2014-02-18
Madam Speaker Purick took the Chair at 10 am.
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move that on Wednesday, 19 February 2014, the Assembly meets at 2 pm and the routine of business be as follows:
1. Questions
2. Notices
3. Petitions
4. Government Business, Notices and Orders of the Day
5. Ministerial Statements
6. Papers
7. General Business, Notices and Orders of the Day from 5.30 pm to 9 pm.
Motion agreed to.
Continued from 15 October 2013.
Mr GUNNER (Fannie Bay): Madam Speaker, the opposition supports the bill – which I am sure the member for Port Darwin was expecting – as this bill implements a recommendation made by the Law Reform Committee in a report prepared under the previous government. The report was completed in June 2012, and is another example of the good work that happens from term to term and government to government, no matter what political stripe they are. This work was done prior to June 2012 and the report was completed in June 2012. It is good to see the Attorney-General bring this bill to the House.
The bill relates to matters where an accused person bases their criminal defence on a medical condition or a particular state of mind. The bill empowers a court to require the accused to submit to a psychiatric or other medical examination in such a situation.
It makes sense that someone basing their defence on a psychiatric condition is required to have the condition tested. The defence or prosecution can make an application to the court for the test to be required, and the test must be performed by a suitable expert. It is also the case that a court can order a test on its own volition. The Law Reform Committee noted that, currently, the prosecution is not able to have the defendant examined by an expert witness, call the witness to provide evidence, or call the witness to provide expert opinion. This bill now provides for that to occur.
When a defence is based on a psychiatric or medical condition, we need to ensure that legal and legislative processes are as thorough as possible. Our legal processes need to accommodate situations where a person has committed an offence as a result of a psychiatric or medical condition. It is extremely important that a court can be sure that individuals are aware and responsible for their actions.
However, it is just as important that this defence is not abused, and it must be rigorously tested. This bill provides for that. It provides for the test to be undertaken and for the results of the test to be subject to scrutiny. It is important to point out that the bill accommodates a scenario where the accused refuses to be subjected to a test. A refusal is not grounds for an accusation of guilt. However, the prosecutor can comment on the refusal and cross-examine any witness and the accused on the refusal.
I commend the processes undertaken here. Referring these sorts of matters to the Law Reform Commission is the right approach to take and it leads, I believe, to good legislation in this Chamber. It can take time, but it is important these types of legislative amendments are looked at very thoroughly. The Law Reform Commission does this, and you examine precedent and other thought by good legal minds prior to having these debates. As shadow Attorney-General, I am very supportive of the use of the Law Reform Commission. We have legislation before the House which has come through these processes, and I look forward to debates in the future with the Attorney-General on similar issues.
A whole body of law can be achieved in this Chamber quite successfully by both sides, and we see that on occasion. There are also times when we have our arguments. Normally when we go through the Law Reform Commission process it leads to a position where both sides can be in agreement, which is why bodies such as the Law Reform Commission exist.
Madam Speaker, we support the bill.
Mr ELFERINK (Attorney-General and Justice): Madam Speaker, I acknowledge and place on the record, thanks to the opposition for its support of what is a commonsense amendment. This bill, in part, forms a component of a far wider legislative reform package which this government is pursuing. We thank the opposition very much for their support of the bill and we look forward to it passing through all stages.
Motion agreed to; bill read a second time.
Mr ELFERINK (Attorney-General and Justice) (by leave): Madam Speaker, I move the bill be now read a third time.
Motion agreed to; bill read a third time.
Mr GILES (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to inform the House about an exciting new direction for the Northern Territory. It is a plan which will create jobs for all Territorians and will mean better roads and schools, and a brighter future for our children. It will make the Territory a place where people want to come to live and work. It will make us the envy of the rest of Australia. We have developed a strategy which will not only fix the $5.5bn debt mess left behind by Labor, but will generate wealth for everyone who calls the Territory home. Economic prosperity will return.
This government is building the framework to make the Territory key in the development of northern Australia. We have what everybody else wants. We have room to grow, natural resources in abundance and Australia’s closest deep water port to Asia. It is a port which does not have the development problems which accompany being inside the world heritage listed Great Barrier Reef.
We have water, a rail link to the rest of the country, and a rich and diverse culture which attracts visitors from all over the world. As you are already aware, the federal government has committed to producing a white paper on developing northern Australia by the end of 2014. The Northern Territory is now actively positioning itself to take full advantage of what that commitment is. The white paper will define policies for developing northern Australia by 2030, including an outline for the implementation of these policies over the next two, five, 10 and 20-year periods.
This government will ensure the Northern Territory leads the national agenda for the development of northern Australia, and that policies and plans are in line with the Northern Territory’s priorities.
In September 2013, I created the ministerial portfolio for Northern Australia Development, and we are the only state or territory to do so. This, in itself, is a strong demonstration of my government’s commitment to and focus on to this process. Today, I have the pleasure of informing the House I am also establishing an office of northern Australia development. The new office will develop and lead the implementation of emerging northern Australia policies, which will drive the development of the Northern Territory. The office will promote the Northern Territory as Australia’s northern gateway of choice, ideally positioned and resourced to share in the wealth creation which will define the Asian century.
This office is being established by Mr Peter Carew, whose background makes him eminently suitable for the role. In 2013, Mr Carew was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his services to business development and to the community of the Northern Territory.
Through the development of links between business, government and the educational organisations to promote overseas trade, under Mr Carew’s leadership, the office will act as a conduit between my government and the Australian government and industry groups. It will also showcase and market northern Australia to prospective investors and become what is known as a one-stop shop for stakeholders interested in the development of northern Australia.
An important early role for the Northern Australia Development Office will be its involvement in the development of the white paper on developing northern Australia. I have accepted the Prime Minister’s invitation to join him in northern Australia’s strategic partnership with the Premiers of both Western Australia and Queensland. This partnership will provide national leadership on the development of northern Australia and ensure close productive working arrangements across governments. I have also extended an invitation to the Prime Minister for the first partnership meeting to be held in Darwin.
There are many opportunities for the Northern Territory across a range of sectors. We have to think outside the square and abandon the old regional development policies that have left northern Australia underdeveloped for over a century. The Territory government is finalising its first submission to the Joint Select Committee on Northern Australia Development. We will make it clear that the Territory is ideally positioned to benefit the nation because of our central position between the booming Asian economies and Australia’s well-developed south.
We made an early case for the need for new infrastructure and called for the Australian government to help fund extensions to the rail network and a second port at Glyde Point. We have called for funding and support for a national gas grid to connect the Territory to the rest of Australia, and are asking for tax incentives to stimulate population growth and economic development.
The reality is the Territory is 150 years behind the rest of the nation in infrastructure, and we want the federal government to play its part in fixing that shortfall. We are building more affordable houses across the Territory, and we want Canberra to commit to the Ord River Stage 3 project, as it did in Western Australia. Our submission also makes it clear that developing the north will contribute to the national economy in the long term by reducing the need for welfare as more and more Territorians get a job. It is a win for the country and for the Territory.
We have committed to working productively with a federal committee on the way forward. We will drive our case home at every opportunity, but it is early days for the committee and this is not the end of the process. Quite the contrary, it is just the beginning for what will become an extensive process of consultation.
We want Territorians to have their say on this exciting opportunity. In the coming months, we will undertake a far-reaching consultation process the length and breadth of the Territory. We want Territorians to tell us what they want from the development of northern Australia and make suggestions on the way forward. We will hold regional summits in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine and Nhulunbuy. There will be information booths at the shows and the development of a dedicated northern Australia development website is well-advanced. For those who do not own a computer, we will circulate the information in print. We are considering an essay-writing competition for our primary and secondary schools to promote pride in the Territory. We will take our case to the rest of Australia through a coordinated media campaign. This government’s senior executives have been instructed to take the debate directly to boardrooms in Australia’s capital cities.
This is not just about government; this is about the future of the whole of the Northern Territory. It is time everyone has an opportunity to play a part. It is about taking pride in the Northern Territory. I have spoken before about the possibility of making Territory Day a public holiday and if that is what people want, I am happy to work towards it. This is about building an economic future we can all be proud of. While it is important to support the federal government’s process in developing northern Australia, this government will not sit back and wait. We are already ahead of the game and proceeding with our own priorities in developing the whole of the Northern Territory. We have developed our own economic strategy that will take us down this path with or without the federal government’s support. The Asian century is upon us. We have the plan, the drive, the expertise and the opportunity to make it the Northern Territory’s century.
To reach its potential, northern Australia will need significant investment and infrastructure. It is fundamental to realising our shared vision for developing northern Australia and maximising trade opportunities with Asia’s economic powerhouses. Just last month, we celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Australasia Railway connecting Adelaide to Darwin. It was a significant milestone in the development of northern Australia, connecting the Territory’s two main cities of Darwin and Alice Springs, but it took nearly 150 years for the rail line to become a reality, with construction starting in Port Augusta in 1978. We cannot and will not wait that long again for essential infrastructure.
I commend the federal government’s commitment to a more appropriate funding model for infrastructure. The Territory has the room to grow and the capacity to accommodate much of this key infrastructure growth without the constraints of more highly-populated areas of Australia. We urgently need investment in our roads, rail, aviation, sea and airport facilities to drive that growth in northern Australia.
We are not sitting back and waiting for the federal government to come to us. This month, the Northern Territory government will begin a Territory-wide planning study to prioritise vital infrastructure development. The study will consider what infrastructure we need to create resource-based economic development in regional areas. The study should be completed by the last quarter of 2014 and ultimately lead to a 30-year Territory government regional infrastructure plan.
The Darwin Port Corporation has created a new port development strategy that provides the foundation for the port’s growth and development for the next five years. The strategy is designed to meet the immediate needs of its customers and stakeholders. The port is also contributing to longer-term planning to ensure it can support the long-term growth of the Territory’s trade with Asia. We are establishing a new marine industry park, working on a design concept for a second port, and investigating how to get a capital injection into the current East Arm Wharf and its key line. This detailed planning will secure our vision of becoming Australia’s northern gateway of choice, and back it with a long-term design and the flexibility to predict and meet customer demand.
The Northern Territory government and Darwin City Council are also developing a blueprint for the development of Darwin CBD. The Darwin city master plan will consider a wide range of proposals with far-reaching implications for the city’s future. It has been through an exhaustive consultation process and the draft CBD plan will be available for comment very soon.
Infrastructure is key to the Northern Territory’s development. It will spread the wealth into regional and remote areas, and create jobs and business opportunities for everyone. This government is actively seeking investment from a wide range of possible sources to guarantee our place in this exciting opportunity.
Northern Australia is perfectly poised to become an integral part of the Asian century, as I have already stated. The Territory is the closest transport and sea port to Southeast Asia. We are closest to the Indonesian archipelago, the Indian and Pacific Oceans, the South China Sea and the valuable Strait of Malacca shipping lanes. We have a deep water port and the capacity to expand with the development of a second port to meet future growth.
There are many opportunities for foreign investment, with the Northern Territory ranked among the top 10 jurisdictions in the world for its attractiveness for minerals, exploration investment, agriculture and energy sectors.
Trade with Asia is already a critical part of the Territory’s economy. Last financial year, it accounted for more than 70% of our total exports, worth more than $5bn. We expect that will continue to grow at levels unprecedented in history. Two-thirds of the world’s middle class is forecast to be living in the Asia Pacific region by 2030. Indonesia’s population alone is expected to reach 253 million people this year. Asia is projected to have 21 of the world’s mega cities by 2022, and for those who do not know, mega cities are cities with more than 10 million inhabitants. The demand for power, minerals and customer goods will grow with the population, and the Territory is perfectly positioned to supply enormous quantities of gas, food and raw materials into the region. I will give examples.
Last week, a shipment of more than 200 buffalo left Darwin for Vietnam. There are more to follow: another 600 in February and 1500 in April. This is a business that faltered in the 1980s and, despite lots of talking, has never been rebuilt until now. It is an exciting new business with a new customer and a great potential. I am being lobbied by buyers in Vietnam to sell up to 60 000 head of buffalo to the country each year. What a fantastic outcome for the Territory! By working closely with our Asian trading partners and local businesses, we have solved problems and created opportunities. Labor decimated the trade in live animals to Asia, and this government has been working to restore this key business ever since. Last week’s shipment of buffalo to Vietnam signals an exciting new direction for that business.
I am pleased to be able to inform the House that I will be returning to Vietnam next week to continue working on this success and drive new opportunities. This visit is a follow-up to last year’s successful round of talks to develop more business opportunities, particularly in the areas of agriculture and education.
I will sign a memorandum of understanding between Ho Chi Minh City and the Northern Territory to open the way for greater business cooperation. I will sign a similar memorandum of understanding with the city of Haiphong the following day. These agreements will open new business opportunities for Territorians and continue to build on a prosperous trade relationship. This is the way forward for the Northern Territory and it is all about creating jobs for our kids for the future.
Let me give you another example of our growing business ties to Asia. Last week, I was honoured to support the signing of a historic agreement between the Mitsui Corporation and the Tiwi Islands Plantation Corporation. The agreement opens the way for the export of over $200m worth of hardwood chips over five years, creating up to 100 jobs on the Tiwi Islands. It allows Tiwi people to take control of their own future.
Two new business opportunities that benefit the regional areas of the Territory, both in the past week, have now been explained. There are more talks under way to follow through on those processes. That is how the future will be in the Territory. Opportunities will abound throughout this century. We just have to find them and ensure we are ready to do the business, and we are. We are the Country Liberals; we know how to do business in Asia.
We now have an enormous opportunity to use that knowledge to grow like never before. It will be important to work with the Prime Minister and the Premiers of Queensland and Western Australia on the future of northern Australia, but we must also be prepared to strike home our own advantages. We will not lose sight of the needs of the Territory and our place in the grand plan. The Northern Territory is perfectly positioned to become the nation’s gateway for the economic future but, importantly, providing jobs for Territorians.
The global demand for energy will remain strong this century. By strengthening our strategic partnership with energy importers such as Japan, we will position the Territory to secure new investment. We have land available for project development, a skilled and flexible workforce and a local industry with years of experience. Renewed interest in onshore exploration will create new opportunities for oil and gas projects and with them will come new business opportunities for service and supply in regional areas.
To encourage more exploration, this government is investing in programs to increase the knowledge of the Territory’s geology and improve tenure arrangements. It is currently estimated the Territory has around 240 trillion cubic feet of unconventional gas in six reserves. Let us put that into perspective: we have enough gas to power Australia for two centuries. While the rest of Australia is holding crisis meetings over a gas shortage, we are exporting $1bn of LNG to the world.
As a result, we are working with industry and government towards the development of a gas pipeline connecting the Territory to the national grid on the eastern seaboard, a pipeline that will secure more investment in enormous onshore shale gas reserves in the Territory and the infrastructure that creates in regional areas, building business opportunities and employment. That is what spreads the wealth.
We already have examples. The Ichthys LNG project has been focusing on Aboriginal business engagement and, today, 30 Indigenous businesses have secured work with over 64 subcontract commitments. Why can fly-in fly-out workers not come from remote communities, instead of Perth? I believe they can and we are working on it. The Department of Business is supporting a trial to link fly-in fly-out workers from remote towns to the Ichthys project. They have in-principle commitment for 25 positions and are providing careers information as part of the candidate selection process.
The Northern Territory is also a mineral-rich province which is largely underexplored. New mine development is another key to creating regional investment, business and employment opportunities. There are 12 mines in operation in the Northern Territory producing gold, iron ore, bauxite, manganese, zinc, lead and silver. There are over 40 known, but as yet undeveloped, deposits as well. Once again, the potential for employment in regional centres is enormous.
This government is conducting regular trade missions to Asia to create new business opportunities for our mining sector to create those strategic partnerships. Our engagement strategies for Japan, China and Korea are already delivering new investment capital, partners and markets for the Territory’s projects.
We spend a lot of time talking about mining these days, but there is also an enormous potential for increased agribusiness and export to Asia’s growing middle class as well. I commend the Minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries for his hard work in this area. As they become wealthier in Asia, they are demanding a greater range and supply of quality produce, and this presents an opportunity for the Territory. We are one of the few places in Australia which has the capacity to significantly increase food production. Northern Australia must become the food bowl of Asia, as people describe.
We have the space to tackle new opportunities. We have created the independent NT Planning Commission to facilitate economic growth while also protecting the environment and cultural and heritage sites. One of its earliest priorities was to identify and release surplus Crown land for development. We are considering new ways to reduce the complexity of land tenure arrangements, including changes to the Pastoral Act to increase the range of investment opportunities.
Aboriginal land represents almost half the Territory’s land mass and 85% of its coastline, and increased investment has the potential to deliver a range of benefits, including employment, infrastructure and economic development, for Aboriginal communities in those locations.
On the subject of land, I was pleased to be in Alice Springs just over a week ago as the first 33 blocks of its newest suburb, Kilgariff, went on sale. It is a huge milestone for a project that is crucial to the future of Alice Springs. Eventually, there will be up to 80 affordable residential blocks easing the squeeze in the housing market, and that is just Stages 1A and 1B.
Under Labor, new land release almost vanished. In the year 2010, there were the lowest land release figures in 20 years. In 2011, it was even worse for Darwin. In response, this government has a Real Housing for Growth plan for up to 21 developments that will deliver over 800 new homes in Darwin, Palmerston, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs.
A building activity report for the September quarter of 2013 showed residential building work in the Territory increased by 31.2% to $192m. This result was driven by a 68% increase in the construction of units to a value of $122m, the highest quarterly level on record. The Country Liberals always seem to be breaking new records.
This government is building for the future. More housing will help ease cost of living pressures and encourage more people to make the Territory their home. By releasing land in regional areas, we can spread the population over more of the Territory and spread the wealth and jobs into the whole of the community. We are releasing land and building houses faster than ever before in the Territory’s history to drive the capacity to support northern Australian development.
Tourism is worth $1.6bn to the economy and supports approximately 16 000 jobs. New transport infrastructure will unlock emerging tourism opportunities in remote areas. With better access to our world-famous parks and by improving the visitor experience we will expect it to grow to around $2.2bn by the end of the decade.
More than two-thirds of that growth will come from Asia. More than 97 million Chinese travelled abroad in 2013, up from 83 million in 2012, and predictions are for growth of between 6.4% and 9% per year. China is Australia’s second biggest source of tourists, after New Zealand, and has the largest spend rate per visitor.
Last year, the Halikos Group brought two new enterprises online, taking their total number of hotel rooms to 780, to start to meet some of the growing demand in tourist numbers we expect to come from China.
The Hilton Hotel took a renewed interest in the Territory, taking over four hotel complexes. The lan Soho suites in Darwin CBD come online in July, supplying 301 new hotel rooms, and one- and two-bedroom serviced apartments.
However, we still need more hotels and infrastructure to support the growing tourism industry. As we develop the north, the increasing demand for short-term accommodation will draw more investors into the region. As we expand our industry base, we will create new infrastructure such as roads and other transport options to open up new opportunities.
It is only the Country Liberals government which has been able to respond to the demands of the tourism industry, build the tourism infrastructure and support new hotels in the Territory.
Modern economies are increasing based on services. They include a wide range of activities which tend to have a high degree of intellectual content. Supply and service industries already account for around 75% of activity in the Northern Territory’s economy. We have a range of businesses which supply specialist goods and services to mining, LNG and construction projects, as well as the transport and Defence industries. These skills have a global value. Our specialised regional knowledge is based around working in harsh environments, which makes our skill base valuable in Asia. The potential to supply services and training to northern markets is significant.
In relation to Labor and welfare reform, the development of the north means the whole of the Northern Territory. It is not just urban areas or Darwin, it is the whole of the Northern Territory.
We have talked passionately in the past about the problems of passive welfare and the challenges of creating meaningful employment in regional and remote areas. It is something Labor shied away from and did not do at all. They did not even start, and fought against it – if I remember rightly – on the Tiwi Islands. The rest of this country will provide us with the opportunity to tackle many of those challenges of passive welfare.
The regional infrastructure study and the northern development consultation process I mentioned earlier will give the government a framework on how best to spread the opportunities across the whole of the Territory. We are committed to creating meaningful jobs and a future for people who have been overlooked in the past. There will be many opportunities: infrastructure development; new mining and gas projects; agriculture; and the many other possibilities which flow from these projects. This government is committed to making the development of northern Australia an opportunity for all Territorians.
The Territory’s economy is one of the most buoyant and vibrant in the country, but we cannot afford to be complacent as Labor was. We will maintain our open-for-business attitude and continue to build on our key sectors.
One of those key sectors is Defence, which represents around 10% of the Territory’s population. Our strategic location is opening up a range of opportunities to expand the already substantial Defence presence. The Australian Defence Force spends almost $1.6bn in the Territory every year, which has been growing at approximately 11% for the past decade.
The US Marines presence in the Top End is growing, with 1100 Marines and four heavy-lift helicopters due to begin the next rotation through Darwin in April. Their numbers will grow to become a full Marine air-ground task force of around 2500 personnel rotating through by 2017. The need for interim accommodation, along with more storage and service capacity, will provide opportunities to work closely with the US Marine Corps. I look forward to continuing the positive relationship with the US Marine Corps and the US government, and I congratulate the US Ambassador on his visit yesterday.
In regard to education, the government is working closely with education providers to create an international training hub in the Territory and build our profile in Asia. Other states have been very successful in attracting international students, and we can do much better in this frame. It was a gap that was missed in developing the market over eleven-and-a-half long, hard years of Labor.
There is enormous opportunity and demand for tropical specialties in the education field, and we have the location and capacity to be able to meet that need. However, we have to realise it, and that is what this strategy is about.
The worldwide demand for education is expected to grow by 7% over the remainder of this decade, driven mainly by China and India. We believe we can do much better than that. We are working with Vietnam, Indonesia and Timor-Leste to boost that growth beyond global forecasts. Just as importantly, our world-class teaching facilities will be a crucial part of training all Territorians for the economic opportunity that now presents itself.
We will continue to build and support better educational outcomes because they provide a foundation for economic development and its future in the Northern Territory. This is about jobs for kids for tomorrow.
In conclusion, our Territory is made up of many generations of men, women and children who have made their home here. More than 30% of Territorians are Indigenous, with the remainder coming from hundreds of nations. They have grown communities rich in culture and built the city of Darwin, home to a population of more than 100 000 people; Alice Springs, the centre of Australia; Katherine; Tennant Creek; and many more diverse townships right across the Northern Territory. Building the Territory has been tough, there is no doubt about that, but it is time to move on to the next step and realise our full potential.
As I have outlined throughout this statement, and previously in public settings, the Northern Territory is in a unique position to take full advantage of the federal government’s commitment to developing northern Australia. This government is laying the foundations for what is likely to be the biggest period of growth in the Territory’s history. It will mean jobs for everyone, new business opportunities and economic security. We want to build an economy that will attract people from all over the world and make us the envy of the region. We are Territorians and we are proud to be.
However, it will take leadership, commitment and action, which has been lacking in the past, particularly over the last eleven-and-a-half years of a mendicant, failed Labor government. We need to think big and be open to new ideas. We need to realise the opportunities and take bold action to achieve them. The Northern Territory’s century has arrived, and we are ready to take full advantage of those opportunities and create jobs for the future of all Territorians.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the Assembly take note of this statement.
Ms LAWRIE (Opposition Leader): Mr Deputy Speaker, I wish to contribute to the statement on northern Australia development. As shadow minister for this area, I welcome the statement to the Chamber.
There is no doubt, if you strip away the political rhetoric and spin that was laced and woven throughout that statement that, at the heart of it, it talks about the opportunities that present themselves in northern Australia. That is why I welcome the statement. I do not welcome the churlish and childish manner in which the Chief Minister chose to play petty politics with a most important area of opportunity for the Territory.
Territory Labor had a very firm record of establishing a bold vision for the Territory, harnessing the skills, ideas and energy of Territorians and, indeed, the international business community, to deliver on those plans.
I acknowledge the work done by our Labor government to create Territory 2030, which was a strategic plan taking us through to the year 2030. It covered a vast area, set clear targets and was highly consulted on across the Territory. We understood that to deliver on vision and plans, you need to bring the people of the Territory on the journey with you. That is why we brought in a very capable team on 2030 to consult widely across the Northern Territory on what key areas Territorians believed their government should sign up to in the vision and plan for the Territory.
Of course, we have seen the wholesale scrapping of this plan by the CLP government, and that is a shame. There was an opportunity to build on this good work; instead it was buried, scrapped and has been obliterated from their memories. I urge ministers to go to the 2030 plan and look at the elements of it in which they have ministerial responsibility, and consider what aspects of it they are in a position to build on.
Look at the steering committee that was drawn from a variety of skill sets: Vicki O’Halloran, the CEO of Somerville Community Services; Bill Moss, the chairman of Moss Capital, with 33 years of experience in finance and banking; Michael Berto, the CEO of the Roper Gulf Shire; Jan Ferguson, the Managing Director of Desert Knowledge; Ted Egan, the much-loved former Administrator of the Territory; and Jonathon Carapetis, one of our nation’s greatest thinkers, the former Director of the Menzies School of Health.
The plan had key areas of six core visionary ideas of expanding on the opportunities of the Northern Territory through the next two decades. That covered education, society, economic sustainability, health and wellbeing, the environment, knowledge, creativity and innovation. I do not think there was any reference in the Chief Minister’s speech to knowledge, creativity and innovation. It is a shame that has dropped off the agenda altogether. There was scant comment on the environment. Health and wellbeing hardly got a shake in his comments. Economic sustainability was viewed through a prism of, ‘We have a couple of small projects we have delivered in the last week or so; isn’t that a good thing?’ Society was not a core part of the Chief Minister’s contribution. That seems to be missing somewhat. If you are not on the CLP team, then you just do not rate.
However, education got a reference, which is a good thing because it was missing in the Chief Minister’s Framing the Future document that was issued last year to the parliament, but never debated. It pretty quickly slipped off the agenda. We wonder where that is. That is why we welcome the opportunity to contribute to the statement on northern Australia.
We welcome the fact that northern Australia, from the Northern Territory government’s perspective, includes the all-important area of Central Australia as well. We should not take a purely Tropic-of-Capricorn approach to the development. There is no doubt it presents real opportunities for us to ensure we are capturing the vast potential of Central Australia as a region, and those great service and supply towns – I believe iconic towns when it comes to the Territory’s history – of Alice Springs and Tennant Creek.
In the commitment to the hard yards on the ground, when you can create a strategic plan that covers not only the key areas they talked about, but has objectives within each of those key areas, targets, and how to report back process attached to it, you start to understand the basis of a rebirth and a thorough approach to encouraging economic, social and environmental improvements in the Territory, instead of just a bit of a talkfest and away you go.
When you look at economic growth alone built off the back of resource projects such as Bootu Creek, the Roper River iron ore project, the expansion of McArthur River, expansion of GEMCO, expansion of G3 at Nhulunbuy and ConocoPhillips and INPEX Total LNG projects, they have underpinned the drivers of the Territory’s economy in the last decade.
In 2009, under Territory Labor’s watch, we were the only jurisdiction to increase exploration in the resources sector in expenditure to help prime the all-important resources exploration area. Industry recognised our efforts to support its sector through that tough time, and today we are starting to reap the rewards of that effort then.
I was disappointed when the Mining Club held its luncheon on Friday. They were expecting two Cabinet ministers from the government to attend that Mining Club luncheon. They were expecting the minister for Infrastructure and Transport, the member for Sanderson, and the minister for Primary Industry, Fisheries and Natural Resources, the member for Katherine, to attend. The member for Sanderson was a late scratching and the member for Katherine was simply a no-show. This luncheon had the government’s three-hub economy at the core of its panel of experts’ debate. The panel of experts included Regional Development Australia’s, Chris Young. Many would know him as the former CEO of the Chamber of Commerce. It also included the tourism representative, the Cattlemen’s Association and, of course, Drew Wagner of the Minerals Council.
I sat in the audience with my colleague, the member for Johnston, listening intently to the comments made by panel experts and the robust question and answer session from that. At the time of the last CLP budget the minerals sector did not hold back on describing the CLP as closed for business, given it introduced two levies on the industry, somewhat disabling the goose that was laying the golden egg and putting cost impediments in for it to do their business, after having had no discussions with them it those levies.
I felt it was time for the government to step up, refresh and renew its relationship with industry, with which engagement had been pretty scarce. Industry said they are pretty hard to get into unless you are in a closed inner circle of mates. That was a real opportunity for ministers to hear directly from industry, then from the industry-based crowd present about what they wanted to achieve.
The elephant in the room clearly was the lack of investment in critical infrastructure to support our regions. I hope the government recognises the analysis done to date on the community, beef, mining and tourism roads across the Northern Territory. That analysis was done in concert across northern Australia with Western Australia and Queensland. It sits at the heart of what could be a positioning of the northern Australia development plan. The analysis was provided to Infrastructure Australia.
For the analysis, we consulted with the tourism, pastoral, agricultural and mining sectors, as well as our communities, on what the key strategic priorities of road infrastructure would be if we had an injection of funding from the Commonwealth government. At the time, we were pursuing a significant injection of funding in infrastructure. That being said, the relationship between the previous federal Labor government and our government saw something like a sixfold investment from the Commonwealth into Territory roads.
There are, of course, the bridges on the Central Arnhem Road, the investment in the Tanami, and we have seen the dollars go into the forward estimates for the Port Keats road. There is a variety of crucial roads across the Northern Territory – the Sandover and others – which were invested in for the first time by the Commonwealth under funding relationships we entered into, the least of which is the great access into our port from the Tiger Brennan Drive duplication and the extension of that.
They were all key infrastructure investments we were able to secure and leverage from the Commonwealth, despite them not being their roads and not being a funding requirement. They normally only needed to fund the key infrastructure of the Stuart Highway. You can, with clear strategic plans, leverage investment in infrastructure from the Commonwealth.
We have not seen anything come forward yet from the relationship between the Abbott Liberal Coalition government and the CLP. There is a lot of talk in the statement by the Chief Minister, talking up the game and the potential for roads and a second port. We just want to see some action, because the elephant in the room at the Mining Club luncheon was that their jobs are drying up. The surveyors’ and contractors’ jobs around the infrastructure industry are drying up.
There is advice coming to me that in the vicinity of 30% of contractors’ consultancy specialist businesses associated with infrastructure and strategic planning has dried up since the CLP took government in the Northern Territory. My concern is industry is genuinely asking the government of the day, ‘What does the future infrastructure pipeline look like?’ and is not getting any answer other than, ‘We have opportunities with the northern Australia development agenda by the federal government’. Then, they heard the Chief Minister talk about how disappointed he is that the agenda is being driven out of Queensland.
There is genuine concern among industry about lack of clarity in what potential projects will be yielded and no indication to industry of what the forward works program might look like. The bringing forward of any forward works would go a long way to ensuring industry has some confidence, because at the moment confidence is lagging.
The opportunities around our large-scale foundation projects like ConocoPhillips and the INPEX Total projects were about establishing the Top End, particularly Darwin, as the oil and gas hub for Australia in onshore and offshore opportunities. The Marine Supply Base sits at the centre of that in service and supply. I was disappointed that the Chief Minister did not expand on his vision of how you would see the service and supply industry develop as a result of the Marine Supply Base.
We know the CLP’s Renewable Management Board wanted to dump the Marine Supply Base. We have seen some changes in comment coming from the government, and they are now embracing it. There was an opportunity, if you were going to talk about northern Australia development, to talk about how you saw the service and supply industry flourish in Aberdeen and the opportunities of the multiplier effect in the Top End. It would be good to see some thinking from the government in this space and contributions to the parliament in regard to the opportunities around the Marine Supply Base.
I will touch on the university city opportunities also. The importance of the hydrocarbons institute at Charles Darwin University should not go without recognition in the continuum we require to have a robust oil and gas industry in northern Australia.
The Chief Minister touched on the real potential sitting offshore and how the government has a strong eye on the onshore pie in the petroleum industry. However, you need a leverage of the right signals being sent to industry. I was pleased to see APPEA comments recently where they do not have their eye off the ball; they are clearly focused on the opportunities Darwin presents itself in the pre-approved train sitting at ConocoPhillips DLNG and as part of the Ichthys project.
We need to recognise the importance of our Defence sector in any statement about northern Australia, with about 10% of Australian Defence Force combat forces based in the Territory. I thank the former Defence minister, Kim Beazley, for his vision in sending our troops north, which has seen our troop numbers increase in the Top End.
As a former Minister for Defence Support, I worked very closely with Defence and the United States in the Marines’ positioning here. I met with the Ambassador for the United States yesterday and talked of the bipartisan approach the Northern Territory has in supporting the strategic Defence location of our own forces in the Northern Territory, and increasing US forces in Marines located at Robertson Barracks, who are doing important training exercises at places such as Bradshaw.
There is an opportunity there which I believe should be expanded on. I hope to hear from any government minister about this. I consistently say to Australian Defence Force senior chiefs who visit Darwin - particularly on occasions like the Bombing of Darwin which is, of course, tomorrow – and still say to all visiting senior US personnel that it is the opportunity of the business outside of the wire, critical Defence support work, which will yield real economic drivers in the Northern Territory. We have seen a great investment under Labor in the past in Defence housing in the Territory. That pipeline is still strong; local businesses are delivering the work. Some $200m was invested within the last 18 months, and decisions by Labor federally have helped some of our key construction firms with that Defence housing.
You cannot rest on your laurels; you need to look at where to next. We consistently pursued the service and supply opportunities in Defence. This was as an ‘outside the wire’ located at strategic Defence hub land opposite Robertson Barracks. It would be good to hear from the Northern Territory government as to whether they are doing anything with the Australian Industry & Defence Network to pursue that line of effort. The Defence industry park is well located, serviced and ready to go.
In our 2030 vision, we had a holistic plan that targeted the key development needs of Territorians. It was not just a profit spaced view on life, it was a cohesive plan to take the whole of the Territory forward. We understood the role of government to maximise the benefits of economic development and prosperity, but we also knew we needed to address the social needs of Territorians. That is why the plan focused on education and skills development as central to our long-term wellbeing and prosperity.
It was about a lifelong participation in education, ensuring education was across the Territory. I have genuine concerns – and have stated them – about this government’s view on Indigenous education, which is if you want secondary education in our remote areas, you need to pack up, leave home and head to a boarding school somewhere, which is yet to be built, staffed or resourced, or have a model of education service delivery we have heard about. That is government abrogating its responsibility to deliver education and education choices across the Northern Territory. We felt the social pain of the lack of secondary education in the bush until Labor came to government in the early 2000s. It is a real shame we have a government looking at heading back to a 1970s model of lack of delivery of education.
Education has taken its body blows under this government with the reduction in teacher numbers. There is a significant reduction in training, but that is a whole other debate for another time. There is no doubt that grants to Charles Darwin University have been slashed by this budget. Bachelor Institute is on a very lean path. If we do not support our tertiary education institutions as well as our schools, how on earth can we provide a platform of education and skills development in the Northern Territory? I would like to hear further from the government about that. While it was embedded as a core focus of Territory 2030 under Labor, it is slipping off the agenda of the CLP government. In fact, it is bearing the brunt of the most significant cuts, with the exception of Children and Families, since the CLP came to power.
In a plan to target the Territory’s social needs, there were clear, articulated plans within Territory 2030 about the housing needs of Territorians, and how to leverage new housing across the Territory and how to pursue a balanced housing market with new opportunities for affordable housing. Look at the policy settings we put in place, for example, requiring 15% of all government Crown land being turned off to provide for social and affordable housing. We put in place home ownership incentive schemes such as HOMESTART Extra and My New Home. Those finance schemes have been scrapped. We now have a 16% reduction in home ownership in the Territory in the last 12 months, yet this government crows it has a real housing plan.
The plan the government has is around 2000 rentals. Rentals, quite simply, are only one part of the housing picture. You need to look at what programs and incentive schemes you have in place to encourage and leverage people into home ownership, as it is home ownership that truly anchors people to the Territory. This leaves them less at the mercy of an appreciating housing market, which we will continue to have because we have economic growth going through the next five years, trending as the strongest in the nation. This is not off any projects being delivered by the CLP, by the way. The Deloitte Access Economic figures quoted by the Chief Minister come as a result of that all-important snaring of the INPEX Total Ichthys major project delivered by Labor. You will not hear that in any of the political rhetoric coming from the Chief Minister.
In the plans, we understood they needed a working future, a vision around how you get in and leverage opportunities across the regional towns and remote communities of the Northern Territory. We recognised the top 20 growth centres across the regional and remote areas of the Territory. We worked with the Commonwealth government to create local implementation plans which were highly consulted on at community level to identify the key priorities in government and private investment in these remote communities.
Again, there is no comment at all from the current government about the local implementation plans. I invite any minister who feels like it to contribute to this debate to tell us what is happening with what is colloquially called the LIPS. Are they now just being given lip service, or have they disappeared? It would be a shame. One of the things communities say is they are sick of being routinely consulted, and consulted again.
What occurred in the local implementation plans was significant government resources – federal and Territory – as well as input from shires or councils working with a local reference group in each community to identify priorities. If you have that work which was done comprehensively and is sitting there, why would you tear it up and then ignore it, which seems to be the case at the moment?
In a comprehensive plan for a safer Territory, we were addressing the scourge of alcohol-related violence. We had a holistic program called Enough is Enough. We put in place not just the Banned Drinker Register but, of course, a tribunal to deal with alcohol and other drugs; referrals from the system; we trained something like 75 doctors in alcohol and other drug practices; and we had funding across the forward estimates to deliver innovative rehabilitation programs across the regions, including remote communities. I have not heard where any expansion is occurring. Of course, there was some scant reference late last year to the potential of a rehabilitation facility on the Tiwi Islands at what we call Four Mile. I am keen to hear from the member for Arafura how far that has progressed, because there were some genuine opportunities there.
In the health and wellbeing of Territory families, if you have a healthy society you have all the ingredients to ensure a pretty strong foundation going forward for the future. It would be interesting to hear contributions regarding the northern Australia development plan on health and wellbeing.
In 2030, for example, there was an objective around reforming the Territory health system. It had clear targets of access to healthcare services, improved access for people with a disability or requiring rehabilitation and a government-funded health system being benchmarked against established cultural security standards by 2015. We are into 2014 and I ask the Northern Territory government what it is doing in relation to that, whether it has dropped it off altogether because it does not suit its policy objectives or it is still pursuing it?
I am pleased the Minister for Health has recognised and identified disability services. I have genuine concerns, though, that no sooner had that happened than the Commonwealth revoked $10m in funding for Machado-Joseph Disease sufferers in the Northern Territory. That is a huge and nasty shock which has hit Groote Eylandt. I urge the government to lobby the Commonwealth to immediately reverse that decision. Not only do we need that funding for Groote Eylandt and that fantastic service which is provided on Groote through the aged-care facility, we need expansion of services in Nhulunbuy with an aged-care facility. The Commonwealth government has a responsibility to deliver aged-care services. It is an opportunity for a structural adjustment package for the Northern Territory government to lobby and leverage. Instead we have seen, shockingly, a retrograde step in the Commonwealth government’s axing of $10m for MJD.
Debate suspended.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, you will see on your desk a teal ribbon because February is Ovarian Cancer Month. Although the day for wearing the teal ribbon is 26 February, we thought we would have it here so you can wear it as much as you like.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE (Essential Services): Madam Speaker, I table a paper, under the Government Owned Corporations Act, which states, under section 30, that the portfolio minister may give directions in the public interest. Additionally, section 30(4) of the act states that the:
MOTION
Note Statement - Developing Northern Australia
Continued from earlier this day.
Ms LAWRIE (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I continue my remarks in relation to the Chief Minister’s northern Australia development statement. At the break, I was talking about the 2030 plans in regard to the health and wellbeing of Territory families, pointing out the reaffirmation of the Territory health system objective. In addition, we had objectives for the health and wellbeing of Territorians to be better at all stages of their lives, and there were clear targets under that. A third objective was that the Territory makes considerable headway into lifestyle illnesses with targets under that.
I hope, at some stage, we hear from the Minister for Health as to whether or not those targets have been abandoned. I know Jonathon Carapetis, former Director of Menzies School of Health Research, did a lot of research into the targets contained in 2030 in the strategic plan. They are crucial to reducing the prevalence of chronic conditions in Indigenous Territorians and non-Indigenous Territorians, particularly those health indicators for men and women, including our seniors. I am very keen to hear whether or not the targets have been abandoned when I hear contributions from the minister’s opposite to this statement.
On the environment, 2030 had a couple of clear objectives. One was to do with the custodians of our natural heritage. It was to ensure no deterioration in the health of biodiversity in the Territory, reducing the impact of weeds and other invasive species, including feral animals. I am interested in an update to the House as to whether the government still has that intent and policy or whether that has been abandoned.
It talked about the comprehensive set of connected systems protecting the terrestrial environment making up 20% of the Territory’s land area. Again, I would appreciate any advice from the government as to whether that exists or has been abandoned. Also, we have genuine concerns about managing the Territory’s natural resources according to the principles of ecologically sustainable development, with the abandonment of the regional-based water catchment authorities and the creation of a single Northern Territory-wide water catchment authority.
To progress any significant part of the stated three-hub economy of the government is the use of water resources. To abandon regional-based water catchment authorities and step up to just one authority sends a real signal of concern. When you look at the management of sustainable water use in the Douglas Daly region, they may have abandoned the DRMAC cascade model. A great deal of scientific analysis went into the creation of that model so I look forward to hearing from the minister for Natural Resources about the water policy going forward.
I listened to his contribution regarding the potential for fracking. Significant water use is required there, as it is for agriculture. We have seen the abandonment of policy and procedures by the water controller, deciding to grant millions of dollars in water rights to the CLP candidate, Tina MacFarlane. We then saw the review of that was done by - surprise, surprise! - the CEO, who is also the water controller. We have also seen ministerial interference in that process.
There are some significant concerns about the sustainable use of our natural resources …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! To suggest the CEO and water controller of the minister’s department is in some way acting corruptly is out of bounds. She either stumps up some evidence or stops slandering the name of a good public servant.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I will give the Opposition Leader some latitude; however, I caution you in regard to any specific reference to public servants of the Northern Territory.
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 77, I move an extension of time for the member.
Motion agreed to.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! You may not have caught what was said. The allegation was an outrageous attack on a senior public servant where they have no defence. It was an outright allegation of corrupt activity. This is shameful. I am sure the Parliamentary Record will bear it out. The Leader of the Opposition should be brought to account and made to apologise for it.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of Government Business, I did not hear a particular person’s name referenced. What I heard was a reference to the water controller and reviewing. However, I caution you, Opposition Leader, in regard to how you reference members of the Northern Territory public service in your speech.
Ms LAWRIE: Yes, thank you, Madam Speaker.
I was talking about the concerns around the use of our natural resources, and whether or not you completely abandon the cascade model which was created by DRMAC for the Douglas Daly region, and what impact it will have. We know the government, in policy, abandoned SIRs, the strategic Indigenous reserves. We know traditional owners have genuine concerns about the abandonment of the policy.
When it comes to an objective around sustainable living which was contained within 2030, there were very clear targets set: the use of water; water reduction targets; the efficient use of water by business and industry; looking at energy and water efficiency in residential and commercial buildings to meet the standards of the Building Code of Australia; reducing greenhouse emissions; and developing Weddell as a world-class green city and a model for the future.
It makes you wonder what the government is doing in this space because we have not heard anything in contributions to debates about this, other than the mantra of the Treasurer who keeps banging on about the carbon tax. If there is any significant contribution around the sustainable use of our resources you want to make, I look forward to hearing it. There is no doubt protecting our key natural assets is critical. We have to get the balance right in tackling the energy challenges and the wise use of our water resources.
