health team based in Darwin. Services provided directly, or supported by this team, include:
routine and universal screening for perinatal depression;
follow-up support and care for women assessed as being at risk or experiencing prenatal depression;
workforce retraining;
development of health professionals working with women experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, perinatal depression;
research and data collection, including the collection of data and analysis and translation of the Edinburgh Depression Scale into Indigenous languages; and
community awareness activities related to the importance of detection, treatment and management of perinatal depression.
The mental health program has a limited role in women’s policy issues. However, the Northern Territory government has a dedicated Minister for Women’s Policy to oversee the development of women’s policy, including policy pertaining to mental health issues specific to women, and a dedicated officer to pursue this work. The Department of Health has a Women’s Health Strategy Unit which was established to: inform policy development in relation to women’s health issues in the Northern Territory; set strategic directions in relation to women’s health issues in the Northern Territory; facilitate action, in partnership with stakeholders, to develop and implement best practice models that improve women’s health; and where broad women’s health policy issues require specific advice or input from a mental health perspective, this is provided by the mental health program on request.
The final issue referred to in the member for Goyder’s motion is resources to support women’s health centres, including emergency support accommodation. The Department of Children and Families has committed funding to support the establishment and operation of 20 safe places in 15 remote communities across the Northern Territory, including two urban houses. Safe places aim to provide increased safety options in remote communities by providing safe houses for women and children, and a cooling down place for men and youths.
Safe places are more than crisis accommodation services. Their primary function within the community is to serve as a hub for family violence, education and intervention. The safe places in remote communities employ local people and are a place of respite and support for women and children escaping violence. Safe places are available to the community 24/7 through the use of a full-time and casual workforce. Safe places also work closely with police, night patrols and clinics, and provide regular activities and community education programs that relate to strengthening community safety and families.
Women with mental health issues accessing these services may, from time to time, require the support or intervention of mental health services while residing in such accommodation. Existing mental health clinic services are accessible 24-hours a day, 365 days a year, to women’s health centres or associated emergency accommodation services by contacting 1800 NTCATT, the 24-hour Northern Territory-wide telephone triage service.
As you can see, it is this Northern Territory Labor government which has shown the initiative and laid down the dollars to provide resources and priority to mental healthcare across the Territory.
Madam Deputy Speaker, mental health is a national health priority area, and a priority for the Northern Territory government.
Ms PURICK (Goyder): Madam Deputy Speaker, I thank the minister for his comments. It is heartening to hear the level of research being undertaken. However, given the seriousness of the issue, there is still more work to be done because it is such a complex and complicated area. Many people put much work and time into trying to understand mental illness and disorders. As I said, I genuinely wanted to find out more because there is more we need to do to keep our Territory people - young, old and in between - in a state of wellbeing. I thank the minister for his comments.
Motion negatived.
MOTION
Postpone General Business – Failure by Government to Address Indigenous Affairs
Postpone General Business – Failure by Government to Address Indigenous Affairs
Mr GILES (Braitling): Madam Deputy Speaker, I seek to remove this matter from the Notice Paper.
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! I seek clarification. Will this whole motion now be removed from the Notice Paper? Is that correct? It will not be moved; it is not reordering it? Madam Deputy Speaker, that is extraordinary ...
Mr GILES: Clarification, Madam Deputy Speaker: it is to place it at the end of the list.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: You are not withdrawing this from the Notice Paper?
Mr GILES: No, I meant to put it to back of the list, Madam Deputy Speaker.
Dr BURNS: Madam Deputy Speaker, I am glad we have clarified that. I question why this motion is being moved tonight. It is very important motion. Some from our side were keen to speak on it. One wonders whether it could have anything to do with the adjournment I gave last night. Could it be the member for Macdonnell is not keen to have a further discussion on Indigenous affairs ...
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Leader of Government Business, I have been advised that the member needs to move to have the motion postponed.
Mr GILES: Madam Deputy Speaker, I move that the motion be postponed.
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! Am I allowed to speak to this motion?
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Let me seek some advice on this given the motion is about to be put. I am just going to seek clarification.
Yes, you can put the motion, member for Braitling. However, as with any other motion, it can still go to debate before the question is put. You have moved to postpone the motion so it is open to debate.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! Does the member for Braitling wish to speak to his motion first? He should be afforded that opportunity.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: That would be the order if the member for Braitling had moved the motion to postpone then wanted to make comment in opening the debate. You are not obliged to, member for Braitling.
Mr GILES: Madam Deputy Speaker, the reason I am seeking to postpone this debate is we have had a great deal of debate over Indigenous affairs recently. This morning I approached the minister and advised her I would be seeking to postpone this motion to a later date. We have debated Indigenous affairs a great deal over the last week and a bit, and, whilst the debate will always be continuing in most of the things we do, I would like to have the debate later.
Dr BURNS (Leader of Government Business): Madam Deputy Speaker, I reluctantly support the member for Braitling; it is his motion and if he wants to move it down the list he can. However, I express some hurt or reservation about this. The opposition has loaded up the General Business Day Notice Paper with a series of motions - which is fair enough, that is its prerogative.
In November last year, I was speaking about Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory and had 10 minutes with another 15 minutes in continuation. Because there is so much on the Notice Paper, that very important debate - as members know there is a Senate inquiry and it is certainly topical – was moved down to the bottom of a Notice Paper with about 12 different motions. I had prepared a great deal of material for that, some I used in adjournment last night. I have a great deal more, particularly about education and Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory.
We have another important debate - the assertion by the opposition that government has failed in Indigenous affairs over the last 11 years. The minister had prepared for that debate and now it is postponed. Knowing the member for Braitling is so keen on Indigenous affairs - he does much hard work - I would say he had prepared solidly for this. It does not ring true for the member for Braitling to say: ‘Oh, we have had enough over the last week, let us call it quits’.
This is a crucial issue for the people of the Northern Territory, particularly Indigenous people. I cannot help but think the content of the adjournment - I have a great deal more. This is a very good book with a real wealth of anecdotes, chronicles and narratives which go to the heart of Indigenous affairs and where the opposition stands on Indigenous affairs. Unlike the media, which has asserted: ‘Well, what the member for Johnston said last night we knew; it was said when the CLP was in government and there is nothing new there’. I assert there is a great deal of new material in this book - a great deal of very damaging material, particularly for the member for Macdonnell. There is material about price gouging in stores. That is topical because it is all about Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory and the intervention of Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory on community stores. Education is front and centre in Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory, and I am going to have a little to say about Ms Diane de Vere and the goings on at Papunya School, as related in this book.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I feel a little shortchanged now that the member has decided to withdraw this motion. I do not know what pressure he has come under, but he has. I always look forward to the contributions of the member for Braitling. SIHIP is a very important element of Indigenous affairs. We debated that and I have acknowledged it is a program which got off to a very bad start but is delivering goods. I feel a little shortchanged over this, nevertheless, I am not going to oppose the motion. I agree to it and we can move on to General Business.
Mr GILES (Braitling): Madam Deputy Speaker, it is very sad to see the minister feels shortchanged. I have a dollar in my pocket, minister - $2. There has been no pressure. We have debated many of these issues. I presented to the minister for Indigenous affairs today and advised her I would be making this change. We could go on talking about SIHIP and education - many things. I am sure these issues will arise in discussions on other topics on the Notice Paper. These policy debates will continue over many days. In that debate I would have covered SIHIP and the 65 houses out of 85 in Alice Springs town camps, the rectification works and the budget. What is the budget called - not the defects budget?
Dr Burns: The contingency budget.
Mr GILES: Yes, the contingency budget, thank you, minister. I would have asked questions about that and why Territory taxpayers have to pay for repairs and, if they are paying for repairs, how big the contingency bucket is and what responsibility the contractors should have for the repairs. I would have asked those types of questions. I would have also asked about core filling of the 85 houses and why, when the walls were put up, the cores were only filled part of the way to save money for the contractors. I would have talked about that, but we will save that for another day, minister.
Dr Burns: I hope you have the X-rays for that. You have pictures of everything else.
Members interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Mr GILES: I got it from your staff in Alice.
Dr Burns: You will need X-rays.
Mr GILES: Madam Deputy Speaker, I put the motion.
Motion agreed to.
MOTION
Storm Water Drains – Cleaning to Prevent Flooding
Storm Water Drains – Cleaning to Prevent Flooding
Mr TOLLNER (Fong Lim): Madam Deputy Speaker, I move – That this Assembly urges the Henderson Labor government to immediately clean storm water drains in order to mitigate flooding around Darwin.
This might seem like a benign motion and something that is rather fiddly. The Leader of Government Business talked about peccadilloes, this might seem like a peccadillo - a small trivial matter to some people. Indeed, the interesting thing about storm water drains is, if they are working properly, no one realises they are around. It is only when storm water drains become clogged and are not working people notice a problem.
I have to admit, when I became involved in this Legislative Assembly I was not prepared for some of the things that would be coming my way as a member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly. I was contacted by people in my electorate about flooding matters, something I had never had to deal with in the federal parliament. I started to take an interest in what people were saying.
Needless to say, things really did not strike home until I was walking back from the Shiers Street units, which the Leader of Government Business knows well - he has been there several times. In fact, I have been there several times with him and I pay tribute to him, as Housing minister, for doing his bit trying to fix the place up. It is not letting you off the hook, minister, because there are still many problems in that block of units, as you well know. I am glad to say you are aware of them and are doing what you can to fix issues. With a different government, there would be a greater drive to fix problems in those units. In any case, I thank the minister for taking an interest in that.
I was walking back from those units to my office one day, and saw a bunch of workmen putting a cap on a storm water drain manhole. I pulled up and spoke to the fellows, asked them how they were going. They had a concrete mixer, one fellow was down a hole and there were a couple of fellows mixing concrete, putting up formwork and all the things you do to replace a cap. Someone had obviously driven a truck over the cap and busted it and they were fixing it. I looked inside this manhole and asked: ‘Is this a Telstra manhole?’ They said: ‘No, it is a storm water drain’. I said: ‘Right, where are the drains?’ They said: ‘No, the drains are clogged. There are four drains there and it was a junction’. The drains were probably 1.5 ft across and all four of the pipes were completely clogged. I said to the fellows: ‘When you have fixed the cap I take it you will be cleaning out these drains?’ They said: ‘No, our contract is to fix this manhole and put a new cap on it’. I said: ‘Who is going to fix the drains?’ They looked at me said: ‘We don’t know; we have no idea. That is not our job, we are just contracted to fix the cap’.
I was aware there were problems with flooding in that area. Dwyer Park is there and members who previously had that in their electorate would know that park floods every Wet Season.
I took some interest in the fact these drains were clogged. In fact, I know of stories where former member, Matthew Bonson, was aware of it. Before him, member Phil Mitchell - he had a photograph of himself standing almost waist deep in water on Dwyer Park one Wet Season, a particularly bad year for flooding. The former Chief Minister, Clare Martin, lives on the next street around. There has been much flooding in that park.
At council level, they tried to address the flooding by spending quite a bit of money putting levy banks through the park to stop the water flowing into it.
I was interested in the fact these drains were completely and totally clogged so I started making some inquires. I have to say, working out who had responsibility for this drain was not an easy task. I would ring the council and they would say: ‘No, we do not own any storm water drains, they are the property of the Northern Territory government’. I would ring the Department of Construction and Infrastructure and ask them. ‘They are nothing to do with us, that is a council matter - talk to council’. Even to the point where people were saying: ‘That is a Commonwealth matter because it is a drain that comes off the RAAF Base’. You need to talk to people on the RAAF Base because that drain, somehow, is the property of the Commonwealth.
We have a situation which I imagine goes back several years - I am not having a crack at the current government for this, but there seemed to be to be real lack of information about whose responsibility it was to maintain these drains. However, after a long process of trying to find out whose drains they were we found out, in this case, the Northern Territory government was responsible. Once we found that out it was a simple matter of getting onto them and kicking up a stink.
I do not know if some of the government departments are a bit wary of me, but I find when I make a phone call to them they are very responsive. I do not know whether they think I might drag them off to A Current Affair, or some minister will come down on them if they do not respond. However, they were very good and very quick in responding. Those drains were cleaned out. That was probably about two years ago.
Since that time, Dwyer Park has not flooded - it has been amazing. The drains I am talking about go into Sadgroves Creek and into the harbour. They are quite important drains because they take much of the water off the RAAF Base. Because that drain was clogged, the water coming off the RAAF Base, instead of flowing through the drain, would flow through the Winnellie Shopping Centre. The Winnellie Shopping Centre car park was often 1.5 ft deep in water. Then, you have all the problems that come with having water in a car park. The car park was full of potholes and was always very poorly maintained. It is very difficult to maintain a car park when, every year, you have water coming through and flooding it. Many problems were caused by one clogged drain.
Seeing the results of having the drains cleaned out and water flowing into our harbour, and the fact this last Wet Season has not been a particularly harsh Wet Season - everybody would agree it has been a very dry Wet Season in the Top End. However, in the previous one there was much rain and Dwyer Park did not flood. It is the first time in a very long time that park has not flooded. I was scratching my head thinking: ‘Goodness me, how crazy it is that council would be putting levy banks in at Dwyer Park, our car park had to be resurfaced every couple of years because of flooding through the Winnellie shops, when it was simply a matter of cleaning out the storm water drains’.
That has put me on a bit of a crusade to get drains cleaned out. There is a big drain at the back of Ludmilla Primary School. In fact, it is a huge junction of drains. The area goes to the back of Ludmilla Primary School and right at the end of Racecourse Creek are four or five massive drains probably 1 m in diameter each. If you go there in the Dry Season you can see water covering at least half those drains. The point is, whilst we have these big drains, nothing is draining from there.
If you go back several decades before much of the development occurred in Darwin, Racecourse Creek and Sadgroves Creek were joined. It is a very low area right through Ludmilla, The Narrows and parts of Winnellie. It is only over the years we have seen land built up and reclaimed. However, Racecourse Creek is probably wrongly named, because it became a drain when those five big pipes were put in place. They drain almost the entire RAAF Base - right out into the northern suburbs flows out of those four or five giant storm water drains.
In the 1960s, Interconstruction Enterprises, the company that rebuilt Bagot Road, was given an extra contract to extend those drains to where they are, and those outlets were built. Racecourse Creek or Ludmilla Creek was excavated and turned into a big drain. At the time the Commonwealth Department of Works was involved in the Northern Territory and it had given approval to fill in the deep gully at St John’s College and create its football field. They used earthworks to fill up what is behind Ludmilla Primary School now, and Richardson Park, and a heap of work was done there. Peter LaPira Senior and another fellow, Joe Vogliotti, were very much involved. It was a real community project. I am informed the Bishop at the time, Bishop John O’Loughlin, said a Mass for Peter LaPira and Joe Vogliotti for the contribution they made to the earthworks and land reclamation in Darwin.
Back in those days there seemed to be - so I am told - a much greater community involvement with government departments than exists today. Who knows why that has changed? It is sad we do not utilise the resources in our community the way they did in years gone by. Then again, maybe people are far too busy with their day-to-day jobs to have time to volunteer in the capacity they did then.
I am informed the last time Racecourse Creek was cleaned out was in the late 1960s. Since then, Racecourse Creek has filled up with silt, there are now mangroves, a range of tea trees and pandanus and, to all intents and purposes, it is a beautiful, pristine environment in the middle of Darwin.
The Ludmilla Creek Landcare Group does a fabulous job around that area ensuring the place is clean and trees are planted. Only a couple of weekends ago I was out with that group planting trees along Racecourse Creek. Any suggestion of cleaning out Racecourse Creek or running an excavator through it meets with a certain amount of hostility by the Ludmilla Creek Landcare Group because it is a beautiful pristine piece of environment. The worst thing anyone can do is call it a drain. There is a community focus and a sense of ownership of that land, which is a great thing.
Having said that, I also recognise there is a need to clean the creek out. If the minister has done his homework on this - and I am sure he has - he would have found government late last year issued a tender for work to be done on Racecourse Creek. I applaud the government for taking that initiative; it has been a bold initiative. It is not easy to face a group of community-minded citizens and say: ‘We have to find an entrance and we are going to stick an excavator down this beautiful creek you tend and care for so much’. I am saddened there seems to have been some problems in issuing that tender. There is a dispute about the contract, which has held up works at that site.
I understand these things happen. Not everything runs perfectly to plan and I do not hold the minister accountable for those problems. I am not holding this government accountable for the lack of action which has occurred on drains, because this is an issue which precedes this government and other governments. In the case of Ludmilla Creek, the last time it was cleaned was in 1968, or thereabouts. We are talking 40-odd years ago since there has been any action and, to blame this government for work that should have been undertaken on a regular basis 40 years ago, would be to draw a long bow.
Minister, I am not having a crack at the government with this motion. I am asking the government to look at storm water drains because I have seen, in a small way in The Narrows, simply cleaning out a couple of pipes that are about 1.5 ft in diameter, maybe less, has an enormous impact on reducing flooding in Dwyer Park. There is enormous opportunity where government can be saving a fortune every year. Every Wet Season, you drive down Bagot Road and at some stage it is flooded. In so many cases that flooding could be avoided if we spend some money cleaning out storm water drains.
I also acknowledge there are arguments where people say: ‘In the Wet Season you have a big downpour and a king tide - the water is not going to drain away’. Well, that is true, but eventually the tide goes out and, when the tide goes out, the city should drain out. Anyone who has lived in the Top End for some time knows, in a big downpour, no matter how big your drains are, they are never going to have the capacity to clear all the water. For people living in Darwin, intermittent flooding is a reality of life. The point is, when the weather dries up and the tide goes out, Darwin should drain. There should not be water sitting around. If you go to the back of Ludmilla Primary School in the Dry Season and see the drains are half full of water, that is telling you there is a problem - it is not draining out.
In this case, I acknowledge the department is onto it and, after 40-odd years, we are going to see Racecourse Creek cleaned up and, hopefully, the beautiful environment will not be too disturbed. However, at the end of the day that is the price we have to pay if we want to have good roads, good infrastructure and all that type of thing.
Not only is there money to be saved by government in reducing road maintenance costs, there is also money to be saved in the community with things like the Winnellie shops. It would save an enormous amount of money not having to reseal the car park every couple of years. I am sure there are other parts of Darwin like that.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I implore the government to take this motion seriously. It is not a rap over the knuckles, it is simply a strong request that government look at the storm water drains in Darwin. It is not a sexy issue, I understand that - you get more bang for your buck in other areas if you want to be political. However, there are not too many areas that can be fixed as cheaply and, at the end of the day, we will save the community so much money. I ask the government to respond to the motion and at least give some indication there will be a commitment to at least investigate what is going on with storm water drains in Darwin.
Mr McCARTHY (Lands and Planning): Madam Deputy Speaker, at the outset I am a little disappointed the debate on Indigenous affairs issues throughout the Northern Territory did not go ahead. I am a little confused because I know members on this side had prepared for that debate, such an important debate, and the shadow for Indigenous affairs from the Country Liberal Party pulled the debate ...
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! Relevance. This has nothing to do with the motion before the House. I ask you to draw the minister’s attention to the issue around drains the member for Fong Lim raised rather than wax lyrical about issues that have already been before this House and set aside for another time.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: I do not believe there is a point of order ...
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker!
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Excuse me. I am talking to the first point of order, member for Fong Lim.
Given there is so often latitude in debates, the minister has risen to his feet and is making opening remarks. Before you jumped to make a point of order I was going to ask the member for Barkly if he could come to the point quickly and address the motion before the House.
Mr McCARTHY: I would like to refer to the member for Greatorex, who continually challenges us about our workload in this House. I am delivering for government in response to the member for Fong Lim ...
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The time for debate was when the member for Braitling moved the motion. Indeed, the Leader of Government Business spoke to that motion. There was ample opportunity for the member for Barkly to make comments in that debate. We have since moved on to an area that is very important to me personally, and my constituents, and it would be wonderful if the minister could turn his mind to that.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister for Lands and Planning, if you could come to the subject of the motion, please.
Mr McCARTHY: Madam Deputy Speaker, knowing the members for Greatorex and Braitling are such great mates collegially, and the member for Greatorex continually reminds us about our workload in this House, I was quite surprised this debate, which is an important debate ...
Mr STYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! My understanding is we are dealing with item 3 from Mr Tollner to move that this Assembly urges the Henderson government to immediately clean storm water drains. I thought that was the item being debated tonight, not the matter Mr Giles raised.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, if you could come to the motion, please.
Mr McCARTHY: Madam Speaker, I would like to say there is always so much latitude in this House, but this is an important debate the member for Fong Lim has brought. It seems the CLP is prepared to use latitude but not prepared to allow anyone else to - a bit one-sided, I suggest.
Mr STYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I thought it was up to you to make observations about the latitude given to each member. What I am hearing - and I am trying to listen to the debate - is a lecture on the decisions you make, Madam Speaker. I ask you to ask the minister to come back to the motion in question.
Madam SPEAKER: I do not believe the minister was reflecting on the Chair. Minister, can you please come to the item before us, which is No 3: that this Assembly urges the Henderson Labor government to immediately clean storm water drains in order to mitigate flooding around Darwin. Minister, you have the call.
Mr McCARTHY: Madam Speaker, it achieved the reaction I was looking for.
The member for Fong Lim shared many good stories about drains. I would like to respond by saying I am a bit of an expert on drains and am learning all about Darwin drains. I know about Tennant Creek drains; however, I grew up in the western suburbs of Greenacre, Sydney, which was between the Enfield brickworks, the Rocla pipe works and the Enfield marshalling yards. That was an extensive network of drains, and we grew up in the brick pit, in the drains, and explored that area.
I get it, member for Fong Lim; I understand what you are talking about. However, in relation to the motion, there is real bipartisanship because we are both talking about the same thing. I cannot agree with the semantics because we are talking about what the Northern Territory government is already doing. Also, we have a good example of an MLA reporting important aspects of storm water maintenance in his electorate on behalf of his constituents for the management of Territory government assets and, of course, council assets - that is an important point - which is great bipartisanship.
I say to the member for Fong Lim, my door is always open. He made a comment about ringing the department and getting a positive response. That is the way we do business; we are on the same page here.
When a GBD motion comes before the House, members of government work diligently to prepare for that debate. I did likewise. I have three items I have been preparing for. That means working with the departments, with experts in the field, learning every step of the way, and delivering for Territorians. That is the business of government. The touchy business over the other side, and the interjections – well, that is interesting. However, let us stay on track, member for Barkly, let us stay on track.
The Territory government has had a long maintenance program in place for storm water drains across Darwin, Palmerston, Katherine, Tennant Creek, and Alice Springs. It is important to note in Darwin and Palmerston in particular, about 60% of all drainage infrastructure is owned and managed by the City of Darwin, and the City of Palmerston. That 60% includes much of the underground network, most of the grass drains throughout the suburbs of Palmerston, including Durack golf course, and the large drains in The Garden’s golf course and Vesteys Beach. Therefore, this area is not the sole responsibility of the Territory government, as rightly pointed out by the member for Fong Lim when he talked about the Shiers Street drains – the junction he became familiar with. That was a great response. It was good to hear he had spoken to the contractors, did his research, contacted the department, found out who is responsible, and the response facilitated a great outcome with those drains being cleared.
In speaking about the drains this government is responsible for, I can advise the Department of Lands and Planning routinely identifies drains for repair and maintenance work. More than $5.4m has been budgeted in 2011-12 to maintain storm water drains on Crown land and Northern Territory owned road reserves. That is a very strong commitment from this government to the ongoing maintenance of storm water drains. It is, by the way, a 50% increase on the previous financial year. That relates to the 1-in-100 and 1-in-1000 year weather events we have been seeing in Darwin which have influenced government spending and allocation of important funds towards maintaining storm water drains on Crown lands and Northern Territory owned road reserves. As is appropriate, these works are prioritised for delivery, taking into account issues such as the impact on the adjoining property or the scale of works required. With the Territory entering an incredible period of growth, it is appropriate to consider some of the newer suburbs as well.
Member for Fong Lim, it is not just about existing drains and maintenance programs, it is also about the important planning that goes into storm water drainage on new subdivisions, on industrial subdivisions, and on new country opened up by the Northern Territory government. One of the key ways the government is gearing up for Territory growth is through our record land release program. Members should be aware of the incredible development at Palmerston East ...
Mr Styles: A record? Yes, a bad record.
Mr McCARTHY: I will pick up on the interjection from the member for Sanderson. He has not taken my advice and visited Palmerston East. He, obviously, does not understand the level of work going on out there in record land release programs. I have not seen him in Tennant Creek looking at our land release, or Kilgariff at the work going on there. I did not bump into him in Katherine either. However, he regularly interjects with the same line - uninformed gossip, no substance. I again encourage him to visit Palmerston East and look at what is going on in Johnston, Johnston Stage 2, and Zuccoli. He needs to be informed, as an MLA, to participate in a good debate the member for Fong Lim has brought to this House.
With more than 1600 lots coming online across Bellamack, Johnston, and Stage 1 of Zuccoli, significant work is being undertaken to ensure the new subdivisions deliver an appropriate level of essential services. That, rightly, includes the construction of adequate and appropriate storm water drainage. These new drains will become the jurisdiction of the City of Palmerston - that is how the system works. As more subdivisions come online as a result of our record land release program, government will continue to support this level of infrastructure development and delivery.
Ongoing maintenance of open drains within the urban areas of Darwin and Palmerston is undertaken as part of a grounds maintenance contract. Depending on the nature of the drain, this may include mowing, rubbish removal and/or clearing of debris such as vegetation in the drains. Just as there are a number of agencies responsible for drain maintenance across Darwin and Palmerston, there is also a range of drain infrastructure requiring a different maintenance approach. For example, pipe drains, concrete line drains and some open unlined drains which do not require regular maintenance are repaired or upgraded as required. Depending on the nature of an open drain, its maintenance could include mowing, rubbish removal, and clearing of debris such as the flora and vegetation it supports.
Maintenance on a number of government-managed drains in the rural area is included within a weed maintenance contract for action each Wet Season to ensure long grass and weeds do not prevent drains from flowing freely. The Department of Lands and Planning has recently conducted a review of its drain management program and is confident the existing program is robust and capable of mitigating flooding around Darwin. Local members and the public advise us it is a great way to do business. Our door is open, our phone lines are open. The member for Fong Lim has outlined to this House a good way to work together to deliver the best outcomes for Territory taxpayers.
In relation to drainage in Ludmilla Creek between Bagot Road and Dick Ward Drive - I am aware of that area, member for Fong Lim. I used to bring Rugby League teams to the big end of town to compete in Territory carnivals, and many games were played behind Ludmilla Primary School. We always enjoyed our best games on Richardson Park. We rose through the ranks and were relegated to the secondary oval. I have walked that area extensively.
Ludmilla drain is one of the oldest drains in Darwin. Over many years, heavy downpours in the Wet Season have led to temporary flooding at the site. Over time, Ludmilla drain has become silted and the trees, both native and planted, have grown to mature size within the creek. In recognition of the potential flooding risks some months ago, I asked the Department of Lands and Planning to investigate flood mitigation solutions. The Department of Lands and Planning has undertaken significant consultation with local residents and interested groups, including Landcare, to gain support for appropriate clearing of the drain. I am aware the member for Fong Lim participated in those consultations. I commend him for that - an active local member working in a positive sense and bringing positive contributions to this House. We take that seriously. I commend him for that and for working in a bipartisan manner, which I am very proud of this evening.
We have reached an important agreement with the Landcare group for the appropriate clearing of the drain. Works to clear the drain need to be undertaken in two stages. The first stage of the works will clear the outfall on Bagot Road behind Ludmilla Primary School and will commence as soon as appropriate environmental considerations are in place. The second stage, desilting and clearing of the drainage channel, will be undertaken in the Dry Season, for environmental reasons. Maintenance of drains is a sensitive issue and it is important to acknowledge the consultation which has occurred with the public, particularly the Landcare group, to ensure we have the scope of works right and deliver the best outcome for value for money and good drainage in our urban areas, as the member for Fong Lim seeks.
Maintenance of drains also occurs outside Darwin and Palmerston. Coming from a regional remote area, I am aware of the drainage system around Tennant Creek. In relation to Katherine, a recent pre-Wet Season inspection of government-managed drains did not identify any maintenance concerns for this year. However, we continue with this program. We look at where work is needed and continue to monitor drains across Territory urban areas and rural areas. In Tennant Creek, a number of drains are cleaned each year. There is also an ongoing project to concrete line the main drain for protection and to allow for efficient movement of storm water. Desilting of drains in Alice Springs is ongoing to allow storm water to flow freely to alleviate localised flooding.
Madam Speaker, in conclusion, the Northern Territory government has a rolling maintenance program for the drains within its responsibility in Darwin and Palmerston - about 40% of the infrastructure across the region. We will continue to deliver that program. I thank the member for his contribution to the debate and look forward to others.
I cannot support the semantics in the motion; however, I can assure members in this House, and Territorians, that the Department of Lands and Planning has a robust program - a well-informed program. We also encourage communication between elected members and their constituents to inform us so we can work in partnership to deliver the best outcomes.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I would like to speak on this issue which for some might be mundane, but is quite an important matter. One thing we forget when talking about storm water drains is the problems that may occur because of government policy, especially with open drains. Practically all road contracts in the Top End are released just before the rains come in the Wet Season. At the intersection of the road to the prison and Howard Springs Road, a huge amount of silt has moved down the open drain, through the brand new culverts put there, and not all of it came out the other side. Quite a large amount of silt had settled in those culverts and it is no small job to clear those drains out.
I have said before we need to look at whether contracts should be set for around March or April. The cost of losing materials from roads must be enormous for companies that stockpile. They run their materials out early in the Wet Season and, suddenly, there could be two or three months of continuous rain and much of that material is washed away and they have to start again. I do not see the point in that. That is where you see problems with drains because we have not had a chance to grass them down. The rains have washed much of that material into our drains. The government should seriously consider when it does major road works to see if we could have contracts for that road work at the end of the Wet Season not the beginning.
Some of the issues the member for Fong Lim was talking about - the clogging up of drains - may be historical, but in other cases it is because somewhere upstream there have been poor controls over what goes into that drain. I will give you a classic example. At the moment, there is a drain going from the new Berrimah business centre. It is a big wide sweeping drain with some grass with a concrete centre in it, and it goes straight into Ironstone Lagoon and Knuckeys Lagoon. I could see no controls over pollution or silting going into that conservation area. I have written to the EPA, which is conducting an investigation to see whether there are adequate controls by the department and by Darwin City Council of what movement of silt or pollutants could come out of that drain, and whether there could be some downstream effects - flooding caused by extra water into Knuckeys Lagoon. If anyone was driving around Knuckeys Lagoon last year during Cyclone Carlos you could see how close those floodwaters came to people’s houses.
There is sometimes a misunderstanding that drains should take water away from an area as quickly as possible to avoid flooding. That is the concrete drains theory. No, I would not call it a theory. There is a group of people – engineers - who would go crook at me, but they think drains should be made of concrete and water should go whoosh, into the harbour as quick as possible and that is the best thing you can do with storm water.
I come from another school - you should slow water down. If you have a problem with flooding you should not be building houses in that location. Flooding is an important process which reduces the likelihood of pollution into the harbour. Why? Because if you can allow those pollutants to drop out as water goes down a drain you can have much better quality water entering the harbour, especially, in this case, Darwin Harbour.
I will give you some examples. There are some straight drains in Palmerston, which I find unbelievable, that could have been put in over the last 10 years or so. When I visited the United States to see the Strauss family I did a number of other things. I went to a seminar at a local agricultural college. At that time, a company called Oxbow gave a lecture on the repair of water courses - in this case a drain - to reduce pollution. There was a poultry farm and much agricultural production - mainly corn - and a drain which led straight into the nearby river. That river was the water supply for the city of Columbus.
The water people said: ‘This drain is causing pollution. Fish are dying, the number of species has dropped remarkably, and there is much nutrient in the water’. Oxbow, an engineering company, has a number of projects in the United States. It rehabilitates rivers and, in the case of the drain, it cleared about 100 yards - in American terminology - of land and lowered it about 1 m or so, which became the floodplain. It had a geometrical design - it does not always do it that way - and followed the pattern a river would be, which is winding. Why does it need to be winding? There is physics in the design of a river. It has ripples, it has areas that are quiet and areas that speed up. The ripples, for instance, help produce oxygen in the water and are also a habitat for some species. It then had local groups plant aquatic plants within that drain and on the floodplain. Within a fairly quick period of time the water quality from the drain improved remarkably, so much so that species of fish that had not been there for quite a long time returned. The macroinvertebrate population returned and the water quality, from a nutrient point of view, had changed so much it was suitable to go back into the Columbus water supply.
There are natural engineering solutions which tend to be put to one side when we are designing subdivisions. Developers are looking for a minimum space and, often, government will do the same. It will look at developing parcels of land which should not be developed. However, to develop them they need to get rid of the water. To get rid of the water they build straight concrete drains, something which is antiquated today especially in the tropics. We have simple ways of doing things and that is what we should be doing.
The minister spoke about slashing drains and, when I was on Litchfield Council, road drains were a - you get caught between two things. With a road, you have to move water off so you have a drain and you try to keep the grass low. On the other hand, that grass itself is catching silt and pollutants and allows a better quality water to go into the nearby creeks. If that builds up too much you can have flooding and people will complain that the drains are not cleaned, etcetera.
In some cases, especially roadside storm water drains, it is not as simple as you think. When it is major drains feeding out from subdivisions we can do much better than a straight concrete drain. Those times should be gone, because we have a Beneficial Uses program for Darwin Harbour. We are continually monitoring Darwin Harbour water quality to ensure it is okay. It has its problems so we should ensure, when we design storm water drains, they will help reduce pollution in Darwin Harbour and not have water going off at a fast rate.
Another thing is you might have people downstream. You might put concrete drains at the top of Mitchell Creek in Palmerston and, all of a sudden, you have water getting closer to people’s houses downstream because you increased the speed by which the water gets there, and that, in itself, can cause major troubles.
I appreciate what the member for Fong Lim has brought forward today. He spoke to me some time ago about the issue of drains in his electorate. It is an important one, especially when dealing with old drains. Sometimes the solutions are not so easy because people built those drains thinking they would never need maintenance. However, as time has passed, it is obvious some of these drains need cleaning out.
Minister, sometimes the problems are caused by contracts being let before the Wet Season. As the Wet Season gets going - I mentioned the classic example of Howard Springs Road and the prison road where the water races down that hill. The new road was being built, very expansive culverts were being put in, and they were about half full after the first rains came because there was no chance to settle the drains with some grass. The new prison road, of course, disturbed some fairly fragile soil. Although governments are supposed to, like private developers, put in erosion mitigating facilities such as fences and hay bales, it probably made little difference to that development. You get blocked drains which cost much money to unblock. If you cannot unblock them they cause flooding because they cannot do the job they are required to.
I believe, minister, part of the reason we have blocked storm water drains is our contracts are at the wrong time of the year - not the whole of the Territory, naturally. However, in high rainfall areas such as the Top End we should be rethinking the way we undertake major road works at that time of year.
Madam Speaker, I appreciate the member for Fong Lim bringing this matter today, and I hope my comments might be of some assistance.
Mr TOLLNER (Fong Lim): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister, also the member for Nelson for putting in his 2 worth. The member for Nelson raised some interesting points. I had no idea the idea was to slow water down, in some cases, as far as drainage is concerned. It shows you learn something new every day. Mind you, I do not think the good citizens of Ludmilla or The Narrows would be too impressed seeing water continue to flood and think that, somehow, was a good thing. So, horses for courses. In some places we need to clean the drains and get the water out as quickly as possible. Other places where it is more appropriate can be allowed to settle.
I have to respond to a couple of things the minister said. At the outset, I thank him for taking it in the spirit it was given. I am disappointed he will not support the motion, but I will talk about that in a minute.
The minister made the point there is a long-standing maintenance program in the government which is well-resourced. He said it is robust and well-informed. I never apportioned blame anywhere. I said this has been a developing issue over a long period of time. The fact is, the system is not working as well as it should be. In the case of the drain near Dwyer Park with someone fixing a junction box and putting a new cap on it not recognising all four drains inside were clogged, shows me there is a problem. You should not necessarily be waiting for members of the community to call to say the drains are clogged. Most people are not going to know whether the drains are clogged or not.
The minister said he lived in Greenacres, Western Sydney and played inside the drains. As kids you can play inside a drain; however, there is no possible way kids would be playing in the drains which runs through Shiers Street and out into Sadgroves Creek. They are 1.5 ft in diameter; only babies could play in that type of drain. It was 100% clogged and it was pot luck we recognised the drains were clogged. In hindsight, it amazes me. Everything is easy with 20/20 hindsight, but it amazes me that we went for decades with those drains obviously clogged. No one phoned in, no one raised the alarm, and, clearly, whatever government was doing was not working because the drains were never cleaned. Goodness knows how long that existed.
What we are doing at the moment is not working. I am glad the minister is onto the issue with Racecourse Creek. He is probably not aware there is a small dispute over the contract let; however, that is neither here nor there. The fact is, that situation has existed for many decades. It was only in the late 1960s that drain was cleaned out. We are now in 2012, finally letting contracts to clean the drain out.
The minister says 60% of the drains around Darwin are council drains. That means the other 40% are owned by the Commonwealth or the Northern Territory governments. My concern is when I called the department initially they duck shoved me to the council. They said it was not their problem; it was Darwin City Council’s problem. From there I was put onto a Commonwealth department, who said it was nothing to do with them. Only after much detailed investigation did we zero in on the fact it is a Northern Territory government drain. I would have thought, as the Northern Territory government, you have a responsibility to understand what drain belongs to who. This is not really an ‘us and them’ situation.
I understand the council has a budget to clean its drains, the Northern Territory government has a budget to clean its drains, and the Commonwealth, one would hope, has a budget to clean its drains out because an enormous amount of water comes off the RAAF Base. If the Commonwealth drains are not working it puts enormous pressure on the Northern Territory government’s drains and even bigger pressure on the council’s drains. It is in everyone’s interests to take an interest in everyone else’s drains – if that makes sense. It should make sense: if drains are not working it damages roads, road maintenance becomes more expensive and it damages parks and infrastructure. That infrastructure will either be owned by the Commonwealth government, the Northern Territory government, council, or private citizens and organisations around Darwin.
The fact is drains are not being cleaned, and it is almost a reactive situation in the department - the department waiting for people to call in to say: ‘Oh, look, we have a clogged drain’. That is not good enough. We need to have a tripartisan meeting with the council, the Australian government and the Northern Territory government. You need a coordinator to say: ‘The three tiers of government have an issue with drains in Darwin. Let us look at it and all work together to find a solution where we can ensure we have sorted our drainage issues out. Let us identify which drains are clogged, who owns what drain, and how we can fix it at the least cost to all concerned’. At the end of the day, it is in everyone’s interest.
Clearly, the situation we have at the moment is not working. It is too easy for the Northern Territory government, the council, or the Commonwealth government to duck shove the issue to someone else, which is probably the worst thing that can happen.
I am concerned that the minister will not support this motion. It is interesting that the minster thanked me for putting forward a positive motion. He said we cannot support it because of semantics. I find it curious that the minister is saying: ‘Look, it is great that you want to work in a bipartisan way; it is great you have called us. Let us all work together, I am all for that’. However, he then said: ‘No, we cannot support your motion’. Whether this motion is supported or not really does not matter. The point is the message gets across, and in this case it probably has.