We are seeing a government which is paying lip service to the principles of the National Water Initiative and of adaptive management. It is little wonder there is genuine concern among people such as traditional owners, who are holding vast tracts of land in bush seats, who understand the important sustainable use of natural resources. There are some genuine concerns, with members opposite speaking up on this subject.
It is disappointing there was no recognition of the knowledge, creativity and innovation aspects of Territory values in areas where the Territory has excelled in the past. Look at the way we built in the growth of the research and innovation sector, particularly the work done by Charles Darwin University and the Desert Knowledge Centre. Look at the research being done by Ninti One. It is a pretty exciting area where we can be at the forefront of research and sell the results of that research into regions – arid regions globally – as well as the Asian regions with regard to our tropical savannahs. Research and innovation has dropped off the government’s agenda. I hope it goes back on to the agenda because it is an exciting area for business in the Territory.
We have some outstanding Territorians with sheer capacity in this area. I acknowledge the work done by previous Chairs of the Research and Innovation Board, Bruce Wilson in Central Australia and Professor Grahame Webb in the Top End. Engaging with them and understanding the business of research and innovation would do us good, but that has completely dropped off the government’s agenda. The Treasurer would not be able to get that far in his lateral thinking capacity, and that is a great shame.
Improving access to technology to better connect Territorians to each other and the world surely has to be a central plank of anyone who is looking at how we become a dynamic economy in the Asian century, even though the Chief Minister has now tagged that as the ‘northern Australian Northern Territory century’. The reality is we must be competitive; we must allow door-to-door business to be fast and dynamic.
The National Broadband Network was, potentially, quite a game changer for business in the Territory. I imagine, for example, it would have been of great assistance to tourism. Can you imagine the opportunities of fast-paced broadband that tourism businesses would be able to make the most of? They need fast Internet speeds to help with videoconferencing and massive data transfers. It opens up many options for businesses included in that dynamic and highly-competitive tourism sector.
It is a shame the Country Liberal Party has an axe approach to the National Broadband Network. We have a situation now under the CLP and the Liberals where homes just 5 km from the CBD do not have access to the National Broadband Network or broadband and are stuck on dial-up – dial-up in 2014!
I also want to talk about the genuine need to better harness the knowledge of Indigenous Territorians. Within that was the 2030 platform of economic sustainability. That looked at the literal plans drawn up around growth and responsible investment in public infrastructure. There are questions being asked today about the government’s plans for achieving an $832m turnaround in our statutory authorities, so the question begs: are you selling the port, equity in the Marine Supply Base and generation of Power and Water? We know you are selling the Darwin bus service and the Government Printing Office. However, in sales, what is the other side of that ledger? The other side of that ledger is, obviously, investment in our infrastructure. We have not yet heard about any new investment in infrastructure.
We heard the Chief Minister’s contribution to the statement, which said they want to talk to the federal government about it. We then heard the Chief Minister admit the federal government is listening to Queensland’s northern Australia development policy. The sector whose real business is in infrastructure is very concerned about what is happening.
In 2030 it embraced the key challenges, the objectives it created and the targets it set. Bear in mind those consultations went right across the Territory, to the communities of Katherine, Galiwinku, Alice Springs, Wadeye, Maningrida, Nhulunbuy and Groote Eylandt. There were expert round tables convened to build on the contributions of Territorians. They unpacked the issues raised by Territorians and provided advice on what those action points should be. Yet this has all been torn up and completely abandoned. A challenge here is, if you really want to harness northern Australia, do not tear up and abandon years of work by a steering committee, whose members were not politicians, but experts who were recognised and regarded in their field. Our government embraced the outcome of their work and research by creating 2030. Go back and look at it; rebadge it, rename it, put your own stamp on it, but why abandon such comprehensive work as detailed in 2030?
While I am talking about abandoning work, they completely abandoned the Greater Darwin Strategic Land Use Plan which was consulted on for probably in excess of three years across all industry sectors – the Real Estate Institute, Property Council, Master Builders, you name it. Anyone working in the housing sector was consulted. The town planners, the engineers, the surveyors all had a say and contributed to the Greater Darwin Strategic Land Use Plan. That plan then went out in draft to our community in public hearings held across greater Darwin, which includes the rural area. That contribution came back and we had, at the end, a highly-detailed document which spelt out exactly where you would get yields for housing and industrial and commercial/residential land. It was specific and detailed. Again, it was completely scrapped and abandoned by the CLP because it did not have its view or vision on it.
The vision the CLP has come up with, some 15-plus months later, runs to about three pages, has no detail about yields, and is really a back-to-the-1990s view of planning which includes damming three of our rivers around Darwin Harbour, including the iconic Elizabeth River, which surely is an extraordinary step for a government to take.
The member for Goyder was so concerned about it she went on the 7.30 Report and said she would fight that view from her own government. She recognises that cost them critical seats in the 2001 election. She heard, loud and clear – as you witnessed, writ large in the 7.30 Report – that the people of the rural area will rise up and fight that view being proposed by the Planning Commission, which is being propagated on behalf of the Planning minister, who then pretends he has nothing to do with it.
You then dumped plans for the city of Weddell. You would have seen work progressed on serviced land for some 10 000 new homes, and you have nothing to replace it with. There were plans for a prosperous and booming city built around ribbons of green. If you look at Darwin, the ribbons of green had the Stuart Park parklands, Myilly Point – that iconic site of the old hospital – and Kahlin Compound, which is near and dear to the hearts of many people. There is silence from the CLP. There are grave concerns that you are going to pass that iconic site on to wholesale development, rather than the 20% of development we considered. I guess those concerns sit there because we see the way in which you have just handed over a lease of 98 ha off our foreshore for an island without any consultation.
I could go on and talk about A Working Future in more detail. I could talk about the $1bn in investments we delivered to support A Working Future across the bush. These were real dollars, real projects and real resources. We have not seen that coming from the CLP government. Little wonder people in the bush are turning their backs, with a great deal of cynicism, towards Chief Minister Adam Giles because he has not stumped up. Where are those projects? They are not getting built. He has talked about it. The contracts were signed during the election campaign, but they are not being delivered. After 18 months in government, you are almost at the halfway mark, and you are not there. It is a shame because it could have been a pretty exciting time for Territorians across the Territory. Instead, we have had malaise.
Mr TOLLNER (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I thank the Chief Minister for bringing this statement to the Chamber. Well done, Chief Minister. You get this feeling of optimism and opportunity all around the Northern Territory, then you come into this place and listen to someone like the Opposition Leader.
It is not hard to see how the previous Northern Territory government got itself into such a mess. It is very difficult to believe this person sitting opposite me was the Treasurer of the Northern Territory, because there are not too many people in this place who have such a scant regard and understanding of accounting and economics than the Leader of the Opposition. She is completely off the planet with some of the statements she has made.
I note today she started talking about asset sales of $843m and waving around the mid-year economic report saying, ‘Yes, here it is’. I challenge the Opposition Leader to justify that statement. Show anywhere in the mid-year report where it says there will be assets sales of $800m. She cannot because it is not there. It is completely fictitious and made up. The way the Opposition Leader works is to make things up and come out with outrageous statements. The idea that the Utilities Commission has given us a $1.2bn bill is another load of nonsense. Where she finds this information goodness only knows, but there is no hint of fact about it at all.
The development of north Australia is a difficult thing to do, and is difficult coming off the back of 11 years of Labor. You have just heard from the Opposition Leader all the things they are opposed to. They do not want people to have access to water or to clear land and are opposed to any prospect of development. Their ranting about the Nightcliff island project is a perfect example of that.
A local developer has had the intestinal fortitude to put forward an idea of something he believes might work into the future for Darwin. Labor’s way, of course, when these ideas were put up, was to ridicule and condemn them before they even had a good look at things. Arafura Harbour was a classic example of that. People put a great deal of time and effort into that idea, spent an enormous amount of money on it, and before the idea could be circulated the former Labor government canned it.
We were opposed to that when we were in opposition. Our view was people with ideas should at least be given the decency of having them heard. There are processes in place which allow things to occur where public interest is taken into account, environmental values are taken into account and that type of thing. But, no, it was the Labor way to kill it off before it even started down that process.
I am very proud to be part of this government where we have a minister and a government who are open to ideas and prepared to allow ideas to go out for testing. Obviously the proponents of Nightcliff island need to be sure in their minds they can make this development, hence the lease off Nightcliff that allows them to look at the ocean floor and ascertain exactly what is there and whether an island could be developed, which is highly appropriate prior to going to public consultations, checking out environmental impacts, noise issues in relation to the airport and the myriad of things someone proposing a development has to deal with. There is an enormous amount of hurdles, but the way the previous Labor government, this opposition, operates is that government should kill these ideas before they even start. I find that abhorrent.
This whole idea that the Northern Territory can only be turned into one big national park I find abhorrent. That whole idea is the Northern Territory will forever remain a mendicant jurisdiction, wholly reliant on the goodwill and charity of other Australians for its survival.
It is interesting to listen to the Opposition Leader. Her answer is always, ‘Spend more money, go further into debt. If you cannot afford something, go to Canberra and get them to pay for it.’
This is the best part of the world to live in. We are blessed with abundant natural resources and have enormous opportunities. I feel uneasy about the Northern Territory being a mendicant jurisdiction. I know we will not change this in a great hurry, but for every $1 we raise in tax in the Northern Territory, we get more than $5 back from other Australians.
I would love to see the day - and I do not know if I ever will - in decades to come – and the real possibility is there – where the Northern Territory not only pays its own way, but also provides charity for other Australians: that we are not on the government teat, but rather everybody else in Australia is on our teat. This is what I look forward to, and the opportunity is there for the Northern Territory to do just that. This is what is in the Chief Minister’s mind; it is clearly what is in the Australian government’s mind when it talks about developing the north. There is this untapped potential and untapped opportunity. We should be the ones providing charity to other Australians and not the other way around.
The former government, without any skerrick of a doubt, was anti-development and anti-progress. They fixed their whole economic debate on one project and one business. If anything else was discussed, it was always knocked on the head, crippled and obstacles were put in its way. However, when it came to the one LNG business, it seemed they were more than ready to throw as much of taxpayers’ money at it as was required; stuff any other projects.
This government is very interested in a diversified economy, in looking at all sectors of our community, all sections of our land mass, and trying to create wealth for all Territorians, rather than a privileged few who did business with one business.
Developing the north will be a difficult job. We are staring down the barrel of a $5.5bn Labor debt. This puts a pallor over all future development because, as a government, we are focused on getting our own finances in order. Rather than looking outwardly and saying we can pump-prime projects, see projects and get development going, we are focused on getting our own spending under control. This makes it difficult when talking about new ports, roads, schools, hospitals, police stations and better services for the public. Trying to find money when you are crippled with debt is very difficult indeed.
The previous government welcomed the closure of the live cattle trade. This was probably one of the darkest days for north Australia. I remember Paul Henderson saying it was the circuit breaker we needed. He welcomed the decision by the Gillard Labor government in Canberra to stop the live cattle trade. It nearly sent all cattle producers in the Northern Territory to the wall at a time when we did not need it.
There was a complete lack of land for development. It had this idea the Northern Territory had to be one big park. Any talk about turning off land for housing, industry or the like was shunned at every opportunity. It is now common knowledge we suffered the worst housing and accommodation crisis in Australia, with house prices and rents more than Sydney, the most expensive place in the country. That was fundamentally because of those failed Labor policies of not releasing enough land or allowing developers and business people to do what they do best. They were captive to the extreme green movement. It seemed while Julia Gillard, in Canberra, was doing deals with Bob Brown and the like to save her own political hide, Labor was responding in the Territory in exactly the same manner. They were absolutely captive to sectional interests.
We saw the native vegetation draft bill they were proposing which would have meant every person who wanted to prune a tree in their yard would have had to get a full-blown EIS. They made it so difficult for people to work the land; they wanted to do everything in their power to stop it happening. I was talking to farmers in Katherine, Mataranka and around the place who were saying it was ridiculous that you had to get an EIS to clear regrowth. The hurdles the previous government put in people’s way were outrageous. They did everything they could to kill off the farming, agricultural and pastoral industries, to wind down research into those industries and to stop people accessing water.
It was interesting to hear the Opposition Leader talking about the Indigenous water allocation as if it was something Labor was doing. I have never heard so much nonsense. There was never a policy to reserve water for Indigenous Territorians, and saying, ‘Oh, you have stopped it’, is absolutely ridiculous. The fact is we freed up water resources. We want all Territorians to use our abundant water resources where they are available, to grow things, get industry started and create jobs for Territorians across the board.
There would seem to be nothing happening in the regions at all. We know Alice Springs and Central Australia were completely overlooked, as was the Barkly and Katherine. It seems there were just those four or five seats in the northern suburbs, Labor’s stronghold, that had any meaningful engagement at all.
What was occurring under the previous government was not welcomed by many. We saw business confidence slump to negative figures in the Northern Territory, and it is only in recent times we have seen that rebound. We now have confidence back in the marketplace in the Northern Territory.
As the Chief Minister said this morning in Question Time, the Territory is now open for business. That is the best news most people across the Territory have heard in a long time. Government is trying to find ways to encourage business, to encourage investment of private capital, to encourage people to the Northern Territory and get the place cracking. That is exactly what needs to happen. We are focused on cutting red tape, removing hurdles to development, encouraging people to come to government with good ideas, big ideas, and grand ideas.
We do not fear Nightcliff island; we welcome people coming to us with such grand ideas. Obviously once the process starts the public will be consulted. We will do environmental assessments, noise assessments and all the things that have to happen with a development. First and foremost, we welcome people with new and fresh ideas to the Northern Territory.
In the past, we sometimes felt the Northern Territory was the only part of Australia that realised the full potential of north Australia. When I have travelled overseas I have found that people in our region are very keen and eager to be involved with Darwin and the Northern Territory in particular, looking at ways they can invest money so they can drive development and the like. It is an interesting thing because when you go into the southern states and talk to some of the people there, they look at you, scratch their heads and say, ‘What the hell is in the north? Why would we put money up there?’ It will take some time to convince Australia that here in the north is Australia’s future.
Obviously the key component of north Australia development is the Northern Territory, particularly Darwin. Darwin is Australia’s northern-most capital city. It is the only capital city on the north coast of Australia. In fact, it is fair to say that Darwin is the only city on the north coast of Australia. The Opposition Leader was jumping up and down saying, ‘Queensland is stealing everything. They are going to get all the largesse.’ Again, it is the Opposition Leader who thinks in terms of the rest of Australia giving us money. For her, it is not about us developing industries and business and creating a regime where we become very profitable, very productive and, ultimately, provide support to the rest of Australia; it is all about how much money the rest of Australia can give us. That seems to be the way people on the other side think.
However, the fact is, as I was saying, Darwin is the only city on the north coast of Australia. Obviously Cairns is on the east coast and Broome is on the west coast. Looking across the north, the only place anybody can and should focus on is Darwin and the Top End. Obviously developing the north is dependent on developing the regions across the Northern Territory. I was thrilled to hear the Chief Minister say that when it comes to northern development, the whole of the Territory will be behind that, not just the portion above the Tropic of Capricorn. That is abundantly important because this is a great journey the Territory is on and a great opportunity for the Territory.
We should be Asia’s gateway to Australia and Australia’s gateway to Asia. Obviously that means Darwin and the Top End being a major transport, logistical and trading hub. We are secure in our trading by having Australia’s Defence forces located in the north. Also, having the presence of the US for training exercises provides that security that business needs to develop, have confidence in the future and grow.
Utilising all of our available resources is also of critical importance. I am thrilled by the way the minister for Primary Industry and Mines has taken to his job, where he is encouraging mining and exploration companies to set up in the north …
Ms FINOCCHIARO: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I move that the member for Fong Lim be granted an extension of time, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr TOLLNER: Thank you. I will not need the whole time but appreciate the extra.
As I was saying, the Minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries and Mines and Energy has done a wonderful job in encouraging farming, mining and exploration, and trying very well, with a lot of success, to further reinvigorate that live cattle export business that was so nearly killed by our former government and the Gillard government in Canberra.
It is good to see the energy and keenness of our Minister for Tourism, who is one of the great spokesmen for the Territory. He can see the opportunities that exist for the Northern Territory in relation to tourism. It is an amazing change where you saw, just two years ago, a Northern Territory government that was internally focused, and focused on tourism businesses being accredited. There was a range of accreditation programs, that is, hurdles that business had to jump through. They held a stick to tourism businesses by saying if they did not do the accreditation programs, if they did not allow the government to pore through their books and go through their enterprise, they would be hit with the big stick by the government not advertising their product overseas. They operated Territory Discoveries and were trying to channel everything through Territory Discoveries at the expense of all other inbound tourism wholesalers around the nation.
I am thrilled to see our new Tourism minister has dumped that silly policy and is looking outward. He understands the best form of accreditation for any business is the marketplace. If you do a good job, you succeed; if you do a bad job, you go to the wall. What you do not need is government putting its dead hand on your shoulder, looking over your shoulder, going through your books and trying to tell you how best to run your business. That is the last thing any business needs. While we are not out of those silly accreditation programs, government is not spending an enormous amount of money tying up people’s time and energy going through their businesses. The Tourism minister is putting more and more of our resources into overseas and interstate promotion of the Northern Territory, trying to encourage more Australians and more overseas visitors to the Northern Territory. That, in itself, is a big change and will see big dividends happen.
The Minister for Lands, Planning and the Environment is doing a fantastic job of putting out plans and guidelines, letting people know what is on the horizon and allowing developers and builders to start doing the work our growing economy requires. Obviously a growing economy is what every jurisdiction wants, and we are the envy of all the jurisdictions in Australia.
I was saying to a group of people at lunchtime that this year the economy is growing at 7%, which puts us in the same realm as China and India. We are part of the stand-out economies around the world. However, rapid economic growth also brings its own problems. How do you build that much-needed infrastructure, such as schools, roads, hospitals and the like, particularly with a government as committed as we are to reducing the cost of living? It is very difficult to do that in a rapidly-growing economy, because where there is greater demand, there is always upward pressure on prices.
There are some challenges in growing and developing northern Australia, but we have a government ready and keen to do it. There is an air of expectation and optimism among all ministers and people on this side of the House. This is a thrilling and exciting time in the Northern Territory’s history and it is great to be here. We have now, for the first time ever under the Abbott government in Canberra, real and genuine support to see development growth in the north. Never in Australia’s history have we seen the focus on the north we are seeing from the Abbott government, and that in itself is quite spectacular.
The planets are aligning. Obviously, the interest from our Asian neighbours in accessing Australian consumers and more of Australia’s resources sets us in good stead.
Madam Speaker, forget the carping, whining and whingeing from the Opposition Leader, who sees nothing but doom and gloom and will throw out any red herring possible to divert people from feeling excited about our future. She is making an art form of it. When you look at the things she constantly throws out there, such as figures which are made up, it is quite amazing.
She had a fellow contact the NT News, a bloke called Bill Mitchell, an economist who got himself a bit of a gig in the paper. These are the sorts of people the Opposition Leader identifies with. I did a bit of checking up on Bill Mitchell. I did a search of him on the Internet and it came up with a Wikipedia site. There is quite a bit on Mr Mitchell, who is somewhat of a Marxist. This is a quote from the website:
I wonder what neo-liberal economic theories he is opposed to?
As part of the neo-liberalism, Mitchell opposes economic liberalisations, free trade and open markets. He opposes privatisation, deregulation and enhancing the role of the private sector. He would say those things about the structural separation of Power and Water, would he not? This is the type of person the Opposition Leader identifies with, the sort of person who does not want to see a free market working in the Northern Territory, or enterprises establishing in the Northern Territory. He would be one of those people who subscribes to the big park policy of the former Labor government.
Madam Speaker, it is an exciting time. We will not be deterred by the negative carping from those opposite. The rest of the Territory knows we are on a mission, we have real vision and the future of the Northern Territory looks great and prosperous.
Mr McCARTHY (Barkly): Madam Speaker, the Chief Minister’s ministerial statement – as the member for Fong Lim said, the exciting, vibrant and visionary statement – was dropped on opposition desks the morning it was delivered in parliament. That shows you how big, visionary, and exciting this statement is that it could not possibly be delivered the evening before to allow the true processes of democracy to shape the debate. It was delivered in a punitive sense, by a mean-spirited government.
That is the character of this government which plans on developing northern Australia in partnership with its Liberal mates in Canberra. They have a report card which is in Canberra, and no doubt Dave’s mate Tony - Uncle Tony – is looking through the report card. This is a Treasurer of the Northern Territory who does not even read his own mid-year report. For the Treasurer’s knowledge, I remind you that the figure you were looking for, which you misquoted, is $832m, and it appears in the overview on page one in the document 2013-14 Northern Territory Mid-Year Report by the Northern Territory government. There you have it, Treasurer. You had better read your own report, because the figure is there.
As the Chief Minister dodged in Question Time, and as you just dodged in your response, all the opposition wants to know is what you will spend the cash on. It is a serious cash grab, which appears on page one of your mid-year report. What is the expenditure plan? Territorians would like to know.
Uncle Tony is going through a report card from his Liberal mates in the Northern Territory, which shows that under their watch they are tracking to a massive debt. They have already incurred $1.1bn in the first budget under their watch. They are on a spending spree. This mob has spent $84m, but we are not quite sure what on. We know for a fact they have taken $32m out of the pockets of Territory families and businesses in price hikes around power, water and sewerage. We know they have gone on a spending spree of $84m. We know they have somehow got this windfall that is documented in the mid-year report coming online, but we are not quite sure what they are doing with it. They are the fiscal managers in the Northern Territory the Prime Minister is looking at when he assesses where they will do business.
It makes me smile when the Treasurer and the Chief Minister waffle on in the sense of an opposition. When will they get over the fact that they are not in opposition? They are in government? Members of the CLP should start questioning this front bench because they are seriously dragging you down. They are seriously limiting any potential of government when they continue to operate in opposition, reiterating all their gloom and doom theories about why they cannot do anything.
I move to the Chief Minister’s statement. I will not go into 19 months of broken election promises, sacking public servants, the incredible and quite alarming price increases or the two new mining taxes yet. Of course, I will not talk about the $1.1bn added to the Northern Territory debt under the Country Liberal Party. I will move on to the statement because, as the Chief Minister alluded to in this House, it is all contained in a white paper and a green paper.
To me, without any substance and with a track record that Canberra is looking at under this crowd, the Country Liberal Party is all talk and no action. I do not think there is any real substance, and until we start to hear some substance then I do not think the Country Liberal Party has any credibility in the Northern Territory.
The Chief Minister said in his statement:
I remind the Chief Minister of an anecdote I learned when we were in government about the fast train from Chatswood to Sydney Central Station. What I would like to see in a statement delivered the night before, or in the morning, or at lunchtime – I do not really care anymore – is the Chief Minister and the Liberal Party’s plan to change the political thinking of the continent. How do they really plan to influence 85% of the Australian population who live on the east coast and demand reductions of 14 minutes in their travel time between Chatswood and Central Station? How do they plan on getting funds off the Bruce Highway into the Northern Territory? How do they plan on changing the thinking of the Australian public who vote in and out the bulk block of politicians in this country? There is plenty of space in this statement to give the Northern Territory and Territorians strategies about how they will do it. What we get is shallow one-liners, green and white papers, and this rhetoric that has no substance and no meaning.
We are in an interesting situation when we reflect on the facts about changing political ideology. We are still wondering what the Country Liberal Party is doing about that.
The member for Port Darwin, as the Minister for Public Employment, spoke in Question Time today about preparing the public sector for the development of northern Australia, and gave a passionate three-minute synopsis of what he is doing. I thought, ‘Well, that was three minutes and it was almost Shakespearean’.
What I wanted to read in this statement was how this government is preparing the public sector to do business in the new world of mega infrastructure, design and construction under the model of public private partnerships within the realm of foreign investment. Where is that thinking? How are Territory public servants being prepared for the new way of doing business?
The previous Labor government entered this space well and truly with the new Darwin Correctional Precinct, bagged by the Country Liberal Party – negative shallow rhetoric, all doom and gloom, all about complaints. Ironically, they crow about the same project delivering 1000 jobs in relation to a new model of doing business, when we are talking about what I call mega infrastructure, public private partnerships. Where is that in the statement? It does not appear. The minister does not acknowledge it. The Country Liberal Party does not have it in its thinking. Once again, it is about this shallow rhetoric with no substance.
The Country Liberal Party members continue to try to talk their way out of a very important policy about reserving water for Indigenous economic development. They try to weasel-word their way through the debate, particularly jumping at the shadows of their own Indigenous members from the government who are now starting to question what this reserve is all about. Why is it a good policy? Why is our front bench not acknowledging it? What is the true story about allocating a mega water licence to one pastoral operator, then having Indigenous communities downstream on the Roper River starting to question that decision?
The sooner those members start to challenge their front bench and knock on that Cabinet door, the better, because this is a very integral part of development in northern Australia. Without the recognition that Indigenous communities and the Indigenous business sector are very much a developing sector, and the acknowledgement and policy to put a reserve in place, then they could risk any real developments in the future. That plays at the haves and have-nots, and is something the Country Liberal Party has never been good at. It has never been good at delivering for everyone in the community; it has always been for the mates, for the haves, at the expensive of the have-nots.
The discussion about the strategic Indigenous water reserve better re-emerge in the Country Liberals caucus because it will seriously disadvantage the first Australians and their emerging opportunities in the space of what the Chief Minister is talking about: the development of northern Australia.
We are talking about nation building infrastructure and the necessary public private partnerships and foreign investment that will deliver this. We want to hear more. So, Chief Minister, back to the drawing board, bring it on as soon as you like. I would really like to hear what your government’s plans are in that space.
We are talking about a great deal of greenfield development. When you are developing greenfield space, there are massive infrastructure requirements and considerable cost to deliver that. It is ironic that when the Chief Minister is talking about the development of northern Australia, in 19 months we have not seen one Country Liberals greenfield site of development delivered in the Northern Territory. The spin and rhetoric around their media releases and all the stories they tell celebrating places like Johnston stage two, Zuccoli and Kilgariff has not once mentioned anything new. Elferink Heights is what I am looking for; there is not one mention, just pure spin. They do not have a track record in delivering greenfield sites in 19 months, and I am wondering what credibility that will get them at the Canberra table when they discuss the division of very limited resources between Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
It is important we start to hear the detail and cut to the chase. We need to be asking questions around the Country Liberals policy of cutting red and green tape. We know for land use they dusted off a 20-year plan. The plan talks about damming wild rivers in the Northern Territory. Once again, this is a very shallow understanding of the ecology of tropical savannahs, estuaries and northern marine ecosystems. It is about cutting red tape and green tape and damming rivers, which will deliver them their short-term outcome. That is, ironically, the complete opposite of what is needed when talking about a policy to develop northern Australia.
If you want to go down the path of the Murray Darling and the mistakes made in the south of the continent, that is where you should be. The north of the continent needs very specific plans acknowledging the unique ecology and ecosystems which operate here that need to be preserved for future generations.
There is an interesting comment which came from Question Time and relates to a section of the statement where the Country Liberals spoke about a pathway from poverty for people on welfare. The Chief Minister said developing the north will contribute to the national economy in the long term by reducing the need for welfare as more and more Territorians are employed. Let us cut into that and talk about it because the first thing coming out of the Liberal camp is from Mr Mundine. I quote from an article in the Weekend Australian of 15 February 2014 by Patricia Karvelas:
I quote again from Mr Mundine who wants Indigenous youths in detention moved to jobs and training programs:
That was taken from a story on Thursday, 13 February 2014.
The government has a real problem with incarceration rates of Indigenous people. The government has been very serious about legislation mandating terms of imprisonment. I suggest that Correctional Services’ facilities are bursting at the seams. The Minister for Correctional Services talks about the Sentenced to a Job program, but we do not hear any talk about Indigenous youth; we do not hear any mention of the unacceptable Indigenous youth incarceration rates. We are wondering what the Country Liberals plan to do about that when the Chief Minister wants to get people off welfare and into jobs. Where is the detail around the plans? Where is the detail about how that will take place?
In this statement there are stories about what they are ‘gonna do’, ‘We are gonna do this, and gonna do that’. I will tell the Chief Minister what he can immediately do, and that is acknowledge the situation where 60% of Indigenous people incarcerated in the Northern Territory represent offences which relate to motor traffic and alcohol. The majority of them are incarcerated for less than 12 month sentences, which makes it difficult to deal with that person in an institution.
We can look at a very high figure relating to motor traffic offences and link it back to the delivery of Motor Vehicle Registry services in the bush. Then we can go to a micro example of the contract signed by the previous Chief Minister - orchestrated by the current Chief Minister - in Borroloola, which said, ‘We will build a government centre. We will locate government services and offices in that centre and we will stimulate your economy and provide jobs.’ Ironically, one of the services which will keep people out of gaol is the delivery of Motor Vehicle Registry services, yet nothing has happened.
In the meantime, the Mabunji Aboriginal Resource Organisation has built the offices. It has created a shopping centre in Robinson Road in Borroloola which has spare office space. Here we are, 19 months into the Country Liberals government, but no MVR services for Borroloola. Over the road, the Commonwealth government built a Centrelink office and there are a number of my ex-students working there ...
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I move the member be granted an extension of time, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr McCARTHY: Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay.
It is great to visit the office, because there are ex-students of mine from Borroloola who work there. I remember from the election campaign a promise from the Country Liberals that they would deliver a Centrelink office for Borroloola. It shows you how much they took notice on their visits in Borroloola that there was a brand new Centrelink office built by the Commonwealth government, operating and employing local people, the majority of who are young people.
We have an opportunity to deliver an MVR office in Borroloola - a growth town – and 19 months in there is not even a mention of the contract. This is the micro example of developing northern Australia where we can keep people out of gaol, create jobs in the regions, educate people around the use of motor vehicles and road safety and prepare the new generation to inherit all this amazing opportunity the Chief Minister talked about. However, there is no link between a visionary statement of words and pragmatic delivery on the ground.
The people of Borroloola are very passionate about this. The police in Borroloola know their business is extremely important and Motor Vehicle Registry services, clerical services across a desk, are not the major priority. They are out in the field, keeping the community safe. They are policing a major district within the Northern Territory. This issue could be solved with the establishment of a Motor Vehicle Registry office in Borroloola. There is office space available, and I urge the minister to confer with the Minister for Correctional Services to knock on the Chief Minister’s door and say, ‘This is something which can change peoples’ lives. This is a positive track to delivering a workforce, the prosperity across the board for all concerned and the equality we need.’
I will continue to challenge the government on this and to wave around the contract which was presented to the good folk of the township of Borroloola to try to win their votes in the last Territory election. It is not something big and grandiose; it is very simple and pragmatic, and those people deserve it.
The Chief Minister talked about the possibility of making Territory Day a public holiday. He wants other people to talk about it. My challenge is: what are you doing about statehood, mate? What has happened to this government’s agenda for statehood? If we are talking about big visionary statements about the development of northern Australia, where is the seventh state, the state of the Northern Territory? There is no talk whatsoever. It is just smokescreen, rhetoric and one-liners for the media. Get real! Let us hear your plans about statehood and re-establishing that agenda which was hijacked and derailed by the Country Liberals in the lead-up to the election.
The statement talked about the MOU deal on the Tiwi Islands. That is fine; it is something we all acknowledge. However, the reality is it is an agreement for the company to search out customers. That is great; that is another step in the right direction. It immediately leads into a project of significance and the question about the preparation of a workforce. The government celebrated a big television event with the Tiwi people. We understand that is an agreement for the company to search for customers to try to make this project stack up.
We then saw the cutting of teachers, the loss of support and administrative staff and the whole education debate shift into how bad outcomes are, how poor teachers are performing and how this government is determined to turn that around. There seems to be many gaps in the way business is conducted by the government. Those gaps are real and very damaging. The sentiment from the electorates I move around in, and to me, seems to be that the government makes it up as it goes along; there do not seem to be any real plans. I do not think this statement gives any more comfort to the Territory constituency that we are on any real road in developing northern Australia.
I enjoyed the part about energy resources. I celebrate what Paul Henderson started with real work with INPEX and the Larrakia, which was about fly-in fly-out workers from remote communities. That was about the Chief Minister saying, ‘They can’ and, of course, they can. That is what I started with the previous Chief Minister. I used his esteemed position as a real Territory statesman, a person who carried the government on his shoulders and mixed in the international community with respect and acknowledgement. He took those tiny words from a new member for Barkly in parliament to the big end of town, to multinational global players and traditional owners, and secured the deal.
I am pleased to see that is now repeating in Country Liberal Party rhetoric, because it is a real deal, particularly when you have a 3500-bed worker village that is operating in the Top End. Give credit where credit is due. I hope the Chief Minister stays on that game plan because I am still preparing young people in the Barkly to take up that opportunity. In mining, the mantra is ‘open for business’, and the Country Liberal Party came to the table with two new mining taxes. That is okay. It should be acknowledged fair and square that on one hand government puts out the spin ‘open for business’, and on the other hand the mining industry is saying that does not really sit well when it imposes two new taxes. The government would have heard about that at the industry forum. However, ministers did not show, and it was rather embarrassing to hear that.
On the subject of residential land, the Chief Minister talked about Kilgariff. I was at Kilgariff on the weekend. I was at the cricket as well, and I also visited a number of other sites in Alice Springs. It will be a challenge, Chief Minister. Once again, if you try to cut corners with Kilgariff, you risk destroying the integrity of the whole master plan suburb. Ecologically, environmentally and socially, it is a very sensitive area that can yield enormous potential for Alice Springs. I did not see any real acknowledgement of that in what I looked at on the weekend. I caution you, with respect, Chief Minister.
I get to the next part of the statement about showing a direct link between building activity and residential building work and an increase in Territory revenue. That is a straight story. The only bits missing are the middle bits about the fact they were all Labor land release programs.
I sat on the other side there for four years, and had four years of a CLP mantra bagging the lack of land release, ‘What are you doing?’ I was out kicking dirt, learning about the industry, commissioning excavators, and the government was about significant investment in the headworks. That went on for four years. The press bought it and everybody worked it over. Now I am on this side, and 19 months in this government is crowing about accelerated land release, with not one greenfield site and no plans. It is a retrograde step in the crash of the Enquiry by Design process and the initial master plan work for Weddell. They then named a new greenfield peninsula. ‘We are going to do it all on Glyde Point with no enabling infrastructure and no supporting infrastructure.’
However, there is something coming in the rural area, and you guys are going to be up for a fight. We will leave it at that for the time being, as I have run out of time. There is much more to talk about regarding this statement.
Madam Speaker, once again, I say that when we are talking about the development of the Territory and northern Australia, let us start to hear some substance. Let me go home and tell the electorate what you guys are actually doing. There will not be too many people interested in what is in this statement without the details, and how it will really relate to Territorians and benefit the young people and the future generations of the Northern Territory.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE (Primary Industry and Fisheries): Madam Speaker, I support this statement from the Chief Minister on developing northern Australia. The Northern Territory has a wealth of mineral and energy opportunities. In addition, we have available land and abundant water. We have the potential to grow crops that can feed millions. We have a thriving beef and buffalo industry, thanks to the efforts of successive CLP governments over many years. We have one of the most sustainable fisheries in the world. We have established transport corridors.
The hard work from this government has ensured we have a foot in many new emerging markets to our north. Put plainly, we have the political courage and will to make good things happen. In short, we have the foundations on which we can grow and develop the Northern Territory as Australia’s northern gateway of choice in which future generations of Territorians will benefit. We have the foundations, or the raw ingredients.
However, what we do not have is the necessary supporting infrastructure needed to realise the full potential of these opportunities. This includes all-weather roads, an extension of the current rail system, greater access to essential services in remote regions, such as power and large industry, and a larger network of gas pipelines that can service large industry and serve to transport our raw resources to market.
Infrastructure is indeed the key to the Northern Territory’s development and, consequently, the development of northern Australia. As the Chief Minister said, this Country Liberals government is working with the federal government, our north Australian counterparts in Queensland and Western Australia, and industry to collaborate on big ticket items.
A national strategic approach to ports, rail and roads infrastructure in northern Australia will more efficiently move product to market and establish Darwin as the land bridge gateway to Asia. This strategic approach to major infrastructure will serve to reduce cost to business and communities through economics of scale in lieu of small project-based ports such as Bing Bong, and will provide increased security in the event of natural disasters disrupting critical infrastructure.
This government has rolled up its sleeves and is prepared to get down and dirty and, as Territorians would say, is prepared to break a sweat to get the job done. We will follow in the footsteps of many pioneering Territorians, including former CLP governments, in aiming high, pushing the boundaries and achieving the seemingly pie-in-the-sky lofty ambitions.
A range of initiatives is being pursued, driven by my Department of Mines and Energy, to make the Northern Territory an attractive and financially safe jurisdiction in which to invest in the mining, energy and exploration industry.
This government has already simplified the process to submit mining management plans, made environmental mining reports more efficient and introduced a multiyear cycle of mining management plans. We have sped up the approvals process and are transitioning to a compliance program that has an increasingly field-based focus.
In our first year in government, we made significant progress in cutting red tape, easing the burden experienced by exploration and mining companies doing business in the NT. We told the world we were open for business and, indeed, we are. We have facilitated the development of major new mines, put in place strategies to deal with legacy mines, are using our natural resources to benefit Territorians and will use the wealth created from ecologically sustainable mining to develop jobs, regional centres and infrastructure.
Our continuing efforts in Asian investment and engagement will build on previous good work in this area and focus on enabling increased investment in the exploration sector.
The Territory has a great future in supplying expanding global LNG markets supplying gas to resource projects across northern Australia to hungry interstate energy markets and gas processing industries.
Recovering economies in Asia has seen increased energy demand, and natural gas – with its greenhouse and environmentally-friendly qualities – will grow more strongly than competing fuel sources. Indeed, there has been a substantial increase in hydrocarbon exploration activity in the Northern Territory in the past 12 months. In news this morning, it was reported that household gas prices interstate will increase substantially due to surging wholesale prices which have resulted from Queensland’s planned export of large volumes of gas.
It is timely for the Australian government to consider establishing a national gas grid to connect the Territory to the rest of Australia. The Northern Territory’s already significant role in providing energy security to Australia will increase substantially if gas pipeline infrastructure projects, accelerated investment in geoscience and exploration access are given priority.
The Northern Territory also has the largest number of potential mine development projects in play than at any time in the past three decades. To name a few: the Australian Ilmenite Resources project in the Roper River; the expansion of McArthur River mine; the Roper Bar iron ore mine by Western Desert Resources; and the Sherwin iron mine project, which has already exported a 200 000 tonne bulk sample to China.
Projected expenditure on oil and gas exploration on granted tenements in the Northern Territory over the next five years exceeds $200m. Current work programs show that no fewer than 25 exploration wells could be drilled within the next 12 months. This government is committed to the continuation of a strong and vibrant mining sector.
The Northern Territory’s primary industry and fishery sectors are playing an increasingly important role in providing food security for Territorians, Australians and the growing consumer market that is Asia. The underdeveloped north of Australia has the potential to increase its production of food and contribute to global food security.
This government is committed to enabling development of the north and is determined to increase the opportunities available for landowners, primary producers and those whose businesses depend on land and water. To this end, we have made legislative changes to the Pastoral Land Act to allow for the development of agriculture and horticultural projects on pastoral leases. These changes will extend the five-year limit for non-pastoral use activities on pastoral land up to 30 years, plus potential extensions, which will allow a project to mature and provide a return on the initial capital investment.
Pastoral leaseholders now have a unique opportunity to diversify their income streams while also contributing to economic development and food security.
This government’s water policy will provide a framework for water management in the Territory, promote sustainable water resource management and underpin the identification, assessment, development, allocation and management of all water resources in the Territory. We are making the best use of available land and water resources and identifying smaller-scale irrigation projects based on water availability in areas with better soils and available infrastructure.
The combination of market and investment opportunities emerging from our northern neighbours, the focus of this government on relationship building and understanding the geopolitical climate of our trading partners and the culmination of many years of resource makes us confident we can attain sustainable production from our land and water resources, and this government’s strategic policy views will ensure the long-term prosperity of these sectors and underpin investment certainty.
As the Chief Minister pointed out, we have already established new markets for our buffalo and are seeking new markets for our cattle. With the devastating kneejerk reaction by the then federal Labor government to ban the live trade of cattle to Indonesia several years ago, it is no small feat that this industry, which was brought to its knees, has fought back and, against all odds, is once again a major contributor to the Northern Territory’s economy. Last year, there was an increase of around 75 000 head of cattle exported through the Port of Darwin, compared to the previous year.
We are also supporting the Australian Agricultural Company’s project to build an abattoir in the Top End, which will diversify the market opportunities for our beef producers, as well as provide a market for those cattle not suitable for live export. It also provides an opportunity for diversification of the northern herd over time to supply cattle more suited to prime beef processing.
We are working on Ord Stage 3. Opposition members have stood in this House in recent weeks and asked what is going on with the Ord. The extension of the Ord irrigation channels into the Territory will open up 14 500 ha of new agricultural land.
As I said, members opposite have declared this project stalled or dead in the water, but this CLP government has done more in its short time in office to progress the Ord than Labor did in 11 long, tedious, unproductive years in office.
The Ord Development Unit is ensuring we get the process right in regard to native title negotiations, water allocations and licensing, environmental approvals and biosecurity measures. However, this is a process that does not happen overnight. If those opposite would hark back to 19 months ago when they were in government – at least some of them were – they would understand the time frames and would know how long it takes to get process done. We are about getting the process right as well. We want to ensure whatever we do is robust and sustainable, and not done on the basis of kneejerk reactions.
You can see what happens when kneejerk policy decisions are made by government coming out in the inquiry into Stella Maris. We do not want to see this government in that position. Therefore, we will take our time, get it right, work closely with all the stakeholders and ensure when we progress this Ord Stage 3 it is done in a way that means it will be successful in the future. That is our intention.
This government is not resting there. We are already working to identify the next large-scale agricultural development opportunity. The knock-on or downstream benefits from projects such as the Ord development projects include jobs, local business growth, major investment attraction and industry participation. The Tiwi Islands is a great example, with the potential that now exists for traditional landowners to utilise their vast landholdings for agricultural development to create economic diversity and jobs while contributing to food security.
I heard the carping from members opposite, particularly the member for Barkly, talking about greenfield sites. Essentially, the Tiwi Islands’ agricultural development is a greenfield site. Notwithstanding the forestry that has been going on there for a number of years, a development of this nature, of this size and scale is, in fact, a greenfield development. It is pretty easy for us to put our fingers on a project in the Northern Territory that could be considered a greenfield site and say, ‘Here we are, we are producing some results’.
This government is fostering industry growth by reducing red tape, assisting to increase exports to our Asian neighbours, enabling increased flexibility for land use on pastoral leases and facilitating an increase in the availability of land for primary production.
I would be remiss if I did not touch on a few things raised in this debate by members opposite, particularly around water. I have said previously I enjoy speaking in this House about water and the opportunities it will bring for the Northern Territory. What usually happens is opposition members, basically, misrepresent the truth; it is a nice way of saying another word, which I will not use in the House for fear of being pulled up, and we then must correct the record. That happens so often it becomes difficult to listen to. There are times when I simply have to switch off as I cannot stand listening to the codswallop coming from most of the members opposite.
Let us talk a little about water. I reiterate what I have said in this House in the past and refute some of the things the Leader of the Opposition said, particularly around the strategic Indigenous reserve. This government did not scrap a policy on SIR. For us to have scrapped a policy on SIR, there had to have been one before. The extension of that is members opposite are suggesting they had a policy on SIR. That follows, does it not? If you follow the Leader of the Opposition’s argument, the Country Liberals scrapped an SIR; therefore, before that there was a policy on SIR which clearly would have been held in the domain of the then Labor government. But that is not true. In fact, it is completely false.