If you are genuinely bipartisan, if you are genuinely supportive of it, you do not say you are not going to support it. You say: ‘We will support it with the following amendment. This sounds good to us; let us get it on the record. Let us ensure the motion goes on the public record as being supported by the Northern Territory parliament. It is an important issue, thank you for raising it. We cannot agree with the way it is written now, let us amend it’. That would be the bipartisan way. However, this government is not interested in bipartisanship. There is no way, even the smallest skerrick - it would now let a member of the opposition get a motion up.
I have been lucky in this House, I have had several motions get up in the past but it has been like pulling teeth! It is only through the support of the Independent member for Nelson they have got up because there is no way known government will support anyone in any bipartisan way to get a motion up. It does not happen in this House, which is sad.
I urge you, minister, in the future, do not talk about bipartisanship unless you are genuinely interested in it. Do not cry crocodile tears and whinge about the opposition being the opposition. That is the reality of our job; it is not called an opposition for nothing. It is not called being in government for nothing; you have a job to do. You have to govern and we have to provide opposition, debating points, and question the policies of government. If you genuinely want bipartisan support, you should genuinely act in a bipartisan manner. To say thank you, you are trying to be bipartisan but cannot because of semantics is nothing but a cop-out and not bipartisan. If you want to be bipartisan, suggest an amendment. Suggest something we might be able to agree on so we can get a motion up.
Madam Speaker, having said that, I am glad the minister sat through the entire debate. I am glad he has taken on board some of the issues. I pray the minister has a chat to his departmental people saying: ‘Maybe there are some things the member for Fong Lim raised where we can lift our game. Maybe we can consult a little more with council and the Commonwealth government to ensure some of these issues are dealt with’. Whilst everyone is trying to duck the issue, I am worried things will not be dealt with and flooding will continue across Darwin in a much greater way than it should.
Motion negatived.
MOTION
Failure of Government to Address Concerns of Young Territorians and Their Families
Failure of Government to Address Concerns of Young Territorians and Their Families
Mr STYLES (Sanderson): Madam Speaker, I move - That the Northern Territory government be condemned for its failure to address the concerns of young Territorians and the families of young Territorians.
I am very fortunate in my role as member for Sanderson to have contact with numerous young people and have done so over a considerable period of time working in the community. It was quite appropriate, and I am grateful to the Leader of the Opposition for bestowing on me the shadow portfolio for youth. As such, I have young people come to me from all over the Territory.
The Top End is where the committees are; however, I travel and, member for Barkly, I have been in your town on a number of occasions. If you had contact with some of the youth there they might tell you the shadow minister has been in town. I move on.
When I took on this role in the community part of the job description was representing my constituents, anyone else who walked into my office, and anyone else I had contact with. Every Saturday morning when I am out and about with my mobile office at shopping centres I have people talk to me about many things. They talk to me and give me information.
The one thing many people do not want is to be identified. They do not want me coming into this House identifying them and talking about them. In fact, Madam Speaker, you have counselled us on numerous occasions in relation to only using names of people in this House when it is absolutely necessary. I always thought constituents had privacy rights just like other people in our community. If they talk to me about issues I should not be telling everyone in the community, even members of this House. Who brings what to me in the privacy of the electorate office or at the mobile shops or, indeed, at any function where I am approached by people. should remain with me. However, I have a copy of the Hansard from last week where the member for Daly ridiculed me because I will not name who is talking to me and who does what.
It is interesting because people with real issues and real problems come to this side of the House - we seem to be getting them. It appears they do not see the government members in their offices or when they are out and about in their electorates. Hearing the statements the member for Daly made last week, no one goes to him or there are no problems in his electorate. I find that hard to believe. A whole raft of issues has been discussed in this House, by this side and the government side, in relation to issues not only in Daly, but all electorates. If the member for Daly believes there is nothing happening, or people do not talk to him about issues, I am really surprised.
Not too many people come to my electorate office, waltz in, sit down and want to talk about how wonderful the world is. Most of those people are working, paying taxes to keep the Territory going, and there are many good stories out there. We all know them, despite what the government does or some of the poor government policies they have to work with. They get on with it and are having a great time. I am on the Parliamentary Record in adjournment debate speeches talking about some of the good things. However, I will quote the member for Daly from the Hansard last week. In a debate on another issue he said:
- ... this person came into my electorate office and he said it was all bad’ - all unnamed, all unidentified: ‘Oh, this person, and all these things happening’. It is all bad, all doom and gloom ...
It is interesting, because people have many issues and it would appear the government does not understand how many people in the community are struggling and have issues. It is really sad they have to say these things, but they do.
I will make another point in relation to the member for Daly holding the portfolio of Attorney-General. As Attorney-General, he should know people have privacy rights; he should be across that. I have spoken to a number of people who have come to me with issues and concerns about themselves, their family, and what is happening in the Territory. I have copied this and sent it to them.
I am grateful to the member for Daly for making that point because it shows a lack of understanding of what is happening out there, and can only do us on this side of the House the world of good in the next election. I hope the member for Daly continues with that attitude, because I will continue to send his comments to people who come to me with real concerns, real issues - and not necessarily on our side of politics - and say: ‘We have major issues’.
I move to some of the issues young people talk to me about. Not only young people, they come with their parents as well. Some of the issues are law and order, cost of living, and the living environment. They are the three top issues people talk to me about. Let us start with law and order. Last week I raised concerns about crime and antisocial behaviour around Casuarina Square. Parents come along and say: ‘My kids cannot go to Casuarina Square; on the way there they are being harassed’. That is not uncommon and is happening far too often.
I was out doorknocking recently and spoke to a lady. In the last three months, her daughter has been inappropriately touched whilst going to the shops. In the same period of time, her son was in town driving around in a car with his friends when an inebriated person walked in front of the car. The car did not hit the person but it had to stop. This person was angry after nearly being hit by the car, thought the car should not have been on the road, and they had every right to be in the middle of the road even thought traffic was coming. This person walked to the stationary car, the window was down, the young man was sitting in the passenger’s seat, and this person reached through, punched him and broke his nose.
This lady is concerned about law and order issues and said to me: ‘What do I do? In three months two of my three kids have had bad interactions which are law and order based’. What do I tell them? I told her we have to do something. She is angry at the community and is asking why they have to put up with it. Their jobs are here, their family is here, they have raised their kids here and they are concerned. That is one of many.
When we talk about law and order, the other thing mentioned last week - I raised the issue in a motion about Casuarina Square - I will quote again from the debate which is very relevant to the young people I am talking about. It is from the member for Daly on Wednesday, 15 February, in the motion on Casuarina Square. He said:
- The police statistics show that crime and antisocial behaviour has decreased by 56% from 2008 to 2011. The statistics show, with these extra police and all these other transit officers, safety officers, and Police Beats, they are driving down crime and antisocial behaviour. Total offences against the person fell by 30%, assault offences dropped by 33% ...
We have searched far and wide to find where those statistics come from. I ask the member for Daly to table those statistics became we cannot find them. We can find offences against the person from April 2007 to March 2008, which total 6147. Twelve months later, to March 2009, that figure increased to 6372. To March 2010 it increased to 7110, and in March 2011 it increased to 7123. I challenge the member for Daly to produce figures which demonstrate we have had the reductions he claims and tell us where he found those figures.
To those people listening, and those I might send a copy of the Hansard to, the member for Daly has been asked to produce those figures and it will be interesting to see if they are forthcoming. From the figures we have access to, there is a clear indication offences against the person have increased.
Let us move to the issue of people with young families wanting to go to the movies. We hear about young families in Alice Springs going to the movies and coming out to find their car damaged and windows smashed. They have to be very careful what they say, where they walk and who they look at. There is a real law and order issue for young people and young people with kids. Issues confronting young people now, as opposed to 10 to 15 years ago, are horrific.
I will raise the cost of living for young people. We have always known living in the Territory is a little more expensive than in southern states. The cost of transport is always a little more and the cost of doing business is always a little more. However, for most of us who chose to call this place home we were compensated by lifestyle choice. We accepted that and got on with it. The problem is when one looks at the cost of housing, rent, food, childcare and fuel, everything is going up dramatically.
I have a number of people - again, I am not going to say who, what, where, how and when I have been talking to just because the member for Daly wants me to. I will not tell him who I have been speaking to; however, I can assure him I speak to many people on Saturday mornings and at functions. I ask them how they are travelling; how they are going, what is going on in their lives and what is happening in their streets.
I am appalled at some of the stories I hear. I talk to the business people in my community and ask them how they are travelling. ‘Well not very well. People are not spending; they do not have the disposable income’. They talk to people who tell them they are struggling paying rent, rent has gone up and their disposable income is coming down. When you look at some of the business people - the constituents do not have the ability to support some of the businesses in my electorate and, I know, in other electorates.
They struggle to find a few extra dollars to buy things which might make their day a little better. One of the supermarket owners I spoke to used tomato sauce as an example. ‘I used to sell many bottles of tomato sauce. If they ran out at home and someone was having spaghetti bolognaise, people would buy a bottle of sauce but they do not do it now. It is amazing, that is how basic it is. I do not sell many bottles of tomato sauce’. I asked him why. He told me he was talking to people and they do not have the disposable income. People will say their rent went up $50 that week. For people on a reasonable salary, or having assistance with housing that may be okay, but the people who are struggling are young people with young families who are trying to survive in a very tough environment.
If the member for Daly does not think there is a problem or people are not going to see him, perhaps he needs to talk to some of the people I do. Perhaps, as the member for Barkly said, I should go to Tennant Creek. I was talking to young people there recently. How about the member for Daly going to the northern suburbs and talking to some of the young families who are struggling? He might understand some of the implications of the government’s policies. One of those policies, of course, is land. They struggle and, as a result, youths say to me: ‘Well, sorry, Mr Styles, we have to go’. These are young people I have known since they were school kids. I say: ‘But all your family is here’. They say: ‘Well, we are struggling. We can go south, we can get cheaper houses, a cheaper cost of living, cheaper everything, and we can get jobs down there as well’. They are moving. I say: ‘Well, what about mum and dad?’ ‘No, they are staying here because this is where their job is. They have a house, they are okay’. Families are breaking up.
I have mentioned this in the House before: not enough land is being released. The member for Barkly made a statement in response to the member for Fong Lim’s motion where he said and I quote: ‘... the land release, we have 1600 blocks coming online’. About 12 months ago the Chief Minister said at least 1800 blocks of land were needed. I understand this is Treasury modelling, and it is predicting we need 1800 blocks.
I was reliably informed recently we are talking about an extra 20 000 people moving to Darwin over the next five years. That is 20 000 ...
Mr Knight: I thought people were leaving.
Mr STYLES: That is what I am told. I pick up on an interjection from the member for Daly. We have lost 3500 people. They are the young people who have had to leave town because they cannot afford to live here.
We are not talking about unemployed people. Unemployed people can hardly afford to live here. People have to leave immediately so they can survive, which is why we do not have higher unemployment figures - you cannot afford to live here if you do not have a job. You cannot live on the dole because of the high cost of living and the high cost of rent. What we are losing in that 3500 is electricians, refrigeration mechanics, motor mechanics and nurses. We are losing nurses because they cannot get accommodation, it is too expensive, and they are better off going elsewhere because, at the end of the day, their families are better off if they are working somewhere else. We have high turnover rates in teaching and nursing because the cost of living is atrocious.
I was at a function recently talking to some people and they said: ‘We are struggling’. I was talking about the cost of land and they said: ‘We are struggling’, because people come here and do not realise just how expensive it is. They come here, they are trained at a cost to business - I am reliably informed the government conducts training programs, which it should; however, as soon as the training is finished they leave because they cannot afford to live here. They realise, when they add it all up, sometimes it is not worth it to stay. So we have a problem with the workforce. Where does the workforce come from?
Approximately 20 000 people are expected to move to Darwin over the next five years with the growth of oil and gas and a range of other industries. Where are we going to house them? Where is the plan? I do not see a plan. With that many people we will require schools. An announcement has been made for Palmerston hospital. Will that be sufficient? Law and order issues - where is the plan? Waiting times are increasing in hospitals. We do not seem to have enough doctors. Where do we house these people? You talk to people who want to engage in downstream industrialisation of products and by-products from oil and gas, but when you try to get the head office here they say they are concerned about waiting times in the health system, schooling, law and order issues, and they do not necessarily want to bring their families here.
Madam Speaker, I am sure the government is hearing this as well. I do not believe any government will come into this House and say: ‘We have these problems; this is what people are telling us’. If we are hearing these issues the government is hearing them as well, but what is it doing about it? I am sure it will not come into this House and admit these things are happening.
The government will say we are all gloom and doom, but I am repeating what people are telling me and am sure they are also telling government. I expect the government will not say that; however, my job is if people are asking me to raise things in parliament I do so everyone can hear. I also encourage people to tell the government as well. In some instances they say they have, but where are the plans to resolve some of the issues I have raised which have been raised with me?
The living environment is another issue related to the three basic services any community should have and a pillar of the community - health, education, and law and order. Many people in the community have deep concerns in relation to those three things.
The fourth thing we need is a good economy. Despite what government does, there are many good things happening. I will give credit where credit is due. There are a number of things the government is to be congratulated on. Not everything it does is bad, but there is much out there as a result of its policy failures where it has upset people, and many people are concerned about the future.
The living environment is about what people have to live in. What happens in their parks? What happens in their shops? Can their daughter walk to the shops without being accosted? Can their son drive around the streets without being punched in the nose for no good reason? At another house I asked: ‘How is law and order?’ ‘Well, the kid’s bikes were stolen the other day’. Go to another one and the downstairs fridge had been raided so they cannot leave drinks there. People have had to put up fences. Where does it stop? You can go on and on and on with the issues that are raised.
Some people say they do not have any issues. Their kids have grown up, they do not own push bikes, they do not have a downstairs fridge; they have a big fence around their yard and a huge dog. They do not have too many problems and have good jobs.
Certain demographics do not have too many issues but others do. I ask the government to take note of some of the issues I raise. They are not imagined, they are not made up; they are real issues from real people. If the government wants to continue to ridicule members of this House for highlighting the concerns of their constituents, I encourage it to do so. We will continue to send out the Hansard to people who raise concerns. They will not be impressed that they have enlightened me and will not like what is now being said. However, if the government wishes to adopt that attitude then do so and we will keep sending it out.
I ask members on the other side of the House to support this motion. If they do not, take note of the plight of some of the young families who have been split up and forced to leave the Territory when they do not want to. Quite often, when that happens we do not get them back. Therefore, the Northern Territory, and our community, is a poorer place.
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Tabled Papers
Pairing Arrangement – Members for Karama and Katherine
Tabled Papers
Pairing Arrangement – Members for Karama and Katherine
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have before me a document relating to pairs for the members for Karama and Katherine from 8 pm to close of the day. It is signed by both Whips. I table that document.
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Mr KNIGHT (Young Territorians): Madam Speaker, well, old sad sack Styles from Sanderson is at it again. He wanders around with this big cloud over his head - a magnet of negativity. He draws it in. He lives in this world where everything is wrong. It is a parallel negative universe he wanders around. He has a cloud over his head and everything is bad. I do not know where you go, current member for Sanderson, because I am sure we will have a bright, bubbly, positive person from Sanderson after the next election …
Dr Burns: A positive parallel.
Mr KNIGHT: A positive parallel universe it will be in Sanderson after 25 August.
It is a very strange world the member for Sanderson lives in. On this side of the House - I do roadside stalls, I do market stalls, the member for Johnston does market stalls. We get people saying: ‘I have this issue’. We say: ‘Righto, what is your name? What is your phone number? Let us take it down and fix it’. The member for Johnston will ring me on a Sunday afternoon and say: ‘Someone has just come in, they have an issue, can you do something about it?’ I say: ‘No worries, get the details’. Monday morning, bang, off to the department and they respond to it.
No, not the member for Sanderson. All the people who come to him have no names, no details, just all eye-level negative - things are bad. The member for Sanderson seems to attract people with no names. Every member on this side of the House wants to deal with issues. We want to give something back to these people. People say: ‘I have this issue. Everything else is good, but I have this issue. I would like it fixed’. The good local members on this side of the House do something about it. We take a proactive approach to resolving issues. Not old sad sack from Sanderson! He is a magnet for negativity.
The motion was supposed to be about young people, but it seemed to drift into obsessive behaviour about my last contribution which the member for Sanderson was pretty titchy about.
I would like to talk about youth, an important group in the Territory because they are the future. Members of my Youth Round Table are fantastic youth leaders. This is the third one and they are fantastic kids. They come with positivity to deal with issues in our community. That can be to do with youth suicide or the cost of living, but they come with an approach of: let us find a solution; let us get on with it. This government has really taken youth in the Northern Territory seriously.
Previous to the Labor government coming to power there was no youth policy. The CLP did not have a youth policy. In 2003 Labor developed a youth policy, but the CLP did not have one. Our focus on young people, addressing their issues, trying to understand what they want and what issues are facing them is ongoing. Over the last four months, my Office of Youth Affairs has been reviewing our current policy. I am not going to tell you what is in it, member for Sanderson, because you will copy it and put your badge on it because you are too lazy to get your own policy ideas.
Our policy has come about from face-to-face consultation with over 200 kids, other groups, and youth organisations from across the Territory. It has been extremely extensive. They have gone to Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine, Palmerston, Nhulunbuy, Batchelor, Elliott, Ngukurr, Borroloola and over to the Tiwi Islands - extensive consultation. It was not just face-to-face, but via e-mail, phone calls and the inevitable Facebook where they have drawn from the ideas of young people.
I will give you a hint on one of the areas, member for Sanderson. If you are still working on the youth policy of the CLP, it really is about the importance of improving access to education and employment. We understand and are focused on that, and looking at ways to improve access to employment and education. One of the big things over the last couple of years has been the economic stimulus package. Not only did it boost our construction industry during the global financial crisis, it put valuable infrastructure into our schools. However, opposition members said: ‘No, you young people, you cannot have a new library, you cannot have a multipurpose building, you cannot have a new hall to have your assembly in or play sport or have concerts in’. The opposition would have denied those children that opportunity. That money went across urban schools, regional schools and remote schools. It enabled all that to happen. We are very focused on education, training, through to employment. We are working on the training side and on creating jobs for people coming through.
The member for Sanderson hates INPEX, the Marine Supply Base, and economic development because they are driving up the cost of living. That is what a boom in the economy does. Go to Cairns - there is cheap housing but no jobs. There is no economy; Cairns is in the doldrums. Tasmania has nearly 10% unemployment, but a great place with cheap housing. You might pick up a house for $160 000 there but there are no jobs - so what is the point? What is driving the cost of living in the Northern Territory is the boom economy. We want to ensure young Territorians have the opportunity to gain the high-paying jobs in the high-paying industries. That is our focus.
It riles the member for Sanderson that the economy is going so well. It has always perplexed me that the CLP said: ‘Everyone is leaving town, but you need to build more houses’. How does that work? The member for Sanderson talked about 20 000 people coming here but the opposition keeps saying people are leaving town. Well, 20 000 people are coming here. People are staying here for the high-paying jobs and there are opportunities in the Territory. Go down south. I know people who have gone down south and have come back within six months because they know the Territory is the best place in the world and there are jobs here. Go down south and there is nothing.
You would think the other side of the House would be focused on economic development and supporting major projects. However, they seem so negative and divided. We know the member for Fong Ling is pro-business, pro everything to do with getting jobs and economic development at the cost of the environment and the rights of individuals. That is where he is coming from. The Leader of the Opposition said the biggest project to hit the Northern Territory ever, and one of the biggest projects in Australia, was a 19th century project. If he had been leader of the government of the day it would not have come to the Northern Territory. That is a fact. It would have been: ‘Negative, no, you cannot come onto Middle Arm, you have to go out here. It is going to take you another 10 years to develop Glyde Point’. INPEX would have said it was all too hard and gone back to Western Australia.