There was an ad hoc approach to a strategic Indigenous reserve by the water allocation committees and, consequently, the Department of NRETAS, as it was back then, with the former ministers in their various guises, including Karl Hampton. That ad hoc approach occurred because there was no policy from the then Labor government. They were too frightened to take on such a policy. As usual – and I have seen it happen time and time again coming out of the years of Labor government in the Territory – there were too many things just thrown into the too-hard basket. Let us talk about SIR. They did not have a policy on that at all – did not have the courage or the guts.
Let us talk about the 75 outstanding water licences that were left when they vacated government, which went back, many of them, years and were neverdealt with. They were in the too-hard basket. Do you know why? They did not have the courage to deal with issues around water. It must be because they were too darned scared of what the greenies and the naysayers might say, bearing in mind they were only hanging on to government by a thread.
There are a lot of mistruths peddled in this House by the opposition. It is incumbent on us to try to correct the record as those statements are made by the members opposite.
However, I will say again: this government is about driving development. The development process we are implementing in the Northern Territory dovetails beautifully into the whole concept of the development of northern Australia.
In fact – and I have mentioned this before – while the federal Coalition was in opposition and was working on a plan for northern development, my primary industry ministerial colleagues from Queensland and Western Australia and I were already working on a northern approach to development of the beef industry. We conducted joint delegations to Indonesia. We have another one coming up shortly to Vietnam, if the other ministers can make it, because we recognise the importance of presenting a united front to our trading partners to the north. We want them to recognise that northern Australia is a key location and the Northern Territory, particularly the Port of Darwin, is at the geographic centre of all that.
Madam Speaker, I commend the Chief Minister for making this statement and I commend this Country Liberals government and the other ministers who are working so hard to bring development to the Northern Territory and, by extension, to northern Australia.
Mr VATSKALIS (Casuarina): Madam Speaker, as the Chief Minister and many in this House know, I was one of the strong advocates for developing the north. Sometimes, I had to argue with some of my colleagues in Canberra, but for them the most important areas are the ones that have the most votes, and the north does not have many votes. When I referred to the north, I not only referred to the Northern Territory but to anything that comes from Townsville, west to Port Hedland, which includes places like Broome, Kununurra, Katherine, Gove and many other areas in northern Australia.
This statement by the Chief Minister is good for us because most of the points you highlight as achievements are things that were either started or initiated by us. Now, of course, you are riding the crest of the wave. I congratulate you for bragging about the 33 blocks in Kilgariff. I remind you that the Kilgariff blocks in Alice Springs were started by the Labor government. I understand that governments come and go, and I know the government of the day will claim the kudos. It happened before and will happen again. However, it would be good to give credit where credit is due.
I heard you talking about Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam, and I congratulate you for continuing the good work we started as the Labor government. I personally spent many days and many hours working to open new markets for our cattle industry in Vietnam and Indonesia.
With regard to developing the north, it will take a lot of effort and time to persuade people down south – politicians like us – as some of them see investing in the north as a waste of money, because the north is too far away from the big centres, their electorates, and they could not care less what happens in Broome, Kununurra, Gove or Humpty Doo. It is alien and too far away to them, and some cannot even pronounce the names. Try to ask some of them to spell Borroloola; they will be lost between the B and the O.
I talk about developing the north but I have some issues. On page 12 you talked about Asian engagement and trade. The problem is, Chief Minister, after two years in government you still do not have an international trade strategy. In the last three years, the office of Asian Engagement and Trade has moved in and out of the Chief Minister’s department. The last time I spoke to them they did not have anyone who could speak Mandarin, Korean, Japanese or Indonesian. They were trying to recruit people. Two years after being in government and not having people to speak the languages you need to engage people in Southeast Asia is a bit poor.
I remind you, no, we were not perfect; yes, we made mistakes, but we were clearly focused on Asia. The CLP is very big on rhetoric but when it comes to action something is always missing. Do I have to remind you we opened the relationship with East Timor? Do I have to remind you we actively engaged Japan, South Korea and China? Not only the INPEX project came from Japan because of the actions of previous Labor Chief Ministers, but also the investments in minerals we have seen from China and the interest in uranium from South Korea.
Yes, the cattle industry suffered a setback in Indonesia and probably some historians in the future will apportion blame to people in high places and they would probably be right. However, it was our Labor government and me who fought very hard – in some cases contrary to the opinions of some colleagues in our party in Canberra – to reinstate that relationship with Indonesia. This parliament had bipartisan support for our cattle industry until the current Deputy Chief Minister broke ranks and demanded a breaking of the bipartisan support. Unfortunately, the issue became heavily politicised.
The Chief Minister was talking about energy resources. I welcome his energy resources statement because he is clearly on the right path. We have to sell the mineral wealth of the Territory to people who want it, and those people are all situated in Southeast Asia. It is not only the liquefied natural gas that Japan demands, but also mineral resources like iron ore, manganese, silver, gold and zinc. Actually, the high demand is in China. Nothing will change, Chief Minister, unless you have a clear focus on the Southeast Asian market. Some of your ministers spend more time attracting investment from China in the minerals sector than flying in and out in one day.
The mining boom in the Territory continues and will continue. We are one of the few jurisdictions in Australia where people can still acquire exploration licences. They are not occupied by big companies, as in Western Australia. Companies can make money, establish their headquarters in the Territory and open new mines. We have some of the biggest mines in Australia, but eventually these mines will dry out and finish; it is inevitable. We need new mines and we need to find new opportunities.
Congratulations for continuing our initiative with CORE dollar-for-dollar payment to companies that undertake exploration. However, you have to continue that and increase it. I said before you do not need a flash office in Beijing; you need people going to China to actively engage investors and the government – either provincial or central government – to make decisions to invest in the Northern Territory.
You talked about land tenure and land use. The Territory is a big place and we have the capacity to produce not only cattle, but tropical fruit and flowers.
I come to the third stage of the Ord scheme that the member for Katherine spoke about. The reality is Ord Stage 3 is not happening at the moment. The information I have from Western Australia – as you know I come from Western Australia and have friends in Western Australia on both sides of politics – is the Western Australians are firmly keeping the Ord for themselves. The latest information I have is no way will they invest money into the Territory. They would love the Territory land to come online, but that will take time. We know that because we have not initiated active negotiation with traditional owners on our side of the border.
The other thing I hear is Western Australia is going to invest a very significant amount of money to reconstruct the port of Wyndham with railway lines, floating facilities and a new wharf. They are looking at the Ord to benefit Western Australia rather than the Northern Territory. It will be a great idea to have a railway line coming from the Ord to Katherine and then to Darwin, but there is no way Western Australia will put in any money. My understanding is the cost is so high the federal government is very reluctant to invest in it.
On the other hand, why do you want to put a railway line 900 km to Katherine - or 800 km, whatever the distance is - when in about 200 km, product can be taken from Kununurra to Wyndham to be exported directly from deep water? It is a tidal port at this stage but, given the plans they have, it will happen. Let us not forget that Mr Grylls, who used to be the leader of the Nationals, is now elected in the northwest. His focus is the development of northwest Western Australia, not the west of the Northern Territory. Mr Grylls holds the balance of power in Western Australia, and he has a big say and big clout when it comes to negotiations.
Chief Minister, you talked about tourism. What can I say about tourism? I have my personal views about your minister. I do not believe he is a good minister. He tends to make a lot of noise. The reality is noise will not bring tourists to the Territory. He is the minister, but he said he is not prepared to spend money towards attracting China, because it is unknown territory. But the minister has signed a document, Vision 2020. That document clearly says clearly the Territory government should invest time and effort in China and other Southeast Asian countries to bring tourism to the Northern Territory.
Your minister is focused on traditional markets: London; Paris; Sweden; and America. I know it is good to go to Paris, London, or Sweden. It is very good; everybody would like to go there. However, a visit by any minister to those countries will not increase the number of people coming to the Territory. If you take a trip down Mitchell Street, you will find out that most of these so-called tourists from Europe are backpackers who work in our pubs and our hospitality industry. What we really need is some of the massive numbers of tourists coming out of China and Southeast Asia. We have some tourists from Taiwan who come here to work for one year, then continue down south to the rest of Australia, so they can stay for two or more years. We need people who are prepared to come here and spend money.
We do not see a real effort on tourism; we hear a lot of words. The minister says a lot of things and waves his hands - he still thinks he is in a studio or a radio station - but the reality is he is not doing much about tourism.
It is sometimes difficult when you want to do something, when you have a vision, but the people behind you are not pulling their weight. Do not get me wrong, I understand you have real will to do something about northern Australia. Who would not like to be a Chief Minister and leave a legacy behind them to have done something with northern Australia? Many people have tried in the past and failed, because there was no commitment from state or federal politicians. I have said before that people in Canberra do not see northern Australia as important.
One thing I remember well is when I had to highlight to a federal minister that there was no significant road between Townsville and Darwin. He looked at me and said, ‘Why should there be one?’ I stated that Darwin has the Army, as does Townsville. You need to have a very good design and a well-constructed road to support the movement of Army personnel and equipment if something were to happen in the north of Australia.
I had to remind ministers that about 30 million people living south of Darwin and to our north, there are 2.5 billion, if you include Southeast Asia. This is how important Darwin is, as well as the development of northern Australia. We have the potential, and I hope we all have the will, to help develop northern Australia. The hard work will be trying to persuade your own colleagues, as some of them will not be up to the task, and how to persuade the rest of your colleagues down south. I wish you luck. Instead of helping the situation with northern Australia, they seem to create mischief, especially with our closest neighbour, Indonesia.
I am pleased you brought this ministerial statement which highlights many of the achievements of the previous Labor government. You are the government now; I have no problem with you claiming the kudos. It may happen in the future; it happened in the past. Words are good, but actions are more important.
Mr STYLES (Transport): Mr Deputy Speaker, it is very interesting when you listen to people who try to rewrite history and paint themselves in the best possible light, and paint the people who are actually doing things in the worst possible light. That is what happens. My colleague, the member for Katherine, talked about correcting what people would like the public record to be now, as opposed to what history dictates.
I listened to a number of members speak in this debate. There are a couple of things I would like to address. One was something the member for Barkly said. He called on the Chief Minister and our side to give him something he can take home. I thought, ‘Well, that is really good. I would like to give the member for Barkly a number of things to take home’. First, I would like him to go home and talk to his kids about the debt they left the Northern Territory. I would like him to talk about the inaction they left here. I would like him to talk about some of the mistakes they made.
I talk to my kids about this and I ask them what they hear at barbecues. I ask, ‘What is going on out there? Tell me what is happening. What are people talking about?’ Debt is a major problem. It is a problem for all kids, and young people who are starting families and cranking up their lives. They understand debt; they know what it is like. Debt prevents them and governments from doing things.
The member for Barkly said, ‘During their first term, the CLP government will rack up a $1.1bn debt’. This is very interesting because we are caught up with things the previous government committed us to. They signed up to a range of things. We got into government and found, for instance, there were 96 people in one government department who were not in the budget. They employed all these people and did not budget for them. What did they do? They racked it up on the credit card.
If the opposition wants to keep trying to rewrite history, I am quite happy to point out things to people who are listening or watching this. For those watching, I will demonstrate what I am talking about in relation to the debt. What we have here are the pyramids of debt. You see in the red section here – for those who are not watching, I have a graph that goes along a time line on the bottom, with billions of dollars on the left hand column going up. In the Hawke/Keating years – I am going back to 1989 and 1990 – there was $15bn and it just kept going right up to about $96bn, when the Howard/Costello government took over in Canberra.
When the Howard/Costello government came in, the debt – which is here in blue for those who are watching – started to go down, and in 2005-06 we actually had money in the bank. There was no debt – zero debt, money in the bank.
But wait, there is more! In 2006-07, we had $30bn in the bank, no debt and were running a good economy. It gets even better! In 2007-08, we had $45bn in the bank. That was cash in hand, in the bank, for the Australian economy and for development that could happen.
What happened then? We had a change of government and the Rudd/Gillard government came in. They started spending all the money in the bank and, then, two years later, that was all gone and we were back to zero. We then went up and in 2009-10 – oops! – we were $45bn in the red. They spent not only what they took from the taxpayers of this country, but an extra $45bn as well.
The interesting part is we have another pyramid here. As I have said before in this House, suddenly, with Ms Gillard and Mr Rudd, put an antenna on top of the pyramid. This is where Australia finds itself.
When we talk about having debt, let us look at the Territory debt. This is relevant to what the member for Barkly was saying. For those who are not watching, we have a time line that starts in 1990 when the CLP was in government in the Northern Territory. Going along the line, we were all around about $1bn; it was all pretty level. Then in 2001 the ALP took government and it went up a bit. Then we started to have a real increase when the GST came in, which was good for the Territory. We dropped down a little by a couple of million. Then suddenly we had a change in Treasurer, which was when the member for Karama became Treasurer. We saw it going up like a pyramid. Obviously the previous Treasurer had learnt from Canberra that you just build pyramids.
We went out to projected debt of $5.5bn. My kids will have to pay that back because it will be so long before we can get the entire debt paid off that it will be difficult for them to get a start. I listened to the member for Barkly when he said, ‘$1.1bn in your first budget’. We have inherited a massive deficit. We inherited commitments the previous ALP government made which will make it difficult. So, member for Barkly, I would like you to take that home and give it to your kids, nieces, nephews and family and say, ‘Here you go; here is a present of debt from the ALP Northern Territory.’
He said, ‘You are dragging everyone down’. I find that quite amusing. If it was not so serious it would be laughable. We have a debt like a millstone around our necks, dragging us down. They then talked about credibility. They said we have no credibility. We did not create these pyramids of debt where you seemed to think you could spend your way out of debt. I do not know how you do that. Most people I know would disagree with that statement. We say there is no credibility.
When you look at the confidence levels of the Sensis reports and other checks and balances in our community, we are enjoying the highest level of confidence the Territory has seen, almost ever. There are businesses out there. We say we are open for business. When you talk about being open for business, those opposite say we are not open for business and talk about what it means and say it is all terrible. They are trying to say that before 2001 there was no government in the Northern Territory, there was nothing; it was just a vacuum. They came along and everything was rosy and everything would be great. Sadly, the CLP has come along and we are going to destroy the Territory; the sky is going to fall in. Well, you do not enjoy business confidence at the highest levels we have unless people have confidence in the government.
I made a note here that they were talking about housing. He talked about us not delivering on housing. I would be very happy for those members opposite to correct my figures, because these are coming out of my head; I have spoken about it before. The challenge to you is to stand up and tell me I am wrong. In the last year the ALP was in government in the Northern Territory, I think they turned off about 520 blocks for homes. The year before that, they turned off about 900, and the year before that was somewhere around the 1100 to 1200 mark. That was the peak. I recall that in about the 2009-10, their own Treasury figures said they needed 2200 blocks a year just to keep pace.
What do we have? Let us talk about credibility in housing; you talked about our housing policies. The Minister for Housing has these great plans for housing, which I believe he is going to tell the House about, and how we are going to try to rectify the mess we inherited. Please feel free, stand up and correct me if I am wrong ...
Ms Walker: I will.
Mr STYLES: I look forward to that challenge.
Let us talk about credibility in communities. We just did a deal with the Tiwis. We went there; we have been talking to them. Most people in business realise you do not go to the Tiwis one afternoon, sit down and do a deal; you have to consult people. Everyone is saying people should consult. We have been there and consulted. We have listened to people there, and the Chief Minister has been talking to the member for Arafura and the Tiwis for quite some time. They have pulled together a deal worth $200m.
I do not know what the opposition thinks about that. Do they think that is nothing? They have said we have done nothing.
I believe a $200m deal with the Tiwis, getting Aboriginal people involved in development, is a fantastic opportunity, a great, positive thing. We do not hear anything positive coming from the opposition. It is fantastic for the Aboriginal people there because they are looking for economic development, jobs, a future for their kids, giving their kids something to do and engaging them in employment opportunities to give them ongoing opportunities in life so they can be mentors for their children and get their children into the same work pattern many of them are beginning to get.
The wharf there will be great. It is good for the timber industry at the moment, but there will be other opportunities the facilities there will bring with fishing and fishing tours. It will bring economic wealth to the Tiwis.
Unlike this side, the other side seems to think you can sprinkle money around like fairy dust – fling it around like Santa Claus, give everyone money, and everyone is happy, everyone is smiling and it is great. What happens when they go home, get some food or fix the house? Get the credit card out. Tomorrow, they sprinkle more fairy dust around to make everyone feel good. The problem is someone has to pay it back. How do you pay it back? I do not think they know because they do not seem to care how you pay it back.
Their federal counterparts have a $300m debt, which equates to about $15 000 for every man, women and child in this country. If you think that is bad, the debt we are looking at on the projections Labor gave us is about $25 000 per man, woman and child.
I am proud to say I have two grandkids born in the last six weeks – two beautiful little girls – who owe, collectively, thanks to those opposite and those in Canberra, $40 000. I told them that just after they were born. I said, ‘Sweetheart, you owe $40 000’ – my kids and I were having a conversation about that – and they looked at me and cried. They must have been really sad when they heard that because they cried and cried. So, $40 000, there you go, Emily ...
Mr Wood: They weren’t crying at their grandfather?
Mr STYLES: Of course not. I pick up on the interjection from the member. Hayley and Emily were crying because they owe $40 000 each, which is $80 000 between them. That is a great start in life: ‘Welcome to the world; here is $40 000 debt.’
The Tiwi deal is a great opportunity for developing the north. It fits in with everything the Coalition and Prime Minister Abbott want to do, along with a range of other things.
I have to report that in relation to developing the north, we are not just developing the Tiwi Islands, we are all over the place. Let me give you another example of where we are going. The member for Arafura and I went to Maningrida recently and spoke to a range of people there. We visited the health clinic, the police station, Bawinanga and the Maningrida Progress Association and spoke to members of the West Arnhem Shire. We were talking about economic development.
I have been in the Territory for 32 years and I am seeing a positive shift in Aboriginal communities, where people are tired of being accused of sitting down doing nothing. They want to do things. You need an entrepreneurial spirit and background to encourage these people. They are getting it! They have people encouraging them, but you have to facilitate it.
When you are in debt, there are a number of things you can do. We can increase taxes and everyone groans when you say that. You can reduce services. Who wants to do that? People want services maintained. You can borrow truckloads of money as the previous government did because they did not want to increase taxes, increase power when reports told them they should. They chose to borrow money.
Now someone has to pay it back. How do you do that? You generate wealth. The fourth way to get out of debt is through economic activity. The more economic activity you have, the better off we are as a community. If you owe $5.5bn and are earning $5.5bn, how do you change your debt to income ratio? You have economic activity. You increase the amount of wealth coming into the Territory and increase taxes. You say you are open for business and move outward.
You go to the Tiwi Islands and ask, ‘How can we help you?’ They will tell you how you can help them, then you get off your seat and you help them, to the point where you sign a fantastic agreement which will really push the Tiwi Islands ahead. They have 10 000 acres which can be developed, which will bring jobs, growth, self-esteem and a range of other things for those people on the Tiwi Islands.
We went to Maningrida to talk to people. It was interesting. We said, ‘What do you want to grow here?’ They said, ‘Bananas, we can grow bananas here’. That is fantastic. Let us look at growing bananas. They have buffalo. Thanks to this government, along with the efforts of the minister for Primary Industry and the Chief Minister, we are now exporting buffalo to Vietnam.
If you go there and ask how many buffalo they have, ‘Oh, probably a couple of hundred thousand here’. They are not even farming them; they are running around ready to be harvested. They are very happy to harvest the buffalo and get them into town. They now have competition in barge services. They can get stuff back in at a very good rate. They can be competitive.
I see there is opportunity for the people in Maningrida to generate wealth, not only for the Territory but for themselves. With wealth comes tax, which is the way this government will get us out of the horrible trouble we were left in by the previous ALP government.
I put my graphs away because we have seen them. I hope people who are watching and listening to this go through the Parliamentary Record and read what was said by either side. If you read this or are watching it, look at those graphs; feel free to get online, find some graphs about the financial mess Labor left this country and the Territory in.
I heard the member for Barkly talking about water. If you will develop the north and be the food bowl, you need water. People can apply – and, I think there are more applications now – for water, as they want to grow crops. This is great, because it feeds the Territory, cuts our transport costs down and we can export. We can export crops overseas to a hungry world. There are plenty of niche markets we can export to. If you do not want to get water out of the ground or out of dams, I do not know how you expect us to grow export and generate wealth.
I heard from the other side, ‘This is terrible, you cannot do that, you cannot do this’, about almost everything proposed in this statement. As the member for Fong Lim said on numerous occasions, you cannot even prune your tree at home unless there is an environmental impact statement. They do not want this or that, but they want things to happen. You want jobs for your kids.
People opposite have children; we have children and we all want jobs for them. However, I do not know where you will find them. Where do they reckon you will find these jobs? The old government jobs? We will just borrow some more money and go further into debt until you have to sell the farm to pay the debt. This is the problem; if you have to sell the farm to pay the debt, you do not have anything. My father-in-law once said to me, ‘Son, never sell your tools or your ability to earn a living’. What are we doing? We do not want to reach that point, but if we do not generate some wealth and do some things in the Territory then it is the direction we are heading.
I heard the member for Barkly talk about statehood, and ask where it is. Thanks to the previous ALP government …
Members interjecting.
Mr STYLES: They are interjecting and have not even heard what I was going to say. You talk about statehood, when you are irresponsible and have left the Territory in such a huge debt. It is irresponsible. People down south say, ‘What a bunch of mugs up there in the Territory’. I agree with them. What a bunch of mugs running the place. You left us with such huge debt, we have trouble doing things. But we will do them. Why? We have the entrepreneurial spirit, the drive and the passion on this side of the House to make things happen, and we are making things happen.
Let us talk about statehood. Statehood will be back on the agenda ...
Ms FINOCCHIARO: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 77, I move an extension of time for the member for Sanderson.
Motion agreed to.
Mr STYLES: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, and I thank the member for Drysdale.
Talking about statehood, we need to get our own back yard in order. People I talk to interstate say we are in a bit of trouble. We say we are, but we will get out of it. This side of the House will demonstrate that we have the capacity and the entrepreneurial spirit to get out there and make things happen. I wish I had a couple of hours where I could talk about so much more of what is happening in the Territory.
I will go back and say we are open for business, and there is a very good reason why we say that. It is because we believe it. We are talking to people, and we have ministers travelling and talking to people.
The member for Casuarina said he was a strong advocate for the development of the north. That is great but I wish we had the $5.5bn. If we had that and we wanted to do that, we would be spending it on wealth creation. I know we have social responsibilities; however, you need to be able to spend on wealth-creating industry for the Territory.
I did not hear too much from the advocate for the development of the north. He talked about Chinese people and how we need to get to China. There are Chinese delegations in town now. It is very interesting because I have some very good Chinese friends. I have been talking to them. The Chinese are here; they are arriving with delegation after delegation. Why? We have been to China. The member for Casuarina has been to China but I did not see so many delegations arriving at that point in time.
They are interested in food, mines, minerals, developing the Northern Territory and investing in it. What do we have? We have a railway, courtesy of the CLP government. Sadly, we were not there when the first train arrived. The member for Casuarina said ‘You jump on all the things and ride the wave’. I was at the opening when the train rolled and I saw all the ALP people saying how wonderful they were for getting the railway.
The last time I looked at a map there were about 104 mines that wanted to open for about 200 km either side of the railway. We are now negotiating. They are seriously talking to people around the world. Again, if you think you just go to China and have an afternoon cup of tea with them and ask if they want to buy some iron ore, minerals or other things, and you shake a hand and the deal is done, you are wrong. I am sure the member for Casuarina has been to China as the Mining minister. I am sure he would agree that you cannot just do a deal overnight. Since we have been in government and have said we are open for business, in the last 12 months we have had these people arriving. They now know where the Territory is.
I went to a conference in Indonesia recently where there were 5500 Chinese business people. Many of them did not know where the Territory is, but they do now. There were 5500 key people with all the money, all in one fantastic big room. It was about 50 times the size of our convention centre. I was the only European in the room and I spoke and sold the Territory. I am hoping when those opposite were in government they did that. They may or may not have. What we are now seeing, as a result of the things ministers on this side of the House are doing to encourage people to come and see that what we have in the Territory is fascinating, is they are coming. Why? Because there is a whole different feel. It is about how you think and project yourself as a representative of the Northern Territory and the Northern Territory government. We have a different philosophical belief on this side to those opposite.
I am very happy to be on this side of the House, where we will create the economic development that will not only be good for our kids and our future and get rid of our debt, but will be good for Australia.
Talking on what will happen in Australia, the 2030 vision the Prime Minister has fits very neatly, hand in glove, with our Framing the Future strategy we designed in the Territory. It is about developing the north. The one concession I believe has happened is the whole of the Northern Territory is now part of northern Australia ...
Ms Walker: Except Nhulunbuy.
Mr STYLES: I heard the interjection from the member for Nhulunbuy. She said, ‘Except Nhulunbuy’. I think Nhulunbuy is part of Australia. Perhaps you might go and see the member for Nightcliff, who is teacher, and do a geography lesson. The last time I checked, Nhulunbuy is in Australia. Is that correct? Thank you to all on this side; we all agree that it is part of Australia. Nhulunbuy is part of Australia, and the Prime Minister wants to develop it.
The federal government realises that the next big investment area is in the north of Australia. The Ord River Scheme is a massive amount of development. When the member for Casuarina spoke about the Ord River, he was talking about the water. He said, ‘Oh no, the Western Australians are going to keep it. They will keep all the water’. I have some news for him, he should go there. I have been there and stood on the Western Australian/Northern Territory border. Guess what? There is a truck load – well, actually there are a few shiploads of water – on the Northern Territory side of the border. That is on our country. Sure, they have the dam wall, but that water is sitting in the Northern Territory …
Ms Price: Keep River.
Mr STYLES: Keep River and those places. There is a massive amount of water there, and there is some good fertile land. We will work very hard with people who want to come along and invest their money in the Territory to help us to create economic development to pay back the massive Labor debt and make a future for our kids.
I moved here 32 years ago with little babies because I thought this would be a great place to raise my family. And it has been; it is a terrific place. Sure, we had 11 years of downturn, problems and a huge debt, but it is this side of the House which will work with the federal government and people with vision. The Chief Minister, his Cabinet and the parliamentary wing on our side has the vision. We are united in making sure we will go ahead and create the economic development that will get us out of trouble and take the Territory into the future, and ensure that those down south will support us in statehood.
Ms WALKER (Nhulunbuy): Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the Chief Minister for bringing this statement before the House. I acknowledge there is vision, but that is all I see. There is a lot of vision, a lot of ‘gonna do’. That vision does not quite gel with an important part of northern Australia, the northeast Arnhem region, Nhulunbuy.
I love the way the member for Sanderson likes to rewrite history. We have just listened to 30 minutes of palaver from him. It is interesting about statehood, minister. Do you not remember who took statehood off the agenda? It was your side and the member for Fong Lim, on the floor of this House. Be careful when you talk about rewriting history.
What we heard from the members opposite, not least of whom the Chief Minister, is just a lot of vision stuff. As the Leader of the Opposition reminded the House this morning, a big part of that vision was already developed and delivered by the former Labor government with the Territory 2030 statement. The Territory 2030 vision was collated over a period of time. There was a subcommittee of Cabinet with Territorians with incredible credentials, well-recognised and respected in the Northern Territory, who not only chaired but fed into Cabinet through their subcommittee the vision for the Northern Territory.
That body of work has clearly been abandoned by the CLP government, and they are going to rewrite history. They will probably come out with the same sort of vision, one would think. However, what stands out in this statement, quite apart from the fact that many of the projects they build upon were established under the Labor government, acknowledging when Labor came into government in 2001 – of course, that is what you do, you build on what has been created previously. I acknowledge the railway link. However, this statement is full of all the ‘gonna do’ stuff. We are ‘gonna’ get a white paper by the end of the year, see some signing of some MOUs, have a ministerial portfolio and are ‘gonna’ have a media campaign. Fantastic! That is part of the tendering process we asked about in Question Time this morning for more spin doctors.
We are ‘gonna’ have meetings and regional summits – Nhulunbuy ranks a mention in there, the only time Nhulunbuy rates a mention – which will undertake a consultation process. It would save the Chief Minister and the CLP an awful lot of money if they just went back to the Territory 2030 document, which is a far more comprehensive document than we will ever see because, importantly, Labor policy and vision always includes social development. What we see in this statement is an awful lot about the economic opportunities in developing an economy and business, but so little about social development in the Northern Territory.
We are ‘gonna’ have these regional summits and ‘we are even considering an essay writing competition’. I look forward to that. I am sure the children in Nhulunbuy would be interested to participate in that and write directly to the Chief Minister via an essay, and teach him a thing or two about the vision in Nhulunbuy at the moment and what an incredibly depressed place it is as we see families leaving, 1100 or so jobs from Rio Tinto that will be gone by August and a community that will plunge from a population of 4000 to around 1200. I did not see that covered in this statement anywhere.
You only have to read the first page to see that as far as the Chief Minister is concernd everything is rosy in the Northern Territory. However, it is simply not the case, and that is the typically blinkered view we see from members opposite in how they approach all Territorians. Somehow, people in Nhulunbuy and the northeast Arnhem region are left out of that picture.
I go back to COAG in early December, less than a fortnight after the announcement of Rio Tinto to curtail its operations, with the Chief Minister sitting behind Rio Tinto – as he has continued to do throughout this crisis – not taking the lead.
I am interested to see, by the way, if the vision in this ministerial statement is ever delivered by this Chief Minister. I suspect his days as a Chief Minister are numbered. He is incredibly unpopular. We know there are tensions on that side about the way he operates. We will all be watching with great interest.
I go back to COAG in early December, less than two weeks from Rio Tinto’s announcement. Typical of the way he operates via media release and grandiose statements on north Australia, nowhere on the Canberra agenda at COAG – given he gets to have an audience with the Prime Minister – did he raise Gove and the plight of Gove, Nhulunbuy and the east Arnhem region and the loss of jobs. I wonder what regard the Chief Minister is held in by the Prime Minister and what type of working relationship he has.
On page five of the statement, he talked about the leadership and partnership between the Prime Minister and those in leadership roles invited to join him in ‘productive working arrangements across governments’. I do not see a productive working arrangement currently on the task force set up to plan a future for Nhulunbuy and the region. We even had the Chief Minister describe the working relationship with the federal government in this arena as ‘disappointing’, to use his word. He also talked about the fact that in the Nhulunbuy space ‘the feds need to be doing more’. It does not augur well for what he claims as ‘productive working arrangements across governments’.
This is the bravado, but nonsense, we get from the Chief Minister that they will deliver on this vision with or without the federal government. Good luck with that. We all know – it does not matter which side of politics you are on – the Northern Territory is reliant upon the federal government for around 80% of its funding. We are a small jurisdiction – 240 000 people in a large geographic area. If the Chief Minister somehow thinks he can deliver on this grand vision for developing northern Australia without the federal government, he is living in la la land. It will not happen, in the same way any rescue package by way of a structural regional adjustment package for Nhulunbuy will happen without the federal government. Shamefully in that regard the Chief Minister is taking a back seat and not exerting any pressure on the federal government to step up and be in that space. I find it bizarre he is talking about this working relationship with the federal government and, with or without them, they will deliver on this statement.
There is a section of the statement dealing specifically with energy resources. Of course, you would expect to see it in this kind of statement. We know the Northern Territory has vast reserves of gas. Under the former Labor government, much work was done in that area to build the industry and develop the economy of the Northern Territory. Everything was looking bright and rosy for Nhulunbuy over a year ago when the former Chief Minister, the member for Blain, arrived at an historic deal with Rio Tinto – or Pacific Aluminium as it was then – in providing energy for the future. On the strength of this ‘done deal’, as the media release said – everybody thought it was a done deal and made many decisions and investments on the strength of it. Except the deal was undone on 26 July by a Chief Minister with no vision, who has not only set the gas industry backwards - an incredible lost opportunity - but has successfully seen a nation-building project, the Territory’s largest private employer sitting in a regional service hub, walk away because of the mishandling, misjudgment and miscalculation of the Chief Minister in what he was doing in that space.
I rediscovered, over the weekend, the environmental impact statement on the Katherine to Gove gas pipeline. The figures in their statement about what the financial contribution and benefits would be to Nhulunbuy, the region, the Territory and Australia are staggering. I will read them out to place on the record what has been lost, thanks to the incompetence of the Chief Minister in handling one of the biggest corporations in the world, which desired to work with the Northern Territory government in the belief it had a gas deal to see the region and its operations continue for another 20 years. As somebody said at the town hall meeting, we have a Chief Minister who has killed off the goose that laid the golden egg.
For the record, this is what the gas pipeline project would have brought to the Territory and Australia, based on current estimates at the time it was written:
This is what the Chief Minister managed to wipe from the northeast Arnhem region, the Territory and Australia on a public holiday – 26 July – when he reneged on the gas deal, and he said, ‘Do you know what? I have changed my mind. You cannot have 300 PJ of gas, even though we agreed to it; you can only have 175 PJ.’ This was the beginning of the end for the region. Many people believe the Chief Minister delivered an opportunity to Rio Tinto that now is the time to walk away. He sent the message that a deal is not a deal if it is done with the Chief Minister, and the Territory is not open for business when dealing with a Chief Minister and a government who cannot be trusted and are unable to stick by their word.
I take my hat off to the former Chief Minister, the member for Blain, who went out on a limb and published an opinion piece on 8 August 2013, a little over a week after the announcement of the reneging of the deal. I will quote from this piece because it is very pertinent to the former Chief Minister’s view about the assessment of risks, the weighing up of risks and why a gas deal was done in February. It obviously has a bit of a chip at the fellow who stabbed him in the back when he was in Japan and the incorrect decision he made. I quote from this piece that appeared in the NT News:
Where is the plan? We had the new future for Nhulunbuy statement delivered last week on the first day of sittings, a whole 16 minutes – 10 minutes from the Leader of Government Business and a two minute wrap. Not one other minister from that side talked about their plans. To be honest, in this statement there are no clearer plans either.
Somebody who will not mind being named – Denise Fincham, a long-term resident – mentioned to me she is absolutely up to her neck in trying to lobby, negotiate, attend meetings, get attention and get answers to things as a member not only of the Gove Community Advisory Committee but also of the task force. In almost three months, with three meetings of the task force and a fourth one coming up on Thursday in Canberra, there has been a brick wall every time. Nothing concrete has been delivered. There are some band-aid solutions being delivered, I will give you that. Consultancy fees are being paid for local businesses – 50:50 between the government and Rio Tinto – to give businesses some advice. However, as people are saying to me, through the GCAC and the Chamber of Commerce, there is not much advice that will do you good if you do not have customers coming through your door. I acknowledge that is happening, but it is a short-term band-aid solution.
I acknowledge the $10 000 for a promotion campaign in the tourism sector to attract people into northeast Arnhem Land. It is a beautiful place, and I am sure reduced airfares over a six- or eight-week period may help people get to the region. But, seriously, $10 000! I daresay the Chief Minister’s charter bill for his visits to Nhulunbuy would be in excess of $10 000. I do not think he has been on a commercial flight. He might take advantage of some of the cheaper flights with Airnorth and save the taxpayers a little money, rather than constantly travelling on costly charter planes. I recognise there are occasions when charter travel is necessary but, seriously, $10 000 for a tourism campaign?
What is the next part of the piecemeal plan you will be rolling out and announcing? What …
Mr McCARTHY: Mr Deputy Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 77, I move an extension of time for the member to complete her remarks.
Motion agreed to.
Ms WALKER: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker; thank you, member for Barkly.
What we are waiting for – and patience is wearing thin – is some announcement or indication that there is a structural regional adjustment package coming. It is not a handout, it is the type of package that will help bolster the community, bolster businesses, help people get through this difficult time but, importantly, will plan for a future beyond the residual business of this transition phase we are going through. There is absolutely no word on that.
The Chief Minister, during Question Time this morning, could not answer that question at all. Not only did he not answer, he deliberately avoided it. He absolutely avoids it. It is his role, as leader in the Northern Territory, to negotiate and fight for that with his federal counterparts, in the same way we have seen Premier Napthine in Victoria, within three weeks of the SPC announcement, and despite the inaction of the federal government, secure $22m to support the people in the region of Shepparton where SPC Ardmona was at risk of going under. It is not a handout, it is about modernising the premises of the manufacturing sector they work in. Understandably, there are a number of arrangements that must be in place around that $22m. That is the guarantee of a certain number of employees around that package. That was done within three weeks, despite the federal government doing nothing. There is a leader who steps up for the people he represents.
In the Northern Territory it is not three weeks but nearly three months now, and we have heard nothing about this structural adjustment package. There appears to be a complete disinterest in it. Not only that, we do not even have a social and economic impact analysis which would inform what the adjustment package might look like. The lack of interest is staggering. It is worse than staggering; it is absolutely gut wrenching for people in Nhulunbuy who are starting to go under due to the weight of the burden that sits upon the community. The levels of anxiety, worry and stress are really starting to eat at people. We see the backbone of the community and the resilience starting to break.
It does not surprise me that a member of the GCAC – and I fully applaud her – has called for a public meeting in Nhulunbuy tomorrow. It will be at the Arnhem Club at 5.30 pm. She has advised it will be to form a group of citizens to lobby for an independent assessment of the environmental impacts of the closure of the alumina plant on the region, an independent assessment of the social impacts on curtailment, national and international exposure of Rio Tinto’s speed of the curtailment and the impact it has had on the region. That is what she has posted.
I also add to that the failure of either level of government to put any pressure on Rio Tinto to slow down its curtailment, and the complete absence of a structural adjustment package. Not surprisingly, three months down the road, people went in with a great deal of goodwill and have done a lot of hard work around the Gove Community Advisory Committee – something which I got off the ground, Chief Minister, not you. There is some real nonsense and argy-bargy behind that. Not surprisingly, we now are starting to see one sector walk away and say, ‘We are holding a public meeting because we cannot work with this government and the federal government’. Many people are saying they cannot work with Rio Tinto either and what it is offering. Let us not let them off scot-free on what is a disaster in the region.
The Chief Minister must be aware, but he is not particularly concerned. The best he can come up with is sustained personal attacks on me. Yes, I am bitter, Chief Minister. How did you notice? Twisted? Yes, I am probably feeling a little twisted as well. If you think that is how I am, you should talk to some of the people in Nhulunbuy and see how bitter and twisted they are. See what it is doing to their lives and their kids’ lives, and see what it is doing to the social fabric of the community. Clubs and organisations that have existed for years are on the verge of going under because they are losing their membership and volunteer base.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I acknowledge the Chief Minister’s statement around the vision for the Northern Territory, developing northern Australia. However, until you can assure Territorians you are an inclusive Chief Minister who looks after everybody in the Northern Territory, including those in the northeast Arnhem region, I am afraid this statement counts for little.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Mr Deputy Speaker, when I saw the heading of this statement I thought I had heard it all before. I was listening to the member for Sanderson, who was really getting going towards the end. It reminded me of people who have made these statements in the past. Thanks to our wonderful Parliamentary Library, we were able to look up some history about the development of northern Australia, and it is not new. I wonder if in 100 years’ time what the Chief Minister has said will also go into the archives like Pig Raising and Bacon Curing as a Possible Industry for the Northern Territory by DC Tillman, Manager of the Primary Producers Bank of Australia Limited on 19 November 1928.
He went on:
He went on and on. He had some grand plans for the Northern Territory:
He went on to say that while:
That is probably the reason there are so many pigs in the Northern Territory.
That is someone who had grand plans in 1928. There were grand plans in 1937. I am reading from a book I should have spent more time with called Commonwealth Government Records about the Northern Territory by Ted Ling. It has an interesting section which says:
I thought that might make the CLP stand up. We can sell half the Territory off. We can privatise it. Guess what? If you read on there is a section called ‘The Barkly’. Only one company applied for it, the Barkly Table Cooperative.
It went on. I am using this book as an example.
Further on, there was talk about a committee to inquire into the prospects of agriculture in the Northern Territory:
It went on explaining.
There are other great little books one can find, for instance, Our Northern Treasure House written by Patricia Thompson. In her introduction she said:
She went on to say:
You can find many more articles like this. There is a great little book called The Development of Australia’s North, a reprint of six articles by Stuart Sayers, which appeared in The Age in Melbourne in August 1962. It has great headings: ‘The Awakening Giant; ‘National Authority Needed for Northern Development; ‘Vast Deposits of Iron Ore in the Pilbara’ – that one came true – ‘Unsuspected Richness of Ore Deposits’; ‘Converting the Water of the North Into Gold’ – we have heard this today. It has a picture of cotton. I go back to the issue about cotton, ‘Bright Hopes for Agriculture in the North’ - many articles have been written.
There is another one here, North Australia Development, published in February 1966, from the University of New South Wales, by the People the North Committee. It is very interesting, quite a few people spoke in it. The honorary secretary said in his foreword:
We also have books like the Regional Economic Development Policy and Framework Discussion from 1996, not long ago, which dealt with similar issues. Its foreword says:
It went on with a series of matters this document covered. Another one was the Northern Outlook Conference in 1994.
Someone might be able to help me, but I remember some years ago, when I was in local government, Jim Forscutt was part of a plan for development of northern Australia. There was a group of people who were meeting all around the Territory. They may have met in Western Australia and elsewhere. Even today, we have an inquiry which looks to trade on the future of northern Australia, a Commonwealth inquiry for which Mr Entsch, I think, is the Chair:
Mr Elferink: Hell yeah!
Mr WOOD: Hang on, I have not finished yet.
Mr Elferink: Since the 1930s?
Mr WOOD: Excuse me, that was a rhetorical question, if you do not mind.
There have been many promises made which have never turned into reality. The railway to Vanderlin Island is a classic example. Cotton in the Ord was a good idea at the time, and we can get back to the reasons why. Tipperary Station, where I arrived when I went to Daly River – I wondered why it had all been cleared. Scott Creek and Humpty Doo were great ideas. Ideas fail sometimes because of ignorance and people are sometimes greedy and see a chance to make a lot of money.
What I get from that is we have to learn from the mistakes of the past. The word missing here is ‘sustainable’ development of the Northern Territory. I will give you a classic example: the Ord River. I do not have a problem with the Ord River, but they grew cotton, or tried to grow it, during the Wet Season. It was ordinary cotton, so it means it was not GM; GM probably did not exist in those days. To keep the insects out of cotton in the Ord River, they had to spray the living daylights out of it. With all those insecticides and fertilisers, in those days – the irrigation was not as smart as it is today – they shoved all the irrigation water back into the river and killed a lot of fish. They also found the cost of trying to keep the cotton growing was so expensive it was not viable anymore. That is why there is now a possibility of growing GM cotton because there is not the requirement for insecticide as was required then.
With Humpty Doo rice, if you study the rice trail, there were many reasons the rice failed. It was not that it could not grow. In some cases, it was the wrong variety, in others it was just lack of knowledge of rice, because rice grows in the tropics. If you read the history of the plan, it was worked out – I do not know whether it was in California or Texas – because one of the providers of finance came from America and one from Australia. Unfortunately, it failed.
I sometimes hear people talking about development in the Northern Territory. The minister has referred to ‘the food bowl’. I do not agree that the Territory is going to be the food bowl, and I will give you some reasons. I should say it is going to be the food saucer, because no matter how much land and water you have, you must have the right amount of water and the right sort of soil. It is a bit hard to grow things on the side of the mountain – I would not call it a mountain – on a rocky hill. You would need good quality soil in a high rainfall area. You need it fairly flat, otherwise you get erosion. You need adequate water and a place to store it if you want to grow those crops during the Dry Season.