The member for Blain has no idea about economic development and does not understand business. He is a good school teacher, I accept that, but he does not understand business. The business community tell us that all the time. He does not understand economic development ...
Mr Chandler: And you do?
Mr KNIGHT: Absolutely. I have spoken to more businesses than you have, member for Brennan - small, big, medium. We know what they want and we create a path to ensure business keeps going in the Northern Territory and jobs are created. The Leader of the Opposition, the member for Blain, said it was a 19th century project and had the gall to write to everyone about his comments.
Without the stimulus package coming to the Northern Territory and the attitude of this side of the House to keep the economy moving, to keep the jobs coming to the Northern Territory, we would not be in the position we are now.
There is a great deal for young people in the Northern Territory to do. We have Leanyer water park, the new Palmerston water park coming. The members for Brennan, Drysdale and Blain drive past there each day, and say: ‘Gee, why didn’t we think of that? Why didn’t we think of doing something for the youth of Palmerston?’ They did nothing for the youth of Palmerston. There was no commitment in 2008, no commitment in 2005, and no commitment in 2001. In the last three elections there were no commitments for youth in Palmerston. This government put facilities in, upgraded the netball courts, upgraded the tennis courts, upgraded the Rugby oval, and upgraded the football oval. We have facilities galore there and now we have a water park as well. What wonderful facilities for young people in the Northern Territory, particularly in Palmerston. I will be in your electorate, member for Brennan, telling people what this government has done for them and what the CLP refuses to do because it does not support youth, does not support the children or those voters in Brennan, Drysdale and Blain. I will be there door to door. I will be seeing every single one of them ...
Mr Chandler: You should be in Daly.
Mr KNIGHT: I get out there too. I go everywhere, member for Brennan.
We have many things for young people. We have AFL games being played here, we have just had the Super 7s and other sporting events. I know the member for Drysdale is a bit of a metal head or whatever is it called ...
Mr Chandler: Rev head!
Mr KNIGHT: Rev head - he thinks he is a truck, but that is an aside. We have the V8s - what a tremendous event brought to town by this government, also the Superbikes. The Superbikes are coming soon - I love the Superbikes. I do not like the time of year because it is still a bit warm and I do not really like those guys going around on wet tracks. It is a great facility there. I have been to the mud racing too and what a great facility that is. I have been in some of the cars at the mud racing as well. That whole complex is for youth. My son used to ride in the go-karts. We have upgraded the go-kart track and it is great to see we have the national titles here this year. There are great facilities at the Hidden Valley complex. There is much happening here for young people.
I have touched on the fact the CLP has never had a youth policy. I will talk about Youth Week. What a fabulous week that is, with youth events right across the Northern Territory. The opening ceremony is sponsored by beyondblue - a great collaboration. Some of the events are targeted towards depression and youth suicide. Last year, there were some fabulous events across the Northern Territory, many of which I attended. The big concert at Casuarina pool was a fabulous event. There are many services for young people to find out what is available for youth. The name of the band that won the Battle of the School Bands was Ned & Friends. We support youth in the Northern Territory. I would like to talk about the Youth Round Table. No, I will do that another day. I want to talk about this year’s Youth Round Table members.
I reject this bizarre motion because he did not speak to the wording at all; he spoke about me all the time and his obsession with what I touched on last week. The member for Sanderson has a very gloomy nature. It is not what we experience. We experience people with issues and we deal with those issues. The member for Sanderson, no, no, no; he attracts different people who do not want their issue resolved, which runs counter to what we experience. Everyone on this side of the House works very hard.
The member for Sanderson talked about land release. Member for Sanderson, you need to drive through Johnston. The member for Brennan has probably driven through there. The truck has been for a drive through there and what a fabulous new suburb it is. It has developed really quickly. Houses are being built, the new unit block is going in, and the Mary MacKillop middle school and secondary school is well under way. It is fantastic to see all that land being released.
The Breeze at Muirhead is well under way - a private sector development through Defence Housing Authority. Also, all the work is happening on the other side of Lambrick Avenue at Zuccoli - all the backbone roads are going in as we speak. It does not look like much in the beginning, but after the drainage and the roads go in it comes on very quickly. Also, when you are out there, member for Sanderson, have a drive through the Bellamack area because not only has the first development occurred, but the third, fourth and fifth stages are all happening as well. It is a fabulous facility.
This government mandated 15% affordable and social housing in those suburbs. We received much criticism around Bellamack Gardens; however, I have been past there a few times using the back road to Berry Springs and there are some lovely homes. I attended an open day and had a look inside the houses and they are lovely. They are not for everybody; they are for people entering the market, either singles or couples, or people exiting the market if I could use that term, where people are downsizing. It fits a segment of the market and, for young people getting into the market, it provides an option. It has been the focus of this government to get land release happening, to push it along, and we continue to do that.
Work is going on at Weddell also and is well advanced. We are seeing some of the first designs. There were some fantastic designs in the design competition for the first suburb, and the housing designs were great.
I do not accept this motion. I have pretty well ridiculed the member for Sanderson for his attitude towards young people and the Northern Territory. He really lives in a very different world to other people. We see issues and we deal with them, but there is a happy world there - there is sunshine, member for Sanderson. You can be happy in your life; we can all be happy.
Young people should see the Northern Territory has opportunities and there is a future for them, their families, and all our children. The Northern Territory should be the place where they grow up and have their families and, through our land release, they will have a home. Through the additional education and health services we are providing and the lifestyle infrastructure we are putting in place, they will have a wonderful life and the fundamental thing - they will have a job in the Northern Territory if a Labor government stays in power.
The Leader of the Opposition does not seem to be attracted to major business and does not understand small business. We will not be accepting this motion and I look forward to the summing up.
Mr STYLES (Sanderson): Madam Deputy Speaker, I will pick up on a couple of things the member for Daly has pointed out. He said I hate INPEX, I hate development, I hate this, I hate that, and I hate everything else. Member for Daly, you are wrong in your assumptions. That is all I have to say about that - totally wrong and misinformed.
He talked about driving up the cost of living. INPEX is great, it is driving up the cost of living and the driver of the cost of living is development. Perhaps what is driving up the cost of living to the point where young people cannot afford to live here is the government’s failure to plan, failure to release land, and failure to look at what is coming, and act. This government’s policies have let young people down in the Northern Territory, and its failure to act. I do not need to say much more on that issue.
He said: ‘We are teaching young people, we are giving them opportunities, we are giving them jobs in high-paying industries’. Well, that is great. There are young people who will get good jobs, will survive, do very well and have a great life in the Northern Territory because it is a great place and there is some sunshine out there despite the government’s lack of planning. However, what do I say to young people who are working at Coles, who do not have a high paying job, when they cannot afford to rent? They are in their 20s but are still at home because they cannot afford rent. They are desperately trying to save to get into the property market. They cannot even buy a bedsitter because, while they are trying to save money, the bedsitter increased in value to what they have in the bank. They are struggling. The member for Daly said: ‘It is great, we are going to have high paying jobs’ Well that is fine, some will get high paying jobs, but not all.
This will also create a fly-in/fly-out economy. People in this town are already flying in staff for periods of time because they cannot afford to get staff and pay them what it will cost to live here. Some of those industries, such as hairdressers, cannot afford to pay staff because they cannot charge people coming into their salons enough. They are struggling to pay wages now. Their staff are struggling to survive. What happens is we lose the basic services.
I am grateful to the member for Daly for denigrating what I do. He is also denigrating the people I talk to. I am glad I can take the Hansard from tonight back to those people and say: ‘This is what the government thinks of your concerns. It denigrates me for raising your concerns’. I encourage the government, if that is the attitude of the member for Daly, to continue doing that because it will give me more information I can send out to people with real concerns who come to me in desperation asking: ‘Can you say something about this because we think this sucks’ That is the language they are using. Member for Daly, keep denigrating me because that will give me plenty of ammunition to send to people to say this is what the government thinks of your issues and concerns.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I commend this motion to the House. I do not believe the government will support it; however, I hope it takes note of what has been said here tonight.
Motion negatived.
MOTION
Mining Projects - Development
Ms PURICK (Goyder): Madam Deputy Speaker, I move - That the Northern Territory government be condemned for its inability to develop world-class mining projects.
When I gave notice of this motion last year, the minister laughed at the prospect of talking about world-class mining projects. Perhaps he was laughing because he has the view all is well within the minerals industry world. Perhaps it is. However, the intent of this motion is to demonstrate this government has taken its eye off the game, mostly because of the allure of Japanese perfume. We have not had a world-class mining project since the exploration boom of the 1960s resulting in the GEMCO manganese mine on Groote Eylandt, the Alcan bauxite mine at Nhulunbuy, the Ranger Uranium mine at Jabiru, and the Callie deposit in the Tanami.
Many mining projects, past and present, have brought great benefit to the Territory. I do not take anything away from what those projects brought to the economy, the people, and the community in general. The intent of this motion is to show this government has failed to facilitate new world-class mining projects …
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition! Telephones in here have become a real issue today. Can you please leave your phone out there? Members, if there are any in the Chamber, please check that they are switched off. Sorry, member for Goyder.
Ms PURICK: … which can and do bring almost everlasting benefits to the people of the Territory. I acknowledge exploration expenditure levels are exceptional and the interest in the Territory from industry is at an all time high. However, given the level of money spent looking for minerals, why are we not seeing new mines open at a time when the mining boom is right upon us? Why are projects opening either side of us in Western Australia and Queensland and not in the Territory when we have known mineral deposits and potential?
I will provide some background information as to why world-class mining programs are important to the Territory and why we have not seen a world-class mining project open in years. A world-class mining project can mean different things to different people. Geologists think the size of an ore body is important, an investor thinks it is about how much money can be made, and perhaps community considers how many people can be employed and for how long.
Whatever people think of a world-class ore body, the fact is the economics of a project stand a potential project apart from others. There is no such thing as a world-class mineral deposit. There are only world-class mining projects - when the mine opens and becomes operational. We need to focus on things which are economic that can be turned into mines. It is no good finding a big deposit smack bang in the middle of a national park if it cannot be mined. It is no use finding a large deposit 1000 m underground if it is low grade and not economical to mine, or finding a deposit that, potentially, will compete with other land users who have priority for community.
A minable ore body has to bring value to the community as well as to the businesses involved in the mining of the deposit. Why is it preferable to have a world-class deposit and not many small mines across the landscape? World-class mining projects bring certainty to government, community and investors in the project. A mine which runs for many years makes a great deal of money for the investor but, more importantly, a long-term mine grows across business cycles, changes and grows, and adapts with technologies.
If you have a large and rich deposit you can grow and grow it. Such is a mine at Escondida in Chile, which is one of the biggest copper mines in the world and employs around 2500 people. The mine has grown and grown and will continue to grow - a massive project by world standards. Closer to home, when Olympic Dam first started it had a production rate of less than 30 000 tonnes a year, now it is over 220 000 tonnes per year and they are talking about going to 600 000 tonnes per year. Olympic Dam is here for a very long time and will see out most of the people in this House and perhaps our children as well. That is a world-class mining operation.
The other thing which needs to be considered about having a world-class mining project is looking at it from a government’s perspective. Governments like world-class mines as they generate strong revenue and loads of tax which are of benefit to government in their revenue streams and budgeting. Additionally, large, long-term mines contribute enormously to regional development and often provide services which are usually the responsibility of government. They also underwrite infrastructure which is required to develop a place. Look at the roads, ports and railway infrastructure around Australia and the Territory - often they lead to a mining project. Extending the Arnhem Highway to service the uranium province is one example. The airport at Nhulunbuy is another. It is used by industry and the community in general, but is only there because of the mine. Long-term mines underwrite our long-term prosperity, which is critical to why we are here today.
However, we cannot rest on our collective laurels as we need to think about what we do today to underwrite the Territory’s community in 20 years time, if not longer. The mines we have today will not last forever given they are well into their operating life. Where is the new GEMCO, Alcan or Callie, or where is the planning for them? What is a world-class mining project or deposit? The term is an informal one, but is well used and well recognised in the minerals industry. It is applied to ore deposits with an exceptionally large tonnage of economically recoverable metals and is widespread in current economic and geological literature. When quantitatively defined, the world-class definition applies to the upper 10% deposits of metals. The other thing about identifying a world-class mine is, when found, the oil body has obvious signatures. They have large footprints, large geochemical signatures, and large geophysical signatures as well. Simply put, they are big, if not huge, rich and readily accessible, and will make money for the investors and bring benefits to the community.
The challenge industry faces is many of the deposits found in the Territory and Australia have been what industry calls ‘at surface’, that is, not too deep - maybe 200 m or so – and easy to get at. These have been found in what is considered mature landscape. It makes sense: why go any deeper if you find what you are looking for at a relatively shallow depth?
The increasing challenge for industry and the government is the need and desire to find deposits deeper in the ground at depth, that is, under the 200 m or so mark. That brings challenges in that geologists or geophysicists need to use technology that can see through the ground to find the deposits deep in the earth’s crust. It is a tricky business, and it is not a problem just in the Territory.
The other challenge is not all ore bodies have the same kind of signatures that are clear, obvious and easy to interpret. Some can be very subtle and have variation in grades through the ore body. Such is the case in nuggety gold and uranium deposits. These kinds of minerals are difficult to find at depth and are the ore bodies we want to find. It is a challenge for industry, researchers and government. I am interested to hear what the minister has to say in response to these challenges confronting us in the Territory. I do not want a summary of trips to China and the geosurvey program, but real answers to the very real challenges we face in the Territory.
Australia, Canada, America and Western Europe are considered mature, well experienced places of exploration and mining. Over the past 50 years, these countries have had many mining projects established and exhausted, and these projects have been under cover, that is, not too deep. Australia and the Territory are very much in this mix. In the Territory, we have had projects come and go under cover, but nowadays the industry has to go deeper and deeper, which presents many challenges. Emerging mining countries such as those in South America are not mature mining locations, and while we have to dig deeper and deeper, those countries are still swimming in the shallow end of the pool and is why they are attractive for investment. They are greenfield location mining places, meaning the land has not been worked on and where new projects are generally found.
Finding ore deposits at depth is one of the biggest challenges, and research into this field of work has to be supported if we are to succeed into the next phase of the Territory’s mining industry. I know new world-class mining projects are not going to drop out of the sky, and that such deposits are, indeed, rare. If we add up all the money that has been spent over the last 35 years - about $US154bn in today’s terms - on mineral exploration, and we have about 59 world-class discoveries according to my industry contacts, and on average each industry find less than two years, that means you have to spend about $2.6bn per discovery. That is much money and would come with risks and challenges. If one looks at websites or reads reports of big companies they all say: ‘We want to find world-class mines’. Of course they do, for the reasons I have outlined previously.
If you are a small- or mid-tier mining or exploration company spending big levels of money looking for the elusive world-class project, it is problematic given the risk and caution expressed by finance houses. As one of my industry contacts says: ‘You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince or princess’.
Let me put some facts on the record; however, before I do I thank industry people who have assisted me with this item and my comments. They also believe it is a real issue and want to see a reinvigoration of the industry in the Territory resulting in new world-class mines.
Fact 1: in real terms, the rate of discovery has gone down in Australia and the Territory. While mineral exploration is strong in places like the Territory, the metres drilled has decreased, as I have stated previously in this House.
Fact 2: there is a shift towards exploration expenditure on bulk minerals such as coal, iron ore and other bulk minerals, and away from precious metals, for example, gold.
Fact 3: over half of all exploration in Australia and the Territory is done by the junior sector, and in the last decade the junior share has risen from 36% to 53%.
Fact 4: when we look at world exploration, Australia’s share has nearly halved over the last 14 years and the Territory is not excluded from this mix.
Fact 5: in percentage terms, grassroots exploration - that is, a mixture of brown and greenfield exploration - is now at an all time low and since 2003 has dropped from 50% to 34% of total spend on exploration, that is, all exploration spent at mine sites and by major companies.
Fact 6: despite higher expenditure in the Territory, the discovery rate has declined in recent years.
Fact 7: unlike Canada, where local companies are spending more on domestic exploration, our companies are steadily going offshore, partly for the greenfield geology, partly because of our taxation regime - carbon tax and mining tax for example - and partly due to the ability to source a good labour supply.
Looking for and finding world-class mines is a huge challenge and, while much of the industry’s activities are not dictated by government and subject to world forces, there is much the government can do if it understands the real issues. More money is being spent elsewhere and drilling rates are down. If we do not drill, we do not find. Companies are switching to bulk minerals away from base metals and precious metals, and there is more focus on brownfield exploration. Brownfield exploration generally does not deliver world-class mining projects. New deposits need to be found given it takes 10-plus years to find and develop a new mining project to replace the mines we are going to lose in the Territory over the next five to 16 years.
What does government need to do that it is not doing now? Yes, the geological program undertaken by the geosurvey division within the department is an excellent program, as is the associated annual geological seminar, and both activities must continue. Perhaps the commitment to the exploration initiative program needs to be expanded. Perhaps the drilling support program needs to be expanded. Yes, the two scholarships are an excellent initiative and I do not take that away from the current minister. Where we need to have greater focus is in the geophysics discipline and I would like to hear, specifically, how the government is addressing this interpretative discipline. There needs to be more focus on geophysics programs and the government needs to have a careful look at how it can assist industry in this discipline, bearing in mind many junior exploration companies do not have geophysics staff for many reasons, particularly at the senior interpretative level.
Members in this House may wonder why this job is important - the geophysicist. I will explain. Geology is the study of the earth and the processes that shape its formation and evolution. Geophysics is the branch of geology in which the methods of physics and maths are applied to help solve the geological problems. A company may have the best geologists in the world, but if what they have found is technically tricky or complex a mine will not result unless the physics and the maths is worked out. Surface riches are running out, so government needs to invest in research or form partnerships with those that invest in research.
We need to bring the relevant expertise into a coherent collaborative research network, working within a well-designed strategic framework or road map to address the fundamental needs of the exploration industry in the Territory. There is nothing to suggest that rich world-class ore bodies are not deeper into the earth’s crust; however, we need better and improved technology to find them. This is where I would like to hear what government is doing to assist. I do not want to hear what companies are doing. I know about Emerson Resources and their technology. What is government doing and what has it done over the last little while when it was common knowledge where industry was heading as outlined previously?
Madam Deputy Speaker, this motion is about putting the government on notice. You cannot rest on your laurels and think all is well in the minerals world. Yes, delegations to attract investment are important and, yes, our geoprograms are important and, yes, working with industry is important. However, if you take into consideration all the issues I have previously outlined, we could have some serious issues in the Territory in the next 10 to 20 years if we do not start finding world-class ore bodies that turn into world-class mines and assist with ensuring our ongoing economic strength and prosperity.
Mr VATSKALIS (Primary Industry, Fisheries and Resources): Madam Deputy Speaker, I am surprised the member opposite would bring a motion like this to the House because she explained why world-class mining projects have not developed in the Territory. The minister for Mines from the previous CLP government told me something the member opposite confirmed. It takes 10-plus years from exploration to develop a mine. Ten years ago there was a CLP government. The CLP government at the time lost the plot, did not have exploration in place, and we do not have world-class mines.
Do you know why there was no exploration 10 or 11 years ago under the CLP government? The CLP government used the mining industry to play political games with the allocation and granting of Aboriginal land rights and Aboriginal land. It is well-known and we have said many times before - me and the Chief Minister, the then minister for Mines - when he took over as minister for Mines he found 700-plus exploration applications sitting on his desk. The minister for Mines from the CLP government refused to grant these because he wanted to make the mining industry think it could not explore as Indigenous people would not agree because of Indigenous land rights and native title.