Storage of water in the Northern Territory is difficult because of high evaporation and, if you could dam, the limited number of areas you could dam. There is a limited amount of good soil. Soils can be mapped in the Northern Territory and I presume many of them already have been. You then must have infrastructure. If you find somewhere on the road between Halls Creek and Kalkarindji that has great water and great soil, you are in the middle of an area that is a long way from anywhere. It might be easy enough to move cattle from there, but if you are growing tomatoes, it might be a bit difficult. They might all shake to death and come out as juice by the time they get to the market. There has to be some practical implication of what you are doing, unless the government is willing to invest in infrastructure. That is something I do not think has been discussed enough in this debate.
Many years ago, it was the Liberal Party that had the vision to build beef roads. Have we seen that vision in the Northern Territory or north Australia since? Very little ...
Mr Elferink: Oh, I disagree. The railway.
Mr WOOD: Yes, very little.
Mr Elferink: The gas pipeline.
Mr WOOD: No, I mean roads. Where have any more bitumen roads been built in the Northern Territory since that happened? We have had a few, yes, such as the Arnhem Highway, but nowhere near to the extent those roads were built. We still use them. They have increased tourism and given remote communities all-weather access. Now they are being used, for better or worse, for some of the mining development in that part of the world.
Infrastructure, especially road infrastructure, is the key to development in the Northern Territory, whether it is tourism, mining, agriculture, horticulture or Aboriginal industry opportunities. If you do not have good infrastructure then you are wasting your time, because that is what opens up development.
The minister said the other day that the Central Arnhem Road had cost $430m. Yes, if it could be developed, you could open up places like Nhulunbuy, but we have not had the money or investment into those areas to do that.
It is good to have a vision, but it must be a practical, sustainable vision. It cannot cost us a lot of money. The minister for Primary Industry talked about water and whether people tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth about water. A number of members of the CLP support an Indigenous water allocation. It may not necessarily have been an ALP policy, but it was a policy of the Mataranka Water Advisory Committee, which was scrapped. That is what happened; that is why people were disappointed and why the member for Arnhem was objecting to that when she spoke about it.
It might not have been a policy of the Labor Party; I do not know. However, I know it was a policy. The Deputy Speaker has spoken of it, and he agrees with the Indigenous land water allocation. Do not say it is the people on this side, because there are people on your own side who are talking about it.
One minister talked about bananas. I used to grow bananas. Bananas need a lot of water. If the opportunity to grow bananas is stifled because there is no water allocation for that, then that industry will not get off the ground. There were many industries in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s where Aboriginal people were employed. There was no welfare, everyone had a job. Today that is not the case.
When you start having grand plans ...
Mr Elferink: They never had an award.
Mr WOOD: Yes. I will give you a classic example. Why do Aboriginal people not work at the Ali Curung watermelon farm? I was told by the Central Land Council it is because it is too hard a job, and they were going to grow pomegranates instead.
You can have these industries which are important but, in many cases, it is difficult to get people to work seven days a week. Keep your feet on the ground when you have these ideas because sometimes the reality is you have to bring people in from elsewhere to make those industries work.
I support mining. I have been to the Sherwin mine. I have been to the ilmenite mine and to other mines. I have been to Mount Todd and Redbank. If you are talking about sustainable development, you do not want to carry that legacy. How much does it cost the government, and how much did it cost the previous government to fix the legacy of Mount Todd mine? Yes, there may have been some money made out of it. Local Jawoyn people were pleased to see Mount Todd open when it did. But how much is it costing not only the Territory but the company that is rehabilitating it? How much is it costing for Redbank to be fixed? NT EPA has done some work on what can be done to fix the environmental damage caused by the Redbank mine.
There has been development and there will continue to be development but, if it is not done in a sustainable way, then that is not development, it is just nice words on a piece of paper. If it is going to cost us money into the future just so people can make short-term profits, then that is not the type of development we need in the Northern Territory.
The gas grid is a grand idea, Chief Minister. I am all for some of these ideas of increasing infrastructure if we can be on some type of gas grid. However, what is missing in this is we are not talking about any other form of energy. There is no mention of geothermal, solar or wind. We have just had a committee talking about tidal. Surely we cannot have all our energy eggs in one basket. We need to be developing a range of energy options so we can get the best solution for places across the Northern Territory. Alpurrurulam has a wind turbine because the Barkly has wind. Other places have great solar energy because they have plenty of sunlight. The Clarence Strait has big tidal movements, so we have someone looking at putting a tidal generator there. Surely that type of thing should be in this statement.
We should not lock ourselves into one corner and say, ‘Gas, gas’. More than gas forms energy and we should be broad enough in our vision to say we need to look at those other matters ...
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 77, I move the member for Nelson be granted an extension of time.
Motion agreed to.
Mr WOOD: Thank you, member for Barkly.
We heard about the Tiwi Islands project, which is great. However, people have short memories. This is not altogether new. We have Tiwi designs, Bima Wear, which has been going since about 1970, and Tiwi Tours which has been going for a long time. It is good to hear the Tiwis are going further, but it is also good to get the whole truth. Also, the reality is the Tiwi forestry plantation did not start in this government’s time. Those trees did not grow in a year-and-a-half, they have been growing for quite a while under a previous government’s regime, although there were concerns there were not enough environmental controls over the amount of land cleared, I heard from people on the Tiwi Islands who were not too happy about how that project started. The project now looks like it has a future.
It would be good to hear – perhaps the member for Arafura could give us some details on the MOU – examples of long-term employment and what will happen when the area is wood chipped. Is there a plan for revegetation of the area? We only heard a one-liner about it. That is fantastic, but it would be good to hear news about what the Tiwis are doing and get some more details about the long-term future of this venture. Once you have chopped up all the trees, it is the end of the wood chip. I presume there is more to come and hope we can get more detail.
The minister mentioned the abattoir. That is great news for the rural area and for employment. I hope many Aboriginal people can work on that site. I thank the Minister for Correctional Services, who is working with the company to see if prisoners can work there. That is a good concept all round.
Someone wrote to me concerned about prisoners working in abattoirs. I said, ‘The prisoners are not all murderers; there are people in there for whatever reason.’ There is an abattoir at a prison in Western Australia which provides meat to the prisons. It was a bit of an eye opener when I walked into the prison and there was rump steak and T-bone. They have their own beef and cut it all up. The prisoners get a pretty good meal out of it, but they get work, which is good. They provide their own food and that is great. If they can get the skills to use out bush at the abattoir, the Minister of Correctional Services is right on the ball there.
One of the things I noticed was a funny statement which had affordable housing in the same sentence as the Ord River. I am not sure if someone forgot to separate the ideas, but the Ord River has a fair way to go. I support the Ord River but believe it is a long way off.
On affordable housing, the question I ask the government is: what is the dollar amount you call an unaffordable house? I have an example in my family of a single income person with three children. Can they afford to buy a house in Darwin? The answer is no. What is the definition as an affordable house? Affordable for who …
Mr Elferink: Previous ABS statistics – affordable housing survey.
Mr WOOD: That might be right, but I am going from the statement, and many people quote affordable housing. I also say affordable land. If you can get affordable land you have a chance of affordable housing. If affordable housing is for a two-income family with both people on $90 000 to $150 000 per year and they have two children, one child or no children, perhaps they can afford a house that is affordable.
The people who miss out so much are those who do not have that sort of income, who struggle to pay high rents and find it difficult to move through life because they are always under the thumb of debt or an extremely high mortgage. I would like politicians to say what the definition of affordable housing is. The house does not have to be a big one. One problem is people tend to want houses far beyond their needs. Can a single-income family with a couple of children buy a house in Darwin and still have something on the table to eat? I do not know. If that is something this government can say it has done, that is terrific.
Defence industries were not mentioned, and what Defence did in relation to the United States Army coming to the Northern Territory. The previous government tried to get the development of Defence facilities off the ground with land near Robertson Barracks for possible development where a company might want to develop workshops or whatever to help with Defence industries. We did not hear much about that; nothing appeared in the statement.
I have been in this parliament a fair number of years. I have heard statements about the vision for the Northern Territory from both sides. It has been talked about since 1928, and even before that. There was a plan to bring the railway to Vanderlin Island from the Barkly. There were many plans and many of them have not come to fruition.
It was good to hear from the Chief Minister, but I emphasise if the CLP government says it is open for business, then it should be open for sustainable business, for business that will not cost us a lot of money to fix in the future. Unfortunately, the Northern Territory has had business over the years which has cost Northern Territory taxpayers money to fix. That is not sustainable. It is important the issue of sustainable development is the key to being open for business.
Mr ELFERINK (Attorney-General and Justice): Mr Deputy Speaker, I will pick up where the member left off. Sustainability is a concept which, I presume, he refers to in its ecological sense. If the member opposite is arguing that the Northern Territory government’s business is not to keep other business sustainable artificially, he makes a good argument for not doing too much in the Nhulunbuy area at all. The government …
Mr Wood: No, you have me wrong.
Mr ELFERINK: Perhaps I did, but you have to need to express …
Mr Wood: Do not start a business if it will cost the Territory taxpayer to fix it.
Mr ELFERINK: That is fine. I was reminded of an 1882 report by your opening comments. You can go back a long way and talk about the intentions to develop in the Northern Territory as much as you like. I agree, there have been many ambitious plans laid in the Northern Territory, some slightly more ambitious than others, and some better considered than others.
It is interesting that your comments reflect a couple of important points. The first is I heard a suggestion by the member opposite that at one stage half of the Northern Territory could have been considered for privatisation. I go so far as to suggest that 99% of the Northern Territory has already been privatised. For example, in the pastoral estate which makes up a fraction under half of the Northern Territory land mass, private money has been invested into the process of opening that land. The other half of the Northern Territory has been privatised in the sense that the land has been rendered into private hands, privately owned by a serious of trusts and, ultimately, to the traditional owners who are attached to those trusts. You made a very valid point.
I believe in private enterprise and property. It is a fundamental tenet of my political philosophy that private property should exist and should only be challenged on its intrusion in certain circumstances. While I understand private property is important, it is not absolute. It does not exist to the exclusion of things like law.
However, government has a way of inserting itself into private investment in a way we must be cautious about. I made reference to the 1882 report by W J Sowden, which was written by a journalist with a wonderful and witty writing style in 1882. He accompanied the colonial minister for South Australia to its far-flung northern territories. On page 153 of that book he made certain observations which are worth reading out for the purposes of the point I am trying to make:
It then went on to, essentially, outline the taxes and charges that government inflicted upon gold miners, particularly the small operators in 1882. The big guys were doing okay because government was not interfering with them, and the small guys were suffering under the burden. We can go back a long way because not much has changed in the relationship between government and investment.
Let us look at this idea of privatising half of the Northern Territory. Considering that all of the Northern Territory has been effectively privatised, now let us look at the economic structures that underpin that. The half of the Northern Territory which was privatised and allowed to exist as the pastoral estate continued to generate jobs, wealth and income for the people who lived on that estate. Compare that to the success of the highly-managed and highly-regulated environment of the other half of the Northern Territory which was privatised. The two could not be more starkly different from each other, and it does not have anything to do with the quality of the land. The quality of the land on one side of the fence of the pastoral lease is no different to the quality of the land on the other side of the fence on a land trust. Nevertheless, the fiscal outcomes achieved by each are monuments to the nature and style of what has been done in those areas. Small wonder this Chief Minister wants to take us forward and change the fiscal model on the other side of the pastoral leases fence.
That draws us to another comment the member opposite made that in the 1940s and 1950s, everybody had a job. My word they did, even on the missions, when they existed in places like Hermannsburg. I have spoken in the past about Hermannsburg where everybody had a job. The point was the job was reflective of the productivity available to the community at the time. Hermannsburg produced cattle, leather, carpentry products, as well as about 60 tonnes of fresh fruit and vegetables into Alice Springs every year. Everybody had a job, but it was not particularly well paid. That was because once you divvied up the income of that community for all of the productivity for that community and shared it among the community itself, the wealth generated per head of population was probably not as great as what we now call a liveable and award wage.
The difference was there was no welfare system at the time so everybody had a job. It may not have been a well-paid job, but it was certainly better than being unemployed. Then came the government to rescue everybody, and introduced things like award wages on cattle stations where everybody had a job. All of a sudden, everybody was unemployed bar one or two. We saw this played out not just in the Northern Territory. You can see this played out at Holden, which has just left the country because people manufacture cars more cheaply in other parts of the world. We see this at the SPC cannery, though I understand they have now received a rescue package from the Victorian government; there must be an election in the air.
Who else has pulled the pin recently? Toyota and Ford pulled the pin because we have been artificially creating a wage environment which makes us uncompetitive in the manufacturing area. Consequently, we see this concept that we must control the economic environment leading to outcomes where – hallelujah! – nobody has a job. That is the result of it. Last night, was it Alcoa that announced the aluminium factory in Geelong would be shut down? I imagine it was for very much the same reasons the refinery in Nhulunbuy is being shut down. It is because competitively, we as a nation are asking too much.
We continue to push this idea that we can, somehow blithely ignore the reality of what is going on around us and overseas and somehow, magically, we can rescue all of this by racking it up on some sort of credit system to rescue the jobs. It is a false economy. It reflects a lack of productivity. For that reason, it is dangerous to go down this path because eventually, when the correction comes on a massive scale, you will have real social upheaval with massive unemployment and those sorts of things.
It is better to do the pain incrementally than substantially after a false economy has been generated. The restructure of the economies of Europe and the United States in the late 1970s and particularly in the early 1980s – and I refer honourable members to two books, one called The Commanding Heights, the other one called The Birth of Plenty, which will take you through that process and why that process was necessary. Indeed, we had a Labor Prime Minister in this country pursuing similar economic rationale, getting to the point where he had to say, ‘It was the recession we had to have’. All of that should speak volumes as to how we approach the development of the Northern Territory sustainably and philosophically.
There is one other point I would like to pick up on, and I am sure the shadow Treasurer will correct the member for Nhulunbuy on this issue. Not 80% of the Northern Territory’s income comes from the Commonwealth or federal government; only 20% of our income comes from the federal government through national partnership payments and specific purpose payments. The 20% she alluded to being our money, of course, would have been our own source revenue.
However, what she did not clearly understand – and she needs to understand this well – is the federal government does not supply the 60% of the income which is our slice of the GST under horizontal fiscal equalisation. The glue that holds this federation together is nothing to do with the federal government. It is an agreement between the states and the Commonwealth to create the Commonwealth Grants Commission that then takes the GST pool and shares it among the various jurisdictions through a disabilities measurement process. That is how we get 60% of our income.
The federal government has nothing to do with setting those ratios. That continues to be a fight between jurisdictions, and we are used to the sounds of the states, particularly Victoria and New South Wales, wanting to adjust those arrangements.
For the member for Nhulunbuy to say we get 80% of our funds from the federal government is wrong. We get 20% of our funds from the federal government for specific purposes and national partnership agreements.
Having dealt with that, the Leader of the Opposition, and I am pretty sure the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, talked about the absence of references to social structures in the statement. Of course, the statement cannot cover the field; while the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister drive the Northern Territory forward, seeking investment and trying to attract investment to the Northern Territory through a sober and temperate promotion of the Northern Territory, rather than the – what was it called by the deputy shadow Treasurer? – ‘fiscal stimulisation’, which struck me as a rather odd expression. It sounded a little like Miley Cyrus’s Wrecking Ball and some sort of financial twerking taking place in an effort to get people to come to the Northern Territory.
We have to be more sober than that and present ourselves as a place to come to do business where we are sober, sensible and measured, but enthusiastic about what we do. It is about focusing our attention and knowing the signal we want to send out, which is that this is the place to do business. We can be excited by that. When you knock on our door and walk into the room and say, ‘Hi, I would like to invest $100m in the Northern Territory’, we then present people to investors who are businesslike and earnest in what they are doing.
Essentially, what I am referring to is how we present ourselves. You must wear a suit from time to time because other people expect you to when they have $100m to invest in your jurisdiction. I recommend that any person who becomes a minister of the Crown in the Northern Territory takes on the mantle of that type of professionalism.
Could you imagine if somebody walked into a room where the Treasurer was sitting with large round glasses, bright red suspenders and a twirling bow tie, how that conversation would go? ‘Hi, I have $100m to spend in your juris … - okay, move on.’
It is about how we present ourselves and it starts with how we present ourselves as a government. It continues through to how we continue to present ourselves in relation to how we get our public servants engaged and how we, as a jurisdiction as a whole, are engaged. It is about saying to investors that this place is safe and sound. My role as a minister of the Crown is to make sure the social components, social policy structures and positioning of the Northern Territory government reflect what the investor would be looking for.
What would an investor be looking for in this jurisdiction, particularly if they are putting staff on the ground? They would expect a reliable system of security, which is one of the reasons we, as a government, went down the path of creating the concept of Pillars of Justice so we could improve the quality of the criminal justice system, as well as the civil justice system, in such a way as it advances and meets the expectation of potential investors in the Northern Territory.
It is for that reason we in the Corrections system not only have Sentenced to a Job, but we have a Corrections system which says to the investment world we are open for business and are creating those structures. Also, in the Corrections environment, out the other end of that we are able to manage those people even after they leave prisons, which is why we now have a business relationship between Corrections and Housing.
I thank the Housing minister for his assistance in this area where we are taking houses which are beyond economic repair, not only repairing them using prison labour, but giving a pathway for prisoners to live in those houses while they are on parole so we can keep greater control of them. That is demonstrating a competence of governance that can be looked at by some external party which can say, ‘Yes, that is safe’.
Pillars of Justice starts with a police force which is properly empowered. For these reasons, the Chief Minister has already described things like paperless arrests and Alcohol Protection Orders. We are mindful of the impact of drunks on our streets, hence we have created, under the health banner, a system of keeping drunks off the streets, which is alcohol mandatory rehabilitation. That is demonstrating to people that we have control of the problems that might cause investors some pause. We are starting to realise that with many of the really high frequency drinkers in custody, they are, in part, contributing to the falling amount of alcohol being consumed in our community. We are targeting our solutions in a way that people are being held responsible for their own conduct and, in the process, demonstrating to anybody who wants to live here that we are constantly improving the quality of the legal and criminal justice environment.
We have a Pillars of Justice system in place. I am about to bring to Cabinet my preliminary juvenile justice policy. We will now roll out – we must get it through Cabinet, but we have been working very hard – a fully integrated domestic violence policy which overlays Pillars of Justice. It will come under the victims’ pillar. Every time you present a policy, you create a greater depth, from a policy perspective, all the way across the spectrum of social issues in our community. These are intimately linked.
The child protection domain falls under my stewardship. There are relationships between the criminal justice system, the juvenile justice system and child protection which need to be, and should be, exploited so we can continue to signal to the world we have a justice system which is reliable, fair, trustworthy and world’s best practice. This is what we have achieved and are continuing to achieve in the Corrections space through the Pillars of Justice structure.
It is what we are achieving, and we will soon be rolling out substantial improvements in criminal justice processes, particularly in the lower courts. I am about to start reviewing the whole of the civil processes in the lower courts, not least of which will be the introduction of a Northern Territory civil appeals tribunal. Appeals tribunals occur …
Mr CHANDLER: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 77, I move an extension of time for the member.
Motion agreed to.
Mr ELFERINK: A civil appeals tribunal is something which occurs in a more mature jurisdiction. Almost every other jurisdiction – if not every other jurisdiction – in this country has some sort of administrative appeals tribunal. The fact we will create a similar structure within the Northern Territory will demonstrate to potential investors we have in place a better system, an improving system and one people can trust and know. This is about making us ready to send signals into the world that we are a place with a good, strong legal system which will look after your civil needs. This means things like the law of contract, the law of tort and any other services, particularly commercial law, will operate in a predictable fashion.
The signal I am trying to send, in this case, is we lower your sovereign risk by being a jurisdiction which is sensibly governed in the area of legal process. This is a very important signal to send to investors. Investors will look to countries and jurisdictions which have a more carefully established system of jurisprudence than they will where it is more questionable.
If you ask a company if they are keen to invest in Africa or Australia, we hope we would be able to send a signal from the areas of government I have carriage for, and Australia will beat those African nations hands down. This is not where I will set the benchmark. The benchmark will be much higher. We will have a benchmark in the Northern Territory where our criminal justice system will be seamless across the board, to the extent it will be something people will look to and rely upon. It is for this reason you send signals like one-punch homicide legislation where you are prepared to do mandatory sentencing, particularly in relation to offences of violence. Also, you are prepared to introduce things like Alcohol Protection Orders, so a person or a company trying to send people into the Northern Territory can say, ‘You can go there, live and work there, it is safe. The police can be trusted, the systems and institutions of government can be trusted and relied upon, and the systems and institutions surrounding the government can also be trusted and relied upon.’
This is also the reason I am talking about showing a positive attitude through the public service. The question I answered this morning in parliament received guffaws of laughter from members opposite, because I had the audacity to be a bit corny about it and say things like I want public servants to engage in the job they got into the public service to do.
I want child protection workers protecting children. I have told child protection workers to use their judgment and I will support them. I want them to take a risk, if it is for the right reasons, and I will support them. I expect public servants to make mistakes and, when they do, so long as they are acting in good faith, I will back them. I have noticed that when you trust people and ask them to make and pursue decisions, they tend to own those decisions far more completely than if they were simply told to go and do that thing.
The nett result is – and I have noticed this particularly among prison officers in the Corrections system where they have been trusted to make judgment calls – they are increasingly, with every passing day, making more judgment calls and owning those decisions. There have been screw-ups, of course there have. However, they own them so fully they fix them and get on with it. They are engaged with their job, in many instances, in a way they have never been engaged before. It is a sheer pleasure to watch.
I am trying to encourage child protection workers to get engaged with the reason they got into the public service in the first place. I expect that of police officers, nurses and teachers. I want them all to engage with their job in the way they were trying to engage the day they left university and walked into that job for the very first time. That is the reason we create the policies we have in the public service. That is the reason we have core values attached to the public service. If people want to know what we are on about, we are on about core values like the commitment to service. It is right at the top: ethical practice, respect, accountability, impartiality and diversity.
Accountability does not say you will be in trouble every time you do something wrong. Accountability says the Northern Territory public service is transparent and accountable in all its actions. That means even if public servants do something wrong, they are still accountable. It does not mean they will necessarily be penalised.
Create that public service, then send the signal into the investment world that when you knock on the door of the Northern Territory government – whether it be through a minister’s office or public service department – the message you will get from the person on the phone is: ‘Hi, I love what I do, I am enthusiastic about what I do, how can I help you do your business here?’ That is part of what has to happen.
I can give you very specific examples right across the board as to how we are doing these things. We have heard criticism that this is just a vision statement. There are practical things we are doing. I have described things that are happening in the Corrections environment, the civil and administrative appeals tribunal and the legislation I gave notice of today in relation to identity theft. All of those things provide a message of security.
The Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, the minister for Planning, the Minister for Infrastructure, the Minister for Tourism and the minister for Primary Industries and Mining are stepping forward and promoting the Northern Territory as a result of this plan. That is good. It is my job in particular, and that of the Minister for Education and the Minister for Health, to make sure when we make gains in all of those spaces, we consolidate those gains in such a fashion that investors looking at the Northern Territory can see there is promotion, activity and forward advancement from most of government. Any gains this government makes are consolidated with good policy coming from those other three ministries, those social maintenance areas.
It is for that reason that I, in particular, and the Minister for Education, are prepared to take risks and challenge those forces which would seek to drag us back, because they cannot see the bigger picture. They cannot bring themselves to look beyond the next car loan or whatever causes people to become scared. What we are saying is there must be better ways to do what we can do. Yes, we will take risks.
Sentenced to a Job is risky. The former government was flirting in this area and had a couple of guys working on that space, and there was risk. There is real risk. I was nervous. I was nervous about the smoking policy and I am nervous about a number of policies we are going to roll out. I have certain apprehensions about the Northern Territory’s civil appeals tribunal because things might, and probably will, go wrong. It does not mean I will be afraid. It does not mean I will, as a minister of the Crown, stop and say, ‘It is too scary, I am not going to do it’. One of the things we have to demonstrate – as a government, as a jurisdiction as a whole – is we are unafraid, we are passionate, and prepared to take risks. We will take risks and, if we screw up 30% of the time, it means we will be successful 70% of the time. I am unafraid of that result. If we walk out of government at some point in the future – be it sooner or be it later – with a 70% success rate, I will be delighted.
We must keep showing vision. I heard the cynicism dripping from the lips of the member for Nelson, who for four years had more opportunities to drive these sorts of things than perhaps any other individual in this parliament, but sat on his hands and found all the reasons not to do things. We will press on. We will do things, and continue to press on and take risks. I understand my role, as I know all other ministers understand their roles on this side of the House, to dovetail in behind this policy and lock it down.
This is a time of change. This is a time when the north of Australia will shine. The technology and the economic circumstances of the world at the moment, particularly the Southeast Asian corner of the world of which we are part, are there for picking. The fruit have now ripened on the tree and are hanging low. If we fail to reach up and pluck those low-hanging fruit, then we have failed the people of the Northern Territory.
Mr Deputy Speaker, as I so often say, from my perspective and my position of belief, this should be about one thing and one thing only, and that is: the true welfare of the people of the Northern Territory.
Mr CONLAN (Tourism): Mr Deputy Speaker, he goes okay, doesn’t he? The look on the member for Barkly! We just needed Land of Hope and Glory underneath that, John, and it would have brought a tear to our eye ...
Mr McCarthy: I have heard better shows if you are asking for a critique.
Mr CONLAN: No. I thought that was pretty good. Land of Hope and Glory underneath that and the hairs on the back of our necks would have stood up. It is not a bad way to finish. ‘We are here just for the betterment of the people of the Northern Territory.’
I support this statement in my capacity as the Minister for Tourism. I have a number of portfolios, and tourism is one of the key drivers of northern Australia. It will play a critical role in the future as we develop northern Australia.
It was interesting listening to the member for Nelson. I am not sure where he went with his statement. He offered a lot of ‘what ifs’ and did not bring too much to the table. He had a whole stack of reports, reviews and books on northern Australia. He had done some research with the Parliamentary library and brought a few books here to demonstrate that this topic has been …
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! To give the minister the kudos he needs, I draw your attention to the state of the House.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Ring the bells.
A quorum is present.
Mr CONLAN: Thank you. How easily amused they are in opposition. We used to have a bit of fun like that too, things that kept us awake.
The member for Nelson had reports about northern Australia. I am not trying to mount an attack on the member for Nelson, I am just trying to assess his argument. He had reports and said this had been a topic of discussion for 60 or 70 years, probably longer, since the 1920s or 1930s.
Member for Nelson, thank goodness it has been at the forefront of people’s minds for the best part of 70 or 80 years. It is about developing northern Australia. It is an ongoing discussion. If you look back to the 1920s and 1930s and see how far we have come today, we have achieved a great deal. It is because of books, reviews and reports like those discussions that took place in the 1920s, 1930s, 1950s, 1960s and ongoing. It is because of ministerial statements like this and the ones the previous government made in this House on a number of occasions about the future of the Northern Territory, of northern Australia and of Darwin as a capital city in the Asian region.
The former Labor government brought countless reports or ministerial statements to the House, and we will also continue to so. Thank goodness these statements have been brought into parliament, because it is a conversation and discussion we need to have.
I do not know what point the member for Nelson was trying to make, it was lost on me. It is incumbent on us all to ensure these conversations are at the forefront of our minds as a government, a civilisation, a country and a jurisdiction in the Northern Territory.
My portfolio of Tourism will play a key role in the future of northern Australia in developing this part of the world. I will address some of those areas. I am glad the shadow minister is in the room to listen to them. I am sure he will enjoy the next 10 or 15 minutes.
Tourism, as we know, has a rich and diverse culture which attracts visitors from all over the world to the Northern Territory. Our thriving tourism industry will build a bigger economy, which means more jobs for Territorians. As we know, tourism is worth approximately $1.6bn to the Northern Territory economy and supports about 16 000 jobs.
The government has plans to grow the industry to a $2.2bn industry by 2020. There are some pretty comprehensive targets to achieve the $2.2bn visitor economy by the year 2020. Achieving it will require substantial growth in tourism exports across northern Australia, and provide an additional 4300 jobs, which is not too bad.
I will touch on the 2020 Vision, the Northern Territory strategy for growth. It outlines our blueprint to help deliver this growth in the tourism sector. It sets out a vision to boost growth to 3.1% annually and deliver an extra $535m in visitor expenditure a year to the Northern Territory. The government’s vision is to attract 1.7 million visitors annually to the Northern Territory by 2020, about 400 000 more visitors than we receive now. An additional 400 000 visitors a year will benefit local tour operators and businesses, create more jobs and help develop our regions.
The 2020 blueprint is to address serious declines in visitation to the Northern Territory and stimulate growth within the industry. The draft strategy affirms the government’s commitment to our tourism industry and its critical role in building a bigger Northern Territory economy and, through that, the development of northern Australia. An injection of $2.2bn in annual visitor expenditure to the Northern Territory’s economy by 2020 will see this vision turn into a reality.
Tourism Vision 2020: Northern Territory’s Strategy for Growth known as our 2020 Vision, has a few key pillars:
To grow the value of the visitor economy through embracing opportunities outside the traditional leisure sectors, focusing on priority markets and niche segments such as conference and cruise tourism, which will provide the best return on investment.
Build and maintain the Northern Territory’s traditional international source markets – including the UK, Germany, Switzerland, Canada and Japan – and implement the China market activation plan targeting other high growth potential markets from the east.
Leverage sporting and cultural events for tourism, for example, the Darwin Symphony Orchestra playing at Uluru, and the SKYCITY Triple Crown V8 Super Cars championships in Darwin.
Work across industry and government to identify strategies to address the supply side of constraints and access.
That is transport and aviation, accommodation and workforce capacity.
Improve business sustainability through a better coordinated, cohesive and profitable industry which is focused on quality.
The 2020 Vision is a whole-of-government approach.
Asian engagement has received some criticism in the parliament over recent days. I am aware of some comments made by the opposition, particularly the shadow minister for Tourism, who had his chance as Tourism minister but did not deliver. As a result, he is critical of the government’s position on China. He has misled the parliament by suggesting I said, ‘We are not putting any money into China, let us put all of our money into our traditional markets’. This is not the case. First, I did not say that and, second, we are putting a substantial amount of money into China. About $1m is going into China to maximise Chinese tourism ...
Mr Vatskalis: Read the vision before you come in here.
Mr CONLAN: I have read the vision. It was very much a part of the whole formulation of the vision. There is an enormous amount of money going into developing and growing the Chinese market ...
Mr Vatskalis: How much?
Mr CONLAN: I just told you, close to $1m a year, similar to what we put into our traditional markets. There is a lot of money going in, but we are not seeing the visitors on the ground yet. My concern, which I raised in parliament last week, is I am not sure if we will ever see the huge numbers we see through our traditional markets ...
Mr Vatskalis: Well, if you promote the Territory, you will.
Mr CONLAN: You think you have all the answers. You had your chance as Tourism minister and you failed to deliver.
We are investing in China, we have a comprehensive Chinese strategy …
Mr Vatskalis: Nobody knows where Darwin is.
Mr CONLAN: If you read the 2020 Vision you would see our comprehensive Chinese strategy ...
Mr Vatskalis: Here! Have a look. No Darwin. Sydney, Uluru, that is it. Where is the money being spent? Obviously not in the right place.
Mr CONLAN: I do not know what you are talking about, I cannot hear you ...
Mr Vatskalis: This is promotion from Hong Kong.
Mr CONLAN: I do not know what he is talking about. All I am saying is the government is spending money in China, $1m to attract the Chinese visitor ...
Mr Vatskalis: Obviously not in the right place.
Mr CONLAN: I ask you, member for Casuarina, what is it we have to put in front of the Chinese consumer to attract them to the Northern Territory?
Mr Vatskalis: You need a promotion, a proper campaign. You have not done it.
Mr CONLAN: Promotion, he says. That is it! Let us put up fancy banners, some television ads, go to the railway station and, all of a sudden, we are going to magically see the Chinese tourists appear. It is laughable and it is why you got nowhere with this portfolio and the Chinese tourist, absolutely nowhere!
I just asked the member for Casuarina what we have to put in front of the Chinese consumer to bring them to the Northern Territory; he said ‘promotion’. That is it! That is your answer. He clearly has no fundamental understanding of the Chinese market. I thought by now you might be a little closer to understanding the Chinese market, but clearly you do not …
Members interjecting.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Can I have a bit of order!
Mr CONLAN: I thought you might understand but you clearly do not. That is why you are over there. You have no fundamental understanding of what the Chinese visitor wants ...
Members interjecting.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Could I have a bit of order, please.
Mr Vowles: You know nothing about Chinese people.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Johnston! Can we have a bit of order in here, please? We are not in committee stage, and we are not going back and forth. We are all here to listen to the minister speak. Thank you. Remember you people are on warnings.
Mr CONLAN: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. Now we have established that the member for Casuarina has no fundamental understanding about the Chinese market or Chinese tourists, I will run through some of the facts.
It is estimated that about 754 000 Chinese and Hong Kong visitors arrived in Australia in 2012. That is it not even one million, and the Territory’s market share was only about 1.7%. Tourism NT has set an aggressive target of 30 000 visitors by 2020, to a value of about $46m. That is the target we have set, and watch us deliver it ...
Mr Vatskalis: One hundred and thirty million will travel.
Mr CONLAN: The Northern Territory’s strategy for these markets – just listen member for Casuarina. I know you have a fundamental misunderstanding of how the Chinese market works. You have been over there under the shroud of some fact-finding parliamentary tour ...
Mr Vatskalis: I did, I found out what you are not doing.
Mr CONLAN: Yes, we all know what happened. I have seen the report. I have heard what happened while you were there. We know it was under the cloud of some shadow ministerial trip, whatever it was – a nice holiday for you. I wonder if you visited your wife’s village? Is that where you got all your information about your high-level strategic meetings you had in China?
This is where it has all come from. You are apparently closer than any one of us to China. I am assuming you think you are an absolute authority on the Chinese market. I am trying to outline to you, shadow minister, some of the facts and where it all actually goes.
The strategy for these markets is to focus on increasing in-market activities, increasing participation and support for trade-focused events and schemes, and increasing the profile of Territory destinations and product within targeted Asian market programs. I do not know how much clearer it has to be for you …
Mr Vatskalis: And how are you going to do that?
Mr CONLAN: I do not know how much clearer we have to make it for you.
The bold target has been set. As I said, we have a target of 30 000 visitors within the next six years, to a tune of about $46m. What is your target for the next six years?
Mr Vatskalis: Bring them here.
Mr CONLAN: ‘Bring them here’, he said. ‘Promote! Bring them here!’ There is absolutely nothing underneath what you are saying. He keeps holding this thing up – there is absolutely nothing, there is no meat on the bone. If you unpack what you are saying, all it is, ‘How do we get …
Mr Vatskalis interjecting.
Mr CONLAN: I asked him in parliament, ‘What is your strategy for increasing Chinese visitation to the Territory?’ ‘Bring them here’, he said. That is it. Fantastic! ‘Bring them here’ is his strategy. The bold target of $46m …
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Casuarina, please refer to Standing Order 51. Can you learn it off by heart?
Mr Vowles: That is no interruption, Kon.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Johnston, remember you are on a warning from this morning.
Mr CONLAN: The China market activation plan which was developed by Tourism NT in consultation with stakeholders in 2012, outlines the key activities to be undertaken by industry and government, in partnership, to deliver the target of 30 000 Chinese visitors to the Northern Territory by 2020. That is realistic; it is bold but achievable.
I do not know what you are bringing to the table. All you are saying is what we are doing over there is not good enough. Somehow, you are an expert. You have been there and you are an expert. You are an authority on China. I would like to hear what you think we should be doing. Please put some meat on the bone, put some detail around your rhetoric, we would love to hear it. I have still not seen this media release about your China trip. We still have not seen anything; I have not seen a report. There has been no report in the parliament about what you did, at taxpayers’ expense, when you went there under the shroud of a shadow ministerial trip over the Christmas break. How convenient! We know what is going on, Kon. It is okay, we get it.
Let us talk about tourism infrastructure. Better infrastructure is needed to grow our tourism industry and be the leader in attracting more visitors to the whole of the Northern Territory and northern Australia; we need better roads, rail and aviation. The member for Sanderson, the Minister for Infrastructure, highlighted this in his response to this statement earlier. Sea and airport facilities will open the Northern Territory to more tourism opportunities, helping to grow the north.
Tourism across regional Australia is being challenged by poor regional dispersal from major gateways to Australia. Dispersal is a big problem. People come here, and we need to get them out into the regions.
This government has been pushing hard to position Darwin and the Northern Territory as a gateway to Asia from northern Australia, and we will continue to do so. It is an absolute no brainer. We have already made inroads in this space with Philippine Airlines, AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines and SilkAir.
The Darwin International Airport expansion will support this. This is a private initiative. I am not trying to claim any credit for the $60m investment at Darwin International Airport, but it does show confidence in what the government is doing, and in Darwin and the Northern Territory as a destination. We are determined to position Darwin as a gateway into Australia, particularly from Asia. The Darwin International Airport expansion will help achieve that vision. The project is the biggest ever undertaken by Darwin International Airport in its history, with the size of the airport virtually to double from about 16 000 m2 to 27 000 m2. It is huge. I believe the new Virgin lounge, which is a great get for us, and the Qantas lounge will be operational in their new look by around August.
Let us talk about the memorandum of understanding with Qantas. It was a historic moment that saw a fair bit of criticism from the member for Casuarina. He was unable to strike up this partnership. He said this had nothing to do with the Northern Territory government. In fact, it had everything to do with the Northern Territory government. The Northern Territory government brought this to the table with Qantas. I signed, on behalf of Tourism NT, the MOU with Qantas last year. It is the biggest airline marketing partnership deal in the Northern Territory’s history to the tune of about $7m. It is a three-year cooperative agreement that will mark the Northern Territory as a leading tourist and event destination to the world. The idea is we support Qantas and Qantas supports the Northern Territory. It became our preferred carrier, and we became one of its preferred destinations. It is as simple as that.
We have to understand that we need Qantas more than Qantas needs us. To me, it is a pretty good deal. One of the world’s most respected airlines, a global organisation, is promoting the Northern Territory through all its literature, inflight magazines, inflight audio/visual packages, all its digital activation material driven through the website; it is really good. We have already seen heaps of it: radio/television campaigns all over Australia promoting the Northern Territory; special deals with Qantas; and holiday packages into the NT. It runs from 1 July 2013 to 2016, three years inclusive. It relates to Qantas and QantasLink services. Other members of the Qantas group and other partners including Jetstar, Emirates and other alliances will be considered. There are also other partnership agreements with them.
I am proud to say the arrangement was driven very much by Tourism NT and is presenting Qantas with a compelling reason and opportunities in our shared source markets to deliver increased visitation to the Territory. The agreement is with one of the world’s most respected airlines and will help deliver the government’s 2020 Vision of 1.7 million visitors by the year 2020. That is 400 000 more than we currently have. I keep repeating it. I know I have said it a few times, I am not trying to burn up the clock. Goodness me! I just about did.
It is an important factor of growing and developing northern Australia, and it is a key platform for Tourism NT. It is our major focus of growing the visitor economy ...
Mr GILES: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 77, I move that the minister be given an extra 10 minutes to conclude his remarks.
Motion agreed to.
Mr CONLAN: Our campaign is about dispersal to the regions. Our gateways often tend to benefit, but we need to make sure we are dispersing into the regions. A strong tourism industry will also help develop our regions. Identifying tourism opportunities in our regions will also help drive economic development.
For example, there is the new Gove campaign which, for some reason, has come under criticism from the member for Nhulunbuy. I am very surprised. She does not seem to like it too much. I thought she would welcome this $10 000 marketing campaign. This is the beginning of a campaign to drive tourism into East Arnhem Land. I will go into some of the breakdown. She was critical of the expense. I have here a breakdown of the $10 000. The campaign includes new print brochures showcasing the huge range of experiences available in the region. As we know, it is one of the last untouched spectacular parts of the world and, we believe, a linchpin for attracting that type of tourist to the Northern Territory. It includes digital advertisements on Facebook, targeted websites, Tourism NT’s consumer website, which is travelnt.com, the Airnorth website and promotional e-mails to thousands of Airnorth subscribers.
Airnorth has come on board and is offering special flights at $199 each way between Nhulunbuy and Darwin. Its digital advertising and marketing campaign is very aggressive and active on its website. It was developed after a five-day visit to the region last month by a team from Tourism NT and the Department of Business. I thank the Department of Business for its assistance. At this stage, it is a cost of $10 000, but it is an initial kick start to a campaign to promote East Arnhem Land and showcase its beauty and wild rugged wilderness to the rest of the world. That is exactly what it is. It is an experience you can have like no other. It is largely untouched on a number of fronts – from the human hand, from mankind in general, and from a tourism infrastructure perspective. There is much work to be done there but it is a destination Tourism NT is keen to pursue.
We have identified a number of opportunities and this was just one of them. Business tourism is one area where the Territory can step up and promote northern Australia to the rest of the world. I have spoken previously in the House about its valuable growth market. I refer, of course, to meetings, conventions and the conferencing sector.
Previously, I advised the House that Darwin has been chosen to host the National Rural Health Alliance Conference in May 2015. On the back of this, this past financial year the NT has been successful in attracting the Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic surgeons, health information management associations, Australian head and neck surgeons, Australian HIV/AIDS society, CRANAplus nurses, Baker IDI and Australian sexual health conferences to name a few. We are being recognised as a premium destination for conferencing.
The health-related events are just some of 65 we secured during this financial year for the future, generating an estimated $53.6m in expenditure. That is not too shabby if you ask me, it is pretty good. An amount of $53.6m will be injected into the economy as a result of our business tourism. It is a reflection of the Northern Territory focusing its attention on those areas of specialist standing and profile. Tropical and remote health, for example, is a perfect fit for Darwin conferencing. Besides the obvious tourism impact and the prestige of hosting such events, they also bring an enormous benefit to the Northern Territory community in having such a high-profile industry in the Territory.
We hope the legacies to the broader community will far outweigh the direct tourism benefit. These events are hard won. The business events division of Tourism NT, known as the Northern Territory Convention Bureau, or NTCB, works in conjunction with industry and government partners to bring these events to fruition. In some cases, like the recently-staged Mortgage Choice Conference of about 600 delegates in Alice Springs, negotiations and relationship management began in 2007, some six years ago. An enormous amount of work goes into delivering outcomes like this, and I congratulate Tourism NT for securing these important events for the Northern Territory. As I said, they are worth approximately $52m in direct delegate expenditure to the Territory – around $10m for Central Australia, and $41m for the Top End.
Another tangible example of how much importance this government is placing on tourism is the Chief Minister has taken on the role of patron of the Business Events Ambassador initiative. The initiative will see a group of high-profile corporate and opinion leaders promoting the Northern Territory, nationally and internationally, as a great business events destination and a great place to do business. We are not sitting idly, waiting and hoping for business to arrive, we are actively pursuing it, chasing it. Our ambassador program will bear enormous fruit for the Northern Territory.
Today, the Northern Territory Convention Bureau is leading a group of 17 Territory business events specialists in Melbourne for the largest international business expo in Asia-Pacific. The Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meeting Expo, otherwise known as AIME, is the region’s premiere meeting and incentives event, with more than 750 exhibitors from five continents attending from 18 to 19 February. It is on right now. What is the date today?
Mr Styles: The eighteenth.
Mr CONLAN: It is on today and concludes tomorrow. About 2500 attend this expo, which is huge. We are very active in this space.