That was far from the truth. It takes 10-plus years to develop a mine – any mine - from exploration to results. That is exactly why today there is no world-class mine project, as the member claimed. That is the reason.
Despite the best efforts of the CLP government of the day to stop mining exploration, this Labor government has made leaps and bounds into the mining industry. This Labor government has increased exploration in the Territory. This Labor government has attracted mineral resources and investments from China and Japan. This Labor government will continue the initiatives to attract more resources to the Territory.
There are more world-class mining projects in the Territory. Some, such as Alcan, go back a long way. Some others have become world-class mining projects because of continued investment by the companies. In 2011, Newmont announced its board had approved a $450m expansion of the Tanami gold mining operation, the so-called Callie ore body, with development of staff to support expansion of the underground operation. The annual production, currently, of Newmont is 90 000 ounces of gold, and the expansion will bring the total production to 400 000 ounces a year. The first production from the shaft is expected in 2014 to early 2015, and the project is set to extend the mine life by five years to 2027. If this is not a world-class mining project, I do not know what is.
Another company, Crocodile Gold Australia at Pine Creek, is moving to a new phase with an underground development of the rich Cosmo deposit, with full production planned this year. Groote Eylandt produced 15% of the world’s magnesium. That is a world-class mining project. Recently, it announced a $280m Phase 2 expansion which increased the production of GEMCO from 4.2 million tonnes per annum to 4.8 million tonnes per annum and is expected to be completed this year.
Talking about world-class mining projects, McArthur River Mine announced a proposal to increase mine production from McArthur River to approximately five million tonnes per annum, resulting in an increase in bulk zinc lead concentrated volume to 800 000 tonnes a year. It will cost about $270m and will increase the life of the mine for many years to come. This is the third biggest zinc lead mine in the world. Is this a world-class project? Yes, it is.
Let us talk about Ranger ERA. ERA, with continued exploration, has discovered a new ore body underneath the existing pit which will increase the lifespan of the mine for another 15 years. The cost to access the ore body is $120m. This money is spent by the companies to develop world-class projects.
Let us look at exploration. Exploration in the Territory 10 or 11 years ago was worth about $46m a year. Currently, exploration in the Territory is $195m a year, the highest growth in exploration of any jurisdiction in Australia. Even when the global financial crisis hit Australia the Territory went against the trend; we increased our exploration. Not only did we increase exploration, we increased exploration in the greenfield sites - not the brownfield sites but the greenfield sites. As a result, we have potential for world-class mines like Wonarah of Minemakers near Tennant Creek, Rum Jungle Resources in Central Australia, and a possible potash mine and rock salt mine in the centre of the Northern Territory.
This did not happen by accident. This happened because this government proactively supported the industry, proactively contracted all the necessary work to provide information to the junior explorers, which are now doing the exploration in the Territory, in Australia and around the world. The big companies have moved away from exploration because it demands a great deal of money and is high risk. The junior explorers work very closely with our government. Our government does the geophysical surveys together with Geoscience Australia. Our government employs new technology to look deep into the earth’s crust to find potential new ore bodies. Our government provides all this information free of charge to explorers to provide some comfort and reduce exposure to the risks when they are doing exploration.
It is also our government which gathers information, compiles it and provides it to possible investors in Japan, Korea and China. Because of that practice, we have seen a significant increase in the presence of Chinese companies in the Northern Territory. We have seen an increase of people investing in the Territory in mining exploration and production. Ten years ago there was not one Chinese company in the Territory. Ten years ago the Japanese company had walked out of the Territory. Today, they not only invest in joint ventures, but they apply in their own right to conduct exploration in the Northern Territory. They invest in the Territory; they invest in offices, in premises, in bringing people from their countries to conduct the exploration and, eventually, progress to mining.
Currently, we have 10 separate mining projects. We have development proposals submitted and at various stages in the assessment and approval process. Some are in early stages, some in advanced stages. The capital expenditure for the 10 projects is estimated to be between $1bn and $2.5bn, with an additional 1200 jobs in operation and up to 3000 jobs in construction. Six of the 10 projects have the potential to be long-term operations with an estimated mine life of 20 years or more.
The Wonarah phosphate project in the Barkly region, the iron ore mines – both Sherwin and Western Desert Resources - before the announcement by the stock exchange, provided me with information about the new exploration and drilling results, which are mind-blowing. When they told me they expect to have about three billion to four billion tonnes of iron ore I thought they were dreaming. I now find the results from the exploration will confirm, in a year or two, that the potential of that area to become the second Pilbara in Australia is very real.
We have worked with and supported the industry. We have a drilling support program - dollar for dollar up to $100 000 - for companies to undertake exploration in greenfield sites subject to them providing the results to us. We are working with Geoscience Australia. We have done the exploration in Tanami, and one of the people working there said it was like X-raying the earth up to a depth of 50 km. This is new technology which has been used in Australia and will be used in the Territory.
When we took government, about 10% of the Territory had been actively mapped by the geophysics department of the department of Resources. Today we have mapped 30%. We continue to look at the Territory in areas where we have not looked before and we keep discovering more and more. This information is provided, I repeat, free of charge to all companies who come here for exploration.
I call the Territory the last frontier. We know Western Australia has a history of mineral exploration and production from the early days of the 20th century. In the 1960s and 1970s the government worked very closely with Japanese companies to develop the iron ore mines in Western Australia. With the investment of BHP, Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals, we have seen the establishment of railways and ports in Western Australia. Of course, it was a time when the big companies did the exploration, now things have changed. Now it is not the big companies but junior explorers. Even with junior explorers, we know much interest is generated with the results of junior explorers being announced by the Australian Stock Exchange or provided to potential investors.
There is much potential in the Territory. Unfortunately, we had a delay in exploration for many years with the CLP government sitting on 700 exploration licences. If those licences had been approved and exploration had taken place, those mines would be operating today. But, no, they are not because the CLP government at the time chose to play political games, not grant licences. The proof was on the desk of the new minister, who found 700 applications. That is recorded and it was common knowledge not only in this parliament, but also in the industry.
We have worked very hard to make the Territory a destination for mining companies for exploration and mineral production. We now see our efforts paying dividends and will continue to do so. There is no way I am going to support this motion. I would have supported it if it had said the CLP government should be condemned for its inability to allow exploration with a potential to develop a world-class mining project. The CLP government of the day has to stand condemned for its inability and unwillingness to work with industry to develop the mining industry in the Northern Territory.
Mr TOLLNER (Fong Lim): Madam Deputy Speaker, I commend the member for Goyder for bringing on this motion because, frankly, the government should be condemned for what it has done to mining in the Northern Territory ...
Mr Vatskalis: Improving it?
Mr TOLLNER: The minister is interjecting again. He said improving. Goodness me, he is living in another world if he believes that ...
Mr Vatskalis interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Mr TOLLNER: Look at the Northern Territory borders. To the east we have Queensland, to the west we have Western Australia, both big mining states. I am certain the minerals do not stop at the lines we drew on a map - that is a reality. There are huge opportunities in the Northern Territory to improve the prospects of mining companies. One thing which tends to escape this government sometimes is mining is a very difficult industry to get ahead in. Even in the best of circumstances, it is very difficult to get a mine up.
I once heard someone say mining is the riskiest industry in the world outside the film industry. That is probably true, because for every BHP there are 1000 or more corpses of other mining companies that have tried and failed. Of course, the problem in the Northern Territory is we have a government that is very anti-mining. It seems everything comes before mining companies, whether it is community interests, environmental interests; it is all put in front of mining companies as a big hurdle they cannot get over. Of course, the interests of the community are served by mining companies. They provide jobs, opportunities, and wealth for the nation.
When you talk about the environment, most people say environmental and mining concerns are generally each side of the spectrum. Obviously, that is not the case because you cannot look after the environment, you cannot protect the environment, and you cannot help the environment if you do not have money in the bank to do so. You cannot get rid of one single introduced weed or any feral animals if you do not have the wherewithal and the resources to do it.
The fact is you need balance. You need to balance the needs of the economy, and you need money in the bank to pay for programs to protect and preserve the environment. One does not exist without the other. Sadly, that is lost on this government because it is doing everything in its power to create obstacles and put more and more hurdles in front of mining companies that are trying to get off the ground.
My good friend, the member for Goyder, outlined a list of obstacles the government has put in the way of mining companies. She has also outlined a list of mines that should have been given more assistance from government.
For the last four years at least, the Northern Territory government has taken its eye off the ball and been completely and totally preoccupied with one project - INPEX. We on this side of the House congratulate the government for the work it has done with INPEX. INPEX is not the be-all and end-all. There is a whole Northern Territory out there that requires the government’s attention which, sadly, has been lacking.
As soon as someone says: ‘This government is anti-mining and anti-development’, it says: ‘No, we are not. Look what we did with INPEX’. What it has done with INPEX is great and should be applauded. However, what else has gone on around the Northern Territory? What projects have failed? When was the last mine opening? The member for Goyder has asked: where are the world-class mines? We have Ranger, we have Groote Eylandt, we have Nhulunbuy and we have McArthur River Mine. However, outside those four there are not too many you would call world-class resources with more than 25 years mining ahead of them. The question is: where is the world-class mine going to come from because it is not obvious with this government. This government has not outlined where it thinks the next big mining proposal is.
I have taken some interest in mining over the years and see some of the opportunities the Northern Territory has. Whilst I am loathe to put the knockers on particular projects, a few provinces are worth mentioning. The Roper region is quickly developing into a very special place of interest with Western Desert Resources and Sherwin Iron. A number of gas companies are looking for gas southeast of Alice Springs. Of course, we have Central Petroleum which boasts the world’s largest brown coal resource. If there is any fact to that the minister has not been saying: ‘We have the world’s largest coal resource in the Northern Territory’. However, that is an anathema to this government. The last thing it wants to find in the Northern Territory is coal. That would scare this government.
The other thing it is scared of finding is uranium. If you find a uranium resource in the Northern Territory, the reaction of this government will be a long-standing one.
A few years ago my good friend, Ian Macfarlane, came to the Northern Territory when this government said it was not going to open any new uranium mines. The then federal minister for Resources came up and explained the facts of life at which time they shot out of this building, held a quick press conference and abdicated their responsibility for uranium mining. What a sad situation. I was in Canberra at the time and felt highly embarrassed about this government abdicating responsibility for uranium mining, particularly at a time ...
Mr VATSKALIS: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! The member has to be very careful because he is misleading the House. If he does not know the legislation, I suggest he says nothing. If he knew, he would realise the Territory never had control of the uranium; it was under the control of the Commonwealth all the time. If he says we abdicated responsibility he is misleading the House and Territorians.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, there is no point of order but I caution you, member for Fong Lim, about your choice of words.
Mr Tollner: Caution me on what? Sorry?
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: About your choice of words.
Mr TOLLNER: Goodness me. Thank you very much, Madam Deputy Speaker, but I can assure you I do not need cautioning on my choice of words; it is a fact of life.
Clare Martin did not want any new uranium mines in the Northern Territory - that is a fact. The government did not want it and, now, is trying to reinvent history. When the minister gave the government some facts about how the Commonwealth Grants Commission worked, this mob ran at 100 km/h. They did not want to have anything to do with uranium mining so they abdicated their responsibility to the Commonwealth government …
Dr Burns: What about Alice Springs - Angela Pamela?
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Mr TOLLNER: What a pack of curs; what a pack of cowards. Rather than face up to an issue - what will happen if Central Petroleum reach the stage where it is prepared to develop the brown coal resource it has? What will the government do then? Will it abdicate responsibility on that one? That is a good question because this government is not going to pull on any contentious issues. Goodness me, if the Country Liberals had not been in government for 27 years we would not have a single mine. If it was left to this mob none of these things would be developed.
It is interesting to see the way McArthur River Mine has developed. This government almost tore itself to bits over that with 400 jobs left in the balance because its plans to develop the mine could not be approved. We waited for months for the then federal Environment minister, Peter Garrett, to make a decision to sign off on that river diversion. These people who call themselves a government in the Northern Territory, responsible for Territorians, did they go to Canberra to talk to the minister? Did they proclaim loudly they were not happy the minister was putting in the balance 400-odd jobs and goodness knows how many indirect jobs? No, of course, they did not; they almost internally imploded.
We saw the member for Arnhem making impassioned speeches about the dangers of expanding a mine. That, in itself, was bizarre. She is so proud she comes from Borroloola, in an area she is so proud of and she was advocating for the complete shutting down of that local economy. Just bizarre!
We saw the member for Arafura join forces with them - we all know she is anti-development on everything - lobbied long and hard to shut down the forest in …
Ms SCRYMGOUR: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! I am offended. The member for Fong Lim is misleading the House. I am offended at his suggestion that I am anti-development. He has no substance in ...
Mr Tollner: Is this a point of order?
Ms SCRYMGOUR: No, hold on. You have also misled the House …
Mr Tollner: Honestly, if I tried to make a point of order …
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Ms SCRYMGOUR: … the former Environment minister was Ian Campbell not Peter Garrett. He has misled the House and is wrong, wrong, wrong.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Arafura, there is no point of order. If you wish to make a personal explanation you may do so through the process of standing orders. Member for Fong Lim, you have the call.
Dr Burns: It was Mr Campbell.
Members interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Leader of Government Business!
Mr TOLLNER: Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. From my recollection of the McArthur River Mine expansion, I do recall Ian Campbell being minister at the time. I recall Peter Garrett took weeks to fly up. I do not know why he would have been doing that from opposition. I do not know why anyone would have been talking about Peter Garrett if he was in opposition ...
Mr Vatskalis: Ian Campbell was the minister.
Mr TOLLNER: Goodness me! You talk about reinventing history. This is quite recent history and you are trying to paint Peter Garrett out of the picture completely. Getting back to the point I was making ...
Members interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Members, cease interjecting, please!
Mr TOLLNER: ... Ian Campbell was the minister prior to the end of 2007 and I was in federal parliament at the time. I do not think that was the case. I believe Peter Garret was the minister at the time. He delayed his decision over Christmas. No one at McArthur River Mine had any certainty as to whether they would have a job. The workforce was put on hold - they were stood down. Fortunately, they were not sacked but they were stood down for a period, waiting for a decision from Peter Garrett. I do not recall them waiting for a decision from Ian Campbell, but if that is the way you want to reinvent history, then go for it ...
Members interjecting.
Mr TOLLNER: Goodness me, you hit a raw nerve when you mention Labor colleagues in Canberra! They are trying to suggest Clare Martin was not opposed to uranium mining. What a joke this mob is. Next they will be telling us they tried to develop a coal industry in the Northern Territory, or they want a nuclear reactor built here to put electricity into our grid. Does this mob have any shame? Is there no depth they will not plumb. Of course there is not. They will try to convince you black is white and white is black. It is the nature of these people; they invent.
Mr TOLLNER: There is no doubt this is an anti-development government. It has done everything it possibly can to stop development everywhere except one place, which is what all members hang their hats on. They all walk around sticking their chests out saying: ‘Aren’t we great? We delivered INPEX. We are so development focused’. Well, look at the thing. In a minute we are going to be talking about land release. My good mate, the member for Barkly, the bipartisan champion, said the government has an enviable track record. ‘The greatest land release in history’, he said today in Question Time. Sometimes my stomach hurts from listening to these clowns ...
Members interjecting.
Mr TOLLNER: It is bizarre when you listen to these guys. I apologise, member for Barkly, if it was not Question Time; I am certain at some stage today you were talking about the great land release policy of your government ...
Mr McCarthy: Record land release.
Mr TOLLNER: I do not know what record he is talking about but it is a funny one. However, this is the most anti-development government in the Northern Territory’s history. It proudly runs around telling everyone how it put a moratorium on clearing land and pumping water from the Daly like it is some great achievement to shut down a whole area, to put the lives and livelihoods of a range of farmers in an area into the balance and give them no certainty. You had that moratorium running for eight years, I believe. You say that was an achievement. What did you achieve? Where was the achievement? Who did you help by doing that?
It is a bizarre situation: ‘We have stopped this, we have stopped that, and now we have stopped you going to the shops without taking plastic bags and stopped you buying takeaway alcohol without your licence’. They have stopped many things, but I do not know what they have done to help anyone or help industry get ahead. Probably the hardest hit in the Northern Territory has been the mining industry because this government has been stubborn when it comes to allowing and supporting miners to get ahead.
Thank you again, member for Goyder, it is an impressive motion. I will be glad to support your motion. Obviously, these Luddites, or whatever you want to call them on the other side, will not be supporting the motion because they are not into developing the Northern Territory, building a strong economy or improving the lifestyle of Territorians. Consequently and ironically, because of those actions, the government has no way of improving the environment in which we live.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Deputy Speaker, it was not my intention to contribute to the debate today but I could not contain myself. I have to say, having listened to the member for Fong Lim and the government’s response, you cannot help but realise the reason the member for Goyder brought this into the House. I agree. I do not see any real signs of a pursuit of world-class mining projects. We have had a few, we have had some beauties, and each of those world-class projects ...
Dr Burns: Mt Todd.
Mr ELFERINK: No, I have not forgotten Mt Todd.
Dr Burns: No, we have not forgotten either.
Mr ELFERINK: Yes, you will never forget it; it is your one thing in the locker. Let us talk about the way you guys have organised mines in the Northern Territory. Let us look at the McArthur River Mine and the shambles this government found itself in, with members crossing the floor because they had personal political interests in their own electorates rather than the interests of the general welfare of the people of the Northern Territory.
Who bailed out the government on that occasion? The Country Liberals, because without the Country Liberals there would not have been sufficient votes on the floor of this House to pass the legislation enabling the expansion of the McArthur River Mine. Why? Because members of the Labor Party were too busy trying to stop it happening. I ask you, Madam Deputy Speaker, where was Peter Garrett? You can imagine the way he was trying to negotiate with people the whole way through. I am surprised he does not take his eye out every time he speaks in federal parliament. For goodness sake, this ...
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! I thought after 2005 it was 19, four and two. Can the member for Port Darwin explain his equation, please?
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Mr ELFERINK: Great, you are making a point. Your blokes were a shambles and were prepared to see the mining industry in the Northern Territory cast to the winds, and all you want to do is make cheap political points in the House. Well, bully for you! Guess what the people at McArthur River were thinking about the government and the way it conducted itself?
This is not about cheap political points; this is about the creation of a world-class mining industry in the Northern Territory. With the exception of the INPEX project, which was a refugee from the Labor Party in Western Australia to the Northern Territory, you guys have not achieved a world-class mining project.
Western Desert Resources wanted to build a slurry pipeline out to the gulf. Where was the assistance? Where was the help? Nothing from this government. It left Western Desert to find its own solution. This government sat on its hands and provided zero assistance. Yes, we are really cool and good at taking people over to China on trips so we can attract Chinese investment to the Northern Territory. Well, where are the mines? Where are they? Where are all the Chinese mines we are promised from all the trips to China? I do not see them. I keep hearing about Chinese ownership of exploration leases. Where are the mines? There are none.
The problem is you put out the media releases, go to China, and think the job is done. The job is not done because what you are getting out of this process is retarded development in an area where we should be far more aggressive and advanced. Ranger is a world-class mine. McArthur River is a world-class mine. Jabiluka would be a world-class mine for want of some real passion and desire on that side of the House to see the Northern Territory developed. Yes, I can understand the reticence of some of the people who live there, but I can also see a government that talks about jobs in remote areas for the people who live there. Well, these mines provide jobs. Here is a world-class mining arrangement. What is happening at The Granites? They were there prior to the change of government. Where are the new ones? That is what this motion from the member for Goyder is about.
You talk the talk but you are not walking the walk. That is why I become so frustrated. I spent eight years being the member for Macdonnell. It was so glorious in some ways and so frustrating in others because of the incapacity of land under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act - I hate talking about Aboriginal land - that land to be effectively explored. I know exploration leases were stymied over areas of Macdonnell because the explorers were not big enough or did not come up to the land council’s expectations, and that is frustrating. Where is the government knocking on the land councils’ doors – all four of them – saying: ‘We want to help you. We want to get these places opened up. We want to see what it takes to get these places opened up’.
However, government is jammed in negotiations with the NLC over the intertidal zone. The way it treats the NLC is astonishing. Basically, it took out full page advertisements saying: ‘We are going to take these people to the High Court rather than engage with them’. That is what you promised. I was almost glad in one respect when the ALP won the 2001 election because I thought the fear and concerns the land councils had with the former CLP government would not be reproduced in the Labor government. I thought there were some upsides to this, but was that development reflected? Was that optimism on my part reflected in the conduct of this government? No. The negotiations were done over small areas concerning native title issues around Alice Springs which retarded the growth of Alice Springs. There was none of the massive engagement I was hoping for or an opening up of traditional lands under a Labor government to mining and to create jobs and wealth.
None of that happened. That opportunity has gone begging now for 10 years and I am so disappointed. We talk about education, health and welfare issues in remote areas and what do we get? The same platitudes and the same words when the opportunities to have those areas developed are being missed time and time again. Do we hear ministerial statements on what the government is doing to open up those lands? No. We hear about the trip to China but not about the engagement with the land councils to really open up these areas.
What did the Northern Territory government do in relation to the sea bed mining proposals in the Anindilyakwa area? It is private land, but the exploration permits were there. What did government do to encourage that development? What did government say to the Anindilyakwa Land Council, or the proponents of any sea bed mining in that area, to see how it could assist this process? Can we do any research to demonstrate this is either safe or unsafe as a process? Did the minister pick up the phone and speak to the chairman of the Anindilyakwa Land Council? I suspect not ...
Mr Vatskalis: Yes, he did. I had a personal meeting.
Mr ELFERINK: You did? Well, why do you not tell us about it? You had an opportunity. You do not think about it. It is not in the forefront of your mind. The minister should be waking up every day and saying: ‘How can I improve mining in the Northern Territory? What is my role; what is my function? Goodness gracious me, there is a problem with the slurry pipeline for the Western Desert proposal. How can I make that work better? What bridges can I build to achieve that?’ Not sit on your hands and wait for Western Desert to come up with another arrangement with Xstrata over trucking that material out ...
Mr Vatskalis: Western Desert Resources was advised to find another solution.
Mr ELFERINK: That is your response. You told Western Desert Resources to find another solution. That was the sum total of your involvement. Picked up the phone and said: ‘Mate, that slurry pipeline is just not going to work, find another solution’. Where is the passion, where is the drive, where is the desire to make the Northern Territory a place where Aboriginal people, non-Aboriginal people, Chinese people, Japanese people make their fortunes and their wealth? What do we have against generating wealth? Why do we hate it so much? Why are we shy of it? Why do we want to bury companies under mountains of bureaucratic red tape?
We are talking about the native vegetation act. Have you seen how that stuff operates? I saw an article the other day where they are sticking dead trees in concrete in some jurisdictions to avoid having to deal with the payments in relation to the native vegetation act. Get this! In New South Wales, if you clear a piece of land and some native vegetation grows up in the form of weeds on that land, you have to get a bloody permit to clear it again. That is how we are planning to assist development in the Northern Territory, be it mining or through agricultural development.
The member for Fong Lim made the point perfectly well. The government is finding ways to completely stifle and baffle people who have a bit of ticker about them and a bit of drive. There is a saying: people who can, do; people who cannot, teach. I often believe politicians are like teachers, because people who can do and we, as politicians, cannot so we try to assist people who can. The best way to assist those people is get out of their way and do not introduce onerous things like structures of legislation such as native vegetation legislation.
Yes, we need to have protocols to protect the environment, but it does not mean creating a regime where someone will stick dead trees in concrete to avoid having to pay bills. It drives me insane when I see bureaucracy producing those results.
It is so pedestrian nowadays when I hear the minister for Mines, the minister for Business, and the minister for Development with a speech prepared by someone in the department. There is a monotone delivery from the minister in relation to the issue under discussion - the CLP are all bad and it is really awful. It drives me nuts!
This is why I support the motion from the member. It is about fire in the belly, getting up and having a go, caring; it is giving a damn about the future of the Northern Territory not just worrying about how it looks in the next media release.
Madam Deputy Speaker, this motion should not be supported - it should be championed.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Goyder, in closing debate be mindful that at 9 pm consideration of General Business finishes.
Ms PURICK (Goyder): Madam Deputy Speaker, I thank my colleagues, the members for Fong Lim and Port Darwin, for their excellent speeches in regard to this motion. It is an important motion. The minister missed the point in his comments.
The point was not about what we have now, the point was about the issues facing industry in the Territory as well as in Australia - issues that are very real. They are issues industry talks about at conferences and researchers at universities write papers on and make presentations. The fact is, yes, exploration expenditure in the Territory is at a good level, but the level of metres of drilling is declining. So, they are spending money on something, but they are not drilling as many holes or as many metres as they have in past years. That is a worry. It is happening elsewhere in this country also, not just in the Territory. However, we are only talking about the Territory now.
The industry is also moving away from exploring for uranium and precious metals; it is going more towards large bulk commodities - coal, iron ore and large nickel. The member for Fong Lim pointed out, quite rightly, there is huge potential in Central Australia for an underground coal deposit but we are not blessed, geologically, with large iron ore deposits like Western Australia, or large nickel or coal deposits such as on the eastern seaboard. It would be great if we were, but we are not.
They are turning away from certain types of exploration and it has to be asked why. The reason is because that is where they are making the best money. The facts are the industry is turning back to brownfield exploration. They are looking at ground they have looked at before. They might be clever at what they are doing and be using different technology, but you do not get world-class mines - even half world-class mines - from brownfield exploration, you get them from greenfield exploration. That is a fact of industry.
They are some of the key issues facing our industry. There are other issues I did not touch on which impact on industry’s ability to explore and to mine. I mentioned briefly the carbon tax and the mining tax. Those are disincentives for companies. It states that in the Fraser Institute reports you read every year. I read them every year. It is a disincentive. If regulatory regimes are burdensome and cost industry a great deal of money they will look elsewhere, and they are looking elsewhere. That was another fact. They are going to countries like South America and Kazakhstan. They are going to places in eastern Russia because they can get on the ground quickly. They might not make as much money as they would in Australia and perhaps South America, but they can get on the ground.
I have no issue with much of what you said, minister, but what constitutes a world-class mining project? Yes, we have them in the Northern Territory, but they are products of the 1960s exploration boom ...
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Goyder, it is 9 pm. If you are to finish in the next couple of minutes that would be fine, but if you require longer we will need to adjourn this item to the next General Business Day. What would you like to do?
Ms PURICK: Yes, if we could adjourn it.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you member for Goyder.
Debate adjourned.
ADJOURNMENT
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Honourable members, it now being 9 pm, pursuant Standing Order 41A, I move that the Assembly do now adjourn.
Mr HENDERSON (Wanguri): Madam Deputy Speaker, tonight I incorporate into the Hansard a speech given by the Ambassador of the United States, Jeffrey L Bleich, at the USS Peary commemoration, the 70th anniversary, on Sunday this year.
As I said when we debated the series of commemorations for the 70th anniversary of the bombing of Darwin at the beginning of this week, the speech given by Ambassador Bleich at the Peary commemoration was one of the most powerful and moving speeches I have heard in defining why the alliance between the United States and Australia is so enduring and so important, and why it means as much as it does to Australians. There were probably 200 to 250 people at that commemoration. The speech was of such significance that it should be placed on the public record through the Hansard for people who are interested in Northern Territory history, in exploring the reasons for the US alliance with Australia and why it is so important. It should be part of the historic record, not only of this parliament and this Territory, but also of this nation.
For me, the speech said a great deal about my background, my family’s background and, in particular, my father’s background. My father served in the Pacific in World War II and was one of a very small handful of Australians who moved from the Australian/United States forces and served with the US forces in a US uniform. My father spent the last two years of World War II serving in the US Army as a marine engineer on landing craft around the Philippines and the Pacific. One of the treasured photos I have is of my father, my Australian father, serving in a US Army uniform. That is a piece of history.
After his stint serving with US forces in the Pacific in World War II, my father moved to Indonesia where he started a shipping line with a Dutch friend of his. When General Sukarno claimed independence for Indonesia, all of the Australian and Dutch assets were nationalised. My father and his business partner lost everything. My father ended up in Europe, where he joined NATO as a marine surveyor. I and my brother were born on American military bases in France, and then moved to an American military base in the United Kingdom when France withdrew from NATO.
So for me, I was born and grew up with US military personnel and their families. They were very happy childhood years. We had many American friends and grew up with American kids, and I also have a half sister who is American. So the whole United States story comes home to me very personally through my father’s service, both of the Australian forces and the US forces during World War II, and being born and growing up on American military bases.
There is a sense of a personal thread for me, through the alliance with the United States. The Ambassador’s speech clearly articulated what I would have struggled to articulate of why this alliance is so enduring and so significant, and will be enduring for this nation, I believe, for many, many decades to come.
I commend this speech to all members of this House, to anyone in the Territory who is interested in this history, because it is a very important speech in the history of the Northern Territory. I table this speech for incorporation into the Hansard record.
I would also like to ...
Madam SPEAKER: That is two separate things, Chief Minister. So you are tabling this speech?
Mr HENDERSON: I am tabling this speech, yes.
Madam SPEAKER: Tabling is different to incorporating.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, I seek leave to have this speech incorporated into the Hansard record.
Madam SPEAKER: Can I just make a comment about incorporation. Normally you could not incorporate that, but I was at the Peary Memorial, and I know the Leader of the Opposition was, the Leader of Government Business, and possibly the member for Fong Lim and the member for Sanderson. We heard the speech. Are you comfortable with that speech being incorporated in the Hansard, because it is an exception. You are happy to do that?
Members: Yes, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Leave is granted, Chief Minister. I just wanted to make people aware that this is not something we would normally do, but it is an exception because it is extraordinary.
Leave granted.
Mr ELFERINK: Before we incorporate, Madam Speaker, I just note that we will graciously not resist this. I would just remind the Leader of Government Business that he was not so gracious himself in the past.
Dr Burns: Thank you, member for Port Darwin.
Madam SPEAKER: Leave has been granted, thank you.
- Their Excellencies, Ms Quentin Bryce, Governor-General of Australia and Mr Michael Bryce; Her Honour, the Hon Sally Thomas, Administrator of the Northern Territory; the Hon Julia Gillard, Prime Minister of Australia; the Hon Tony Abbott, Leader of the Opposition; the Hon Paul Henderson, Chief Minister of the Northern Territory; Mr Terry Mills, Leader of the Opposition in the Northern Territory; the Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor of Darwin, Graeme Sawyer; representatives of federal, state and local governments; members of the Armed Forces; our veterans; honoured guests, thank you for the privilege of allowing me to join you here to commemorate an event of special importance in the shared history of our two nations.
I especially want to thank Rick Setter and the Australian American Association for organising this commemoration. You have kept the flame alive all those years, honouring and reminding us of what took place just out there in the waters of Darwin Harbour 70 years ago.
We look at these still waters, this gathering of friends, this calm day without fear, and it feels normal. We wake each morning assuming some basic things - that whatever challenges we may face we are not in mortal danger, our families are safe, and our nation is secure.
This is why certain dates are forever seared into our national consciousness. In America, those dates are 7 December 1941 – a date which will live in infamy – and 11 September 2001. On those two dreadful mornings, our casual assumption that our borders were secure and that our families were always safe was shattered. The world was turned upside down overnight. 19 February 1942 was just such a day for the people of Australia, and especially for the people of Darwin.
On a day like that, what we look for most is the comfort and support of our friends. Our nations shared each other’s pain on each of these terrible days. Australians lost their lives alongside Americans in the Pacific and on US soil in the attacks of 11 September. And, nearly as many Americans as Australians perished in this very harbour fighting along with their Aussie mates as bombs rained down upon them.
Events like these leave a permanent mark on our nations’ souls; bruises that are still tender even 70 years later. I experienced this during President Obama’s visit here just a few months ago. There were many powerful moments during his visit to Australia – his address to the parliament in Canberra, and his embrace with a raucous crowd of Australian and American troops just a few miles from here. But, the most powerful moment of all occurred right here, on this very spot, as he wordlessly comforted and embraced those who had survived the horrible events of 19 February 1942. Their tears demonstrated all too clearly that the pain of that morning 70 years ago remains. Our tears witnessing that moment were a testament to the fact that those of us not yet born also know the painful legacy of that day. And those tears area a tribute to the bravery of the people who laid down their lives that day and in the years that followed to keep us free.
So while these dates remind us of horror, pain and loss, they also remind us of the true meaning of courage and strength and resilience. No crew better demonstrated those qualities than that of the USS Peary.
As Rick Setter so eloquently reminded us, in the days following Japan’s declaration of war on 7 December, the Peary had endured one attack after another in its voyage to this harbour. Just two days after Pearl Harbour, the USS Peary and its crew were attacked by Japanese bombers while moored in the Philippines. As soon as it was back at sea it suffered three separate bombing and torpedo attacks on three consecutive days.
So by the time the Peary reached this harbour and took up its position, the Peary and its crew had demonstrated that they were prepared to defend themselves, Darwin, and this great nation of Australia.
We think of the young men aboard the Peary on the morning of the attack, many of them barely 18 or 19, seeing the sky darken on the horizon and then hearing again the stomach-turning sound of aircraft preparing to bear down on them. Men like Commander Herb Kriloff, who is here with us today and served as Officer on Deck of the USS Preston that morning. We see their eyes scanning the skies, their mouths dry, their ears throbbing, and then suddenly facing a sky filled with aircraft and they hear those first horrifying shrieks of metal and fragments.
Yet, despite this unspeakable fear, they maintain their stations and they fight. They fight with the strength of knowing that they may have only minutes to live. Right up until the very end, as the mortally wounded Peary was sliding into the ocean, the men aboard refused to stop firing. The Peary’s gunners remained at their post, with the sinking ship engulfed in fire, firing at the enemy until the last plane flew away.
Here, in this place, Australians and Americans together maintained their hope and resolve in the darkest and last moments of their lives. It is that great spirit, that great faith, that we commemorate today. Their final moments have sanctified these waters and this day well beyond any words or tributes we can offer.
For us, the challenge is to never forget the causes for which they gave their lives - Australians and Americans together. The Peary is more than a valiant ship, it is more even than the sacred resting place of those who perished on board; it is a crucible from which our great partnership was forged. In the first ever attack upon Australian soil Americans were there, side by side with their Australian brothers, fighting as one. Our two nations were bonded in blood that day. And we have been devoted to one another ever since in the battle for what is most important – security, prosperity and freedom.
I am reminded of that spirit, and what we have built together, each day when I walk the grounds on the US Embassy in Canberra. There is a magnificent oak tree there which was planted by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in September 1943. She flew here in 1940s era transport during wartime, at a time when fighting was still raging just offshore in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. And, after several days of difficult flying, she stood atop an exposed hill in the centre of Australia’s capital and she planted a tree. She planted it with absolute confidence that that tree would continue to grow taller and stronger every year. I can think of no better symbol of the growth of our two countries’ relationship.
Like that tree, over the last 70 years, our bonds have deepened, broadened and extended each year, reaching closer to the sky. While our partnership may have been rooted initially in military cooperation, it has branched out across a wide range of common interests: from offering help to the oppressed, to sharing prosperity with our people, to protecting the oceans and the environment for our children, to forming Australian and American friendships and families together.
Like that tree, our partnership is more than just a symbol; it is a living breathing thing that needs care. Generation after generation has tended to this partnership and continually renewed it. We see this here in Darwin with the impending arrival of Marines. Instead of coming to fend off a common enemy as they did in 1942, they come to preserve the bonds and the peace that we have formed. They will learn together, train together, eat together and bond together with Australian friends. We will ensure that both our nations are prepared to face together whatever challenges the future holds.
Finally, like that tree, the ultimate strength of the US-Australia relationship has always come from the ground up. The relationship is solid and unbending because of the countless links and ties and foots formed at ground level between our two peoples. There is no finer climate, no better soil where that mateship can thrive than Australia.
I look at that tree, I look at this relationship, I look at this safe and still harbour, and I think that this is the real tribute to those who perished on 19 February 1942. This is the new life we have created in their memory.
So, today, we not only remember those who fought and perished in 1942, we also honour those they inspired, those who rebuilt, those who over the last 70 years helped create a world today that our forefathers could hardly have imagined: a world in which our former enemies are now among our closest friends. We stand here in a harbour once ravaged by war to celebrate 70 years of peace.
This is the cause to which the seamen of the USS Peary gave the very last measure of their devotion: that we would live as they had died – free and strong, hopeful and brave.
Thank you.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, I genuinely thank all honourable members for their indulgence.
At the commemoration on Sunday I was handed a poem by Waldo, the bush poet. We all know and love Waldo, and I will not seek leave to incorporate Waldo’s speech, but I will read the poem into the Hansard record whilst we are on the commemoration. This is Waldo’s poem, The Bombing of Darwin 19th February 1942:
- The bombs rained down on Darwin, what a sad and sorry day.
Prayers said for those who perished, what a shocking price to pay.
The war had reached our golden shores and some northern country towns,
While the people south of Brisbane line thought they were safe and sound.
Enemy bombers spanned our skies as fighters flew below,
Attacking ships in the harbour like a giant lightning show.
Our Airforce tried to stem the bombing, but didn’t stand a chance.
With the Imperial Japanese carriers, as their Naval fleet advanced.
Australia’s Ack-Ack crews relentless, as they searched the northern skies.
From East Point ‘cross the Stokes Hill Wharf, diggers died before our eyes.
Our courageous indigenous coast watch spotters were all on high alert;
They were bombed and strafed across their Islands, and left dying in the dirt.
Japanese Zeros plastered bullets on the fuel tanks at Stokes Hill Wharf,
Then strafed A.I.F. Gun turrets, as they slowly changed their course.
They attacked the Catalina base at Doctors Gully, then flew down by the shores.
Where they bombed another flying boat base and turned around for more.
Then the bombers flew down Smith Street, Cavenagh as well;
Demolished shops and the post office - it was just like bloody hell.
Melville Island, Groote and Bathurst, Torres Strait and Broome as well;
Katherine also copped some flack, Strauss airstrip, Hughes and Pell;
The USS Peary’s gun crew were outstanding, as she slipped beneath the waves.
Now she rests in our beloved harbour – a proud US Naval grave.
Seventy years we’ve been allies, through blue skies and ‘cross the waves.
We share a common bond for peace, Australia and the USA.
God bless our wonderful countries and peace be with you all.
Darwin, we now salute you.
That is from Waldo, and I am pleased to read his poem into the Parliamentary Record.
I take this opportunity to thank everyone who contributed and worked so hard to make a significant series of events around the commemoration of the 70th anniversary the success it was.
I am pleased to see the Ambassador’s speech incorporated in the Hansard record. I also table Waldo’s poem.
Mr GILES (Braitling): Madam Speaker, I comment on the attack by the Chief Minister during Question Time today. I would like to clarify a few points.
I thought it was very interesting to hear the Chief Minister wanting to say I am misleading the House. Surely, if the Police minister had reports of fighting and allegations of knives his response would be to take a different approach rather than attack me in this Chamber. I have reviewed the Hansard of what I said in a couple of speeches during these sittings over the last two weeks. I have also reviewed what he said in parliament today during Question Time. I have also reviewed the transcript of e-mails between me and police. I would like to clarify several things.