In the remaining time, I will touch on the cruise sector, because it is another key plank to developing northern Australia. Tourism NT is working on various projects to maximise the economic benefit of the cruise sector in the NT. The Territory can be the capital of northern Australia when it comes to attracting cruise ships. We are working with key cruise line partners to encourage more ships to visit Darwin more often and stay longer, promoting Darwin’s ideal geographic position as the gateway to Australia for cruise ships relocating from Asia. Darwin is expecting another 20 cruise ships between now and 30 June this year. That will be a total of 39 by the end of the financial year, and it will include the visit of Queen Mary, which will arrive here on 27 February, next week. That is huge news – huge ship. It will be fantastic.
Positioning the Northern Territory as a leader of northern Australia will also give us more bargaining power as we push for amendments to the cabotage rules under the federal Coastal Trading (Revitalising Australian Shipping Act 2012. This regulation is inhibiting growth in an expanding industry which brings economic development opportunities to northern Australia. We have been speaking constantly with the newly-elected Commonwealth government about this prohibitive act with regard to our cruise sector.
I want to have a quick word about our CEO for Tourism NT. Tony Mayell outlined the impact of the regulation at a meeting with Tourism ministers in October 2013. It is well and truly on the Tourism minister’s agenda for the TMM, MINCO, which will be held again, I think in April this year. Not long to go.
The statement mentioned hotel investment in the Darwin city master plan, which will help our tourism industry, hotel planning and investment. It is topical in Darwin. Last year, the Halikos Group bought two new businesses, taking the total number of hotel rooms to 780 in the Northern Territory: the Hilton Hotel introduction into the Northern Territory, and lan Soho suites with 300 hotel rooms opened in July. The Argus apartment expansion will have up to 700 hotel rooms coming online this year. This is great news of confidence in our product in the Northern Territory, particularly in Darwin as the gateway to Asia. These rooms could not come soon enough. There are many issues regarding the accommodation squeeze, but this will help ease it. Also, it will help achieve our goals in the 2020 Vision of $2.2bn in visitor expenditure by 2020. To do this, we need 200 hotel rooms online every year. As I have outlined, we are well ahead of the game.
I have no time to go into the marketing of the $8m. I might have to save it for another episode, member for Casuarina – to be continued. I am sure you would very much like to know where the additional $8m is going into our traditional markets as well. Yes, we are spending in our traditional markets. I say thank goodness for them because, if it was left up to you, you would walk away from those traditional markets and put all your money into the great unknown market. We know this is what you do. So, we will do it again, same time, same channel, on another occasion.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the Chief Minister for his statement.
Mr GILES (Chief Minister): Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank all members for their contributions. I seek leave to continue my remarks at a later date.
Motion agreed to.
Debate adjourned.
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business)(by leave): Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the order of business be re-ordered to enable the Treasurer’s Mid-Year Report to be brought on for debate forthwith.
Motion agreed to.
MOTION
Note Report – Treasurer’s Mid-Year
Report 2013-14
Continued from 5 December.
Mr McCARTHY (Barkly): Mr Deputy Speaker, I believe I have about 10 minutes to complete my remarks. The member for Port Darwin was ridiculing me from the other side of the House for daring to talk about CLP economic policy. In another great turn of events, I heard the same member comment on the shape of an MLA’s reading glasses, the wearing of a Texan tie described as a ‘twirling bowtie’ and a comment on wearing braces to hold up one’s trousers. It never ceases to amaze me that this guy, in his personal attacks, can stoop to the idiotic levels of commenting on the attire of an MLA. I read in the media that he paraded himself in a major hardware store dressed in a singlet, hot pants and clogs. My heavens! If that is not the height of hypocrisy, I have never heard it. However, I digress.
I go back to the subject of economic policy and the opposition’s job to hold this government to account – even members who wear hot pants, singlets and clogs in public. I continue with my remarks that the 2014 mid-year report makes interesting reading. The first chapter, Overview on page one, shows an $832m improvement in the Northern Territory’s fiscal balance for the non-financial public sector, which includes government agencies, Power and Water Corporation and the Darwin Port Authority. That is from this financial year, 2013-14, to next financial year, 2014-15. It is an interesting proposed windfall for government.
This $832m improvement is not reflected in the general government sector, the government agencies. The nett operating balance for the general government sector or agencies shows a $201m deficit in 2013-14 and a worsening $208m deficit in 2014-15. How is it, Treasurer, that you find an $832m improvement in the Darwin Port Authority and Power and Water Corporation? The projected revenue measures from these statutory authorities do not cover off the $832m, so please explain where you are realising this improvement. Is it through the sale of public assets? Will the Treasurer rule out the sale of public assets? You have a reply to this debate, so use your reply to explain the $832m improvement.
I note on page two of Overview we are advised there is a one-off increase to GST revenue being received in 2013-14 that relates to the 2012-13 financial year. This affects the general government sector, not the non-financial public sector, so that does not explain the improvement. Sale of assets is still the front runner in assumptions. The mid-year report predicts CPI will run at 3.9% in 2013-14, yet we know it is already running at 4.4%. Through the Treasurer’s own admission recently, it is expected to climb even higher. Why does the mid-year report predict a lower inflation rate? Perhaps the Treasurer would like to explain.
I note in 2012-13 inflation was running at 2%. Little wonder Territorians are crumbling under the massive cost of living burden being inflicted by the CLP. Little wonder wage claims are seeking higher than 3%. The mid-year report shows the government’s agency budget outcomes are worsening from predicted at budget time in the 2014-15 financial year. I ask the Treasurer to explain the reason for this worsening position. Specifically, I point the Treasurer to Table 2.8 on page 12, which shows a predicted 2014-15 deficit of $171m, but it has now been predicted to worsen to a deficit of $208m. Could the Treasurer please explain?
The mid-year report Economic Outlook underlines the importance of the liquefied natural gas, LNG, production from the Ichthys plant located at Blaydin Point. I refer the Treasurer to page 19. It is abundantly clear that the growth in the economy is as a result of the construction associated with this project, then the significant increase in exports. Yet if you listen to the rants of the members opposite, this economic growth is as a result of them. The mid-year report shows this nonsense written large. I refer the Treasurer to Figure 3.1, which is also interesting in that it shows the impact of the global financial crisis.
The mid-year report shows, across the general government sector and non-financial sector, a continuing underlying deficit in the fiscal balance and underlying cash deficit through to 2016-17, despite the Treasurer claiming there will be a surplus.
Can the Treasurer please explain why the comprehensive operating statement on page 26 and the cash flow statement on page 28 all reflect deficits across the forward estimates, yet you claim to be back in surplus? How do you achieve this goal which your own mid-year report does not reflect? Territorians demand to know if it is asset sales.
I note also that nett debt is increasing across the forward estimates – from pages 30 and 33 balance sheets – despite your claims that you are reducing debt. I note, Treasurer, you inherited a non-financial public sector debt of about $2bn, and it has risen to $5bn under your watch. I refer you to page 33. What can Territorians take from this mid-year report from the rubbery figures of the Treasurer who claims to have inherited a Labor debt of $5.5bn when it was in fact $2bn? What we have here is a bit of a magic pudding, an improvement in our statutory authorities of $832m, but no explanation from the Treasurer or the government. There is an improvement in general government sector budgets this year, but worsening next year, bearing in mind these figures would include the 10% cuts being made to budgets now at the direction of the Chief Minister.
What we will find at estimates is agency overruns – for example, in Corrections and Health – massive agency cuts in Education and the slashing of services to Territorians. All for what? We have a worsening in the cost of living, a reduction in government services and a projected debt of $5bn, which you seem nonplussed about, yet you rail about a projected $5.5bn debt.
Meanwhile, you have put the ‘closed for business’ sign up to the mining sector by hiking up levies. You focus on onshore fracking and ignore the opportunities of major offshore oil and gas. You ditched 1200 jobs in Nhulunbuy and shaved about 2% of GSP with the closure. Then, after rolling over to Rio Tinto, you failed to deliver the much-promised three-hub economy because you gave water rights to your mates. You dropped the Ord Stage 3 from any speeches, and filled accommodation up with business, pricing tourists out of the market. It is not a success story, Treasurer.
Mr ELFERINK (Attorney-General and Justice): Mr Deputy Speaker, I will make a couple of points in relation to the mid-year report from the Northern Territory government for the financial year 2013-14.
Let us start with the obvious one: A $5.5bn projected debt for the year 2016-17, which is what the last set of Labor government budget books provided. I point out to the members opposite that for the same column – so I am comparing apples with apples – we have now gone under a projected debt of $5bn. We are now at $4.946bn. That is a $500m improvement on where these guys opposite were taking us. We have managed to do it without – what do they say? – ‘decimating the public service’. I heard the interjection today about thousands and thousands of public servants being cast into the wilderness and not employed. I tabled papers today which demonstrated that between the September quarter 2012 – the quarter of the election – and the December quarter last year, there were 142 fewer public service positions out of a public service of over 20 000 people. That is because these guys are into hysteria, not consideration of the issues.
We have made it clear we want to be better financial managers. I do not like the fact we are still tracking towards $4.9bn for the non-financial public sector balance sheet projections for the year 2016-17 but, my goodness gracious me, it is a $550m improvement on where they would have taken us.
I cannot help but be fascinated by the way the shadow Treasurer navigates his way through the books. I know he is a little sensitive about his dress being brought into ridicule, but that was not my intent. My intent was to give him some advice so if he was speaking to a future investor in the Northern Territory, he filled that investor with more confidence. The way you start doing that in your professional environment where you do your work is to dress in a way that is reflective of the way you do your work. If you make it all about you, ‘Look at me! Look at me! I am wearing a Johnny Cash outfit’, that scares investors off. Investors do not care what you think of yourself; they care what you think of them and the amount of comfort you are prepared to give them. When I meet investors in the Northern Territory, generally I am wearing a good suit. It is a sign of respect to them. Outside, yes, I will wear my running shorts and daggy old T-shirts when I go to Bunnings because I am also a person in the Northern Territory ...
Mr Tollner: Plus clogs.
Mr ELFERINK: Mind you, I have to confess, I threw the Crocs away.
Mrs Lambley: Because your wife told you to.
Mr ELFERINK: Yes, the missus told me to. She said, ‘Get rid of the Crocs, mate’. Yes, I realise the reason I copped that fine had to do more with my running shorts than my clogs. However, if I was going to Bunnings to meet the general manager to see if he wanted to invest another $10m in a new Bunnings store, I would wear a suit.
That is what I am trying to relate to the member opposite. I was not trying to embarrass him; I was asking him to reconsider the way he deports himself in the workplace, that is all. He can take that advice or leave it: first impressions count.
Going back to what we were talking about before and the way the member opposite has come to his figures. This figure of $850m …
Mr Tollner: It is the Opposition Leader who first trotted it out, the former Treasurer.
Mr ELFERINK: Okay, the former Treasurer. They reached a place where they trotted out a $850m cut ...
Mr Tollner: $832m.
Mr ELFERINK: An $832m cut in what we are spending. What they did to achieve this – one is not quite sure, but one has to presume – is take the mid-year report, open it and say, ‘Oh, my goodness gracious me! Look at the financial balance for the non-financial public sector.’ They have looked at column 2013-14 and column 2014-15 and have seen in column 2013-14 the figure of $1.181bn. They then looked at the next column and saw the figure changed to $349m. That is the number that gives us the $832m difference, and that is as far as they have gone. They have reached the bottom of the page and formed the conclusion, ‘My goodness, that has to be a government spending cut’.
The shadow Treasurer and the former Treasurer should take time to read the bits of these reports that really matter. Those are the columns, figures and tables at the back of the report which form part of the Uniform Presentation Framework. Chapter four, page 25 is where it starts. The Uniform Presentation Framework is designed to clearly state the financial position of a jurisdiction in Australia. It is used by the Commonwealth and every other jurisdiction, and is part of a national agreement. The reason being that if I open the Commonwealth budget books I should be able to read them as effectively and quickly as any other jurisdiction’s budget books. We are signatories to that arrangement, which is why we have the Uniform Presentation Framework. The hint is in the title, the Uniform Presentation Framework. It is the way we present things.
I am sure members opposite would rather present the Northern Territory budget on an Excel spread sheet. I suspect when they were trying to do their budgeting the Excel spread sheet was the vehicle by which they did much of their planning, which enabled them to drop all sorts of things on and off. One of the ones that irritated the hell out of me was the arrival of the reality that all this money was being spent on a new prison without a single provision being made by the former government – not a brass razoo – for moving into it. That is not a cheap exercise. That is a matter this government now has to wrestle with. It is a legacy from a former government that simply decided it would not make any provisions.
We have seen this in Health and in any other number of infrastructure projects the former government funded. It put no money aside and made no provision for future planning to put people into these institutions, or to describe how much we would spend to get into these institutions. The gift of legacy we have received from the former government is this beautiful gift we have been given of all these infrastructure projects with no provision at all on how to fill them.
That then takes me back to the $832m figure they have been claiming. If you go to page 32 of the mid-year report under the Uniform Presentation Framework, on Table 4.7 the Non-Financial Public Sector Comprehensive Operating Statement page, I draw honourable members’ attention to the 2013-14 column on that page and ‘Purchases of non-financial assets’. I pause briefly. What would be a non-financial asset? A non-financial asset is defined, as a general rule, as something like a building. It is not money, it is something hard and tangible you can bump into. Some examples of that would be, for argument’s sake, things like gaols. Oh! Hang on, did we build a gaol, Mr Treasurer? I seek an answer through interjection. Did we build a gaol or did we have one bequeathed to us by a former government?
Mr Tollner: Very nice of them.
Mr ELFERINK: Yes, and I have been critical of the gaol Mahal we have received because we could have done better. Nevertheless, it is what it is.
I look further down the row where it is says ‘Other movements in non-financial assets, $513.605m’. That is more than half of the figure in the purchase of non-financial assets and would be a single project, namely, the gaol. It is all of a sudden our fault on this side of the House that we have to honour the agreements they made prior to leaving government. All of a sudden, we are the fiscal wrecking balls, according to these people opposite.
They make the deal so the bills get paid by the next government, whether it is them or us, because they know they have to side step the issue in the budget process. Then, finally, when the bill is paid, the deal they made is somebody else’s fault. Could you imagine how these guys would sit in a restaurant? This is how it would work. ‘Yes, I would like the Dom Prignon champagne, the lobster, the pt de foie gras and any number of expensive dishes, including dishes made out of yaks milk collected by Sherpas in the high Himalayas.’ Then, all of a sudden, they decide somebody else has to pay the bills and say, ‘You bastards, why on earth did you order all of that food?’ That is the argument they are running. It is all of a sudden our fault they ordered the pt de foie gras, the lobster and the Dom Prignon. That is the argument they run, and I cannot believe they have the audacity to run that argument …
Mr Tollner: What is worse is they put it down to asset sales. They cannot even recognise their own prison.
Mr ELFERINK: That is right. I pick up on the interjection from the Treasurer. They do put it down to asset sales. The problem is it is all about asset purchases, but it is not financial assets we are talking about. That would be easy, we could dispose of the financial assets far more easily. However, we cannot dispose of this sucker. This paper weight is the one we are stuck with. It demonstrates one of two things. They are fundamentally, blithely ignorant on how to read one of these books. They are still, as former Treasurer Mike Reed used to say, chewing on the spine trying to figure out how it works. Alternatively, they are being sinister in their deceit.
I reckon, particularly where the former Treasurer is involved, this sinister motivation is exactly what is there. They play it out in all manner of fashions in the public service and say things like ‘fact’, after they make one of their assertions.
I listened to the member for Johnston the other day say ‘fact’ after ‘fact’ and the whole speech was pretty ‘fact’ filled. As far as we are concerned in this House, we will continue to challenge them and put the record right because they are deceitful in the way they conduct themselves.
The fact is if their assertion was anywhere close to true, our future financial position of $4.9bn worth of debt into the future …
Mr Vowles: Sit down, please. Sit down and give somebody else a go.
Mr ELFERINK: … would not eventuate. It is just …
Mr Tollner: The truth hurts, Kenny, you have just been called out.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Johnston, you are on a warning. I will remind you …
Mr Vowles: Does that go all day?
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yes, it goes all day and I reminded you an hour ago.
Mr ELFERINK: I congratulate the member for Johnston for his contribution to this debate. Perhaps he would like to stand now and give us his view on how the Uniform Presentation Framework works, and describe why things like the GSP and the SFD are important for the people of the Northern Territory. I invite him. I can tell you he will not climb to his feet. He will sit there and throw little interjections across the room as he insists on doing. Unfortunately, the member for Johnston would not be capable of reading this document, of that I am certain.
I would love the member for Johnston to give me an erudite dissertation as to how this document works and, moreover, demonstrate how wrong I am. To that end, I invite the member for Johnston to commence his erudite dissertation and demonstrate his understanding of the way the uniform presentation system works in the Northern Territory as well as in the rest of the country.
Mr TOLLNER (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I admit I was waiting for the member for Johnston to prove the Leader of Government Business wrong and put the facts on the table, such is his wont. The Leader of Government Business did a fantastic job of completely demolishing any argument of $832m of asset sales.
This was first promulgated by the Opposition Leader this morning, who, we must not forget, is the former Treasurer of the Northern Territory. The member for Karama had five years, in fact, as the Treasurer for the Northern Territory. What she showed this morning was that when it comes to the mid-year report, she can get to page one, but she cannot seem to get any further. When you look at page one, as the member for Port Darwin pointed out, there is this thing there between 2013-14 and 2014-15, the ‘nett debt of the non-financial public sector’, and there is $832m. What is that? You would think the former Treasurer, having spent five years in the job, would have said ‘What is that? Let us look through this document and work out what that is.’ She may recognise her prison.
No, for some reason she cannot get past page one of the mid-year report. She automatically assumes, ‘The government is being very sneaky here, they are obviously going to privatise Power and Water’. This is absolutely nuts! The same comments were made last week when the Auditor-General, in his report, showed there was an accounting profit of $41m by the Power and Water Corporation: an accounting profit.
One would think that a person who did five years as Treasurer of the Northern Territory would have an understanding of the difference between accounting profit and economic profit. In layman’s terms, I will outline the difference. If I was to go to the casino and spent $10 on a Keno ticket, as the game progresses – bing! – I find I have won $4. I run around the casino saying I have won $4. That is an accounting profit. If, however, I take into account the $10 I spent buying that ticket, I would quickly realise I have lost $6. Minus $6 is the economic profit of that transaction.
The Opposition Leader crows about these unholy profits that are being generated by the Power and Water Corporation just when the government is in the business of splitting it up, sacking all the employees and privatising it for the benefit of their rich mates in business. How far can you draw the bow? It is becoming ridiculous. What makes it most ridiculous – I will say it again – is this lady, the Opposition Leader, was the Northern Territory Treasurer for five years. You really have to question how the books were done for five years. Who was running the show?
Then look at the circumstances we find ourselves in after 11 years of Labor and five years of that person being the Treasurer of the Northern Territory. It is pretty quick and easy to understand how we, as a government and a jurisdiction, have found ourselves in such a fiscal and financial mess, with a potential $5.5bn debt they left us.
As the Leader of Government Business said, the mid-year report shows we are cutting down on that debt by $500m already. This is an achievement in itself. It is a mammoth achievement, and I pay tribute to my ministerial colleagues for going the distance, because it is not easy making tough decisions. We have to cut our spending, rein in Labor’s debt and rein in the budget deficit. To do anything else is utterly irresponsible and would make us no better than the former Labor government that presided over this shocking and ridiculous situation.
The member for Port Darwin has done a fabulous job of destroying the credibility of the Opposition Leader – well, he has not destroyed her credibility, she has managed to do that herself – highlighting how she has things so wrong.
It is shameful to hear the member for Barkly, the shadow Treasurer, speak on this topic. In fact, when I tabled this statement, the member for Barkly immediately started talking about the Treasurer’s Annual Financial Report. He did not know the topic he was talking on or the document he was referring to. It is rather embarrassing. The message for the shadow Treasurer is: mate, do not take your lead from the Opposition Leader. Do not take anything the Opposition Leader says, as it will be far from the truth.
For the benefit of members I will again show this chart put together so well …
Ms Fyles: That your mate just gave you.
Mr TOLLNER: That is right. … by the Minister for Infrastructure of the Labor Party building things. As the Minister for Infrastructure said, in this case it was pyramids. Look at that. You can see clearly how the Territory was tracking along with its nett debt, then five years ago – bingo! That is where the Opposition Leader became Treasurer and look at what happened. It is rather graphic in its illustration and shows how pathetic the opposition was when it came to fiscal restraint. She had no ability to control spending. Spending went crazy. We are now left in a ridiculous situation in the Northern Territory. We are by far, on a per capita basis, in the worst financial state of any jurisdiction in the country.
You have to realise you are up against people like Wayne Swan, who predicted last financial year they would have a small budget surplus of $1bn. By the time his budget came around it had blown out to a deficit of $20bn, and we now know they ran a budget deficit of $50bn. Big numbers! However, they pale into insignificance on a per-capita basis when you look at the Northern Territory.
It is wrong for anybody to take any notice of the Leader of Opposition when it comes to economic matters. When it comes to the mid-year report, she only got to page one. She made a wild assumption, after looking at page one, the government was up for asset sales. Who could blame us if we were? We are staring down the barrel of all that debt. The fact is, as has been well and truly explained, there are no asset sales. She was, in fact, looking at Labor’s prison. How pathetic not to recognise that. Goodness me, how pathetic.
Madam Speaker, I commend the mid-year report to the House and call on members to note the report.
Motion agreed to; report noted.
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly do now adjourn.
Mrs LAMBLEY (Araluen): Madam Speaker, I briefly raise the important issue of ovarian cancer and efforts to raise awareness to promote women’s health throughout Australia. Each year in Australia, Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month is held in February to raise awareness of ovarian cancer and recognise women, their families and friends affected by ovarian cancer.
Ovarian cancer is a disease where some of the cells in one or both ovaries start to grow abnormally and develop into cancer. There are four main types of ovarian cancer named after the type of cells in the ovary where the cancer begins to grow. Epithelial ovarian cancer begins in the epithelium, the outer cells that cover the ovary. This is the most common type of ovarian cancer, accounting for about 90% of cases.
Borderline tumours are a group of epithelial tumours which are not as aggressive as other epithelial tumours. Borderline tumours may also be called low malignant potential, or LMP, tumours. The outlook for women with borderline tumours is generally good regardless of whether the disease is diagnosed early or late.
Germ cell ovarian cancer begins in the cells that mature into eggs. These tumours account for about 5% of ovarian cancers and usually affect women under the age of 30 years.
Sex cord stromal cell ovarian cancer begins in ovary cells that release female hormones. These tumours account for about 5% of ovarian cancers and can affect women of any age. Both germ cell and sex cord stromal cell ovarian cancers respond well to treatment and are often curable. If either of these cancers affect only one ovary, it may be possible for younger women to have children after treatment.
One in 77 women will develop ovarian cancer in their lifetime. Each year, more than 1200 Australian women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer and around 800 will die from the disease. An average of three Australian women are diagnosed every day. Unfortunately, when most women are diagnosed, their cancer will be at an advanced stage where the cancer has spread and is very difficult to treat successfully. More than half these women will not live for five years after their diagnosis.
However, if ovarian cancer is found in the early stages, up to 95% of women will be alive and well after five years. More women need to be diagnosed at an early stage when ovarian cancer is treatable. There is currently no reliable early detection test or screening program for ovarian cancer. Every woman needs to know the symptoms of ovarian cancer, which can include increased abdominal size or persistent bloating, unexplained abdominal or pelvic pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, needing to urinate often or urgently, or a change of bowel habits.
Every woman needs to be aware of the risk factors. There are a number of factors that can increase a women’s risk of developing ovarian cancer. Age is the main risk factor for ovarian cancer. The risk increases with age, and women aged over 50 are more likely to develop ovarian cancer. However, ovarian cancer can affect women of all ages. Family history and genetics are probably responsible for 10% of ovarian cancers. If you have two or more relatives from the same side of the family who have had ovarian, breast, colon or endometrial cancer, your risk of ovarian cancer may be increased.
Other factors which may increase the risk of ovarian cancer include never being pregnant, having a small number of pregnancies, or never having taken the contraceptive pill – this may be because pregnancy and the pill give the ovaries a rest from ovulation – infertility or a history of using fertility treatments, using oestrogen-only hormone replacement therapy or HRT for 10 years or more, smoking cigarettes, eating a high fat diet or being overweight or obese. On the other hand, having several children, breastfeeding, and using the contraceptive pill may reduce the risk.
This morning I hosted a morning tea – or a ‘morning teal’ as the ovarian cancer fraternity refer to it, in keeping with their chosen colour, teal – to raise awareness of ovarian cancer in my suite upstairs with special guest Alison Amos, CEO of Ovarian Cancer Australia and our local NT Ovarian Cancer Ambassador, Alice Burton. It was well-attended and provided a great opportunity to promote the issue and raise awareness and profile of ovarian cancer. I thank those who participated and those who donated. I especially thank Belinda Shannen from my office for coordinating and organising what was a very successful event.
Madam Speaker, I look forward to working with Ovarian Cancer Australia and other stakeholders, as we seek to limit the impact this cancer has on the lives of Territory women.
Mr VATSKALIS (Casuarina): Madam Speaker, I wish to speak about job cutting at Darwin Port Corporation. We all remember the election when the CLP said repeatedly that public servants’ jobs were safe. Here we are again and seven jobs have been cut at the port of Darwin. Some mechanics and electricians were told there was a review of their jobs. Six days later, they were informed the decision was made. There was no genuine attempt to consult, which was extremely stressful to the employees and their families. Some of the employees who are losing their jobs have 30-plus years’ experience. They are hard-working Territorians, people with decades of experience and commitment to making the port of Darwin one of the best in the country.
The reason for cutting those jobs was unjustified. The Darwin Port Corporation, to date, has refused to provide relevant information to support its decision to cut these jobs. The union met again with the Darwin Port Corporation last week and management is continuing to refuse to provide relevant information. The union continues to press for information from the employer that indicates there is no longer work for these members. The Darwin Port Corporation has not ruled out using contractors, so unanswered questions remain on this matter.
Following the mechanical failure of the East Arm Wharf container crane on 14 October 2013, the corporation decided to decommission the crane. The Darwin Port Corporation determined the repair work on the damage sustained could not guarantee longevity in the crane’s capability. The decommissioning of the container crane has been the main reason given for the loss of jobs at the port. The Chief Minister said earlier today in this parliament that the crane decommissioning was why the roles are no longer required. He said:
However, statistics from the union indicate the container crane was only around 9% of total work, with much other work also involving the bulk and ship loading facility. By any measure, that does not justify cutting jobs at the port. Given that the crane maintenance work was only a small portion of their daily work, why would any government want to lose decades of experience and knowledge with a view to re-employing people 18 months later? The only reason would be plans to contract out mains work at the Port of Darwin.
This is disturbing because we are talking about people with 30 years of experience. The moment these people resign and leave their jobs, they are not going to come back in 18 months’ time. Some of them will probably retire. Others might go to a different place or even different states. They used an excuse about the crane being decommissioned because it sustained damage, which may be true. Then they said if we get a new one in 18 months, we will have new people. I also understand some of these people asked to be moved to other places in the Darwin Port Corporation or other areas in the public service, and that was not accepted.
I call on the minister to have a serious look at the Darwin Port Corporation and why he really wants to lose these people. They are long-term Territorians with long-term knowledge of port operations. They have done other jobs in the port, not only repairing the crane, but repairing the boat handling facility. There may be a day we will need somebody. Bearing in mind what is happening with the mining and gas industries now, it might be difficult to find anyone to work at the port.
Madam Speaker, once again, I call on the minister to have a serious look and talk to port of Darwin management to see how he can accommodate these people so we do not lose valuable experience.
Ms ANDERSON (Namatjira): Madam Speaker, I adjourn on the late Harold Tom Matasia.
Harold Matasia’s funeral was held two weeks ago in the Finke Aputula community. I knew Mr Matasia well through my many visits to Finke, and he will be missed. I pass my sincere condolences to his family and the community of Finke. I also take a moment to tell you a bit about Harold’s life.
His life is instructive because he was a Torres Strait Islander who travelled across the country for work. There is a myth perpetuated by some people in our society that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will not travel for a job. This is not true. Harold’s life is a fine example of that.
Harold was born on Badu Island in the Torres Strait in 1942. He lived there through his early life when, as a teenager in 1959, he came to Australia and worked in Mackay cutting sugar cane. Later, he got a job with the railways which took him as far as Adelaide. He then worked in Whyalla at BHP Steelworks, working on ships that docked to pick up the steel that was produced there. After that, he went to Port Augusta and asked if there were any jobs on the railway. He got a job working at Duffield Railway Siding south of Finke. Later, he was transferred to Finke.
While working there, he met Agnes Dempsey who later became his wife. Harold left the railways and married Agnes and in 1968 their first daughter, Sandra, was born. Years later, on 11 January 1971, came their second daughter, Linda. Four years later, on 4 April 1975, came the third daughter, Rosemary. Much later, Harold and Agnes were given a child, Matthew Smith, who they raised as their own.
Throughout his long life, Harold worked in many different communities, including Ernabella in South Australia, always coming back to Finke, which he regarded as his home.
Harold only visited his home Badu Island once. He was working on the railways before coming to Duffield or Finke. He went home to visit his mother. Later, his brother, who moved here from working in Darwin when Cyclone Tracy hit, went back to Townsville and Cairns to visit, and found out that their mother had passed away. His brother did not tell him until he asked many months later.
Harold worked for Aputula Housing Association for many years. Throughout those years, he was the chairman at least three or four times.
Tragedy struck the family in 2001 when the eldest daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer which finally took her life in 2002. It was heartbreaking for Harold and his family. However, other than that sad time, Harold had a long and happy life among his family and many friends and will be sadly missed. He was a fantastic man.
As I said, there is this myth that people perpetuate that Aboriginal people cannot move around the country to get jobs. This is a really fine example of a man who come from the Torres Strait and moved around to find himself employment and eventually found himself a wife and adopted another language. It was amazing to see this Torres Strait Islander then become a Pitjantjatjara/Luritja speaker as well.
Ms FYLES (Nightcliff): Madam Speaker, I will talk about the Nightcliff island proposal. It is clear there is much angst in the community about the proposed development of Nightcliff island. There is a lot about the project which is unknown, but we do know the Northern Territory government has issued a lease of over 98 ha in Darwin Harbour off the coast near Coconut Grove/Nightcliff, for the purpose of feasibility drilling for a residential island. This is immediately offshore to my electorate and has raised great concern within our community.
When I questioned the Minister for Lands, Planning and the Environment this morning, he tried to pretend the island has nothing to do with him. I quote from Hansard earlier today:
He then went on to say:
The Chief Minister, Adam Giles, has been similarly positive about the proposal. On 4 February this year on ABC radio he described it, ‘If you are thinking about the concept, this is a visionary concept’.
Last night we held a community meeting at the Nightcliff Sports Club. I invited the Minister for Lands, Planning and the Environment to attend to explain to residents what is happening, but all I received from his office was a generic e-mail saying he was unable to attend. I also invited the Planning Commission’s Gary Nairn, but never heard back in relation to my invitation.
The developers have also advised they will not be consulting publicly until they perform feasibility testing. There has been no consultation on the issuing of a Crown lease allowing feasibility testing without an environmental assessment.
In addition to granting the lease, the minister for Lands and Planning granted the proposal significant development status and referred it to the CLP-created Planning Commission. While the Planning Commission now has a role, there has still been no consultation.
Residents are concerned the government has kept them in the dark and, to date, has not provided our community with any information on the proposed project and what it entails. The project has the potential to have a massive impact on the Nightcliff community and the people who live there. The government has not released any information on the geotechnical investigation works that will be taking place.
In answer to my question this morning, the Minister for Lands, Planning and the Environment said he welcomed the vision. Minister, vision and consultation are not mutually exclusive.
There has been no consultation whatsoever on the island proposal, and as local member I have been receiving a lot of feedback from residents. I invited residents to join me at a meeting about the proposal last night and we discussed what little we have been told. The planning process involved and some of the community’s concerns were discussed.
Territorians who participated in the meeting last night unanimously oppose building an island in Darwin Harbour. At the meeting, people asked questions about the proposal which remain unanswered today.
What natural disaster preparations will be made? Recent high winds and tides along the Nightcliff foreshore have played havoc with the bicycle path, so what protections would need to be in place in the harbour for an island development during a cyclone? Additionally, and probably most concerning, 3000 residents would be on this island which would put pressure on existing roads, water and sewerage infrastructure. Responsibility for maintaining and upgrading those assets rests with the Territory government, so what scoping work is being done on the financial implications for those works? These are the questions our community has.
The minister is trying to pretend the island has nothing to do with him, but he was responsible for the Crown lease. He calls it ‘a little drilling on some mudflats’, but those mudflats and mangroves are currently zoned as open space. Locals are concerned that if they continue to walk over that, are they trespassing? These are the questions people raised with us last night.
There was a lot of concern about the primary and secondary storm surge zones in the Nightcliff and Coconut Grove area. If an island was built, what impact would this have on people’s insurance premiums because there may be a change in the primary zone?
The Planning Commission quietly, over the Christmas period, released its Towards a Darwin Regional Land Use Plan 2014. Nowhere in the plan is there any indication of an island in Darwin Harbour. I find it amazing that report could be issued with no mention of the island. This is the biggest concern people have and there has been no mention of it. We have quite serious feasibility testing taking place, a lease has been issued for five years, yet there is no link to the proposal in this plan.
I quote from the NT News report of 27 January:
Consultation should be much more than an advertisement in the paper. Consultation to date has been non-existent, and that is not right. Our local community should be treated respectfully and have its views heard. Will there be any meaningful consultation with the community about what is being proposed? Consultation should have started on whether we want an island off our coast or not. I do not think we should allow a lease or exploration if people are genuinely not interested in the proposal.
The government previously confirmed the feasibility tests in Darwin Harbour were not subject to any environmental impact analysis since the Environmental Protection Authority had determined they did not require any environmental impact analysis from its point of view. We have seen offshore drilling without any environmental consideration. Our community has the right to know why the government has proceeded with these approvals without explaining the project or its potential impact on our harbour.
A number of people have been concerned. My office has been inundated with messages, and at the markets people are really concerned they have been left in the dark. Last night, a young primary school student who lives in Coconut Grove letterboxed her neighbours. For Hansard, I will read what she letterboxed.
She asked people in her street whether they agreed with the project or not and asked for them to return it to her house:
This is from what a primary school student letterboxed. She can consult, yet we cannot see anything from the government and the minister. This is what has been most concerning to our residents.
We wanted to have a discussion about whether we want an island in our harbour, and where we want it in our harbour if we do, not to have feasibility testing. It feels as though it is going backwards. I am sure there would be an international outcry if a government granted a lease to explore the feasibility of an island in Sydney Harbour, yet it is somehow completely acceptable to allow this to happen in Darwin Harbour without any consultation.
I quote the minister, again from this morning:
This is a public, open space. This is our harbour, not an inner city block of land which might have a house on it where we are looking to develop units. This is public open space and people have been astounded that a lease could even be issued over water.
You claim it as an idea, but you do not understand the magnitude of what is being allowed to be explored without consulting our community. Overwhelmingly, people are telling me they do not want an island. I would have thought this would have been the best point to start the conversations.
Residents have the right to discuss whether they want an island or not, before we look at whether it is possible. You have not provided me with any information around my questions on whether environmental or social impact analyses took place before the lease was granted. Residents of the Nightcliff area feel their community cannot cope with 3000 additional people. I am not an environmental expert, but there are so many environment impacts that I cannot list them here.
People are concerned about the lack of information about the proposal, and disappointed the government is not being up front. Minister and Chief Minister, over the past few weeks our community has made it clear and they reinforced it last night at the community meeting. Territorians, families and our children in the area are worried about what the government is potentially allowing to happen.
Madam Speaker, the overwhelming desire from the meeting last night, and from our community in general, is we do not want an island development built off the Nightcliff and Coconut Grove shore.
Ms WALKER (Nhulunbuy): Madam Speaker, this evening I talk about the Get Your Jugs Out afternoon tea, which was held in Nhulunbuy last Saturday, 15 February, from 3 pm to 5 pm at our local town hall. It was an event born out of a conversation I had with a dear friend of mine, Wendy Troe. We have known each other a long time and we were having – no doubt many people around Nhulunbuy have been – a conversation about the situation we find ourselves in with the curtailment of the refinery. Around Christmas, people were starting to feel pretty down in planning their future.
Wendy and I came up with the idea, having read a profile piece in a national newspaper about the CEO of Rio Tinto, Mr Sam Walsh – an Aussie from WA who now lives in London as helm of the company. In the article was not only the story about how he was delivering great profits for Rio Tinto and a good return to shareholders – and those profits are coming at the expense of the curtailment of the Gove refinery – it also featured him on a very human level, talking about his avid collection of milk jugs. He has 350 or so milk jugs.
As we talked about the things which had appeared in this article, we decided we would have an afternoon tea, a get-together for our community, and would invite people who came to the afternoon tea to bring their milk jugs with them. We would line these milk jugs up and have a display and a subtle dig at Mr Walsh. It was in a community spirit, nothing nasty, but somewhere for us to have a focus.
Attached to every milk jug were little red tags we encouraged people to fill. We tied them to the jugs and it became a very personal thing. We then had a judging of the milk jugs. There were prizes for the prettiest, plainest and quirkiest. They were judged by the Leader of the Opposition. It was a quirky event that brought people together. It was a little teary for some people but, importantly, people came together, had a cup of tea and a beautiful spread on a long table with all these plates of delicious things to eat.
The decoration of the hall was themed in pink and we raised around $1300 for the Jane McGrath Foundation for breast care nurses, and we raised people’s spirits. That was probably one of the most important things we wanted to do with the Get Your Jugs Out event.
I need to thank a number of people who contributed to this event. While Wendy Troe and I were the organisers of it, once we launched this event and let people know it was happening, we had a number of people contact us to say they could help. We welcomed that help that came from people like Bec Muirhead. Thank you very much, Bec, for helping us get the hall together. Bernice Cox was very quick to offer her support. Thank you to Bernice and her husband, Peter, who came to the hall to assist us setting things up. I also thank Heather McGee, who came along to help run the event on the day and sat at the table at the entrance taking people’s tickets and selling raffle tickets. I thank and acknowledge Estelle Carter. John and Estelle run Gove Peninsula Bakery. When I approached Estelle to make some neat little cupcakes for us, she said she would like to donate them, so we had 100 little cupcakes. Jill Stephens is a long-term local lady who will be leaving town, I believe. Jill works as an agent for Nutrimetics, and she was very quick to offer some prizes to be raffled off.
I thank Nhulunbuy Corporation, which provided the hall to us and waived the hiring fees. I thank Sodexo which assisted us with cups and saucers. We did not want to have foam cups on the day; we wanted it to be a proper afternoon tea with china tea cups and saucers. We also gathered cups and saucers from the Four C’s Red Room, a fantastic little community centre.
Blue Douglas, God bless him, has lived in Nhulunbuy forever. We asked Blue to help us with the sound system at the hall. All we really needed was sound and a microphone, but Blue went above and beyond, as he always does. He ended up being our auctioneer for a beautiful print that had been donated. He ended up purchasing that print with the highest bid, with the money going to the Jane McGrath Foundation. He stayed behind at the end, helped clean up and was on the end of a broom. Thank you so much, Blue.
I thank my colleagues, the members for Karama and Nightcliff, who came over for the afternoon, along with a few other people. It was great to have them there. The Leader of the Opposition brought a couple of beautiful cakes to share and the member for Nightcliff brought a beautiful cushion from Raw Cloth which she donated. She then shared with me the conversation she had at Raw Cloth when she explained what she was purchasing the cushion for. The family who run Raw Cloth said, ‘Let us donate a cushion as well’. There was a pair of cushions that were very hotly contested as a prize. There were a number of people who liked the cushions better than the beautiful tea set I had donated.
I thank the ABC for its interest in sending out a journalist and a cameraman. One of the things people in Nhulunbuy are finding is we are geographically isolated. We feel cut off from the rest of the Territory. People do not want our story or our plight to be forgotten, and the best way we can do that is to continue to attract media attention. We welcomed the ABC being there. With our Get Your Jugs Out concept, we were trying to think of something quirky that would attract some media interest. We got that so we were pretty happy.
When the afternoon tea was done and dusted, as is the deal with the town hall in Nhulunbuy, ‘You hire it, you clean it’. We were given it with the normal charges waived, so I say a huge thank you to people we did not ask but just offered to help at the end: Cheryl O’Dwyer; Susan Stiff and her daughter, Teagan; Sue Devon and her daughter, Hannah; Jo Carroll; along with Wendy, Bernice, Heather and me. I hope I have not left anyone off that list. All of the washing up of cups, saucers and side plates, then cleaning the hall, was done by that group of people. My thanks go to all of them. A total of $1300 was raised, and people’s spirits were raised as well.
I will put some of the messages on the record. I have had my electorate officer collate all of the messages that were attached to the red tags. I will be packaging up those tags when I am back in Nhulunbuy at the end of the week, and we will be sending them to Mr Walsh so he gets an insight as to how this is impacting on people’s lives.
Here are just a few of them:
Mr Walsh, where is our two-year ramp-down process? Where is your compassion? Even the Chief Minister rated a mention in one of the comments, which I am keeping anonymous:
There is nothing offensive in those comments. There was nothing offensive in the afternoon tea we ran. It was an opportunity for the community to get together; it was predominantly women, but some gentlemen were there. We look forward to organising more community events that bring people together, cheer people up a bit and let one another know those support mechanisms are there for them.
Mr STYLES (Sanderson): Madam Speaker, I speak about the recently concluded Chinese New Year celebrations. The Chinese New Year was celebrated by the Chung Wah Society in particular, a group I wish to speak about regarding its contribution to our community and its commitment to keeping the culture and traditions of the Chinese New Year alive.
Chinese New Year 2014 commenced on 31 January, and it is the Year of the Horse. In my Chinese lessons, I was told one has to be very careful about Chinese when you are talking to your mother in the Year of the Horse, because if you do not get the pronunciation right, you can end up calling your mother a horse. That is not a good thing for an Australian or any Chinese descendants.
The celebration started at the temple in Wood Street at the Chung Wah Society with the beating of drums, the clanging of bells, fire crackers and people getting together at midnight and lighting joss sticks. If those listening and those who read this have not been to the temple, I encourage you to have a look. It is a really beautiful place. It is extremely well kept by the Chung Wah Society and its many members. Also there is a museum of Chinese history and Chinese culture in the Darwin region and across the Territory in the goldmine days.
It was the 1870s when many Chinese people emigrated to the Northern Territory to chase gold and work in the gold mines. In fact, I was told recently that in the 1890s Chinese people outnumbered Europeans in Darwin by a factor of six to one. It was a Chinese outpost in the late 1880s.
The Chung Wah Society commenced in 1949. The basis of why they wanted to get the society going was to build good relationships with the community and to promote their culture. If one looks where we are today, many years later, they have achieved just that. We had our Chinese Lord Mayor in Alex Fong Lim and, currently, Alex’s daughter, Katrina, is Lord Mayor of our city.
I was blessed by the lion dancers. The troupe has a group of lions provided by the hard work of the Chung Wah Society and a contribution from the Chinese government.
Sadly, a few years ago there was a fire at the temple and they lost all their dragons and lions. The Chinese government, along with the Chung Wah Society, provided new lions and they are spectacular. There is a little technology involved in that they light up like Christmas trees. They are a great hit with the young people, especially young children.
The Chung Wah Society and the lion dancers have a tradition of blessing homes and shops. I was fortunate to have my electorate office blessed, along with other shops in the Northlakes Shopping Centre on 8 February. They bless your shop, chew up the lettuce and, as tradition goes, when you make a donation to the lions, good fortune will come back 10 times over. Of course, most people give a generous donation. Those donations are used to maintain the temple and facilities of the Chung Wah Society so they can continue to teach the young people their culture and traditions.