The Chief Minister said today that I said the call did not even go through to police. I cannot find anywhere in Hansard where I am alleged to have said that.
The other component of this story is the Chief Minister, in his first answer, had a couple of issues tied together. There were two separate issues. I will explain to the Chamber what occurred.
I received a phone call on Wednesday, 4 January from the owner of a business at the Northside shops complaining about the police call centre. Complaining, as I have said in Hansard before, that she was not receiving an adequate response - and I am referring to her comments to me, not verbatim. She had been hung up on as she requested to be put through to the Alice Springs police because she would get a better response time. I went to see this business owner and was talking to her about the issues, the same issues I talk to so many constituents about on a regular basis. While I was there I received a phone call from David Woods from the NT News talking about the rail line on the way to Darwin. While I was talking to him I went outside and stood by my car. While I was there a lady who seemed to be somewhat inebriated, although I cannot tell how much, came running up to me telling me there was a fight and that people had knives and wanted to stab her.
At that point, while I was on the phone listening to Dave and listening to this lady simultaneously, I said to David: ‘I am going to have to go; I have to call the police’. I called the police and the transcript has been tabled by the Chief Minister. I said in debate that on the first call - what is quoted from Hansard - I am referring to what the police said: ‘I will try to get someone there’. In my debate I was not quoting verbatim. I do not have the benefit of the Police Commissioner and his resources to trawl through transcripts to find out exactly what was said on a phone call. I tried to recall what was said. In the heat of the moment, when there are 10 or 15 people fighting and allegations of knives flying around, you take in the context of the conversation you receive.
From there, the lady who approached me was telling the people fighting that I was CIB, or police, and they should stop fighting because I was calling the police. This is all in Hansard. The police called back some five or 10 minutes later; it could have been longer, I am not sure. There are no times on the transcript that was produced today. It is interesting in the first transcript that it does not say that police will be turning up. The operator said to me: ‘Okay. Thank you very much for letting us know’, not: ‘I will send someone around’.
On the second phone call when the call centre called me back, the police did say, towards the end of the conversation: ‘All right, we will get someone there, but just call back if they start fighting again’. That was after I had said: ‘They are not punching anymore and I cannot see a knife. They are all loitering around’. I said: ‘There is no physical fighting right now. I cannot see any injuries’. The operator said: ‘All right, so they are just loitering around?’ I said: ‘There are probably 50 or 60 people’. The operator said: ‘There are probably 50 or 60 people?’ I said: ‘Yes’. The operator said: ‘Okay, just give us …’. I said: ‘They are loitering around the car park’. The operator said: ‘All right, give us a call back if anything escalates, all right?’ I said: ‘It is a pretty unsafe environment, but if it escalates I will call you back’. The operator said: ‘All right, we will get someone there but just call us back if they start fighting again’.
To me, that does not say that anyone is going to turn up. I note the Police minister, the Chief Minister, today reflected - and I am not going to quote specifically - saying they said they were going to get someone there. Well, that conversation there says to me that the police communications were not. I understand the resourcing issues police have in Alice Springs; that is why the Country Liberals have committed 20 extra police.
The Chief Minister also said today that they did attend the scene and they did not leave until peace had resumed. Well, I stayed there for a long period of time after that second phone call, and I did not see police turn up. They could have turned up an hour or two later when I had gone home. I do not know. But, they had not turned up when I was there so I find that very interesting.
The Chief Minister then tabled a letter or an e-mail I sent to police two days after the incident, thanking police for their good work. It should be known that that e-mail had nothing to do with the police call I made. That e-mail had to do with a meeting I called with all the Northside shop owners, and I invited two officers from Alice Springs police to come and explain the problems of the police communications call centre and what was going on. I will not say what the conversation of that was, because that would be unfair to many people who were at that meeting. As soon as that meeting was finished, on the Thursday at 3 pm, I can tell you – roughly between an hour to an hour-and-a-half - the police van had turned up at Northside shops, and everything had cooled down. That was on the Thursday.
On the Friday, I went past and had a look and spoke to shopkeepers after receiving an e-mail from the police advising me of concerns and issues he had raised with police officers about the call centre. I went past on the Friday and saw that the police van was there again. At 5.10 pm that evening, I sent an e-mail - the one that was tabled - thanking police for their impressive response - and I am not quoting from the e-mail, the words are there – saying: ‘Thank you very much for your impressive response, the shopkeepers are happy’.
We know that the day after, the police van was not there and, to my knowledge, has not been seen again at Northside shops, and that crime has escalated once again.
I reflect on a briefing I had with the Police Commissioner in my office late last year, where I raised concerns about why the police van was not out more often. Why is it not at Northside shops, or Larapinta shops? Why is it continually parked in the police station? Without verballing the Police Commissioner - and I will say very loosely, for the purposes of the Chief Minister - he is not an advocate of utilising that police van. Well, I am. So, I sent that e-mail after two days of the police van being present, and thanked them. It had nothing to do with the phone call to police about an allegation of a knife, where there was a fight of between 10 and 15 people, which eventuated in 50 or 60 people yelling and screaming and putting shoppers in a nervous position.
So, the Chief Minister’s attack today is misconceived and ill directed. Sure, I did not quote verbatim from a transcript of a telephone call but I was recollecting what my phone calls were at that point in time. For the Chief Minister to engage police to dig up transcripts is a poor use of police resources and time. He should be identifying why I received a phone call asking me to call back if the fight started again. When a constituent rings up with 10 or 15 people fighting and an allegation of a knife, the real concern is why the police did not turn up. If they did arrive a long time after I had gone, what about the police response time? I would like the Chief Minister to tell me when the police did arrive, what they did, and how long they were there. Who did they arrest? What was done? I was not there all night to midnight. I was there for a while and I did not see the police arrive. I would question that.
Madam Speaker, this is not about the words you use in parliament; it is about the issue. You reflect on what happened at the Aurora hotel where police did not arrive for 40 minutes and it is exactly the same issue.
Ms WALKER (Nhulunbuy): Madam Speaker, last Thursday I participated in a debate in this House in support of the Chief Minister’s statement, Gearing Up for Growth. During my contribution I made reference to the many positive initiatives in the electorate of Nhulunbuy in the areas of government service delivery, including health. I also made very brief reference to dental health services in my electorate. It was just one sentence. I said, and I quote from Hansard:
- We have recently seen $250 000 spent on the dental clinic in Gove, upgrading those facilities which has been long overdue.
That is all I said. I did not make any reference to dentists or dental therapists. I did not make reference to school dental health services, or private or public services. That did not stop the member for Brennan, the shadow for Education, that evening launching a nasty and baseless attack on me and my integrity which was entirely inaccurate, less than honest and, quite simply, out and out wrong.
The member for Brennan has never let truth get in the way of the opportunity to score a political point and use parliamentary privilege to launch attacks on others on the floor of this House. He has form in this area, having delivered an attack on the Education minister’s advisor during Question Time last year, and in the lead-up to the federal election in 2010 he also used Question Time to attack the former member for Solomon with baseless, scurrilous and unsubstantiated accusations - something he did at the bidding of his leader because we all know he is a snitch.
In response to one solitary sentence in a debate last week - and I will repeat what I said:
- We have recently seen $250 000 spent on the dental clinic in Gove, upgrading those facilities which has been long overdue.
- What really got up my goat today was when I heard the member for Nhulunbuy brag, in a speech here today, about the new school dental clinic opening in Gove. I read this Bakewell newsletter a little further - and I will read here what it says:
- I am moving to Gove to take up a position as the dental therapist in East Arnhem.
The member for Brennan went on to say:
- That is an extreme hide, to come bragging about a new program when you have stolen the dental clinic from Bakewell Primary School, one of the largest primary schools in the Northern Territory. When you find out the member is also the parliamentary secretary for Education, one starts to wonder how these decisions are made.
On a bit of a roll, the member for Brennan went on:
- I am looking forward to not only letting the people of Bakewell know that their dentist has moved over to Gove and that the member for Nhulunbuy, the parliamentary secretary for Education, has taken their dentist.
How on earth does the member for Brennan deduce from my one sentence about a dental clinic refurbishment in Gove, a very modest one at that in a building which is 40 years old, that I have acted inappropriately, to see the Bakewell School dental therapist relocate to Gove for goodness sake? There is no misunderstanding or having misheard here. What I said, and what the member for Brennan said in response, is very black and white. Inspector Clouseau over there got it wrong, again, and he owes me, on the floor of this House, an unqualified apology ...
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Given that there is a limited time for adjournments, maybe we could ask the member to table the speech ...
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, resume your seat.
Mr TOLLNER: ... and have it incorporated rather than reading it.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, resume your seat.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Resume your seat. Order!
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, cease interjecting. Order!
Ms WALKER: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Inspector Clouseau and his little army behind him have it wrong once again, and he owes me on the floor of this House an unqualified apology and retraction for the shameful, completely baseless and outrageous accusation levelled at me accusing me of corruption.
It is actually worse than that, Madam Speaker. It goes beyond me and my integrity. He has been totally irresponsible in reporting of the school dental service in Bakewell Primary’s newsletter. In this House last week when referring to the Bakewell newsletter, he said:
- The ad goes on to say that if you have any dental problems go and see a private dental clinic in Palmerston.
Wrong again, member for Brennan. What the notice actually says - and I too quote from the Bakewell newsletter:
- Should you require any dental treatment whilst the clinic is closed please ring Palmerston Dental Clinic on 8999 3314 for an appointment.
Inspector Clouseau over there missed the fact that any number with 8999 is a government number, but he cannot work that out.
This is not a private dental clinic. It is a free public dental clinic in Palmerston, and clinic staff will see any children from Bakewell Primary until the vacant position at the school is filled. To be doubly sure, I phoned that number and I can confirm, members of the opposition, Leader of the Opposition, supposedly, that it is a public and a free service for eligible patients, including schoolchildren.
The member for Brennan’s reckless disregard for accuracy, his propensity to be more than loose with the truth has upset the Bakewell School community, and he should also apologise for the alarm he has triggered at that school, a school which I have visited and I know.
The attack actually goes even further and extends to a public servant, a school dental therapist. With Nhulunbuy being the small and friendly community that it is, I met the new dental therapist socially over the weekend. She tells me she has worked in Nhulunbuy previously and was keen to get back out there because she loves the place and has some good friends there. That is fantastic, because we find it hard to attract certain professionals to take up positions in remote areas. This individual has worked in public health for well over two decades, most of it in the Northern Territory, and has spent the last six years at the Bakewell clinic. Indeed, in the school newsletter she said how much she had enjoyed her time at Bakewell and that she was a bit sad to be leaving, but also excited about her new position.
The member for Brennan did not share that one bit. And, without any prompting from me, she said she was aware of what was said in this House about her by the member for Brennan, and is angry about it and the silly and scurrilous suggestion that I had somehow engineered her move. It is as outrageous as it is offensive. I trust the member for Brennan will also write and apologise to her.
The member for Brennan is clearly clueless when it comes to operational matters of the public service, and also as to exactly which minister is responsible for school dental services. It is not Education, it is Health. He is long on complaints, short on ideas, and absolutely hopeless when it comes to detail.
The member for Brennan is a bit of a joke, a bit of a bumbler, sweating away over there, coming up with an alternative education policy, or no policy Pete as the member for Barkly calls him, and wringing his hands and telling us it is coming when we all know he does not have a clue. Putting himself up as the dedicated member for Brennan, working for the people of his electorate - help me! Well, the people of Brennan and Palmerston deserve better. I understand there is a Labor candidate in the wings ready to take on this hapless, miserable failure of a member who has proven he is more interested in scoring low political points by sidestepping the facts and the truth.
Madam Speaker, I wish to apologise for an inaccurate comment I made about the member for Brennan last week. I said he was hard-working; he is not. He is lazy, he is devious, and he is a repeat offender when it comes to using his privileged position as a member of parliament to wrongfully assassinate people’s characters in this House, whether they are politicians or hard-working and dedicated public servants.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Speaker, methinks the lady doth protest too much.
Madam Speaker, I love this House and I will tell you why. It is because members can say almost anything in this House and that is what is so important about this House. I listened to the strident attacks, including wonderful abuse against the member for Brennan, from the member for Nhulunbuy, and good on her! She is defending her position, and that is what this House is about. She can come here and demand apologies until she is blue in the face, and I guess she is not going to get one because the dentist in question, who I will not name and make any reference ...
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Not a dentist. It is a dental therapist. You were not listening either.
Madam SPEAKER: Order
Mr ELFERINK: ... at the risk of being accused of misleading the parliament, the dental therapist in question is really a pawn. What the member for Nhulunbuy, in all seriousness, must recall is we should not be bringing the pawns into this House. We should be attacking the other players. The problem with quoting the dental therapist in question is that it drags the dental therapist into the debate and, by quoting from the dental therapist and saying the dental therapist is all in for it, invites the media to speak to the dental therapist. That is problematic because ...
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member opposite spoke previously in this House about a former school teacher and was quite scurrilous in his remarks about her and she was a former college of mine.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nhulunbuy, there is no point of order.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Port Darwin, please direct your comments through the Chair, thank you.
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Speaker, I was fully prepared when I made those comments to be answerable for them. The point is I remain that way. I am not using that public servant as a human shield. I had my problems with that public servant; I made that clear. This member uses that public servant as a human shield. I will quote from that public servant. ‘Go and ask that public servant’, is the invitation from the member for Nhulunbuy. Well, do not do it because the media ends up ringing ...
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I did say with the knowledge of that particular public servant and her blessing.
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! You would think the Deputy Speaker ...
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Resume your seat, member for Fong Lim.
Mr TOLLNER: ... would have a clue about standing orders.
Madam SPEAKER: Same for you, member for Fong Lim. Many frivolous points of order come from you, member for Fong Lim.
Mr ELFERINK: I recall when another public servant, a legislative drafter, was dragged into this House. I cannot remember which minister it was but they decided they were going to have a crack at the former member Jodeen Carney with a signed letter from that legislative drafter. That legislative drafter’s job in this House became untenable to the point where she was moved into the department. That is the problem with this approach for the member of Nhulunbuy.
I do not care how bent out of shape the member from Nhulunbuy is about my comments earlier today. I did what I did with full knowledge of the potential repercussions and I will stand by what I said. The problem I have with what is going on here is that I wonder if the member for Nhulunbuy, in her enthusiasm to garner an ally, has actually exposed that dental therapist/public servant now to be dragged into this public controversy. The controversy was between the member for Nhulunbuy and the member for Brennan; there was no necessity to bring in that third party. That is a part I am concerned about.
The fact is that this House is a wonderful place where people can exchange their opinions. Those opinions we hear expressed are often speculations, and we heard the speculations from the Chief Minister in relation to the member for Braitling today. The member for Braitling is able to defend himself and argue whatever he has to argue to defend his own position because the arbiters of what we do in this House are not in this House. The arbiters of what we do in this House are out there. They are the ones who make the decisions as to whether or not we continue to maintain our position in this House as members of parliament. They are the ones we are answerable to.
The rules of this parliament should only be sufficient to enable the parliament to operate effectively. That is why we have sections about unbecoming words and that type of thing, because we do not really want to hear expletives and those sorts of things in here.
However, it is not unbecoming for one member to question the motives of another member - we do it all the time as a matter of course. We speculate, we guess, we make comments about each other’s leadership, we talk about what this person was thinking over there, we use the thinnest and most veiled tissues of evidence to create opinions about each other, and we talk about each other all the time. That is the nature of what this place does. Woe betide us if we ever tried to lock that down or shut that down. The member for Brennan had every right to ask those questions, and the member for Nhulunbuy had every right to deny any knowledge or involvement in that process. Let the people be the judge.
In the process, of course, the kids of Palmerston are without a dental therapist - because I believe that therapist serviced all the schools in the Palmerston area – and the kids of Nhulunbuy now have a dental therapist. Well, that is bully for the kids for the Nhulunbuy but it is bad for the kids in the Palmerston area. If the member for Brennan wants to ask questions about that, and even suggest motives, then he is not answerable to the member for Nhulunbuy so much as answerable to the people of Brennan.
I heard the member for Nhulunbuy say: ‘You had a crack at public servant’, and I do so very carefully when I do it. However, I am prepared to say outside this House what I said inside this House about that public servant 32 or 33 years ago. I can tell you, I do so carefully and with deep consideration. Even when I am speaking positively about public servants I still consider carefully what I say. However, that is a side issue. The real issue is this House is a place where people can talk and accuse each other of all sorts of things. That is what I love about this democracy.
I can tell you, any attempt to get rid of that and limit it is something I will rail against. I railed against it when we had ministerial reports - those tawdry little five-minute jobbies - and they are gone. I am grateful to the member for Nelson for their departure. If the rural area got that sort of that support, I think you would have a pool ...
Mr Wood: It is coming. I am going to throw you in it.
Mr ELFERINK: What the member for Nhulunbuy needs to realise is she can be as angry as she likes and she can use all the names. I notice the old Labor habit, in particular - not that I am saying we are sweetness and light over here – of, if you do not like what you are hearing you just call people names, was strident and resplendent in her response to the member for Brennan’s questioning and assertions. She can do it and continue to do it, and I welcome it for the reasons that I may not agree with what she says but, by God, I will fight for her right to be able to say it. That is why I like this House so much.
The member for Brennan had every right to do what he did; the member for Nhulunbuy had every right to do what she did. Thank God for the system of government we have because I do not like the alternatives at all.
Ms SCRYMGOUR (Arafura): Madam Speaker, in my adjournment tonight I would like to pick up on the member for Port Darwin’s hypocrisy when he jumps up regarding the Westminster system and what this House is all about. It was quite interesting last night listening to the member for Port Darwin all gallant and sticking up for the member for Brennan and his colleagues - so he should. That is an important attribute of being within parties. We often stick up for the Independent member for Nelson in ...
Mr Tollner: Of course you do, you would be out of government if you do not.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Ms SCRYMGOUR: And it is eating you away. It is eating you to the core, Dave, because he did not side with the CLP.
Mr Tollner: Absolutely! It was a disgusting thing for Territorians. I am sick to death of it.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order! Member for Fong Lim!
Ms SCRYMGOUR: It was interesting listening to the member for Port Darwin, because last night, one of my colleagues delivered an adjournment on the member for Macdonnell. The member for Port Darwin was sitting there. The member for Johnston actually delivered the adjournment following the member for Port Darwin. Did he run back from the door to call a point of order, or to object to any slight on the character of the member for Macdonnell? No, he did not. The hypocrisy on the other side when this House is used like a coward’s castle and you can point all you want on this side. It has been used conveniently by various members over many years to slur the characters of different members on this side.
Yes, there have been slurs on former members of this House, but I did not see any member of the CLP run in and object, or stand up and defend, the member for Macdonnell last night - the hypocrisy. If I was the member for Macdonnell I would be thinking seriously about why she went to the CLP, and it is just to keep one number for the Leader of the Opposition.
I wanted to speak in the adjournment debate tonight about the Bombing of Darwin commemorations and going to the Cenotaph. It was fantastic to attend that celebration. All the events and the speeches were good. I was a little disappointed in the speeches by the Prime Minister and the federal Leader of the Opposition. I felt there was a little politics in both of those speeches, which could have been kept out of the Bombing of Darwin celebrations.
Talking to the Tiwi dancers, the women who came in and sang in the hall - certainly for Tiwi people, it is a time of celebration. Reflecting on the Garden Point mob in the book, written by Auntie Thecla Brogan, who was in the home at the Garden Point Mission, they talk about 1942 and the evacuation, and the time in which Darwin was bombed. I had completely forgotten that my mother was with a group of nuns at that time. Sister Annunciata, who I am sure the member for Nelson would remember - the Sisters Annunciata, Eucharia and Antonius brought all of these young women, 35 of them, into Darwin because they were going to take them on a trip to Melbourne. They left Garden Point on Saturday, 14 February 1942, arriving in Darwin. It was interesting that on the day of the bombing my mother and all these young girls were in front of the presbytery, which was near the present site of St Mary’s Cathedral. They were there dancing and singing when the bombs went down. It was Tom Lewis was the historian, or Cherie Beach the ABC reporter, who pointed out the photo of these young women. It was a delight to see the happy faces of all these young women, although the bombs were falling - the poignant and serene happiness on the faces of these young women because they were preparing to go on a big journey down south.