The troupe was in Alice Springs on 1 and 2 February. I was fortunate to be in Alice Springs where I saw them performing. It was a little warm for the lions, but they got through. The young people who operated the lions and dragons did a fantastic job.
It behoves me to place on the Parliamentary Record that these young people train so hard and so often to get it right. When you see some of the feats they perform inside these suits – the acrobatics, the aerobatics, they are on benches and tables performing all types of tricks. It takes a lot of dedication and work.
First, I acknowledge the adult members of the troupe: Warren Wong; Nathan Tam; Elizabeth Law; Wayne Lo; Clifford Young; Brendon Santos; Bradley Yuen; Jonathon Quan; Shaun Pearson; Ansari Fong; Stephen Pearson; Courtney Chin; and Rochelle Chin.
There are many students and the youngest member of this troupe is three years of age. The troupe split into three different groups, with a couple of lions in each group. One came to my office. I was very fortunate, I had the youngest member who is three and right into it.
It was fortunate Lord Mayor Katrina Fong Lim was with that group, working hard all day making sure the troupe made it to where it was supposed to be on time.
The students and young people in this troupe are: Joseph Tjung; Matthew Chin; Aaron Chin; Phoebe Whelan; Patrick Chin; Brayden Chin; Ashlee Chin; Madeleine Chin; Kristina Lee; Lucy Chin; Georgia Chin; Mikayla Chin; Aidan Fong; Nathan Lee; Marcus Lee; Karina Lee; Jaxon Small; and Lukas Small. Lukas is the three-year-old who came up to about my knee, who was banging and clanging on drums and having a great time. There were also Madison Lei, Sophie Lei, Haylei Whitehead, Adam O’Dowd, Jack Thomas, William Thomas, Joshua Yin Foo, Alyssa Yin Foo, Jessica Lai, Sarah Lai, Brycen Parry, Karissa Parry, Daniel Chin, Jyden Ah Toy Chin, Hannah Lo, Kylie Lo, Lachlan Lo, Noah Lo, Jake Fletcher, Sydnee Fletcher, Nathan Fletcher, Brandon Ting, Eric Kitazato-Mu, Nicholas Lee, Cameron Pevely and Aidan Pevely. They did a fabulous job.
We had the whole troupe at Parliament House on Monday last week and they did a fabulous job. Those in the House who were present for that would have seen a huge number of people celebrating Chinese New Year. The Chinese dancers, along with the dragons and lions, did a superb job.
New Year is a 15-day celebration. The Chinese certainly know how to party. It is spring time in China when they celebrate the new beginnings, fertility and all the celebration that goes with growth, food production and everything good in their society.
That culminated in the Chung Wah Society Ball, which this year was held on the lawns of the casino. It was a fantastic event and the room was full. It is an event that is, sadly, sold out four or five months before it occurs, it is so popular. I encourage anyone listening, anyone in the House or anyone who reads this adjournment debate speech to attend one to see what adds to the rich culture of the Northern Territory and, in particular, Darwin.
We are blessed to have people who keep their culture alive. This is one, but there are many cultures alive and well in Darwin.
To the organisers of the Chung Wah Society Ball and the committee of the Chung Wah Society, thank you very much because you add to the richness of this city. I have said before and will say again that people ask me why I live in Darwin, especially when they come from down south. I simply say to them, ‘Come with me for a weekend and look at what Darwin has to offer’. When they do they are stunned and amazed.
At my table at the ball were a number of people who had recently arrived in Darwin, newcomers. They hold significant positions in our city now and they were amazed. They had never seen anything quite like what we have in Darwin.
To Austin Chin, President; Daryl Chin, Vice President; Tiffany Chin Rinaldi, General Secretary; and of course, Roland Chin, the Treasurer, and all your committee members, Andrew Chin, David Quan, Dennis Low, Desmond Yuen, Jade Schembri, Jonathan Quan, Mervyn Chin, Natasha Yuen, Nathan Tam, Quen Foo, Randall Chin, Roger Lowe, Shaun Pearson and Stephen Pearson, to your Temple Officer, Mervyn Chin, Temple caretaker, Paul Ho and a few others who are part of that, thank you for your contribution to our community.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I will follow up on a couple of issues raised today. One was a question I asked of the Minister for Employment and Training in relation to reports in The Guardian newspaper last week. My concern was the minister did not seem to know about it. My other concern is whether he will do something about it. I will read from an ABC report on Friday which said:
The statement went on to say:
I am a bit concerned the minister said he has not seen the letter. That is fair enough, it may have only gone to certain people. However, as Senator Scullion knew something about it and is in the same party as the minister, I thought word had got back there are some concerns.
I will read something from the letter. As I said before, it is anonymous, but it starts off:
I could go on, but I will not read the whole letter. This information has been sent to a few members of the community and members of parliament by whoever wrote this. It will be interesting to see if any one of them pays any attention.
I am not making any accusations against Macmahon but it has been raised in The Guardian and by Senator Nigel Scullion. I am asking our Minister for Employment and Training to please check whether this is being investigated. It would be fairly worrying if a company has been training people, but not actually training people, and issuing certificates for an education they did not complete. I hope the minister can come back to parliament with some indication of what he is doing about that matter.
The Minister for Land Resource Management made a statement today about water catchments and water advisory committees, for which I thank him. He made a remark that I should be the one who keeps pushing for these water advisory committees. I thought I would give the minister a bit of a reminder.
On 27 March 2013, nearly a year ago, I said as part of a question that the Howard East Water Advisory Committee has not met in nearly a year, and I do not know how long it has been since the other advisory committees have sat. I asked the minister if the government had scrapped water advisory committees.
It is funny that it is the same question nearly two years down the track. Is it a case that I have not been pushing, or is it a case the department did not want this advisory committee to get off the ground again? We have gone down the path, as all the advisory committees have been mothballed when there have been fairly important issues being discussed. There is none more important than Mataranka water allocations and whether there should be Indigenous water allocation. There are some major issues in Howard Springs with one oil and gas company looking for rights to explore the Howard East aquifer. These are issues you would expect the Howard East Water Advisory Committee to be looking at. Unfortunately, no committee has been there for over two years to look at these issues.
All I have heard from the minister is that I should have been pushing for it. Minister, the proof is in the pudding; we did push for it 12 months ago and nothing happened. I am again asking in parliament why it is not happening. That is my job, to push it.
I hope now it has been pushed twice in two years it can get a bit of a move on and get back to what it used to be. Otherwise, we will get a feeling that the government does not want it to operate because it is an independent body. It is run by the department and has a Chair, and they are the ones who organise the meetings. We have not had a Chair so it is very hard for even that to happen until the Chair is appointed.
There is a little complaint I have which I complained to the previous government about. For many years – not every year – when the Board of Studies Awards were held in parliament, I was of the belief members of parliament were invited. I have always enjoyed going to those Board of Studies Awards because often they include students from the rural area. It was good to go along and see them get awards and support them. I was in parliament the other day and asked someone what all the chairs were being put out for in the afternoon. They said they were for the Board of Studies Awards.
Why does it appear that politics comes into that? They are the Board of Studies Awards. It would be nice to ask all members of parliament if they would like to come. I normally checked up and made sure there were students from my area, the rural area especially, because I liked to go along and meet their families and congratulate them as well.
I was a little disappointed to hear there was an awards ceremony here the other night, and I did not get a look in. I hope it is not a political reason, but just an oversight.
Last, I have listened to the member for Nhulunbuy and her concerns about her town. I congratulate her on all the hard work she has done. I have said before – and I did get a nod from someone on the other side, believe it or not – how would people feel if their town population was decimated by over 50%? Of course, one is going to feel passionate and that things are not good in that town. When you listen to the member of Nhulunbuy speak from the heart, you realise she lives in a town which is suffering.
I am not sure, as a member of parliament, I fully understand the pain people are going through. I am not sure how much more a single person can do. I will try to get to Nhulunbuy in the next few weeks to get a feel for what is going on. I get around the Territory to look at other things, and this is as important as the other things I look at. This is the demise of a major community in the Northern Territory. I will let the member for Nhulunbuy know and she might be able to put me in touch with a few people. I might do my walk around town asking people how they feel and what they see as the future.
I am not trying to be a know-all here, but it was mentioned about the possibility of workers at Gove being a part of the INPEX project and whether they can fly in and fly out. In other words, they can still live in the town. They can still keep that community alive, maybe not as it was before, but it will allow children to still go to school, their mums to stay there and people to stay in the Northern Territory.
I have not heard a thing since then. It was raised with Sean Kildare. I am not blaming him, it is not his issue. I thought the government could ask whether there is an opportunity there for a number of workers. We are getting 3500 people in the INPEX village. Wouldn’t it be great if, theoretically at least, 1000 of those people came from Nhulunbuy – if they had the skills? That would be something good, but I do not hear anything more than ‘We are looking at this and looking at that’.
Many of those things are not going to happen overnight. Tourism, for all your talk, will not change the world overnight. The fishing industry is great, but it will not change overnight. Those things take time to develop. If you are looking at tourism from a point of view of hotels and more tourism infrastructure, there are many other issues. It is a mining lease which is on Aboriginal land. There is a range of other issues that need to be worked through. It would have been nice to get some feedback on the option of INPEX for the workers.
I say to the member for Nhulunbuy that I will try to arrange a time to get out there. I would like to see how people feel. We should be in solidarity with the people in Nhulunbuy.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
REORDER OF BUSINESS
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move that on Wednesday, 19 February 2014, the Assembly meets at 2 pm and the routine of business be as follows:
1. Questions
2. Notices
3. Petitions
4. Government Business, Notices and Orders of the Day
5. Ministerial Statements
6. Papers
7. General Business, Notices and Orders of the Day from 5.30 pm to 9 pm.
Motion agreed to.
CRIMINAL CODE AMENDMENT (EXPERT PSYCHIATRIC OR MEDICAL EVIDENCE) BILL
(Serial 49)
(Serial 49)
Continued from 15 October 2013.
Mr GUNNER (Fannie Bay): Madam Speaker, the opposition supports the bill – which I am sure the member for Port Darwin was expecting – as this bill implements a recommendation made by the Law Reform Committee in a report prepared under the previous government. The report was completed in June 2012, and is another example of the good work that happens from term to term and government to government, no matter what political stripe they are. This work was done prior to June 2012 and the report was completed in June 2012. It is good to see the Attorney-General bring this bill to the House.
The bill relates to matters where an accused person bases their criminal defence on a medical condition or a particular state of mind. The bill empowers a court to require the accused to submit to a psychiatric or other medical examination in such a situation.
It makes sense that someone basing their defence on a psychiatric condition is required to have the condition tested. The defence or prosecution can make an application to the court for the test to be required, and the test must be performed by a suitable expert. It is also the case that a court can order a test on its own volition. The Law Reform Committee noted that, currently, the prosecution is not able to have the defendant examined by an expert witness, call the witness to provide evidence, or call the witness to provide expert opinion. This bill now provides for that to occur.
When a defence is based on a psychiatric or medical condition, we need to ensure that legal and legislative processes are as thorough as possible. Our legal processes need to accommodate situations where a person has committed an offence as a result of a psychiatric or medical condition. It is extremely important that a court can be sure that individuals are aware and responsible for their actions.
However, it is just as important that this defence is not abused, and it must be rigorously tested. This bill provides for that. It provides for the test to be undertaken and for the results of the test to be subject to scrutiny. It is important to point out that the bill accommodates a scenario where the accused refuses to be subjected to a test. A refusal is not grounds for an accusation of guilt. However, the prosecutor can comment on the refusal and cross-examine any witness and the accused on the refusal.
I commend the processes undertaken here. Referring these sorts of matters to the Law Reform Commission is the right approach to take and it leads, I believe, to good legislation in this Chamber. It can take time, but it is important these types of legislative amendments are looked at very thoroughly. The Law Reform Commission does this, and you examine precedent and other thought by good legal minds prior to having these debates. As shadow Attorney-General, I am very supportive of the use of the Law Reform Commission. We have legislation before the House which has come through these processes, and I look forward to debates in the future with the Attorney-General on similar issues.
A whole body of law can be achieved in this Chamber quite successfully by both sides, and we see that on occasion. There are also times when we have our arguments. Normally when we go through the Law Reform Commission process it leads to a position where both sides can be in agreement, which is why bodies such as the Law Reform Commission exist.
Madam Speaker, we support the bill.
Mr ELFERINK (Attorney-General and Justice): Madam Speaker, I acknowledge and place on the record, thanks to the opposition for its support of what is a commonsense amendment. This bill, in part, forms a component of a far wider legislative reform package which this government is pursuing. We thank the opposition very much for their support of the bill and we look forward to it passing through all stages.
Motion agreed to; bill read a second time.
Mr ELFERINK (Attorney-General and Justice) (by leave): Madam Speaker, I move the bill be now read a third time.
Motion agreed to; bill read a third time.
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT
Developing Northern Australia
Developing Northern Australia
Mr GILES (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to inform the House about an exciting new direction for the Northern Territory. It is a plan which will create jobs for all Territorians and will mean better roads and schools, and a brighter future for our children. It will make the Territory a place where people want to come to live and work. It will make us the envy of the rest of Australia. We have developed a strategy which will not only fix the $5.5bn debt mess left behind by Labor, but will generate wealth for everyone who calls the Territory home. Economic prosperity will return.
This government is building the framework to make the Territory key in the development of northern Australia. We have what everybody else wants. We have room to grow, natural resources in abundance and Australia’s closest deep water port to Asia. It is a port which does not have the development problems which accompany being inside the world heritage listed Great Barrier Reef.
We have water, a rail link to the rest of the country, and a rich and diverse culture which attracts visitors from all over the world. As you are already aware, the federal government has committed to producing a white paper on developing northern Australia by the end of 2014. The Northern Territory is now actively positioning itself to take full advantage of what that commitment is. The white paper will define policies for developing northern Australia by 2030, including an outline for the implementation of these policies over the next two, five, 10 and 20-year periods.
This government will ensure the Northern Territory leads the national agenda for the development of northern Australia, and that policies and plans are in line with the Northern Territory’s priorities.
In September 2013, I created the ministerial portfolio for Northern Australia Development, and we are the only state or territory to do so. This, in itself, is a strong demonstration of my government’s commitment to and focus on to this process. Today, I have the pleasure of informing the House I am also establishing an office of northern Australia development. The new office will develop and lead the implementation of emerging northern Australia policies, which will drive the development of the Northern Territory. The office will promote the Northern Territory as Australia’s northern gateway of choice, ideally positioned and resourced to share in the wealth creation which will define the Asian century.
This office is being established by Mr Peter Carew, whose background makes him eminently suitable for the role. In 2013, Mr Carew was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his services to business development and to the community of the Northern Territory.
Through the development of links between business, government and the educational organisations to promote overseas trade, under Mr Carew’s leadership, the office will act as a conduit between my government and the Australian government and industry groups. It will also showcase and market northern Australia to prospective investors and become what is known as a one-stop shop for stakeholders interested in the development of northern Australia.
An important early role for the Northern Australia Development Office will be its involvement in the development of the white paper on developing northern Australia. I have accepted the Prime Minister’s invitation to join him in northern Australia’s strategic partnership with the Premiers of both Western Australia and Queensland. This partnership will provide national leadership on the development of northern Australia and ensure close productive working arrangements across governments. I have also extended an invitation to the Prime Minister for the first partnership meeting to be held in Darwin.
There are many opportunities for the Northern Territory across a range of sectors. We have to think outside the square and abandon the old regional development policies that have left northern Australia underdeveloped for over a century. The Territory government is finalising its first submission to the Joint Select Committee on Northern Australia Development. We will make it clear that the Territory is ideally positioned to benefit the nation because of our central position between the booming Asian economies and Australia’s well-developed south.
We made an early case for the need for new infrastructure and called for the Australian government to help fund extensions to the rail network and a second port at Glyde Point. We have called for funding and support for a national gas grid to connect the Territory to the rest of Australia, and are asking for tax incentives to stimulate population growth and economic development.
The reality is the Territory is 150 years behind the rest of the nation in infrastructure, and we want the federal government to play its part in fixing that shortfall. We are building more affordable houses across the Territory, and we want Canberra to commit to the Ord River Stage 3 project, as it did in Western Australia. Our submission also makes it clear that developing the north will contribute to the national economy in the long term by reducing the need for welfare as more and more Territorians get a job. It is a win for the country and for the Territory.
We have committed to working productively with a federal committee on the way forward. We will drive our case home at every opportunity, but it is early days for the committee and this is not the end of the process. Quite the contrary, it is just the beginning for what will become an extensive process of consultation.
We want Territorians to have their say on this exciting opportunity. In the coming months, we will undertake a far-reaching consultation process the length and breadth of the Territory. We want Territorians to tell us what they want from the development of northern Australia and make suggestions on the way forward. We will hold regional summits in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine and Nhulunbuy. There will be information booths at the shows and the development of a dedicated northern Australia development website is well-advanced. For those who do not own a computer, we will circulate the information in print. We are considering an essay-writing competition for our primary and secondary schools to promote pride in the Territory. We will take our case to the rest of Australia through a coordinated media campaign. This government’s senior executives have been instructed to take the debate directly to boardrooms in Australia’s capital cities.
This is not just about government; this is about the future of the whole of the Northern Territory. It is time everyone has an opportunity to play a part. It is about taking pride in the Northern Territory. I have spoken before about the possibility of making Territory Day a public holiday and if that is what people want, I am happy to work towards it. This is about building an economic future we can all be proud of. While it is important to support the federal government’s process in developing northern Australia, this government will not sit back and wait. We are already ahead of the game and proceeding with our own priorities in developing the whole of the Northern Territory. We have developed our own economic strategy that will take us down this path with or without the federal government’s support. The Asian century is upon us. We have the plan, the drive, the expertise and the opportunity to make it the Northern Territory’s century.
To reach its potential, northern Australia will need significant investment and infrastructure. It is fundamental to realising our shared vision for developing northern Australia and maximising trade opportunities with Asia’s economic powerhouses. Just last month, we celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Australasia Railway connecting Adelaide to Darwin. It was a significant milestone in the development of northern Australia, connecting the Territory’s two main cities of Darwin and Alice Springs, but it took nearly 150 years for the rail line to become a reality, with construction starting in Port Augusta in 1978. We cannot and will not wait that long again for essential infrastructure.
I commend the federal government’s commitment to a more appropriate funding model for infrastructure. The Territory has the room to grow and the capacity to accommodate much of this key infrastructure growth without the constraints of more highly-populated areas of Australia. We urgently need investment in our roads, rail, aviation, sea and airport facilities to drive that growth in northern Australia.
We are not sitting back and waiting for the federal government to come to us. This month, the Northern Territory government will begin a Territory-wide planning study to prioritise vital infrastructure development. The study will consider what infrastructure we need to create resource-based economic development in regional areas. The study should be completed by the last quarter of 2014 and ultimately lead to a 30-year Territory government regional infrastructure plan.
The Darwin Port Corporation has created a new port development strategy that provides the foundation for the port’s growth and development for the next five years. The strategy is designed to meet the immediate needs of its customers and stakeholders. The port is also contributing to longer-term planning to ensure it can support the long-term growth of the Territory’s trade with Asia. We are establishing a new marine industry park, working on a design concept for a second port, and investigating how to get a capital injection into the current East Arm Wharf and its key line. This detailed planning will secure our vision of becoming Australia’s northern gateway of choice, and back it with a long-term design and the flexibility to predict and meet customer demand.
The Northern Territory government and Darwin City Council are also developing a blueprint for the development of Darwin CBD. The Darwin city master plan will consider a wide range of proposals with far-reaching implications for the city’s future. It has been through an exhaustive consultation process and the draft CBD plan will be available for comment very soon.
Infrastructure is key to the Northern Territory’s development. It will spread the wealth into regional and remote areas, and create jobs and business opportunities for everyone. This government is actively seeking investment from a wide range of possible sources to guarantee our place in this exciting opportunity.
Northern Australia is perfectly poised to become an integral part of the Asian century, as I have already stated. The Territory is the closest transport and sea port to Southeast Asia. We are closest to the Indonesian archipelago, the Indian and Pacific Oceans, the South China Sea and the valuable Strait of Malacca shipping lanes. We have a deep water port and the capacity to expand with the development of a second port to meet future growth.
There are many opportunities for foreign investment, with the Northern Territory ranked among the top 10 jurisdictions in the world for its attractiveness for minerals, exploration investment, agriculture and energy sectors.
Trade with Asia is already a critical part of the Territory’s economy. Last financial year, it accounted for more than 70% of our total exports, worth more than $5bn. We expect that will continue to grow at levels unprecedented in history. Two-thirds of the world’s middle class is forecast to be living in the Asia Pacific region by 2030. Indonesia’s population alone is expected to reach 253 million people this year. Asia is projected to have 21 of the world’s mega cities by 2022, and for those who do not know, mega cities are cities with more than 10 million inhabitants. The demand for power, minerals and customer goods will grow with the population, and the Territory is perfectly positioned to supply enormous quantities of gas, food and raw materials into the region. I will give examples.
Last week, a shipment of more than 200 buffalo left Darwin for Vietnam. There are more to follow: another 600 in February and 1500 in April. This is a business that faltered in the 1980s and, despite lots of talking, has never been rebuilt until now. It is an exciting new business with a new customer and a great potential. I am being lobbied by buyers in Vietnam to sell up to 60 000 head of buffalo to the country each year. What a fantastic outcome for the Territory! By working closely with our Asian trading partners and local businesses, we have solved problems and created opportunities. Labor decimated the trade in live animals to Asia, and this government has been working to restore this key business ever since. Last week’s shipment of buffalo to Vietnam signals an exciting new direction for that business.
I am pleased to be able to inform the House that I will be returning to Vietnam next week to continue working on this success and drive new opportunities. This visit is a follow-up to last year’s successful round of talks to develop more business opportunities, particularly in the areas of agriculture and education.
I will sign a memorandum of understanding between Ho Chi Minh City and the Northern Territory to open the way for greater business cooperation. I will sign a similar memorandum of understanding with the city of Haiphong the following day. These agreements will open new business opportunities for Territorians and continue to build on a prosperous trade relationship. This is the way forward for the Northern Territory and it is all about creating jobs for our kids for the future.
Let me give you another example of our growing business ties to Asia. Last week, I was honoured to support the signing of a historic agreement between the Mitsui Corporation and the Tiwi Islands Plantation Corporation. The agreement opens the way for the export of over $200m worth of hardwood chips over five years, creating up to 100 jobs on the Tiwi Islands. It allows Tiwi people to take control of their own future.
Two new business opportunities that benefit the regional areas of the Territory, both in the past week, have now been explained. There are more talks under way to follow through on those processes. That is how the future will be in the Territory. Opportunities will abound throughout this century. We just have to find them and ensure we are ready to do the business, and we are. We are the Country Liberals; we know how to do business in Asia.
We now have an enormous opportunity to use that knowledge to grow like never before. It will be important to work with the Prime Minister and the Premiers of Queensland and Western Australia on the future of northern Australia, but we must also be prepared to strike home our own advantages. We will not lose sight of the needs of the Territory and our place in the grand plan. The Northern Territory is perfectly positioned to become the nation’s gateway for the economic future but, importantly, providing jobs for Territorians.
The global demand for energy will remain strong this century. By strengthening our strategic partnership with energy importers such as Japan, we will position the Territory to secure new investment. We have land available for project development, a skilled and flexible workforce and a local industry with years of experience. Renewed interest in onshore exploration will create new opportunities for oil and gas projects and with them will come new business opportunities for service and supply in regional areas.
To encourage more exploration, this government is investing in programs to increase the knowledge of the Territory’s geology and improve tenure arrangements. It is currently estimated the Territory has around 240 trillion cubic feet of unconventional gas in six reserves. Let us put that into perspective: we have enough gas to power Australia for two centuries. While the rest of Australia is holding crisis meetings over a gas shortage, we are exporting $1bn of LNG to the world.
As a result, we are working with industry and government towards the development of a gas pipeline connecting the Territory to the national grid on the eastern seaboard, a pipeline that will secure more investment in enormous onshore shale gas reserves in the Territory and the infrastructure that creates in regional areas, building business opportunities and employment. That is what spreads the wealth.
We already have examples. The Ichthys LNG project has been focusing on Aboriginal business engagement and, today, 30 Indigenous businesses have secured work with over 64 subcontract commitments. Why can fly-in fly-out workers not come from remote communities, instead of Perth? I believe they can and we are working on it. The Department of Business is supporting a trial to link fly-in fly-out workers from remote towns to the Ichthys project. They have in-principle commitment for 25 positions and are providing careers information as part of the candidate selection process.
The Northern Territory is also a mineral-rich province which is largely underexplored. New mine development is another key to creating regional investment, business and employment opportunities. There are 12 mines in operation in the Northern Territory producing gold, iron ore, bauxite, manganese, zinc, lead and silver. There are over 40 known, but as yet undeveloped, deposits as well. Once again, the potential for employment in regional centres is enormous.
This government is conducting regular trade missions to Asia to create new business opportunities for our mining sector to create those strategic partnerships. Our engagement strategies for Japan, China and Korea are already delivering new investment capital, partners and markets for the Territory’s projects.
We spend a lot of time talking about mining these days, but there is also an enormous potential for increased agribusiness and export to Asia’s growing middle class as well. I commend the Minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries for his hard work in this area. As they become wealthier in Asia, they are demanding a greater range and supply of quality produce, and this presents an opportunity for the Territory. We are one of the few places in Australia which has the capacity to significantly increase food production. Northern Australia must become the food bowl of Asia, as people describe.
We have the space to tackle new opportunities. We have created the independent NT Planning Commission to facilitate economic growth while also protecting the environment and cultural and heritage sites. One of its earliest priorities was to identify and release surplus Crown land for development. We are considering new ways to reduce the complexity of land tenure arrangements, including changes to the Pastoral Act to increase the range of investment opportunities.
Aboriginal land represents almost half the Territory’s land mass and 85% of its coastline, and increased investment has the potential to deliver a range of benefits, including employment, infrastructure and economic development, for Aboriginal communities in those locations.
On the subject of land, I was pleased to be in Alice Springs just over a week ago as the first 33 blocks of its newest suburb, Kilgariff, went on sale. It is a huge milestone for a project that is crucial to the future of Alice Springs. Eventually, there will be up to 80 affordable residential blocks easing the squeeze in the housing market, and that is just Stages 1A and 1B.
Under Labor, new land release almost vanished. In the year 2010, there were the lowest land release figures in 20 years. In 2011, it was even worse for Darwin. In response, this government has a Real Housing for Growth plan for up to 21 developments that will deliver over 800 new homes in Darwin, Palmerston, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs.
A building activity report for the September quarter of 2013 showed residential building work in the Territory increased by 31.2% to $192m. This result was driven by a 68% increase in the construction of units to a value of $122m, the highest quarterly level on record. The Country Liberals always seem to be breaking new records.
This government is building for the future. More housing will help ease cost of living pressures and encourage more people to make the Territory their home. By releasing land in regional areas, we can spread the population over more of the Territory and spread the wealth and jobs into the whole of the community. We are releasing land and building houses faster than ever before in the Territory’s history to drive the capacity to support northern Australian development.
Tourism is worth $1.6bn to the economy and supports approximately 16 000 jobs. New transport infrastructure will unlock emerging tourism opportunities in remote areas. With better access to our world-famous parks and by improving the visitor experience we will expect it to grow to around $2.2bn by the end of the decade.
More than two-thirds of that growth will come from Asia. More than 97 million Chinese travelled abroad in 2013, up from 83 million in 2012, and predictions are for growth of between 6.4% and 9% per year. China is Australia’s second biggest source of tourists, after New Zealand, and has the largest spend rate per visitor.
Last year, the Halikos Group brought two new enterprises online, taking their total number of hotel rooms to 780, to start to meet some of the growing demand in tourist numbers we expect to come from China.
The Hilton Hotel took a renewed interest in the Territory, taking over four hotel complexes. The lan Soho suites in Darwin CBD come online in July, supplying 301 new hotel rooms, and one- and two-bedroom serviced apartments.
However, we still need more hotels and infrastructure to support the growing tourism industry. As we develop the north, the increasing demand for short-term accommodation will draw more investors into the region. As we expand our industry base, we will create new infrastructure such as roads and other transport options to open up new opportunities.
It is only the Country Liberals government which has been able to respond to the demands of the tourism industry, build the tourism infrastructure and support new hotels in the Territory.
Modern economies are increasing based on services. They include a wide range of activities which tend to have a high degree of intellectual content. Supply and service industries already account for around 75% of activity in the Northern Territory’s economy. We have a range of businesses which supply specialist goods and services to mining, LNG and construction projects, as well as the transport and Defence industries. These skills have a global value. Our specialised regional knowledge is based around working in harsh environments, which makes our skill base valuable in Asia. The potential to supply services and training to northern markets is significant.
In relation to Labor and welfare reform, the development of the north means the whole of the Northern Territory. It is not just urban areas or Darwin, it is the whole of the Northern Territory.
We have talked passionately in the past about the problems of passive welfare and the challenges of creating meaningful employment in regional and remote areas. It is something Labor shied away from and did not do at all. They did not even start, and fought against it – if I remember rightly – on the Tiwi Islands. The rest of this country will provide us with the opportunity to tackle many of those challenges of passive welfare.
The regional infrastructure study and the northern development consultation process I mentioned earlier will give the government a framework on how best to spread the opportunities across the whole of the Territory. We are committed to creating meaningful jobs and a future for people who have been overlooked in the past. There will be many opportunities: infrastructure development; new mining and gas projects; agriculture; and the many other possibilities which flow from these projects. This government is committed to making the development of northern Australia an opportunity for all Territorians.
The Territory’s economy is one of the most buoyant and vibrant in the country, but we cannot afford to be complacent as Labor was. We will maintain our open-for-business attitude and continue to build on our key sectors.
One of those key sectors is Defence, which represents around 10% of the Territory’s population. Our strategic location is opening up a range of opportunities to expand the already substantial Defence presence. The Australian Defence Force spends almost $1.6bn in the Territory every year, which has been growing at approximately 11% for the past decade.
The US Marines presence in the Top End is growing, with 1100 Marines and four heavy-lift helicopters due to begin the next rotation through Darwin in April. Their numbers will grow to become a full Marine air-ground task force of around 2500 personnel rotating through by 2017. The need for interim accommodation, along with more storage and service capacity, will provide opportunities to work closely with the US Marine Corps. I look forward to continuing the positive relationship with the US Marine Corps and the US government, and I congratulate the US Ambassador on his visit yesterday.
In regard to education, the government is working closely with education providers to create an international training hub in the Territory and build our profile in Asia. Other states have been very successful in attracting international students, and we can do much better in this frame. It was a gap that was missed in developing the market over eleven-and-a-half long, hard years of Labor.
There is enormous opportunity and demand for tropical specialties in the education field, and we have the location and capacity to be able to meet that need. However, we have to realise it, and that is what this strategy is about.
The worldwide demand for education is expected to grow by 7% over the remainder of this decade, driven mainly by China and India. We believe we can do much better than that. We are working with Vietnam, Indonesia and Timor-Leste to boost that growth beyond global forecasts. Just as importantly, our world-class teaching facilities will be a crucial part of training all Territorians for the economic opportunity that now presents itself.
We will continue to build and support better educational outcomes because they provide a foundation for economic development and its future in the Northern Territory. This is about jobs for kids for tomorrow.
In conclusion, our Territory is made up of many generations of men, women and children who have made their home here. More than 30% of Territorians are Indigenous, with the remainder coming from hundreds of nations. They have grown communities rich in culture and built the city of Darwin, home to a population of more than 100 000 people; Alice Springs, the centre of Australia; Katherine; Tennant Creek; and many more diverse townships right across the Northern Territory. Building the Territory has been tough, there is no doubt about that, but it is time to move on to the next step and realise our full potential.
As I have outlined throughout this statement, and previously in public settings, the Northern Territory is in a unique position to take full advantage of the federal government’s commitment to developing northern Australia. This government is laying the foundations for what is likely to be the biggest period of growth in the Territory’s history. It will mean jobs for everyone, new business opportunities and economic security. We want to build an economy that will attract people from all over the world and make us the envy of the region. We are Territorians and we are proud to be.
However, it will take leadership, commitment and action, which has been lacking in the past, particularly over the last eleven-and-a-half years of a mendicant, failed Labor government. We need to think big and be open to new ideas. We need to realise the opportunities and take bold action to achieve them. The Northern Territory’s century has arrived, and we are ready to take full advantage of those opportunities and create jobs for the future of all Territorians.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the Assembly take note of this statement.
Ms LAWRIE (Opposition Leader): Mr Deputy Speaker, I wish to contribute to the statement on northern Australia development. As shadow minister for this area, I welcome the statement to the Chamber.
There is no doubt, if you strip away the political rhetoric and spin that was laced and woven throughout that statement that, at the heart of it, it talks about the opportunities that present themselves in northern Australia. That is why I welcome the statement. I do not welcome the churlish and childish manner in which the Chief Minister chose to play petty politics with a most important area of opportunity for the Territory.
Territory Labor had a very firm record of establishing a bold vision for the Territory, harnessing the skills, ideas and energy of Territorians and, indeed, the international business community, to deliver on those plans.
I acknowledge the work done by our Labor government to create Territory 2030, which was a strategic plan taking us through to the year 2030. It covered a vast area, set clear targets and was highly consulted on across the Territory. We understood that to deliver on vision and plans, you need to bring the people of the Territory on the journey with you. That is why we brought in a very capable team on 2030 to consult widely across the Northern Territory on what key areas Territorians believed their government should sign up to in the vision and plan for the Territory.
Of course, we have seen the wholesale scrapping of this plan by the CLP government, and that is a shame. There was an opportunity to build on this good work; instead it was buried, scrapped and has been obliterated from their memories. I urge ministers to go to the 2030 plan and look at the elements of it in which they have ministerial responsibility, and consider what aspects of it they are in a position to build on.
Look at the steering committee that was drawn from a variety of skill sets: Vicki O’Halloran, the CEO of Somerville Community Services; Bill Moss, the chairman of Moss Capital, with 33 years of experience in finance and banking; Michael Berto, the CEO of the Roper Gulf Shire; Jan Ferguson, the Managing Director of Desert Knowledge; Ted Egan, the much-loved former Administrator of the Territory; and Jonathon Carapetis, one of our nation’s greatest thinkers, the former Director of the Menzies School of Health.
The plan had key areas of six core visionary ideas of expanding on the opportunities of the Northern Territory through the next two decades. That covered education, society, economic sustainability, health and wellbeing, the environment, knowledge, creativity and innovation. I do not think there was any reference in the Chief Minister’s speech to knowledge, creativity and innovation. It is a shame that has dropped off the agenda altogether. There was scant comment on the environment. Health and wellbeing hardly got a shake in his comments. Economic sustainability was viewed through a prism of, ‘We have a couple of small projects we have delivered in the last week or so; isn’t that a good thing?’ Society was not a core part of the Chief Minister’s contribution. That seems to be missing somewhat. If you are not on the CLP team, then you just do not rate.
However, education got a reference, which is a good thing because it was missing in the Chief Minister’s Framing the Future document that was issued last year to the parliament, but never debated. It pretty quickly slipped off the agenda. We wonder where that is. That is why we welcome the opportunity to contribute to the statement on northern Australia.
We welcome the fact that northern Australia, from the Northern Territory government’s perspective, includes the all-important area of Central Australia as well. We should not take a purely Tropic-of-Capricorn approach to the development. There is no doubt it presents real opportunities for us to ensure we are capturing the vast potential of Central Australia as a region, and those great service and supply towns – I believe iconic towns when it comes to the Territory’s history – of Alice Springs and Tennant Creek.
In the commitment to the hard yards on the ground, when you can create a strategic plan that covers not only the key areas they talked about, but has objectives within each of those key areas, targets, and how to report back process attached to it, you start to understand the basis of a rebirth and a thorough approach to encouraging economic, social and environmental improvements in the Territory, instead of just a bit of a talkfest and away you go.
When you look at economic growth alone built off the back of resource projects such as Bootu Creek, the Roper River iron ore project, the expansion of McArthur River, expansion of GEMCO, expansion of G3 at Nhulunbuy and ConocoPhillips and INPEX Total LNG projects, they have underpinned the drivers of the Territory’s economy in the last decade.
In 2009, under Territory Labor’s watch, we were the only jurisdiction to increase exploration in the resources sector in expenditure to help prime the all-important resources exploration area. Industry recognised our efforts to support its sector through that tough time, and today we are starting to reap the rewards of that effort then.
I was disappointed when the Mining Club held its luncheon on Friday. They were expecting two Cabinet ministers from the government to attend that Mining Club luncheon. They were expecting the minister for Infrastructure and Transport, the member for Sanderson, and the minister for Primary Industry, Fisheries and Natural Resources, the member for Katherine, to attend. The member for Sanderson was a late scratching and the member for Katherine was simply a no-show. This luncheon had the government’s three-hub economy at the core of its panel of experts’ debate. The panel of experts included Regional Development Australia’s, Chris Young. Many would know him as the former CEO of the Chamber of Commerce. It also included the tourism representative, the Cattlemen’s Association and, of course, Drew Wagner of the Minerals Council.
I sat in the audience with my colleague, the member for Johnston, listening intently to the comments made by panel experts and the robust question and answer session from that. At the time of the last CLP budget the minerals sector did not hold back on describing the CLP as closed for business, given it introduced two levies on the industry, somewhat disabling the goose that was laying the golden egg and putting cost impediments in for it to do their business, after having had no discussions with them it those levies.
I felt it was time for the government to step up, refresh and renew its relationship with industry, with which engagement had been pretty scarce. Industry said they are pretty hard to get into unless you are in a closed inner circle of mates. That was a real opportunity for ministers to hear directly from industry, then from the industry-based crowd present about what they wanted to achieve.
The elephant in the room clearly was the lack of investment in critical infrastructure to support our regions. I hope the government recognises the analysis done to date on the community, beef, mining and tourism roads across the Northern Territory. That analysis was done in concert across northern Australia with Western Australia and Queensland. It sits at the heart of what could be a positioning of the northern Australia development plan. The analysis was provided to Infrastructure Australia.
For the analysis, we consulted with the tourism, pastoral, agricultural and mining sectors, as well as our communities, on what the key strategic priorities of road infrastructure would be if we had an injection of funding from the Commonwealth government. At the time, we were pursuing a significant injection of funding in infrastructure. That being said, the relationship between the previous federal Labor government and our government saw something like a sixfold investment from the Commonwealth into Territory roads.
There are, of course, the bridges on the Central Arnhem Road, the investment in the Tanami, and we have seen the dollars go into the forward estimates for the Port Keats road. There is a variety of crucial roads across the Northern Territory – the Sandover and others – which were invested in for the first time by the Commonwealth under funding relationships we entered into, the least of which is the great access into our port from the Tiger Brennan Drive duplication and the extension of that.
They were all key infrastructure investments we were able to secure and leverage from the Commonwealth, despite them not being their roads and not being a funding requirement. They normally only needed to fund the key infrastructure of the Stuart Highway. You can, with clear strategic plans, leverage investment in infrastructure from the Commonwealth.
We have not seen anything come forward yet from the relationship between the Abbott Liberal Coalition government and the CLP. There is a lot of talk in the statement by the Chief Minister, talking up the game and the potential for roads and a second port. We just want to see some action, because the elephant in the room at the Mining Club luncheon was that their jobs are drying up. The surveyors’ and contractors’ jobs around the infrastructure industry are drying up.
There is advice coming to me that in the vicinity of 30% of contractors’ consultancy specialist businesses associated with infrastructure and strategic planning has dried up since the CLP took government in the Northern Territory. My concern is industry is genuinely asking the government of the day, ‘What does the future infrastructure pipeline look like?’ and is not getting any answer other than, ‘We have opportunities with the northern Australia development agenda by the federal government’. Then, they heard the Chief Minister talk about how disappointed he is that the agenda is being driven out of Queensland.
There is genuine concern among industry about lack of clarity in what potential projects will be yielded and no indication to industry of what the forward works program might look like. The bringing forward of any forward works would go a long way to ensuring industry has some confidence, because at the moment confidence is lagging.
The opportunities around our large-scale foundation projects like ConocoPhillips and the INPEX Total projects were about establishing the Top End, particularly Darwin, as the oil and gas hub for Australia in onshore and offshore opportunities. The Marine Supply Base sits at the centre of that in service and supply. I was disappointed that the Chief Minister did not expand on his vision of how you would see the service and supply industry develop as a result of the Marine Supply Base.
We know the CLP’s Renewable Management Board wanted to dump the Marine Supply Base. We have seen some changes in comment coming from the government, and they are now embracing it. There was an opportunity, if you were going to talk about northern Australia development, to talk about how you saw the service and supply industry flourish in Aberdeen and the opportunities of the multiplier effect in the Top End. It would be good to see some thinking from the government in this space and contributions to the parliament in regard to the opportunities around the Marine Supply Base.
I will touch on the university city opportunities also. The importance of the hydrocarbons institute at Charles Darwin University should not go without recognition in the continuum we require to have a robust oil and gas industry in northern Australia.
The Chief Minister touched on the real potential sitting offshore and how the government has a strong eye on the onshore pie in the petroleum industry. However, you need a leverage of the right signals being sent to industry. I was pleased to see APPEA comments recently where they do not have their eye off the ball; they are clearly focused on the opportunities Darwin presents itself in the pre-approved train sitting at ConocoPhillips DLNG and as part of the Ichthys project.
We need to recognise the importance of our Defence sector in any statement about northern Australia, with about 10% of Australian Defence Force combat forces based in the Territory. I thank the former Defence minister, Kim Beazley, for his vision in sending our troops north, which has seen our troop numbers increase in the Top End.
As a former Minister for Defence Support, I worked very closely with Defence and the United States in the Marines’ positioning here. I met with the Ambassador for the United States yesterday and talked of the bipartisan approach the Northern Territory has in supporting the strategic Defence location of our own forces in the Northern Territory, and increasing US forces in Marines located at Robertson Barracks, who are doing important training exercises at places such as Bradshaw.
There is an opportunity there which I believe should be expanded on. I hope to hear from any government minister about this. I consistently say to Australian Defence Force senior chiefs who visit Darwin - particularly on occasions like the Bombing of Darwin which is, of course, tomorrow – and still say to all visiting senior US personnel that it is the opportunity of the business outside of the wire, critical Defence support work, which will yield real economic drivers in the Northern Territory. We have seen a great investment under Labor in the past in Defence housing in the Territory. That pipeline is still strong; local businesses are delivering the work. Some $200m was invested within the last 18 months, and decisions by Labor federally have helped some of our key construction firms with that Defence housing.
You cannot rest on your laurels; you need to look at where to next. We consistently pursued the service and supply opportunities in Defence. This was as an ‘outside the wire’ located at strategic Defence hub land opposite Robertson Barracks. It would be good to hear from the Northern Territory government as to whether they are doing anything with the Australian Industry & Defence Network to pursue that line of effort. The Defence industry park is well located, serviced and ready to go.
In our 2030 vision, we had a holistic plan that targeted the key development needs of Territorians. It was not just a profit spaced view on life, it was a cohesive plan to take the whole of the Territory forward. We understood the role of government to maximise the benefits of economic development and prosperity, but we also knew we needed to address the social needs of Territorians. That is why the plan focused on education and skills development as central to our long-term wellbeing and prosperity.
It was about a lifelong participation in education, ensuring education was across the Territory. I have genuine concerns – and have stated them – about this government’s view on Indigenous education, which is if you want secondary education in our remote areas, you need to pack up, leave home and head to a boarding school somewhere, which is yet to be built, staffed or resourced, or have a model of education service delivery we have heard about. That is government abrogating its responsibility to deliver education and education choices across the Northern Territory. We felt the social pain of the lack of secondary education in the bush until Labor came to government in the early 2000s. It is a real shame we have a government looking at heading back to a 1970s model of lack of delivery of education.
Education has taken its body blows under this government with the reduction in teacher numbers. There is a significant reduction in training, but that is a whole other debate for another time. There is no doubt that grants to Charles Darwin University have been slashed by this budget. Bachelor Institute is on a very lean path. If we do not support our tertiary education institutions as well as our schools, how on earth can we provide a platform of education and skills development in the Northern Territory? I would like to hear further from the government about that. While it was embedded as a core focus of Territory 2030 under Labor, it is slipping off the agenda of the CLP government. In fact, it is bearing the brunt of the most significant cuts, with the exception of Children and Families, since the CLP came to power.
In a plan to target the Territory’s social needs, there were clear, articulated plans within Territory 2030 about the housing needs of Territorians, and how to leverage new housing across the Territory and how to pursue a balanced housing market with new opportunities for affordable housing. Look at the policy settings we put in place, for example, requiring 15% of all government Crown land being turned off to provide for social and affordable housing. We put in place home ownership incentive schemes such as HOMESTART Extra and My New Home. Those finance schemes have been scrapped. We now have a 16% reduction in home ownership in the Territory in the last 12 months, yet this government crows it has a real housing plan.
The plan the government has is around 2000 rentals. Rentals, quite simply, are only one part of the housing picture. You need to look at what programs and incentive schemes you have in place to encourage and leverage people into home ownership, as it is home ownership that truly anchors people to the Territory. This leaves them less at the mercy of an appreciating housing market, which we will continue to have because we have economic growth going through the next five years, trending as the strongest in the nation. This is not off any projects being delivered by the CLP, by the way. The Deloitte Access Economic figures quoted by the Chief Minister come as a result of that all-important snaring of the INPEX Total Ichthys major project delivered by Labor. You will not hear that in any of the political rhetoric coming from the Chief Minister.
In the plans, we understood they needed a working future, a vision around how you get in and leverage opportunities across the regional towns and remote communities of the Northern Territory. We recognised the top 20 growth centres across the regional and remote areas of the Territory. We worked with the Commonwealth government to create local implementation plans which were highly consulted on at community level to identify the key priorities in government and private investment in these remote communities.
Again, there is no comment at all from the current government about the local implementation plans. I invite any minister who feels like it to contribute to this debate to tell us what is happening with what is colloquially called the LIPS. Are they now just being given lip service, or have they disappeared? It would be a shame. One of the things communities say is they are sick of being routinely consulted, and consulted again.
What occurred in the local implementation plans was significant government resources – federal and Territory – as well as input from shires or councils working with a local reference group in each community to identify priorities. If you have that work which was done comprehensively and is sitting there, why would you tear it up and then ignore it, which seems to be the case at the moment?
In a comprehensive plan for a safer Territory, we were addressing the scourge of alcohol-related violence. We had a holistic program called Enough is Enough. We put in place not just the Banned Drinker Register but, of course, a tribunal to deal with alcohol and other drugs; referrals from the system; we trained something like 75 doctors in alcohol and other drug practices; and we had funding across the forward estimates to deliver innovative rehabilitation programs across the regions, including remote communities. I have not heard where any expansion is occurring. Of course, there was some scant reference late last year to the potential of a rehabilitation facility on the Tiwi Islands at what we call Four Mile. I am keen to hear from the member for Arafura how far that has progressed, because there were some genuine opportunities there.
In the health and wellbeing of Territory families, if you have a healthy society you have all the ingredients to ensure a pretty strong foundation going forward for the future. It would be interesting to hear contributions regarding the northern Australia development plan on health and wellbeing.
In 2030, for example, there was an objective around reforming the Territory health system. It had clear targets of access to healthcare services, improved access for people with a disability or requiring rehabilitation and a government-funded health system being benchmarked against established cultural security standards by 2015. We are into 2014 and I ask the Northern Territory government what it is doing in relation to that, whether it has dropped it off altogether because it does not suit its policy objectives or it is still pursuing it?
I am pleased the Minister for Health has recognised and identified disability services. I have genuine concerns, though, that no sooner had that happened than the Commonwealth revoked $10m in funding for Machado-Joseph Disease sufferers in the Northern Territory. That is a huge and nasty shock which has hit Groote Eylandt. I urge the government to lobby the Commonwealth to immediately reverse that decision. Not only do we need that funding for Groote Eylandt and that fantastic service which is provided on Groote through the aged-care facility, we need expansion of services in Nhulunbuy with an aged-care facility. The Commonwealth government has a responsibility to deliver aged-care services. It is an opportunity for a structural adjustment package for the Northern Territory government to lobby and leverage. Instead we have seen, shockingly, a retrograde step in the Commonwealth government’s axing of $10m for MJD.
Debate suspended.
STATEMENT BY SPEAKER
Ovarian Cancer Month
Ovarian Cancer Month
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, you will see on your desk a teal ribbon because February is Ovarian Cancer Month. Although the day for wearing the teal ribbon is 26 February, we thought we would have it here so you can wear it as much as you like.
TABLED PAPER
Revocation of Direction
Revocation of Direction
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE (Essential Services): Madam Speaker, I table a paper, under the Government Owned Corporations Act, which states, under section 30, that the portfolio minister may give directions in the public interest. Additionally, section 30(4) of the act states that the:
- … Minister must table in the Legislative Assembly a copy of a notice under subsection (1) within 6 sittings days after the notice was given.
MOTION
Note Statement - Developing Northern Australia
Continued from earlier this day.
Ms LAWRIE (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I continue my remarks in relation to the Chief Minister’s northern Australia development statement. At the break, I was talking about the 2030 plans in regard to the health and wellbeing of Territory families, pointing out the reaffirmation of the Territory health system objective. In addition, we had objectives for the health and wellbeing of Territorians to be better at all stages of their lives, and there were clear targets under that. A third objective was that the Territory makes considerable headway into lifestyle illnesses with targets under that.
I hope, at some stage, we hear from the Minister for Health as to whether or not those targets have been abandoned. I know Jonathon Carapetis, former Director of Menzies School of Health Research, did a lot of research into the targets contained in 2030 in the strategic plan. They are crucial to reducing the prevalence of chronic conditions in Indigenous Territorians and non-Indigenous Territorians, particularly those health indicators for men and women, including our seniors. I am very keen to hear whether or not the targets have been abandoned when I hear contributions from the minister’s opposite to this statement.
On the environment, 2030 had a couple of clear objectives. One was to do with the custodians of our natural heritage. It was to ensure no deterioration in the health of biodiversity in the Territory, reducing the impact of weeds and other invasive species, including feral animals. I am interested in an update to the House as to whether the government still has that intent and policy or whether that has been abandoned.
It talked about the comprehensive set of connected systems protecting the terrestrial environment making up 20% of the Territory’s land area. Again, I would appreciate any advice from the government as to whether that exists or has been abandoned. Also, we have genuine concerns about managing the Territory’s natural resources according to the principles of ecologically sustainable development, with the abandonment of the regional-based water catchment authorities and the creation of a single Northern Territory-wide water catchment authority.
To progress any significant part of the stated three-hub economy of the government is the use of water resources. To abandon regional-based water catchment authorities and step up to just one authority sends a real signal of concern. When you look at the management of sustainable water use in the Douglas Daly region, they may have abandoned the DRMAC cascade model. A great deal of scientific analysis went into the creation of that model so I look forward to hearing from the minister for Natural Resources about the water policy going forward.
I listened to his contribution regarding the potential for fracking. Significant water use is required there, as it is for agriculture. We have seen the abandonment of policy and procedures by the water controller, deciding to grant millions of dollars in water rights to the CLP candidate, Tina MacFarlane. We then saw the review of that was done by - surprise, surprise! - the CEO, who is also the water controller. We have also seen ministerial interference in that process.
There are some significant concerns about the sustainable use of our natural resources …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! To suggest the CEO and water controller of the minister’s department is in some way acting corruptly is out of bounds. She either stumps up some evidence or stops slandering the name of a good public servant.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I will give the Opposition Leader some latitude; however, I caution you in regard to any specific reference to public servants of the Northern Territory.
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 77, I move an extension of time for the member.
Motion agreed to.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! You may not have caught what was said. The allegation was an outrageous attack on a senior public servant where they have no defence. It was an outright allegation of corrupt activity. This is shameful. I am sure the Parliamentary Record will bear it out. The Leader of the Opposition should be brought to account and made to apologise for it.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of Government Business, I did not hear a particular person’s name referenced. What I heard was a reference to the water controller and reviewing. However, I caution you, Opposition Leader, in regard to how you reference members of the Northern Territory public service in your speech.
Ms LAWRIE: Yes, thank you, Madam Speaker.
I was talking about the concerns around the use of our natural resources, and whether or not you completely abandon the cascade model which was created by DRMAC for the Douglas Daly region, and what impact it will have. We know the government, in policy, abandoned SIRs, the strategic Indigenous reserves. We know traditional owners have genuine concerns about the abandonment of the policy.
When it comes to an objective around sustainable living which was contained within 2030, there were very clear targets set: the use of water; water reduction targets; the efficient use of water by business and industry; looking at energy and water efficiency in residential and commercial buildings to meet the standards of the Building Code of Australia; reducing greenhouse emissions; and developing Weddell as a world-class green city and a model for the future.
It makes you wonder what the government is doing in this space because we have not heard anything in contributions to debates about this, other than the mantra of the Treasurer who keeps banging on about the carbon tax. If there is any significant contribution around the sustainable use of our resources you want to make, I look forward to hearing it. There is no doubt protecting our key natural assets is critical. We have to get the balance right in tackling the energy challenges and the wise use of our water resources.
We are seeing a government which is paying lip service to the principles of the National Water Initiative and of adaptive management. It is little wonder there is genuine concern among people such as traditional owners, who are holding vast tracts of land in bush seats, who understand the important sustainable use of natural resources. There are some genuine concerns, with members opposite speaking up on this subject.
It is disappointing there was no recognition of the knowledge, creativity and innovation aspects of Territory values in areas where the Territory has excelled in the past. Look at the way we built in the growth of the research and innovation sector, particularly the work done by Charles Darwin University and the Desert Knowledge Centre. Look at the research being done by Ninti One. It is a pretty exciting area where we can be at the forefront of research and sell the results of that research into regions – arid regions globally – as well as the Asian regions with regard to our tropical savannahs. Research and innovation has dropped off the government’s agenda. I hope it goes back on to the agenda because it is an exciting area for business in the Territory.
We have some outstanding Territorians with sheer capacity in this area. I acknowledge the work done by previous Chairs of the Research and Innovation Board, Bruce Wilson in Central Australia and Professor Grahame Webb in the Top End. Engaging with them and understanding the business of research and innovation would do us good, but that has completely dropped off the government’s agenda. The Treasurer would not be able to get that far in his lateral thinking capacity, and that is a great shame.
Improving access to technology to better connect Territorians to each other and the world surely has to be a central plank of anyone who is looking at how we become a dynamic economy in the Asian century, even though the Chief Minister has now tagged that as the ‘northern Australian Northern Territory century’. The reality is we must be competitive; we must allow door-to-door business to be fast and dynamic.
The National Broadband Network was, potentially, quite a game changer for business in the Territory. I imagine, for example, it would have been of great assistance to tourism. Can you imagine the opportunities of fast-paced broadband that tourism businesses would be able to make the most of? They need fast Internet speeds to help with videoconferencing and massive data transfers. It opens up many options for businesses included in that dynamic and highly-competitive tourism sector.
It is a shame the Country Liberal Party has an axe approach to the National Broadband Network. We have a situation now under the CLP and the Liberals where homes just 5 km from the CBD do not have access to the National Broadband Network or broadband and are stuck on dial-up – dial-up in 2014!
I also want to talk about the genuine need to better harness the knowledge of Indigenous Territorians. Within that was the 2030 platform of economic sustainability. That looked at the literal plans drawn up around growth and responsible investment in public infrastructure. There are questions being asked today about the government’s plans for achieving an $832m turnaround in our statutory authorities, so the question begs: are you selling the port, equity in the Marine Supply Base and generation of Power and Water? We know you are selling the Darwin bus service and the Government Printing Office. However, in sales, what is the other side of that ledger? The other side of that ledger is, obviously, investment in our infrastructure. We have not yet heard about any new investment in infrastructure.
We heard the Chief Minister’s contribution to the statement, which said they want to talk to the federal government about it. We then heard the Chief Minister admit the federal government is listening to Queensland’s northern Australia development policy. The sector whose real business is in infrastructure is very concerned about what is happening.
In 2030 it embraced the key challenges, the objectives it created and the targets it set. Bear in mind those consultations went right across the Territory, to the communities of Katherine, Galiwinku, Alice Springs, Wadeye, Maningrida, Nhulunbuy and Groote Eylandt. There were expert round tables convened to build on the contributions of Territorians. They unpacked the issues raised by Territorians and provided advice on what those action points should be. Yet this has all been torn up and completely abandoned. A challenge here is, if you really want to harness northern Australia, do not tear up and abandon years of work by a steering committee, whose members were not politicians, but experts who were recognised and regarded in their field. Our government embraced the outcome of their work and research by creating 2030. Go back and look at it; rebadge it, rename it, put your own stamp on it, but why abandon such comprehensive work as detailed in 2030?
While I am talking about abandoning work, they completely abandoned the Greater Darwin Strategic Land Use Plan which was consulted on for probably in excess of three years across all industry sectors – the Real Estate Institute, Property Council, Master Builders, you name it. Anyone working in the housing sector was consulted. The town planners, the engineers, the surveyors all had a say and contributed to the Greater Darwin Strategic Land Use Plan. That plan then went out in draft to our community in public hearings held across greater Darwin, which includes the rural area. That contribution came back and we had, at the end, a highly-detailed document which spelt out exactly where you would get yields for housing and industrial and commercial/residential land. It was specific and detailed. Again, it was completely scrapped and abandoned by the CLP because it did not have its view or vision on it.
The vision the CLP has come up with, some 15-plus months later, runs to about three pages, has no detail about yields, and is really a back-to-the-1990s view of planning which includes damming three of our rivers around Darwin Harbour, including the iconic Elizabeth River, which surely is an extraordinary step for a government to take.
The member for Goyder was so concerned about it she went on the 7.30 Report and said she would fight that view from her own government. She recognises that cost them critical seats in the 2001 election. She heard, loud and clear – as you witnessed, writ large in the 7.30 Report – that the people of the rural area will rise up and fight that view being proposed by the Planning Commission, which is being propagated on behalf of the Planning minister, who then pretends he has nothing to do with it.
You then dumped plans for the city of Weddell. You would have seen work progressed on serviced land for some 10 000 new homes, and you have nothing to replace it with. There were plans for a prosperous and booming city built around ribbons of green. If you look at Darwin, the ribbons of green had the Stuart Park parklands, Myilly Point – that iconic site of the old hospital – and Kahlin Compound, which is near and dear to the hearts of many people. There is silence from the CLP. There are grave concerns that you are going to pass that iconic site on to wholesale development, rather than the 20% of development we considered. I guess those concerns sit there because we see the way in which you have just handed over a lease of 98 ha off our foreshore for an island without any consultation.
I could go on and talk about A Working Future in more detail. I could talk about the $1bn in investments we delivered to support A Working Future across the bush. These were real dollars, real projects and real resources. We have not seen that coming from the CLP government. Little wonder people in the bush are turning their backs, with a great deal of cynicism, towards Chief Minister Adam Giles because he has not stumped up. Where are those projects? They are not getting built. He has talked about it. The contracts were signed during the election campaign, but they are not being delivered. After 18 months in government, you are almost at the halfway mark, and you are not there. It is a shame because it could have been a pretty exciting time for Territorians across the Territory. Instead, we have had malaise.
Mr TOLLNER (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I thank the Chief Minister for bringing this statement to the Chamber. Well done, Chief Minister. You get this feeling of optimism and opportunity all around the Northern Territory, then you come into this place and listen to someone like the Opposition Leader.
It is not hard to see how the previous Northern Territory government got itself into such a mess. It is very difficult to believe this person sitting opposite me was the Treasurer of the Northern Territory, because there are not too many people in this place who have such a scant regard and understanding of accounting and economics than the Leader of the Opposition. She is completely off the planet with some of the statements she has made.
I note today she started talking about asset sales of $843m and waving around the mid-year economic report saying, ‘Yes, here it is’. I challenge the Opposition Leader to justify that statement. Show anywhere in the mid-year report where it says there will be assets sales of $800m. She cannot because it is not there. It is completely fictitious and made up. The way the Opposition Leader works is to make things up and come out with outrageous statements. The idea that the Utilities Commission has given us a $1.2bn bill is another load of nonsense. Where she finds this information goodness only knows, but there is no hint of fact about it at all.
The development of north Australia is a difficult thing to do, and is difficult coming off the back of 11 years of Labor. You have just heard from the Opposition Leader all the things they are opposed to. They do not want people to have access to water or to clear land and are opposed to any prospect of development. Their ranting about the Nightcliff island project is a perfect example of that.
A local developer has had the intestinal fortitude to put forward an idea of something he believes might work into the future for Darwin. Labor’s way, of course, when these ideas were put up, was to ridicule and condemn them before they even had a good look at things. Arafura Harbour was a classic example of that. People put a great deal of time and effort into that idea, spent an enormous amount of money on it, and before the idea could be circulated the former Labor government canned it.
We were opposed to that when we were in opposition. Our view was people with ideas should at least be given the decency of having them heard. There are processes in place which allow things to occur where public interest is taken into account, environmental values are taken into account and that type of thing. But, no, it was the Labor way to kill it off before it even started down that process.
I am very proud to be part of this government where we have a minister and a government who are open to ideas and prepared to allow ideas to go out for testing. Obviously the proponents of Nightcliff island need to be sure in their minds they can make this development, hence the lease off Nightcliff that allows them to look at the ocean floor and ascertain exactly what is there and whether an island could be developed, which is highly appropriate prior to going to public consultations, checking out environmental impacts, noise issues in relation to the airport and the myriad of things someone proposing a development has to deal with. There is an enormous amount of hurdles, but the way the previous Labor government, this opposition, operates is that government should kill these ideas before they even start. I find that abhorrent.
This whole idea that the Northern Territory can only be turned into one big national park I find abhorrent. That whole idea is the Northern Territory will forever remain a mendicant jurisdiction, wholly reliant on the goodwill and charity of other Australians for its survival.
It is interesting to listen to the Opposition Leader. Her answer is always, ‘Spend more money, go further into debt. If you cannot afford something, go to Canberra and get them to pay for it.’
This is the best part of the world to live in. We are blessed with abundant natural resources and have enormous opportunities. I feel uneasy about the Northern Territory being a mendicant jurisdiction. I know we will not change this in a great hurry, but for every $1 we raise in tax in the Northern Territory, we get more than $5 back from other Australians.
I would love to see the day - and I do not know if I ever will - in decades to come – and the real possibility is there – where the Northern Territory not only pays its own way, but also provides charity for other Australians: that we are not on the government teat, but rather everybody else in Australia is on our teat. This is what I look forward to, and the opportunity is there for the Northern Territory to do just that. This is what is in the Chief Minister’s mind; it is clearly what is in the Australian government’s mind when it talks about developing the north. There is this untapped potential and untapped opportunity. We should be the ones providing charity to other Australians and not the other way around.
The former government, without any skerrick of a doubt, was anti-development and anti-progress. They fixed their whole economic debate on one project and one business. If anything else was discussed, it was always knocked on the head, crippled and obstacles were put in its way. However, when it came to the one LNG business, it seemed they were more than ready to throw as much of taxpayers’ money at it as was required; stuff any other projects.
This government is very interested in a diversified economy, in looking at all sectors of our community, all sections of our land mass, and trying to create wealth for all Territorians, rather than a privileged few who did business with one business.
Developing the north will be a difficult job. We are staring down the barrel of a $5.5bn Labor debt. This puts a pallor over all future development because, as a government, we are focused on getting our own finances in order. Rather than looking outwardly and saying we can pump-prime projects, see projects and get development going, we are focused on getting our own spending under control. This makes it difficult when talking about new ports, roads, schools, hospitals, police stations and better services for the public. Trying to find money when you are crippled with debt is very difficult indeed.
The previous government welcomed the closure of the live cattle trade. This was probably one of the darkest days for north Australia. I remember Paul Henderson saying it was the circuit breaker we needed. He welcomed the decision by the Gillard Labor government in Canberra to stop the live cattle trade. It nearly sent all cattle producers in the Northern Territory to the wall at a time when we did not need it.
There was a complete lack of land for development. It had this idea the Northern Territory had to be one big park. Any talk about turning off land for housing, industry or the like was shunned at every opportunity. It is now common knowledge we suffered the worst housing and accommodation crisis in Australia, with house prices and rents more than Sydney, the most expensive place in the country. That was fundamentally because of those failed Labor policies of not releasing enough land or allowing developers and business people to do what they do best. They were captive to the extreme green movement. It seemed while Julia Gillard, in Canberra, was doing deals with Bob Brown and the like to save her own political hide, Labor was responding in the Territory in exactly the same manner. They were absolutely captive to sectional interests.
We saw the native vegetation draft bill they were proposing which would have meant every person who wanted to prune a tree in their yard would have had to get a full-blown EIS. They made it so difficult for people to work the land; they wanted to do everything in their power to stop it happening. I was talking to farmers in Katherine, Mataranka and around the place who were saying it was ridiculous that you had to get an EIS to clear regrowth. The hurdles the previous government put in people’s way were outrageous. They did everything they could to kill off the farming, agricultural and pastoral industries, to wind down research into those industries and to stop people accessing water.
It was interesting to hear the Opposition Leader talking about the Indigenous water allocation as if it was something Labor was doing. I have never heard so much nonsense. There was never a policy to reserve water for Indigenous Territorians, and saying, ‘Oh, you have stopped it’, is absolutely ridiculous. The fact is we freed up water resources. We want all Territorians to use our abundant water resources where they are available, to grow things, get industry started and create jobs for Territorians across the board.
There would seem to be nothing happening in the regions at all. We know Alice Springs and Central Australia were completely overlooked, as was the Barkly and Katherine. It seems there were just those four or five seats in the northern suburbs, Labor’s stronghold, that had any meaningful engagement at all.
What was occurring under the previous government was not welcomed by many. We saw business confidence slump to negative figures in the Northern Territory, and it is only in recent times we have seen that rebound. We now have confidence back in the marketplace in the Northern Territory.
As the Chief Minister said this morning in Question Time, the Territory is now open for business. That is the best news most people across the Territory have heard in a long time. Government is trying to find ways to encourage business, to encourage investment of private capital, to encourage people to the Northern Territory and get the place cracking. That is exactly what needs to happen. We are focused on cutting red tape, removing hurdles to development, encouraging people to come to government with good ideas, big ideas, and grand ideas.
We do not fear Nightcliff island; we welcome people coming to us with such grand ideas. Obviously once the process starts the public will be consulted. We will do environmental assessments, noise assessments and all the things that have to happen with a development. First and foremost, we welcome people with new and fresh ideas to the Northern Territory.
In the past, we sometimes felt the Northern Territory was the only part of Australia that realised the full potential of north Australia. When I have travelled overseas I have found that people in our region are very keen and eager to be involved with Darwin and the Northern Territory in particular, looking at ways they can invest money so they can drive development and the like. It is an interesting thing because when you go into the southern states and talk to some of the people there, they look at you, scratch their heads and say, ‘What the hell is in the north? Why would we put money up there?’ It will take some time to convince Australia that here in the north is Australia’s future.
Obviously the key component of north Australia development is the Northern Territory, particularly Darwin. Darwin is Australia’s northern-most capital city. It is the only capital city on the north coast of Australia. In fact, it is fair to say that Darwin is the only city on the north coast of Australia. The Opposition Leader was jumping up and down saying, ‘Queensland is stealing everything. They are going to get all the largesse.’ Again, it is the Opposition Leader who thinks in terms of the rest of Australia giving us money. For her, it is not about us developing industries and business and creating a regime where we become very profitable, very productive and, ultimately, provide support to the rest of Australia; it is all about how much money the rest of Australia can give us. That seems to be the way people on the other side think.
However, the fact is, as I was saying, Darwin is the only city on the north coast of Australia. Obviously Cairns is on the east coast and Broome is on the west coast. Looking across the north, the only place anybody can and should focus on is Darwin and the Top End. Obviously developing the north is dependent on developing the regions across the Northern Territory. I was thrilled to hear the Chief Minister say that when it comes to northern development, the whole of the Territory will be behind that, not just the portion above the Tropic of Capricorn. That is abundantly important because this is a great journey the Territory is on and a great opportunity for the Territory.
We should be Asia’s gateway to Australia and Australia’s gateway to Asia. Obviously that means Darwin and the Top End being a major transport, logistical and trading hub. We are secure in our trading by having Australia’s Defence forces located in the north. Also, having the presence of the US for training exercises provides that security that business needs to develop, have confidence in the future and grow.
Utilising all of our available resources is also of critical importance. I am thrilled by the way the minister for Primary Industry and Mines has taken to his job, where he is encouraging mining and exploration companies to set up in the north …
Ms FINOCCHIARO: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I move that the member for Fong Lim be granted an extension of time, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr TOLLNER: Thank you. I will not need the whole time but appreciate the extra.
As I was saying, the Minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries and Mines and Energy has done a wonderful job in encouraging farming, mining and exploration, and trying very well, with a lot of success, to further reinvigorate that live cattle export business that was so nearly killed by our former government and the Gillard government in Canberra.
It is good to see the energy and keenness of our Minister for Tourism, who is one of the great spokesmen for the Territory. He can see the opportunities that exist for the Northern Territory in relation to tourism. It is an amazing change where you saw, just two years ago, a Northern Territory government that was internally focused, and focused on tourism businesses being accredited. There was a range of accreditation programs, that is, hurdles that business had to jump through. They held a stick to tourism businesses by saying if they did not do the accreditation programs, if they did not allow the government to pore through their books and go through their enterprise, they would be hit with the big stick by the government not advertising their product overseas. They operated Territory Discoveries and were trying to channel everything through Territory Discoveries at the expense of all other inbound tourism wholesalers around the nation.
I am thrilled to see our new Tourism minister has dumped that silly policy and is looking outward. He understands the best form of accreditation for any business is the marketplace. If you do a good job, you succeed; if you do a bad job, you go to the wall. What you do not need is government putting its dead hand on your shoulder, looking over your shoulder, going through your books and trying to tell you how best to run your business. That is the last thing any business needs. While we are not out of those silly accreditation programs, government is not spending an enormous amount of money tying up people’s time and energy going through their businesses. The Tourism minister is putting more and more of our resources into overseas and interstate promotion of the Northern Territory, trying to encourage more Australians and more overseas visitors to the Northern Territory. That, in itself, is a big change and will see big dividends happen.
The Minister for Lands, Planning and the Environment is doing a fantastic job of putting out plans and guidelines, letting people know what is on the horizon and allowing developers and builders to start doing the work our growing economy requires. Obviously a growing economy is what every jurisdiction wants, and we are the envy of all the jurisdictions in Australia.
I was saying to a group of people at lunchtime that this year the economy is growing at 7%, which puts us in the same realm as China and India. We are part of the stand-out economies around the world. However, rapid economic growth also brings its own problems. How do you build that much-needed infrastructure, such as schools, roads, hospitals and the like, particularly with a government as committed as we are to reducing the cost of living? It is very difficult to do that in a rapidly-growing economy, because where there is greater demand, there is always upward pressure on prices.
There are some challenges in growing and developing northern Australia, but we have a government ready and keen to do it. There is an air of expectation and optimism among all ministers and people on this side of the House. This is a thrilling and exciting time in the Northern Territory’s history and it is great to be here. We have now, for the first time ever under the Abbott government in Canberra, real and genuine support to see development growth in the north. Never in Australia’s history have we seen the focus on the north we are seeing from the Abbott government, and that in itself is quite spectacular.
The planets are aligning. Obviously, the interest from our Asian neighbours in accessing Australian consumers and more of Australia’s resources sets us in good stead.
Madam Speaker, forget the carping, whining and whingeing from the Opposition Leader, who sees nothing but doom and gloom and will throw out any red herring possible to divert people from feeling excited about our future. She is making an art form of it. When you look at the things she constantly throws out there, such as figures which are made up, it is quite amazing.
She had a fellow contact the NT News, a bloke called Bill Mitchell, an economist who got himself a bit of a gig in the paper. These are the sorts of people the Opposition Leader identifies with. I did a bit of checking up on Bill Mitchell. I did a search of him on the Internet and it came up with a Wikipedia site. There is quite a bit on Mr Mitchell, who is somewhat of a Marxist. This is a quote from the website:
- Mitchell is active in the public opposition of neo-liberal economic theories and practices and disputes the ‘revisionism’ of History ...
I wonder what neo-liberal economic theories he is opposed to?
As part of the neo-liberalism, Mitchell opposes economic liberalisations, free trade and open markets. He opposes privatisation, deregulation and enhancing the role of the private sector. He would say those things about the structural separation of Power and Water, would he not? This is the type of person the Opposition Leader identifies with, the sort of person who does not want to see a free market working in the Northern Territory, or enterprises establishing in the Northern Territory. He would be one of those people who subscribes to the big park policy of the former Labor government.
Madam Speaker, it is an exciting time. We will not be deterred by the negative carping from those opposite. The rest of the Territory knows we are on a mission, we have real vision and the future of the Northern Territory looks great and prosperous.
Mr McCARTHY (Barkly): Madam Speaker, the Chief Minister’s ministerial statement – as the member for Fong Lim said, the exciting, vibrant and visionary statement – was dropped on opposition desks the morning it was delivered in parliament. That shows you how big, visionary, and exciting this statement is that it could not possibly be delivered the evening before to allow the true processes of democracy to shape the debate. It was delivered in a punitive sense, by a mean-spirited government.
That is the character of this government which plans on developing northern Australia in partnership with its Liberal mates in Canberra. They have a report card which is in Canberra, and no doubt Dave’s mate Tony - Uncle Tony – is looking through the report card. This is a Treasurer of the Northern Territory who does not even read his own mid-year report. For the Treasurer’s knowledge, I remind you that the figure you were looking for, which you misquoted, is $832m, and it appears in the overview on page one in the document 2013-14 Northern Territory Mid-Year Report by the Northern Territory government. There you have it, Treasurer. You had better read your own report, because the figure is there.
As the Chief Minister dodged in Question Time, and as you just dodged in your response, all the opposition wants to know is what you will spend the cash on. It is a serious cash grab, which appears on page one of your mid-year report. What is the expenditure plan? Territorians would like to know.
Uncle Tony is going through a report card from his Liberal mates in the Northern Territory, which shows that under their watch they are tracking to a massive debt. They have already incurred $1.1bn in the first budget under their watch. They are on a spending spree. This mob has spent $84m, but we are not quite sure what on. We know for a fact they have taken $32m out of the pockets of Territory families and businesses in price hikes around power, water and sewerage. We know they have gone on a spending spree of $84m. We know they have somehow got this windfall that is documented in the mid-year report coming online, but we are not quite sure what they are doing with it. They are the fiscal managers in the Northern Territory the Prime Minister is looking at when he assesses where they will do business.
It makes me smile when the Treasurer and the Chief Minister waffle on in the sense of an opposition. When will they get over the fact that they are not in opposition? They are in government? Members of the CLP should start questioning this front bench because they are seriously dragging you down. They are seriously limiting any potential of government when they continue to operate in opposition, reiterating all their gloom and doom theories about why they cannot do anything.
I move to the Chief Minister’s statement. I will not go into 19 months of broken election promises, sacking public servants, the incredible and quite alarming price increases or the two new mining taxes yet. Of course, I will not talk about the $1.1bn added to the Northern Territory debt under the Country Liberal Party. I will move on to the statement because, as the Chief Minister alluded to in this House, it is all contained in a white paper and a green paper.
To me, without any substance and with a track record that Canberra is looking at under this crowd, the Country Liberal Party is all talk and no action. I do not think there is any real substance, and until we start to hear some substance then I do not think the Country Liberal Party has any credibility in the Northern Territory.
The Chief Minister said in his statement:
We made an early case for the need for new infrastructure and called for the Australian government to help fund extensions to the rail network and a second port at Glyde Point.
I remind the Chief Minister of an anecdote I learned when we were in government about the fast train from Chatswood to Sydney Central Station. What I would like to see in a statement delivered the night before, or in the morning, or at lunchtime – I do not really care anymore – is the Chief Minister and the Liberal Party’s plan to change the political thinking of the continent. How do they really plan to influence 85% of the Australian population who live on the east coast and demand reductions of 14 minutes in their travel time between Chatswood and Central Station? How do they plan on getting funds off the Bruce Highway into the Northern Territory? How do they plan on changing the thinking of the Australian public who vote in and out the bulk block of politicians in this country? There is plenty of space in this statement to give the Northern Territory and Territorians strategies about how they will do it. What we get is shallow one-liners, green and white papers, and this rhetoric that has no substance and no meaning.
We are in an interesting situation when we reflect on the facts about changing political ideology. We are still wondering what the Country Liberal Party is doing about that.
The member for Port Darwin, as the Minister for Public Employment, spoke in Question Time today about preparing the public sector for the development of northern Australia, and gave a passionate three-minute synopsis of what he is doing. I thought, ‘Well, that was three minutes and it was almost Shakespearean’.
What I wanted to read in this statement was how this government is preparing the public sector to do business in the new world of mega infrastructure, design and construction under the model of public private partnerships within the realm of foreign investment. Where is that thinking? How are Territory public servants being prepared for the new way of doing business?
The previous Labor government entered this space well and truly with the new Darwin Correctional Precinct, bagged by the Country Liberal Party – negative shallow rhetoric, all doom and gloom, all about complaints. Ironically, they crow about the same project delivering 1000 jobs in relation to a new model of doing business, when we are talking about what I call mega infrastructure, public private partnerships. Where is that in the statement? It does not appear. The minister does not acknowledge it. The Country Liberal Party does not have it in its thinking. Once again, it is about this shallow rhetoric with no substance.
The Country Liberal Party members continue to try to talk their way out of a very important policy about reserving water for Indigenous economic development. They try to weasel-word their way through the debate, particularly jumping at the shadows of their own Indigenous members from the government who are now starting to question what this reserve is all about. Why is it a good policy? Why is our front bench not acknowledging it? What is the true story about allocating a mega water licence to one pastoral operator, then having Indigenous communities downstream on the Roper River starting to question that decision?
The sooner those members start to challenge their front bench and knock on that Cabinet door, the better, because this is a very integral part of development in northern Australia. Without the recognition that Indigenous communities and the Indigenous business sector are very much a developing sector, and the acknowledgement and policy to put a reserve in place, then they could risk any real developments in the future. That plays at the haves and have-nots, and is something the Country Liberal Party has never been good at. It has never been good at delivering for everyone in the community; it has always been for the mates, for the haves, at the expensive of the have-nots.
The discussion about the strategic Indigenous water reserve better re-emerge in the Country Liberals caucus because it will seriously disadvantage the first Australians and their emerging opportunities in the space of what the Chief Minister is talking about: the development of northern Australia.
We are talking about nation building infrastructure and the necessary public private partnerships and foreign investment that will deliver this. We want to hear more. So, Chief Minister, back to the drawing board, bring it on as soon as you like. I would really like to hear what your government’s plans are in that space.
We are talking about a great deal of greenfield development. When you are developing greenfield space, there are massive infrastructure requirements and considerable cost to deliver that. It is ironic that when the Chief Minister is talking about the development of northern Australia, in 19 months we have not seen one Country Liberals greenfield site of development delivered in the Northern Territory. The spin and rhetoric around their media releases and all the stories they tell celebrating places like Johnston stage two, Zuccoli and Kilgariff has not once mentioned anything new. Elferink Heights is what I am looking for; there is not one mention, just pure spin. They do not have a track record in delivering greenfield sites in 19 months, and I am wondering what credibility that will get them at the Canberra table when they discuss the division of very limited resources between Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
It is important we start to hear the detail and cut to the chase. We need to be asking questions around the Country Liberals policy of cutting red and green tape. We know for land use they dusted off a 20-year plan. The plan talks about damming wild rivers in the Northern Territory. Once again, this is a very shallow understanding of the ecology of tropical savannahs, estuaries and northern marine ecosystems. It is about cutting red tape and green tape and damming rivers, which will deliver them their short-term outcome. That is, ironically, the complete opposite of what is needed when talking about a policy to develop northern Australia.
If you want to go down the path of the Murray Darling and the mistakes made in the south of the continent, that is where you should be. The north of the continent needs very specific plans acknowledging the unique ecology and ecosystems which operate here that need to be preserved for future generations.
There is an interesting comment which came from Question Time and relates to a section of the statement where the Country Liberals spoke about a pathway from poverty for people on welfare. The Chief Minister said developing the north will contribute to the national economy in the long term by reducing the need for welfare as more and more Territorians are employed. Let us cut into that and talk about it because the first thing coming out of the Liberal camp is from Mr Mundine. I quote from an article in the Weekend Australian of 15 February 2014 by Patricia Karvelas:
- The head of the Prime Minister’s Indigenous Advisory Council, Warren Mundine, believes there are up to 40 000 young Aboriginal adults who are missing from the system, not claiming the dole and living off crime and by humbugging.
- … has ordered bureaucrats to come up with ways to re-engage them as a matter of urgency.
I quote again from Mr Mundine who wants Indigenous youths in detention moved to jobs and training programs:
- The chairman of the federal government’s Indigenous Advisory Council wants Indigenous teenagers in juvenile detention to be moved to jobs and training.
… He says Indigenous juvenile detention rates in the last decade have risen by 100% nationally.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare says the rate of Indigenous juvenile incarceration is 31 times higher than the non-Indigenous rate.
That was taken from a story on Thursday, 13 February 2014.
The government has a real problem with incarceration rates of Indigenous people. The government has been very serious about legislation mandating terms of imprisonment. I suggest that Correctional Services’ facilities are bursting at the seams. The Minister for Correctional Services talks about the Sentenced to a Job program, but we do not hear any talk about Indigenous youth; we do not hear any mention of the unacceptable Indigenous youth incarceration rates. We are wondering what the Country Liberals plan to do about that when the Chief Minister wants to get people off welfare and into jobs. Where is the detail around the plans? Where is the detail about how that will take place?
In this statement there are stories about what they are ‘gonna do’, ‘We are gonna do this, and gonna do that’. I will tell the Chief Minister what he can immediately do, and that is acknowledge the situation where 60% of Indigenous people incarcerated in the Northern Territory represent offences which relate to motor traffic and alcohol. The majority of them are incarcerated for less than 12 month sentences, which makes it difficult to deal with that person in an institution.
We can look at a very high figure relating to motor traffic offences and link it back to the delivery of Motor Vehicle Registry services in the bush. Then we can go to a micro example of the contract signed by the previous Chief Minister - orchestrated by the current Chief Minister - in Borroloola, which said, ‘We will build a government centre. We will locate government services and offices in that centre and we will stimulate your economy and provide jobs.’ Ironically, one of the services which will keep people out of gaol is the delivery of Motor Vehicle Registry services, yet nothing has happened.
In the meantime, the Mabunji Aboriginal Resource Organisation has built the offices. It has created a shopping centre in Robinson Road in Borroloola which has spare office space. Here we are, 19 months into the Country Liberals government, but no MVR services for Borroloola. Over the road, the Commonwealth government built a Centrelink office and there are a number of my ex-students working there ...
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I move the member be granted an extension of time, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr McCARTHY: Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay.
It is great to visit the office, because there are ex-students of mine from Borroloola who work there. I remember from the election campaign a promise from the Country Liberals that they would deliver a Centrelink office for Borroloola. It shows you how much they took notice on their visits in Borroloola that there was a brand new Centrelink office built by the Commonwealth government, operating and employing local people, the majority of who are young people.
We have an opportunity to deliver an MVR office in Borroloola - a growth town – and 19 months in there is not even a mention of the contract. This is the micro example of developing northern Australia where we can keep people out of gaol, create jobs in the regions, educate people around the use of motor vehicles and road safety and prepare the new generation to inherit all this amazing opportunity the Chief Minister talked about. However, there is no link between a visionary statement of words and pragmatic delivery on the ground.
The people of Borroloola are very passionate about this. The police in Borroloola know their business is extremely important and Motor Vehicle Registry services, clerical services across a desk, are not the major priority. They are out in the field, keeping the community safe. They are policing a major district within the Northern Territory. This issue could be solved with the establishment of a Motor Vehicle Registry office in Borroloola. There is office space available, and I urge the minister to confer with the Minister for Correctional Services to knock on the Chief Minister’s door and say, ‘This is something which can change peoples’ lives. This is a positive track to delivering a workforce, the prosperity across the board for all concerned and the equality we need.’
I will continue to challenge the government on this and to wave around the contract which was presented to the good folk of the township of Borroloola to try to win their votes in the last Territory election. It is not something big and grandiose; it is very simple and pragmatic, and those people deserve it.
The Chief Minister talked about the possibility of making Territory Day a public holiday. He wants other people to talk about it. My challenge is: what are you doing about statehood, mate? What has happened to this government’s agenda for statehood? If we are talking about big visionary statements about the development of northern Australia, where is the seventh state, the state of the Northern Territory? There is no talk whatsoever. It is just smokescreen, rhetoric and one-liners for the media. Get real! Let us hear your plans about statehood and re-establishing that agenda which was hijacked and derailed by the Country Liberals in the lead-up to the election.
The statement talked about the MOU deal on the Tiwi Islands. That is fine; it is something we all acknowledge. However, the reality is it is an agreement for the company to search out customers. That is great; that is another step in the right direction. It immediately leads into a project of significance and the question about the preparation of a workforce. The government celebrated a big television event with the Tiwi people. We understand that is an agreement for the company to search for customers to try to make this project stack up.
We then saw the cutting of teachers, the loss of support and administrative staff and the whole education debate shift into how bad outcomes are, how poor teachers are performing and how this government is determined to turn that around. There seems to be many gaps in the way business is conducted by the government. Those gaps are real and very damaging. The sentiment from the electorates I move around in, and to me, seems to be that the government makes it up as it goes along; there do not seem to be any real plans. I do not think this statement gives any more comfort to the Territory constituency that we are on any real road in developing northern Australia.
I enjoyed the part about energy resources. I celebrate what Paul Henderson started with real work with INPEX and the Larrakia, which was about fly-in fly-out workers from remote communities. That was about the Chief Minister saying, ‘They can’ and, of course, they can. That is what I started with the previous Chief Minister. I used his esteemed position as a real Territory statesman, a person who carried the government on his shoulders and mixed in the international community with respect and acknowledgement. He took those tiny words from a new member for Barkly in parliament to the big end of town, to multinational global players and traditional owners, and secured the deal.
I am pleased to see that is now repeating in Country Liberal Party rhetoric, because it is a real deal, particularly when you have a 3500-bed worker village that is operating in the Top End. Give credit where credit is due. I hope the Chief Minister stays on that game plan because I am still preparing young people in the Barkly to take up that opportunity. In mining, the mantra is ‘open for business’, and the Country Liberal Party came to the table with two new mining taxes. That is okay. It should be acknowledged fair and square that on one hand government puts out the spin ‘open for business’, and on the other hand the mining industry is saying that does not really sit well when it imposes two new taxes. The government would have heard about that at the industry forum. However, ministers did not show, and it was rather embarrassing to hear that.