Straight after that, my father, who was at another mission at Croker Island, was led across the continent by Margaret Somerville. Whilst my parents were not old enough to fight in that war being young children, on Sunday at the Cenotaph I was reflecting on how they would have felt with the bombs coming down, and those Tiwi women thinking that lollies and balloons were coming from the sky. Little did they know that it was the Japanese dropping the bombs. The Bishop at the time had told them all to go into the convent and take cover, because they were bombs. So looking at that photo gave cause for reflection.
It was really sad to see all those old servicemen, knowing there were not many years left for those old men, and remembering their sacrifice and their fighting for their country. As an Aboriginal Territorian, and as an Australian, to stand there and to look at those old men and women and the sacrifice that they made, makes you feel humble and privileged that you are at a ceremony where, maybe in years to come, many of those old people will not be there. I parked my car at one end of The Esplanade and walked up. To see the crowds of people on The Esplanade and hear them talking about all the events was very moving.
I have to say to the Minister for Arts and Museum that many people were talking about the interactive display at the museum. I also join in acknowledging the fantastic work your agency did over that weekend. In particular, I think Alan James in your office who did a fantastic job assisting with the many events that occurred over that weekend. It was a fantastic weekend. I know how much my countrymen who came in and participated enjoyed it. The dancers went to the ceremony at the wharf, because whilst the Cenotaph is important, the ceremony at the wharf is just as important because there were people who were killed whilst they were working. Both ceremonies are important.
Madam Speaker, I wanted to put on the record my acknowledgement of a fantastic weekend, and my acknowledgement of those servicemen and women, both past and present, and what they fought for in this great country of ours to give us the freedoms we have today.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I was going to continue with my discussion about the agreement, but something popped up last night which I thought was worth investigating today. It was in relation to comments made by the member for Braitling last night. He said:
- I still have not had the question answered of why a carton of beer goes up by more than $10 when you only get $2.40 back. That is $7.60 per carton inflationary pressure. There are plenty of families across the Territory who cannot afford that – why it costs $57.99 for a 30 block of VB at the Northside shops. It is just not right.
I am not sure whether the member meant 24 or 30, but I spent part of the day ringing around various hotels to get the price of a 30 block of VB as a sample. The price of a 30 block of VB at Northside in Alice Springs, which is part of the Celebrations group, and that is the shop that the member for Braitling refers to, is $67.99 a carton. I rang them twice to verify this price. Now we are talking about a 30 block of VB. The same slab of VB in South Australia, which is where a container deposit system operates, is interesting.
Here are some prices from a number of hotels in South Australia. These are the two Celebrations hotels: The Castle Tavern, Edwardstown - $49.99, normal price $51.00, that is $18.00 cheaper than Northside; The Commercial Hotel, Jamestown - $50.99, that is on special, normally somewhere around $54.00, that is $17.00 cheaper.
I do have some other prices there, I might see if my assistant can get them to me before I go, but I will give you some other prices as well. The prices in the Northern Territory, for instance: at Northside, it was $67.99, as I said. Howard Springs Supermarket - $60.99. That is interesting, because they are both Celebrations outlets. Howard Springs Supermarket is a long way from Northside yet the carton of beer was $7 dearer. The Thirsty Camel in the Northern Territory has the Todd Tavern, Alice Springs at $66; the Howard Springs Tavern, which is further north at $63, the Parap Tavern at $63, and Pit Lane at $63.99. It is funny that Alice Springs Todd Tavern is $3 dearer.
The other two shops you might be interested in, in the Northern Territory: Liquorland, Alice Springs, $63; Palmerston Liquorland, $63; Woolworths Coolalinga, $56; and Humpty Doo Woolworths, $56 not on special. It is interesting to see the difference in price.
If I go back to South Australia under the Thirsty Camel hotels – Woodville, $51, $16.99 difference from Northside; Glenelg, $52.99; Cremorne, $49.99; Streaky Bay, a fair way from the city, $54 - still $13.99 cheaper than Northside; and Coober Pedy out the back of nowhere, $52, nearly $16 cheaper than Northside.
Go to Queensland. I have picked a couple of places which are a long way from anywhere –these are Thirsty Camel outlets – Bellevue Hotel, Townsville, $52.50; Central Hotel, Cloncurry, now you are getting out back there, $50.95 – cheaper than Townsville. Western Australia, Broome Celebrations, $51 and this is on special; Broome Liquorland, $45; and Broome Liberty Liquor, $43, normal price $60. It is a wonder someone has not taken a truck to Broome at that price. Kununurra is just as far away as anywhere else in Australia. At Celebrations at Kununurra the normal price is $52.
This raises a few questions. First, the average price for South Australia is about $14 different to the price at Northside. It will cost $6 altogether because of the container deposit so you will get $3 of that back, a very conservative handling fee. That is the only bit that should cost you, that $3 for the handling fee because you get $3 back. In fact, you are paying $8 more at Northside.
When I did an average of prices in the Northern Territory and an average of prices in South Australia, you are paying $5 more. You pay $6 for the container deposit - that is $3 for the 30 cans and $3 for the handling fee, and you pay another $5 on top of that and that is the question. Why are we paying $5 more? Why, in the case of Northside, are you paying $8 more? The other question is, South Australia has a container deposit scheme. It has 10, and it has handling fees. Why is it at Streaky Bay, which is out the back of nowhere, it is only $54 for a carton of VB? How come the manufacturers are quite happy to have the normal prices at Streaky Bay? There are prices in South Australia which are cheaper than in other parts of Australia. How come? How come South Australians do not get hooked with up to $14 extra for a carton of beer when we do? That is the question we need to be asking, and the government needs to be telling people we are being ripped off.
The second question is: why we are paying this extra money when there is no difference between us and South Australia or Queensland. You could argue there is the freight. Well, there is not the freight because a 30 block of VB is $52 in Kununurra. A fair bit of freight goes there. It is the same price as Coober Pedy; it is the same price at Glenelg; it is the same price in Broome; and it is the same price in Townsville. The beer has to travel a long way to get to all those places yet it is the same price as in South Australia. Why? Because these companies have special transport deals. I worked for Mitre 10 for a long time. You could land hardware in Howard Springs at the same price as in Melbourne because they have a deal which covers the freight. So, freight is not an issue.
So, what is the problem? Why are we getting charged anywhere between $5 to $8 more per carton? I say there has been a conspiracy between the brewers, the manufacturers, and the retailers. Someone is gouging the price. The maximum price of a slab of beer at a Thirsty Camel hotel should be somewhere around $59 to $60 - that is what you should be paying. Yet, there are some places where you are paying $68 and some even higher. I know you have to give and take a little, but it is quite ridiculous.
When the member for Braitling said this has to do with the container deposit scheme, it is not. Part of it is - and that part we should not be paying for anyway because, in South Australia, it has made no difference. What you have is a deliberate attempt by the industry which does not support container deposit to ensure the consumer in the Northern Territory will feel the full brunt of their opposition to container deposits. They will do it by not passing that deposit and handling fee over the cost of their products throughout Australia, as they have done for South Australia, and they will deliberately bump the prices up. It is either them or the retailers.
If they say I am wrong, show us the invoices. Show us the invoices for a 30 pack of VB in South Australia. Give us the price and show us what the difference is in the Northern Territory. Are they the ones putting up the price, or the retailers?
I say to the member for Braitling, please do not use the CDL scheme as an opportunity to knock a great scheme. Do the research. The research is ring up around Australia and find out how much it costs everywhere else but the Northern Territory. Ask yourself why it is costing so much in the Northern Territory? It can only be one reason: that the industry wishes to kill the Container Deposit Scheme. I would rather the member for Braitling put his energy into making this work.
The inflation cost for a carton of 30 VB cans should be no more than $3 on a carton – 10 per can. It is still pretty cheap at around about $2 a can. Tell me how much I have to pay, as a non-drinker, for a can of soft drink. Look at who is complaining. I pay more for soft drink than some people pay for beer.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I support the CDL. I ask the manufacturers why they are trying to wreck it.
Mr McCARTHY (Barkly): Madam Deputy Speaker, I acknowledge and thank tonight one of the Territory’s long-term public servants, Bonnie Kappler-Thomson. She is often referred to as one of our matriarchs of Tennant Creek. I remember going to Tennant Creek as a young teacher over 30 years ago and hearing that name and meeting Bonnie Kappler, at that time, and learning of her wonderful work in the public service, about her family history, and about that respected position she held in the town, and still commands today.
Bonnie commenced employment with the Northern Territory government on 23 October 1978, and will retire next week, on 29 February, after some 33 years employment. Bonnie has worked her entire career in the Tennant Creek/Barkly region. Over the years, Bonnie has significantly contributed to the regional development of Tennant Creek and the Barkly region through her involvement in the community.
Bonnie has been involved in the Barkly Regional Co-ord Committee, the Tennant Creek Main Street Project, the Barkly Regional Road Safety Committee, the Barkly Blueprint, and the Barkly Regional Development Plan. Work colleagues, and the community, have spoken highly of the dedication and support Bonnie has provided over many years. Bonnie is to be applauded for her commitment and dedication to the Northern Territory government.
Tennant Creek is losing a real pioneer of its community. Bonnie and her husband, Stan, are relocating interstate to Mannum on the Murray in South Australia, where she will spend well-deserved quality time with her family. I wish Bonnie all the very best for the future, and thank her for her support and commitment over the last 33 years. As a Tennant Creek local, I add my personal thanks for her commitment to our town and community. Both Bonnie and Stan will be missed in the Barkly.
Today, Darwin Harbour played host to one of the world’s most beautiful vessels, the Queen Mary 2. One of the world’s largest ocean liners, the QM2 was a truly impressive sight. At a whopping 151 400 tonnes, 345 m long and 40 m wide, she commanded the harbour and looked brilliant with Darwin’s azure waters in her backdrop.
Our retail traders and tour operators will have had a great day and, by the look of the crowds along the road to Fort Hill Wharf, many Darwinites enjoyed the spectacle too.
I commend the great people of the Darwin Port Corporation who managed the successful berthing of the Queen Mary 2, along with six other cruise ships, over a monumental two-week period. As part of their work the port team managed the logistics, including effective communication to the public and control of buffer zones, as well as utilising pilot vessels to guide the cruise liners in and out of this great harbour.
More than 12 000 people will be travelling to Darwin over this period so it is a great time for our local businesses and the Darwin economy, and a busy time for the port.
This period of cruise ship arrivals closely follows the recent Eline Enterprise incident. Staff from the port and all members of the multi-agency incident management team are to be commended on an effective and efficient response to the gas leaks reported on Australia Day. At 3 am on the day, Darwin Harbour control took a call from a cargo ship which was moored on the outskirts of Darwin Harbour. The vessel, the Eline Enterprise, was leaking ethylene gas from several containers which were stored on the deck after the Darwin region was lashed by huge storms. The Harbour Master immediately took initial actions to minimise the potential impact on the Darwin public and the environment. The situation was stabilised and, directed by the Harbour Master, the ship’s captain moved the Eline Enterprise safely to an outer anchorage.
A multi-agency incident management team was formed under the Harbour Master’s leadership, comprising key members of the Darwin Port Corporation; the Department of Lands and Planning; the Department of Natural Resources, Environment, the Arts and Sports; the Fire and Rescue Service; police; and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. The container owners flew in from Singapore to assess, as did a specialist industrial chemist who provided valuable advice on safe handling of the leaking gas. Ship company representatives, the charterers, the insurers and legal counsel also participated in the incident management team.
Over the next few days, working in often inclement weather, the team kept the situation under control as damaged containers were moved and the gas discharged. The damaged containers were declared gas free last Saturday and the damaged containers were discharged at East Arm Wharf.
The Harbour Master worked 16 days in a row during the incident and clocked up some 135 hours straight during the emergency response. Other members of the incident management team worked similar hours. Ministerial, government department and media briefings were conducted by staff sometimes several times each day. The Harbour Master spoke to media frequently to keep the public informed.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I thank all those involved in the management of the gas leak incident. They did an excellent job and proved Darwin Harbour is well equipped to deal with emergency situations.
Mr BOHLIN (Drysdale): Madam Deputy Speaker, I will talk about a fantastic group of community-minded people who I am involved with in Palmerston in the seat of Drysdale. They are not what one would first think of as a community group, but rather a gathering of community support network people. Its members are from the Housing Commission through to the council and local members. At times we even have representatives from the local cinema.
This is the Palmerston Regional Safer Communities Committee. It is coordinated through the Palmerston City Council. It meets monthly and, bar having to come into parliament, I have missed very few of those meetings. I have always had a representative there and feel proud to be part of this group. When you have people from the YMCA and such organisations working with the Territory Housing, the police, and small businesses within Palmerston, you feel you are part of a community group. You really feel that your input can make a difference.
That leads me to the point we are now at. The Palmerston Regional Safer Communities Committee has moved to a place where they are now considering running a small course of crime prevention through environmental design, a course I was accredited with whilst in the police force. I was lucky enough to use those skills whilst I was in community policing to assist some schools, like Driver Primary School, in putting forward a plan, which under the current government they were able to complete late last year, with some finalising of some fencing, and also with other community groups.
This will allow those community elements to take those skills to their workplace and assist people, in maybe sometimes the simplest way, have a better understanding of how they can assist those people to improve their own personal safety when dealing with clients one-on-one. This is a community group getting together, seeing a need and an important change, and doing their lot in life, I suppose.
It came about when I raised issues about Reg Hillier Park. I raised it with the council, and through the Palmerston Regional Safer Communities. We also raised it through the media and through direct contact with the community around the park. The issues identified perhaps opened the eyes of some of the other people around. They now understand how, with the right tools, they can help others in our community. That to me is what community spirit is about. These great people come together every month, not because they are forced to, but because they have a desire to help the community of Palmerston, an absolutely beautiful part of the Territory, and I am so proud to be a part of that. When I cannot be there due to my commitments in parliament, I am proud to have representatives there, as the member for Brennan and the member for Blain have representatives, to attend where they can as well. It is truly great to see such a group move forward, see a community need and think, how can we deal with that? How can we get on with making direct change? And so they are.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I look forward to seeing some further outcomes. You are moving the right way, guys, and doing a great job. I am very proud to be part of this Palmerston team.
Dr BURNS (Johnston): Madam Deputy Speaker, tonight I want to talk about a very sensitive issue related to Thorak Regional Cemetery. About a week ago I was approached by a constituent, Mr Ron Riddle, whose wife is buried in Thorak Regional Cemetery. She died around four years ago, and his son is buried there also. His son died in very tragic circumstances last year. Mr Riddle was very upset about the treatment he felt he had received from Thorak Regional Cemetery in relation to the memorials of his wife and his son.
From the outset, I acknowledge that I understand that Thorak Regional Cemetery, which I understand is under the Litchfield Shire Council, has to enforce rules in a cemetery over a whole range of things. I understand that there needs to be a certain standard of memorials there, and there have to be rules. I also understand that the council has liability in things like cyclones and the like. They do have a hard job, and I acknowledge that.
The feeling I got from Mr Riddle, who essentially wanted to place some memorials on his wife and son’s grave, and they were approximately 15 cm over the size allowed by Thorak Regional Cemetery. Mr Riddle reported to me that the memorials he had made fitted the cement structures that were part of the grave. He is very upset, particularly with his son’s memorial, because he had done it especially for his son who was a very keen and talented footballer, and put various logos and emblems of football clubs on there. He was told he had to take that 15 or 20 centimetres, which is about six inches, off this and it would cut right through the memorial.
He also reported to me that in the area he wanted to place this memorial there were quite a number of others that were bigger than the memorial he wanted to place. He also went to the Northern Territory News which last Saturday, wrote an article. I do not have the page number - it is quite a large article - where the person who is in charge of the cemetery, the cemetery manager said:
- … only plaques measuring up to 700 mm were allowed in the cheaper section B.
I am not sure whether that is a very good description to be saying where someone’s loved ones are interred at the cemetery.
- It costs an extra $1220 at the most to buy a plot in section C or D, which allows for a 2.8 m headstone. People are told the limitations of sections of the cemetery when they purchase the plot.
There was also a letter to the editor some weeks ago signed by a Lyn Russell of Wanguri asking about the changes at Thorak cemetery. It was regarding no flowers and curbing removed. Mr Riddle also told me various things he had put there - some pavers to do with his wife’s grave - had been removed and no one had spoken to him about it, etcetera. Lyn Russell from Wanguri talks about various things that seem to have been banned, trees removed - a whole range of changes within the cemetery.
I intend to write to Litchfield Shire Council on this issue. As I have said before, I understand the difficulties, I understand the challenges - I think I do – but Litchfield Shire Council and the management of Thorak cemetery should be engaging with people who visit graves there. It is a very emotional, personal thing when one of your loved ones is buried somewhere and it does need a special relationship. If things were explained better to people, if there was a bit more flexibility with things, particularly for someone in Mr Riddle’s situation - he was told he would have to go through Litchfield Shire Council to get the oversized plaque approved. I will be writing to Litchfield Shire Council on this issue asking them to show some flexibility towards Mr Riddle.
I understand there are a number of people upset about changes in rules at Thorak Regional Cemetery. There is much feeling out there and I urge Litchfield Shire Council to meet with people as a group and hear their concerns, and find ways in which they can address those concerns, and really try to communicate with families who have loved ones there - the challenges of maintaining and administering that cemetery for the benefit of all.
I listened with interest tonight when the member for Nhulunbuy put forward her complaint, if you like, against the member for Brennan about what was said in this place last week. I also listened to the member for Port Darwin who spoke about the jousting of parliament and people accusing each other of various things. As always in this place, when we mount an argument against someone, we should try to be reasonable, stick to the facts, and give people an opportunity to respond to what is said.
To the member for Brennan, instead of impugning the integrity of the member for Nhulunbuy - and I believe he was accusing the member for Nhulunbuy of corruption; that is the way I interpreted what he was saying - a better course of action would have been for you to ring my office for an explanation of the situation with the dental clinic. I certainly would have made contact with my colleague, the Health Minister, because these clinics are administered through Health, to try to find a solution. I would have ascertained that the number that was given is a public clinic with free treatment. I certainly would have been talking to the Minister for Health about expediting recruitment into that position, to try to support the schools in Palmerston.
It was really a window, if you like, on the way the member for Brennan operates, and the sort of things he must be saying in his electorate about people. I am very alarmed about that, although I suppose another window that we saw was during the federal election in 2010 where he said certain things about Damian Hale, which I thought were quite inappropriate.
What I say to the member for Brennan is, obviously, you have offended the member for Nhulunbuy. She has looked at you now and, from what she said in this place today, you have been put in the balance and you have been found wanting. Keep on remembering the Book of Daniel, with the writing on the wall about the King of Babylon. It said Mene, Mene, Tekel u-Pharsin, which means you have been put in the balance and you have been found wanting. The last bit says that your kingdom is going to dissolve and be divided. Well, that will be up to the voters of Brennan to work out in the next election.
The member for Nhulunbuy has certainly shown you what she thinks - she has put you in the balance and found you to be wanting. Some of the people of Brennan would also see that. There is a long way to go yet. There is a bit more balancing to be done on your performance yet, member for Brennan. I am looking sideways at you, and the things you say and assertions you make in this place are untrue. I will be very sceptical of the questions you put to me in Question Time, and of your letters to me.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
Last updated: 04 Aug 2016