On the subject of residential land, the Chief Minister talked about Kilgariff. I was at Kilgariff on the weekend. I was at the cricket as well, and I also visited a number of other sites in Alice Springs. It will be a challenge, Chief Minister. Once again, if you try to cut corners with Kilgariff, you risk destroying the integrity of the whole master plan suburb. Ecologically, environmentally and socially, it is a very sensitive area that can yield enormous potential for Alice Springs. I did not see any real acknowledgement of that in what I looked at on the weekend. I caution you, with respect, Chief Minister.
I get to the next part of the statement about showing a direct link between building activity and residential building work and an increase in Territory revenue. That is a straight story. The only bits missing are the middle bits about the fact they were all Labor land release programs.
I sat on the other side there for four years, and had four years of a CLP mantra bagging the lack of land release, ‘What are you doing?’ I was out kicking dirt, learning about the industry, commissioning excavators, and the government was about significant investment in the headworks. That went on for four years. The press bought it and everybody worked it over. Now I am on this side, and 19 months in this government is crowing about accelerated land release, with not one greenfield site and no plans. It is a retrograde step in the crash of the Enquiry by Design process and the initial master plan work for Weddell. They then named a new greenfield peninsula. ‘We are going to do it all on Glyde Point with no enabling infrastructure and no supporting infrastructure.’
However, there is something coming in the rural area, and you guys are going to be up for a fight. We will leave it at that for the time being, as I have run out of time. There is much more to talk about regarding this statement.
Madam Speaker, once again, I say that when we are talking about the development of the Territory and northern Australia, let us start to hear some substance. Let me go home and tell the electorate what you guys are actually doing. There will not be too many people interested in what is in this statement without the details, and how it will really relate to Territorians and benefit the young people and the future generations of the Northern Territory.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE (Primary Industry and Fisheries): Madam Speaker, I support this statement from the Chief Minister on developing northern Australia. The Northern Territory has a wealth of mineral and energy opportunities. In addition, we have available land and abundant water. We have the potential to grow crops that can feed millions. We have a thriving beef and buffalo industry, thanks to the efforts of successive CLP governments over many years. We have one of the most sustainable fisheries in the world. We have established transport corridors.
The hard work from this government has ensured we have a foot in many new emerging markets to our north. Put plainly, we have the political courage and will to make good things happen. In short, we have the foundations on which we can grow and develop the Northern Territory as Australia’s northern gateway of choice in which future generations of Territorians will benefit. We have the foundations, or the raw ingredients.
However, what we do not have is the necessary supporting infrastructure needed to realise the full potential of these opportunities. This includes all-weather roads, an extension of the current rail system, greater access to essential services in remote regions, such as power and large industry, and a larger network of gas pipelines that can service large industry and serve to transport our raw resources to market.
Infrastructure is indeed the key to the Northern Territory’s development and, consequently, the development of northern Australia. As the Chief Minister said, this Country Liberals government is working with the federal government, our north Australian counterparts in Queensland and Western Australia, and industry to collaborate on big ticket items.
A national strategic approach to ports, rail and roads infrastructure in northern Australia will more efficiently move product to market and establish Darwin as the land bridge gateway to Asia. This strategic approach to major infrastructure will serve to reduce cost to business and communities through economics of scale in lieu of small project-based ports such as Bing Bong, and will provide increased security in the event of natural disasters disrupting critical infrastructure.
This government has rolled up its sleeves and is prepared to get down and dirty and, as Territorians would say, is prepared to break a sweat to get the job done. We will follow in the footsteps of many pioneering Territorians, including former CLP governments, in aiming high, pushing the boundaries and achieving the seemingly pie-in-the-sky lofty ambitions.
A range of initiatives is being pursued, driven by my Department of Mines and Energy, to make the Northern Territory an attractive and financially safe jurisdiction in which to invest in the mining, energy and exploration industry.
This government has already simplified the process to submit mining management plans, made environmental mining reports more efficient and introduced a multiyear cycle of mining management plans. We have sped up the approvals process and are transitioning to a compliance program that has an increasingly field-based focus.
In our first year in government, we made significant progress in cutting red tape, easing the burden experienced by exploration and mining companies doing business in the NT. We told the world we were open for business and, indeed, we are. We have facilitated the development of major new mines, put in place strategies to deal with legacy mines, are using our natural resources to benefit Territorians and will use the wealth created from ecologically sustainable mining to develop jobs, regional centres and infrastructure.
Our continuing efforts in Asian investment and engagement will build on previous good work in this area and focus on enabling increased investment in the exploration sector.
The Territory has a great future in supplying expanding global LNG markets supplying gas to resource projects across northern Australia to hungry interstate energy markets and gas processing industries.
Recovering economies in Asia has seen increased energy demand, and natural gas – with its greenhouse and environmentally-friendly qualities – will grow more strongly than competing fuel sources. Indeed, there has been a substantial increase in hydrocarbon exploration activity in the Northern Territory in the past 12 months. In news this morning, it was reported that household gas prices interstate will increase substantially due to surging wholesale prices which have resulted from Queensland’s planned export of large volumes of gas.
It is timely for the Australian government to consider establishing a national gas grid to connect the Territory to the rest of Australia. The Northern Territory’s already significant role in providing energy security to Australia will increase substantially if gas pipeline infrastructure projects, accelerated investment in geoscience and exploration access are given priority.
The Northern Territory also has the largest number of potential mine development projects in play than at any time in the past three decades. To name a few: the Australian Ilmenite Resources project in the Roper River; the expansion of McArthur River mine; the Roper Bar iron ore mine by Western Desert Resources; and the Sherwin iron mine project, which has already exported a 200 000 tonne bulk sample to China.
Projected expenditure on oil and gas exploration on granted tenements in the Northern Territory over the next five years exceeds $200m. Current work programs show that no fewer than 25 exploration wells could be drilled within the next 12 months. This government is committed to the continuation of a strong and vibrant mining sector.
The Northern Territory’s primary industry and fishery sectors are playing an increasingly important role in providing food security for Territorians, Australians and the growing consumer market that is Asia. The underdeveloped north of Australia has the potential to increase its production of food and contribute to global food security.
This government is committed to enabling development of the north and is determined to increase the opportunities available for landowners, primary producers and those whose businesses depend on land and water. To this end, we have made legislative changes to the Pastoral Land Act to allow for the development of agriculture and horticultural projects on pastoral leases. These changes will extend the five-year limit for non-pastoral use activities on pastoral land up to 30 years, plus potential extensions, which will allow a project to mature and provide a return on the initial capital investment.
Pastoral leaseholders now have a unique opportunity to diversify their income streams while also contributing to economic development and food security.
This government’s water policy will provide a framework for water management in the Territory, promote sustainable water resource management and underpin the identification, assessment, development, allocation and management of all water resources in the Territory. We are making the best use of available land and water resources and identifying smaller-scale irrigation projects based on water availability in areas with better soils and available infrastructure.
The combination of market and investment opportunities emerging from our northern neighbours, the focus of this government on relationship building and understanding the geopolitical climate of our trading partners and the culmination of many years of resource makes us confident we can attain sustainable production from our land and water resources, and this government’s strategic policy views will ensure the long-term prosperity of these sectors and underpin investment certainty.
As the Chief Minister pointed out, we have already established new markets for our buffalo and are seeking new markets for our cattle. With the devastating kneejerk reaction by the then federal Labor government to ban the live trade of cattle to Indonesia several years ago, it is no small feat that this industry, which was brought to its knees, has fought back and, against all odds, is once again a major contributor to the Northern Territory’s economy. Last year, there was an increase of around 75 000 head of cattle exported through the Port of Darwin, compared to the previous year.
We are also supporting the Australian Agricultural Company’s project to build an abattoir in the Top End, which will diversify the market opportunities for our beef producers, as well as provide a market for those cattle not suitable for live export. It also provides an opportunity for diversification of the northern herd over time to supply cattle more suited to prime beef processing.
We are working on Ord Stage 3. Opposition members have stood in this House in recent weeks and asked what is going on with the Ord. The extension of the Ord irrigation channels into the Territory will open up 14 500 ha of new agricultural land.
As I said, members opposite have declared this project stalled or dead in the water, but this CLP government has done more in its short time in office to progress the Ord than Labor did in 11 long, tedious, unproductive years in office.
The Ord Development Unit is ensuring we get the process right in regard to native title negotiations, water allocations and licensing, environmental approvals and biosecurity measures. However, this is a process that does not happen overnight. If those opposite would hark back to 19 months ago when they were in government – at least some of them were – they would understand the time frames and would know how long it takes to get process done. We are about getting the process right as well. We want to ensure whatever we do is robust and sustainable, and not done on the basis of kneejerk reactions.
You can see what happens when kneejerk policy decisions are made by government coming out in the inquiry into Stella Maris. We do not want to see this government in that position. Therefore, we will take our time, get it right, work closely with all the stakeholders and ensure when we progress this Ord Stage 3 it is done in a way that means it will be successful in the future. That is our intention.
This government is not resting there. We are already working to identify the next large-scale agricultural development opportunity. The knock-on or downstream benefits from projects such as the Ord development projects include jobs, local business growth, major investment attraction and industry participation. The Tiwi Islands is a great example, with the potential that now exists for traditional landowners to utilise their vast landholdings for agricultural development to create economic diversity and jobs while contributing to food security.
I heard the carping from members opposite, particularly the member for Barkly, talking about greenfield sites. Essentially, the Tiwi Islands’ agricultural development is a greenfield site. Notwithstanding the forestry that has been going on there for a number of years, a development of this nature, of this size and scale is, in fact, a greenfield development. It is pretty easy for us to put our fingers on a project in the Northern Territory that could be considered a greenfield site and say, ‘Here we are, we are producing some results’.
This government is fostering industry growth by reducing red tape, assisting to increase exports to our Asian neighbours, enabling increased flexibility for land use on pastoral leases and facilitating an increase in the availability of land for primary production.
I would be remiss if I did not touch on a few things raised in this debate by members opposite, particularly around water. I have said previously I enjoy speaking in this House about water and the opportunities it will bring for the Northern Territory. What usually happens is opposition members, basically, misrepresent the truth; it is a nice way of saying another word, which I will not use in the House for fear of being pulled up, and we then must correct the record. That happens so often it becomes difficult to listen to. There are times when I simply have to switch off as I cannot stand listening to the codswallop coming from most of the members opposite.
Let us talk a little about water. I reiterate what I have said in this House in the past and refute some of the things the Leader of the Opposition said, particularly around the strategic Indigenous reserve. This government did not scrap a policy on SIR. For us to have scrapped a policy on SIR, there had to have been one before. The extension of that is members opposite are suggesting they had a policy on SIR. That follows, does it not? If you follow the Leader of the Opposition’s argument, the Country Liberals scrapped an SIR; therefore, before that there was a policy on SIR which clearly would have been held in the domain of the then Labor government. But that is not true. In fact, it is completely false.
There was an ad hoc approach to a strategic Indigenous reserve by the water allocation committees and, consequently, the Department of NRETAS, as it was back then, with the former ministers in their various guises, including Karl Hampton. That ad hoc approach occurred because there was no policy from the then Labor government. They were too frightened to take on such a policy. As usual – and I have seen it happen time and time again coming out of the years of Labor government in the Territory – there were too many things just thrown into the too-hard basket. Let us talk about SIR. They did not have a policy on that at all – did not have the courage or the guts.
Let us talk about the 75 outstanding water licences that were left when they vacated government, which went back, many of them, years and were neverdealt with. They were in the too-hard basket. Do you know why? They did not have the courage to deal with issues around water. It must be because they were too darned scared of what the greenies and the naysayers might say, bearing in mind they were only hanging on to government by a thread.
There are a lot of mistruths peddled in this House by the opposition. It is incumbent on us to try to correct the record as those statements are made by the members opposite.
However, I will say again: this government is about driving development. The development process we are implementing in the Northern Territory dovetails beautifully into the whole concept of the development of northern Australia.
In fact – and I have mentioned this before – while the federal Coalition was in opposition and was working on a plan for northern development, my primary industry ministerial colleagues from Queensland and Western Australia and I were already working on a northern approach to development of the beef industry. We conducted joint delegations to Indonesia. We have another one coming up shortly to Vietnam, if the other ministers can make it, because we recognise the importance of presenting a united front to our trading partners to the north. We want them to recognise that northern Australia is a key location and the Northern Territory, particularly the Port of Darwin, is at the geographic centre of all that.
Madam Speaker, I commend the Chief Minister for making this statement and I commend this Country Liberals government and the other ministers who are working so hard to bring development to the Northern Territory and, by extension, to northern Australia.
Mr VATSKALIS (Casuarina): Madam Speaker, as the Chief Minister and many in this House know, I was one of the strong advocates for developing the north. Sometimes, I had to argue with some of my colleagues in Canberra, but for them the most important areas are the ones that have the most votes, and the north does not have many votes. When I referred to the north, I not only referred to the Northern Territory but to anything that comes from Townsville, west to Port Hedland, which includes places like Broome, Kununurra, Katherine, Gove and many other areas in northern Australia.
This statement by the Chief Minister is good for us because most of the points you highlight as achievements are things that were either started or initiated by us. Now, of course, you are riding the crest of the wave. I congratulate you for bragging about the 33 blocks in Kilgariff. I remind you that the Kilgariff blocks in Alice Springs were started by the Labor government. I understand that governments come and go, and I know the government of the day will claim the kudos. It happened before and will happen again. However, it would be good to give credit where credit is due.
I heard you talking about Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam, and I congratulate you for continuing the good work we started as the Labor government. I personally spent many days and many hours working to open new markets for our cattle industry in Vietnam and Indonesia.
With regard to developing the north, it will take a lot of effort and time to persuade people down south – politicians like us – as some of them see investing in the north as a waste of money, because the north is too far away from the big centres, their electorates, and they could not care less what happens in Broome, Kununurra, Gove or Humpty Doo. It is alien and too far away to them, and some cannot even pronounce the names. Try to ask some of them to spell Borroloola; they will be lost between the B and the O.
I talk about developing the north but I have some issues. On page 12 you talked about Asian engagement and trade. The problem is, Chief Minister, after two years in government you still do not have an international trade strategy. In the last three years, the office of Asian Engagement and Trade has moved in and out of the Chief Minister’s department. The last time I spoke to them they did not have anyone who could speak Mandarin, Korean, Japanese or Indonesian. They were trying to recruit people. Two years after being in government and not having people to speak the languages you need to engage people in Southeast Asia is a bit poor.
I remind you, no, we were not perfect; yes, we made mistakes, but we were clearly focused on Asia. The CLP is very big on rhetoric but when it comes to action something is always missing. Do I have to remind you we opened the relationship with East Timor? Do I have to remind you we actively engaged Japan, South Korea and China? Not only the INPEX project came from Japan because of the actions of previous Labor Chief Ministers, but also the investments in minerals we have seen from China and the interest in uranium from South Korea.
Yes, the cattle industry suffered a setback in Indonesia and probably some historians in the future will apportion blame to people in high places and they would probably be right. However, it was our Labor government and me who fought very hard – in some cases contrary to the opinions of some colleagues in our party in Canberra – to reinstate that relationship with Indonesia. This parliament had bipartisan support for our cattle industry until the current Deputy Chief Minister broke ranks and demanded a breaking of the bipartisan support. Unfortunately, the issue became heavily politicised.
The Chief Minister was talking about energy resources. I welcome his energy resources statement because he is clearly on the right path. We have to sell the mineral wealth of the Territory to people who want it, and those people are all situated in Southeast Asia. It is not only the liquefied natural gas that Japan demands, but also mineral resources like iron ore, manganese, silver, gold and zinc. Actually, the high demand is in China. Nothing will change, Chief Minister, unless you have a clear focus on the Southeast Asian market. Some of your ministers spend more time attracting investment from China in the minerals sector than flying in and out in one day.
The mining boom in the Territory continues and will continue. We are one of the few jurisdictions in Australia where people can still acquire exploration licences. They are not occupied by big companies, as in Western Australia. Companies can make money, establish their headquarters in the Territory and open new mines. We have some of the biggest mines in Australia, but eventually these mines will dry out and finish; it is inevitable. We need new mines and we need to find new opportunities.
Congratulations for continuing our initiative with CORE dollar-for-dollar payment to companies that undertake exploration. However, you have to continue that and increase it. I said before you do not need a flash office in Beijing; you need people going to China to actively engage investors and the government – either provincial or central government – to make decisions to invest in the Northern Territory.
You talked about land tenure and land use. The Territory is a big place and we have the capacity to produce not only cattle, but tropical fruit and flowers.
I come to the third stage of the Ord scheme that the member for Katherine spoke about. The reality is Ord Stage 3 is not happening at the moment. The information I have from Western Australia – as you know I come from Western Australia and have friends in Western Australia on both sides of politics – is the Western Australians are firmly keeping the Ord for themselves. The latest information I have is no way will they invest money into the Territory. They would love the Territory land to come online, but that will take time. We know that because we have not initiated active negotiation with traditional owners on our side of the border.
The other thing I hear is Western Australia is going to invest a very significant amount of money to reconstruct the port of Wyndham with railway lines, floating facilities and a new wharf. They are looking at the Ord to benefit Western Australia rather than the Northern Territory. It will be a great idea to have a railway line coming from the Ord to Katherine and then to Darwin, but there is no way Western Australia will put in any money. My understanding is the cost is so high the federal government is very reluctant to invest in it.
On the other hand, why do you want to put a railway line 900 km to Katherine - or 800 km, whatever the distance is - when in about 200 km, product can be taken from Kununurra to Wyndham to be exported directly from deep water? It is a tidal port at this stage but, given the plans they have, it will happen. Let us not forget that Mr Grylls, who used to be the leader of the Nationals, is now elected in the northwest. His focus is the development of northwest Western Australia, not the west of the Northern Territory. Mr Grylls holds the balance of power in Western Australia, and he has a big say and big clout when it comes to negotiations.
Chief Minister, you talked about tourism. What can I say about tourism? I have my personal views about your minister. I do not believe he is a good minister. He tends to make a lot of noise. The reality is noise will not bring tourists to the Territory. He is the minister, but he said he is not prepared to spend money towards attracting China, because it is unknown territory. But the minister has signed a document, Vision 2020. That document clearly says clearly the Territory government should invest time and effort in China and other Southeast Asian countries to bring tourism to the Northern Territory.
Your minister is focused on traditional markets: London; Paris; Sweden; and America. I know it is good to go to Paris, London, or Sweden. It is very good; everybody would like to go there. However, a visit by any minister to those countries will not increase the number of people coming to the Territory. If you take a trip down Mitchell Street, you will find out that most of these so-called tourists from Europe are backpackers who work in our pubs and our hospitality industry. What we really need is some of the massive numbers of tourists coming out of China and Southeast Asia. We have some tourists from Taiwan who come here to work for one year, then continue down south to the rest of Australia, so they can stay for two or more years. We need people who are prepared to come here and spend money.
We do not see a real effort on tourism; we hear a lot of words. The minister says a lot of things and waves his hands - he still thinks he is in a studio or a radio station - but the reality is he is not doing much about tourism.
It is sometimes difficult when you want to do something, when you have a vision, but the people behind you are not pulling their weight. Do not get me wrong, I understand you have real will to do something about northern Australia. Who would not like to be a Chief Minister and leave a legacy behind them to have done something with northern Australia? Many people have tried in the past and failed, because there was no commitment from state or federal politicians. I have said before that people in Canberra do not see northern Australia as important.
One thing I remember well is when I had to highlight to a federal minister that there was no significant road between Townsville and Darwin. He looked at me and said, ‘Why should there be one?’ I stated that Darwin has the Army, as does Townsville. You need to have a very good design and a well-constructed road to support the movement of Army personnel and equipment if something were to happen in the north of Australia.
I had to remind ministers that about 30 million people living south of Darwin and to our north, there are 2.5 billion, if you include Southeast Asia. This is how important Darwin is, as well as the development of northern Australia. We have the potential, and I hope we all have the will, to help develop northern Australia. The hard work will be trying to persuade your own colleagues, as some of them will not be up to the task, and how to persuade the rest of your colleagues down south. I wish you luck. Instead of helping the situation with northern Australia, they seem to create mischief, especially with our closest neighbour, Indonesia.
I am pleased you brought this ministerial statement which highlights many of the achievements of the previous Labor government. You are the government now; I have no problem with you claiming the kudos. It may happen in the future; it happened in the past. Words are good, but actions are more important.
Mr STYLES (Transport): Mr Deputy Speaker, it is very interesting when you listen to people who try to rewrite history and paint themselves in the best possible light, and paint the people who are actually doing things in the worst possible light. That is what happens. My colleague, the member for Katherine, talked about correcting what people would like the public record to be now, as opposed to what history dictates.
I listened to a number of members speak in this debate. There are a couple of things I would like to address. One was something the member for Barkly said. He called on the Chief Minister and our side to give him something he can take home. I thought, ‘Well, that is really good. I would like to give the member for Barkly a number of things to take home’. First, I would like him to go home and talk to his kids about the debt they left the Northern Territory. I would like him to talk about the inaction they left here. I would like him to talk about some of the mistakes they made.
I talk to my kids about this and I ask them what they hear at barbecues. I ask, ‘What is going on out there? Tell me what is happening. What are people talking about?’ Debt is a major problem. It is a problem for all kids, and young people who are starting families and cranking up their lives. They understand debt; they know what it is like. Debt prevents them and governments from doing things.
The member for Barkly said, ‘During their first term, the CLP government will rack up a $1.1bn debt’. This is very interesting because we are caught up with things the previous government committed us to. They signed up to a range of things. We got into government and found, for instance, there were 96 people in one government department who were not in the budget. They employed all these people and did not budget for them. What did they do? They racked it up on the credit card.
If the opposition wants to keep trying to rewrite history, I am quite happy to point out things to people who are listening or watching this. For those watching, I will demonstrate what I am talking about in relation to the debt. What we have here are the pyramids of debt. You see in the red section here – for those who are not watching, I have a graph that goes along a time line on the bottom, with billions of dollars on the left hand column going up. In the Hawke/Keating years – I am going back to 1989 and 1990 – there was $15bn and it just kept going right up to about $96bn, when the Howard/Costello government took over in Canberra.
When the Howard/Costello government came in, the debt – which is here in blue for those who are watching – started to go down, and in 2005-06 we actually had money in the bank. There was no debt – zero debt, money in the bank.
But wait, there is more! In 2006-07, we had $30bn in the bank, no debt and were running a good economy. It gets even better! In 2007-08, we had $45bn in the bank. That was cash in hand, in the bank, for the Australian economy and for development that could happen.
What happened then? We had a change of government and the Rudd/Gillard government came in. They started spending all the money in the bank and, then, two years later, that was all gone and we were back to zero. We then went up and in 2009-10 – oops! – we were $45bn in the red. They spent not only what they took from the taxpayers of this country, but an extra $45bn as well.
The interesting part is we have another pyramid here. As I have said before in this House, suddenly, with Ms Gillard and Mr Rudd, put an antenna on top of the pyramid. This is where Australia finds itself.
When we talk about having debt, let us look at the Territory debt. This is relevant to what the member for Barkly was saying. For those who are not watching, we have a time line that starts in 1990 when the CLP was in government in the Northern Territory. Going along the line, we were all around about $1bn; it was all pretty level. Then in 2001 the ALP took government and it went up a bit. Then we started to have a real increase when the GST came in, which was good for the Territory. We dropped down a little by a couple of million. Then suddenly we had a change in Treasurer, which was when the member for Karama became Treasurer. We saw it going up like a pyramid. Obviously the previous Treasurer had learnt from Canberra that you just build pyramids.
We went out to projected debt of $5.5bn. My kids will have to pay that back because it will be so long before we can get the entire debt paid off that it will be difficult for them to get a start. I listened to the member for Barkly when he said, ‘$1.1bn in your first budget’. We have inherited a massive deficit. We inherited commitments the previous ALP government made which will make it difficult. So, member for Barkly, I would like you to take that home and give it to your kids, nieces, nephews and family and say, ‘Here you go; here is a present of debt from the ALP Northern Territory.’
He said, ‘You are dragging everyone down’. I find that quite amusing. If it was not so serious it would be laughable. We have a debt like a millstone around our necks, dragging us down. They then talked about credibility. They said we have no credibility. We did not create these pyramids of debt where you seemed to think you could spend your way out of debt. I do not know how you do that. Most people I know would disagree with that statement. We say there is no credibility.
When you look at the confidence levels of the Sensis reports and other checks and balances in our community, we are enjoying the highest level of confidence the Territory has seen, almost ever. There are businesses out there. We say we are open for business. When you talk about being open for business, those opposite say we are not open for business and talk about what it means and say it is all terrible. They are trying to say that before 2001 there was no government in the Northern Territory, there was nothing; it was just a vacuum. They came along and everything was rosy and everything would be great. Sadly, the CLP has come along and we are going to destroy the Territory; the sky is going to fall in. Well, you do not enjoy business confidence at the highest levels we have unless people have confidence in the government.
I made a note here that they were talking about housing. He talked about us not delivering on housing. I would be very happy for those members opposite to correct my figures, because these are coming out of my head; I have spoken about it before. The challenge to you is to stand up and tell me I am wrong. In the last year the ALP was in government in the Northern Territory, I think they turned off about 520 blocks for homes. The year before that, they turned off about 900, and the year before that was somewhere around the 1100 to 1200 mark. That was the peak. I recall that in about the 2009-10, their own Treasury figures said they needed 2200 blocks a year just to keep pace.
What do we have? Let us talk about credibility in housing; you talked about our housing policies. The Minister for Housing has these great plans for housing, which I believe he is going to tell the House about, and how we are going to try to rectify the mess we inherited. Please feel free, stand up and correct me if I am wrong ...
Ms Walker: I will.
Mr STYLES: I look forward to that challenge.
Let us talk about credibility in communities. We just did a deal with the Tiwis. We went there; we have been talking to them. Most people in business realise you do not go to the Tiwis one afternoon, sit down and do a deal; you have to consult people. Everyone is saying people should consult. We have been there and consulted. We have listened to people there, and the Chief Minister has been talking to the member for Arafura and the Tiwis for quite some time. They have pulled together a deal worth $200m.
I do not know what the opposition thinks about that. Do they think that is nothing? They have said we have done nothing.
I believe a $200m deal with the Tiwis, getting Aboriginal people involved in development, is a fantastic opportunity, a great, positive thing. We do not hear anything positive coming from the opposition. It is fantastic for the Aboriginal people there because they are looking for economic development, jobs, a future for their kids, giving their kids something to do and engaging them in employment opportunities to give them ongoing opportunities in life so they can be mentors for their children and get their children into the same work pattern many of them are beginning to get.
The wharf there will be great. It is good for the timber industry at the moment, but there will be other opportunities the facilities there will bring with fishing and fishing tours. It will bring economic wealth to the Tiwis.
Unlike this side, the other side seems to think you can sprinkle money around like fairy dust – fling it around like Santa Claus, give everyone money, and everyone is happy, everyone is smiling and it is great. What happens when they go home, get some food or fix the house? Get the credit card out. Tomorrow, they sprinkle more fairy dust around to make everyone feel good. The problem is someone has to pay it back. How do you pay it back? I do not think they know because they do not seem to care how you pay it back.
Their federal counterparts have a $300m debt, which equates to about $15 000 for every man, women and child in this country. If you think that is bad, the debt we are looking at on the projections Labor gave us is about $25 000 per man, woman and child.
I am proud to say I have two grandkids born in the last six weeks – two beautiful little girls – who owe, collectively, thanks to those opposite and those in Canberra, $40 000. I told them that just after they were born. I said, ‘Sweetheart, you owe $40 000’ – my kids and I were having a conversation about that – and they looked at me and cried. They must have been really sad when they heard that because they cried and cried. So, $40 000, there you go, Emily ...
Mr Wood: They weren’t crying at their grandfather?
Mr STYLES: Of course not. I pick up on the interjection from the member. Hayley and Emily were crying because they owe $40 000 each, which is $80 000 between them. That is a great start in life: ‘Welcome to the world; here is $40 000 debt.’
The Tiwi deal is a great opportunity for developing the north. It fits in with everything the Coalition and Prime Minister Abbott want to do, along with a range of other things.
I have to report that in relation to developing the north, we are not just developing the Tiwi Islands, we are all over the place. Let me give you another example of where we are going. The member for Arafura and I went to Maningrida recently and spoke to a range of people there. We visited the health clinic, the police station, Bawinanga and the Maningrida Progress Association and spoke to members of the West Arnhem Shire. We were talking about economic development.
I have been in the Territory for 32 years and I am seeing a positive shift in Aboriginal communities, where people are tired of being accused of sitting down doing nothing. They want to do things. You need an entrepreneurial spirit and background to encourage these people. They are getting it! They have people encouraging them, but you have to facilitate it.
When you are in debt, there are a number of things you can do. We can increase taxes and everyone groans when you say that. You can reduce services. Who wants to do that? People want services maintained. You can borrow truckloads of money as the previous government did because they did not want to increase taxes, increase power when reports told them they should. They chose to borrow money.
Now someone has to pay it back. How do you do that? You generate wealth. The fourth way to get out of debt is through economic activity. The more economic activity you have, the better off we are as a community. If you owe $5.5bn and are earning $5.5bn, how do you change your debt to income ratio? You have economic activity. You increase the amount of wealth coming into the Territory and increase taxes. You say you are open for business and move outward.
You go to the Tiwi Islands and ask, ‘How can we help you?’ They will tell you how you can help them, then you get off your seat and you help them, to the point where you sign a fantastic agreement which will really push the Tiwi Islands ahead. They have 10 000 acres which can be developed, which will bring jobs, growth, self-esteem and a range of other things for those people on the Tiwi Islands.
We went to Maningrida to talk to people. It was interesting. We said, ‘What do you want to grow here?’ They said, ‘Bananas, we can grow bananas here’. That is fantastic. Let us look at growing bananas. They have buffalo. Thanks to this government, along with the efforts of the minister for Primary Industry and the Chief Minister, we are now exporting buffalo to Vietnam.
If you go there and ask how many buffalo they have, ‘Oh, probably a couple of hundred thousand here’. They are not even farming them; they are running around ready to be harvested. They are very happy to harvest the buffalo and get them into town. They now have competition in barge services. They can get stuff back in at a very good rate. They can be competitive.
I see there is opportunity for the people in Maningrida to generate wealth, not only for the Territory but for themselves. With wealth comes tax, which is the way this government will get us out of the horrible trouble we were left in by the previous ALP government.
I put my graphs away because we have seen them. I hope people who are watching and listening to this go through the Parliamentary Record and read what was said by either side. If you read this or are watching it, look at those graphs; feel free to get online, find some graphs about the financial mess Labor left this country and the Territory in.
I heard the member for Barkly talking about water. If you will develop the north and be the food bowl, you need water. People can apply – and, I think there are more applications now – for water, as they want to grow crops. This is great, because it feeds the Territory, cuts our transport costs down and we can export. We can export crops overseas to a hungry world. There are plenty of niche markets we can export to. If you do not want to get water out of the ground or out of dams, I do not know how you expect us to grow export and generate wealth.
I heard from the other side, ‘This is terrible, you cannot do that, you cannot do this’, about almost everything proposed in this statement. As the member for Fong Lim said on numerous occasions, you cannot even prune your tree at home unless there is an environmental impact statement. They do not want this or that, but they want things to happen. You want jobs for your kids.
People opposite have children; we have children and we all want jobs for them. However, I do not know where you will find them. Where do they reckon you will find these jobs? The old government jobs? We will just borrow some more money and go further into debt until you have to sell the farm to pay the debt. This is the problem; if you have to sell the farm to pay the debt, you do not have anything. My father-in-law once said to me, ‘Son, never sell your tools or your ability to earn a living’. What are we doing? We do not want to reach that point, but if we do not generate some wealth and do some things in the Territory then it is the direction we are heading.
I heard the member for Barkly talk about statehood, and ask where it is. Thanks to the previous ALP government …
Members interjecting.
Mr STYLES: They are interjecting and have not even heard what I was going to say. You talk about statehood, when you are irresponsible and have left the Territory in such a huge debt. It is irresponsible. People down south say, ‘What a bunch of mugs up there in the Territory’. I agree with them. What a bunch of mugs running the place. You left us with such huge debt, we have trouble doing things. But we will do them. Why? We have the entrepreneurial spirit, the drive and the passion on this side of the House to make things happen, and we are making things happen.
Let us talk about statehood. Statehood will be back on the agenda ...
Ms FINOCCHIARO: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 77, I move an extension of time for the member for Sanderson.
Motion agreed to.
Mr STYLES: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, and I thank the member for Drysdale.
Talking about statehood, we need to get our own back yard in order. People I talk to interstate say we are in a bit of trouble. We say we are, but we will get out of it. This side of the House will demonstrate that we have the capacity and the entrepreneurial spirit to get out there and make things happen. I wish I had a couple of hours where I could talk about so much more of what is happening in the Territory.
I will go back and say we are open for business, and there is a very good reason why we say that. It is because we believe it. We are talking to people, and we have ministers travelling and talking to people.
The member for Casuarina said he was a strong advocate for the development of the north. That is great but I wish we had the $5.5bn. If we had that and we wanted to do that, we would be spending it on wealth creation. I know we have social responsibilities; however, you need to be able to spend on wealth-creating industry for the Territory.
I did not hear too much from the advocate for the development of the north. He talked about Chinese people and how we need to get to China. There are Chinese delegations in town now. It is very interesting because I have some very good Chinese friends. I have been talking to them. The Chinese are here; they are arriving with delegation after delegation. Why? We have been to China. The member for Casuarina has been to China but I did not see so many delegations arriving at that point in time.
They are interested in food, mines, minerals, developing the Northern Territory and investing in it. What do we have? We have a railway, courtesy of the CLP government. Sadly, we were not there when the first train arrived. The member for Casuarina said ‘You jump on all the things and ride the wave’. I was at the opening when the train rolled and I saw all the ALP people saying how wonderful they were for getting the railway.
The last time I looked at a map there were about 104 mines that wanted to open for about 200 km either side of the railway. We are now negotiating. They are seriously talking to people around the world. Again, if you think you just go to China and have an afternoon cup of tea with them and ask if they want to buy some iron ore, minerals or other things, and you shake a hand and the deal is done, you are wrong. I am sure the member for Casuarina has been to China as the Mining minister. I am sure he would agree that you cannot just do a deal overnight. Since we have been in government and have said we are open for business, in the last 12 months we have had these people arriving. They now know where the Territory is.
I went to a conference in Indonesia recently where there were 5500 Chinese business people. Many of them did not know where the Territory is, but they do now. There were 5500 key people with all the money, all in one fantastic big room. It was about 50 times the size of our convention centre. I was the only European in the room and I spoke and sold the Territory. I am hoping when those opposite were in government they did that. They may or may not have. What we are now seeing, as a result of the things ministers on this side of the House are doing to encourage people to come and see that what we have in the Territory is fascinating, is they are coming. Why? Because there is a whole different feel. It is about how you think and project yourself as a representative of the Northern Territory and the Northern Territory government. We have a different philosophical belief on this side to those opposite.
I am very happy to be on this side of the House, where we will create the economic development that will not only be good for our kids and our future and get rid of our debt, but will be good for Australia.
Talking on what will happen in Australia, the 2030 vision the Prime Minister has fits very neatly, hand in glove, with our Framing the Future strategy we designed in the Territory. It is about developing the north. The one concession I believe has happened is the whole of the Northern Territory is now part of northern Australia ...
Ms Walker: Except Nhulunbuy.
Mr STYLES: I heard the interjection from the member for Nhulunbuy. She said, ‘Except Nhulunbuy’. I think Nhulunbuy is part of Australia. Perhaps you might go and see the member for Nightcliff, who is teacher, and do a geography lesson. The last time I checked, Nhulunbuy is in Australia. Is that correct? Thank you to all on this side; we all agree that it is part of Australia. Nhulunbuy is part of Australia, and the Prime Minister wants to develop it.
The federal government realises that the next big investment area is in the north of Australia. The Ord River Scheme is a massive amount of development. When the member for Casuarina spoke about the Ord River, he was talking about the water. He said, ‘Oh no, the Western Australians are going to keep it. They will keep all the water’. I have some news for him, he should go there. I have been there and stood on the Western Australian/Northern Territory border. Guess what? There is a truck load – well, actually there are a few shiploads of water – on the Northern Territory side of the border. That is on our country. Sure, they have the dam wall, but that water is sitting in the Northern Territory …
Ms Price: Keep River.
Mr STYLES: Keep River and those places. There is a massive amount of water there, and there is some good fertile land. We will work very hard with people who want to come along and invest their money in the Territory to help us to create economic development to pay back the massive Labor debt and make a future for our kids.
I moved here 32 years ago with little babies because I thought this would be a great place to raise my family. And it has been; it is a terrific place. Sure, we had 11 years of downturn, problems and a huge debt, but it is this side of the House which will work with the federal government and people with vision. The Chief Minister, his Cabinet and the parliamentary wing on our side has the vision. We are united in making sure we will go ahead and create the economic development that will get us out of trouble and take the Territory into the future, and ensure that those down south will support us in statehood.
Ms WALKER (Nhulunbuy): Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the Chief Minister for bringing this statement before the House. I acknowledge there is vision, but that is all I see. There is a lot of vision, a lot of ‘gonna do’. That vision does not quite gel with an important part of northern Australia, the northeast Arnhem region, Nhulunbuy.
I love the way the member for Sanderson likes to rewrite history. We have just listened to 30 minutes of palaver from him. It is interesting about statehood, minister. Do you not remember who took statehood off the agenda? It was your side and the member for Fong Lim, on the floor of this House. Be careful when you talk about rewriting history.
What we heard from the members opposite, not least of whom the Chief Minister, is just a lot of vision stuff. As the Leader of the Opposition reminded the House this morning, a big part of that vision was already developed and delivered by the former Labor government with the Territory 2030 statement. The Territory 2030 vision was collated over a period of time. There was a subcommittee of Cabinet with Territorians with incredible credentials, well-recognised and respected in the Northern Territory, who not only chaired but fed into Cabinet through their subcommittee the vision for the Northern Territory.
That body of work has clearly been abandoned by the CLP government, and they are going to rewrite history. They will probably come out with the same sort of vision, one would think. However, what stands out in this statement, quite apart from the fact that many of the projects they build upon were established under the Labor government, acknowledging when Labor came into government in 2001 – of course, that is what you do, you build on what has been created previously. I acknowledge the railway link. However, this statement is full of all the ‘gonna do’ stuff. We are ‘gonna’ get a white paper by the end of the year, see some signing of some MOUs, have a ministerial portfolio and are ‘gonna’ have a media campaign. Fantastic! That is part of the tendering process we asked about in Question Time this morning for more spin doctors.
We are ‘gonna’ have meetings and regional summits – Nhulunbuy ranks a mention in there, the only time Nhulunbuy rates a mention – which will undertake a consultation process. It would save the Chief Minister and the CLP an awful lot of money if they just went back to the Territory 2030 document, which is a far more comprehensive document than we will ever see because, importantly, Labor policy and vision always includes social development. What we see in this statement is an awful lot about the economic opportunities in developing an economy and business, but so little about social development in the Northern Territory.
We are ‘gonna’ have these regional summits and ‘we are even considering an essay writing competition’. I look forward to that. I am sure the children in Nhulunbuy would be interested to participate in that and write directly to the Chief Minister via an essay, and teach him a thing or two about the vision in Nhulunbuy at the moment and what an incredibly depressed place it is as we see families leaving, 1100 or so jobs from Rio Tinto that will be gone by August and a community that will plunge from a population of 4000 to around 1200. I did not see that covered in this statement anywhere.
You only have to read the first page to see that as far as the Chief Minister is concernd everything is rosy in the Northern Territory. However, it is simply not the case, and that is the typically blinkered view we see from members opposite in how they approach all Territorians. Somehow, people in Nhulunbuy and the northeast Arnhem region are left out of that picture.
I go back to COAG in early December, less than a fortnight after the announcement of Rio Tinto to curtail its operations, with the Chief Minister sitting behind Rio Tinto – as he has continued to do throughout this crisis – not taking the lead.
I am interested to see, by the way, if the vision in this ministerial statement is ever delivered by this Chief Minister. I suspect his days as a Chief Minister are numbered. He is incredibly unpopular. We know there are tensions on that side about the way he operates. We will all be watching with great interest.
I go back to COAG in early December, less than two weeks from Rio Tinto’s announcement. Typical of the way he operates via media release and grandiose statements on north Australia, nowhere on the Canberra agenda at COAG – given he gets to have an audience with the Prime Minister – did he raise Gove and the plight of Gove, Nhulunbuy and the east Arnhem region and the loss of jobs. I wonder what regard the Chief Minister is held in by the Prime Minister and what type of working relationship he has.
On page five of the statement, he talked about the leadership and partnership between the Prime Minister and those in leadership roles invited to join him in ‘productive working arrangements across governments’. I do not see a productive working arrangement currently on the task force set up to plan a future for Nhulunbuy and the region. We even had the Chief Minister describe the working relationship with the federal government in this arena as ‘disappointing’, to use his word. He also talked about the fact that in the Nhulunbuy space ‘the feds need to be doing more’. It does not augur well for what he claims as ‘productive working arrangements across governments’.
This is the bravado, but nonsense, we get from the Chief Minister that they will deliver on this vision with or without the federal government. Good luck with that. We all know – it does not matter which side of politics you are on – the Northern Territory is reliant upon the federal government for around 80% of its funding. We are a small jurisdiction – 240 000 people in a large geographic area. If the Chief Minister somehow thinks he can deliver on this grand vision for developing northern Australia without the federal government, he is living in la la land. It will not happen, in the same way any rescue package by way of a structural regional adjustment package for Nhulunbuy will happen without the federal government. Shamefully in that regard the Chief Minister is taking a back seat and not exerting any pressure on the federal government to step up and be in that space. I find it bizarre he is talking about this working relationship with the federal government and, with or without them, they will deliver on this statement.
There is a section of the statement dealing specifically with energy resources. Of course, you would expect to see it in this kind of statement. We know the Northern Territory has vast reserves of gas. Under the former Labor government, much work was done in that area to build the industry and develop the economy of the Northern Territory. Everything was looking bright and rosy for Nhulunbuy over a year ago when the former Chief Minister, the member for Blain, arrived at an historic deal with Rio Tinto – or Pacific Aluminium as it was then – in providing energy for the future. On the strength of this ‘done deal’, as the media release said – everybody thought it was a done deal and made many decisions and investments on the strength of it. Except the deal was undone on 26 July by a Chief Minister with no vision, who has not only set the gas industry backwards - an incredible lost opportunity - but has successfully seen a nation-building project, the Territory’s largest private employer sitting in a regional service hub, walk away because of the mishandling, misjudgment and miscalculation of the Chief Minister in what he was doing in that space.
I rediscovered, over the weekend, the environmental impact statement on the Katherine to Gove gas pipeline. The figures in their statement about what the financial contribution and benefits would be to Nhulunbuy, the region, the Territory and Australia are staggering. I will read them out to place on the record what has been lost, thanks to the incompetence of the Chief Minister in handling one of the biggest corporations in the world, which desired to work with the Northern Territory government in the belief it had a gas deal to see the region and its operations continue for another 20 years. As somebody said at the town hall meeting, we have a Chief Minister who has killed off the goose that laid the golden egg.
For the record, this is what the gas pipeline project would have brought to the Territory and Australia, based on current estimates at the time it was written:
- capital expenditure of over $600m for construction of the Katherine to Gove gas pipeline
creation of approximately 780 jobs in construction and commissioning of the pipeline
increased real economic output of the Gove regional economy of $2382m nett present value over the period from 2013 to 2036
increased gross state product (GSP) to the Northern Territory of $3629m nett present value or an equivalent of 19.5% over the period from 2013 to 2036
increased gross domestic product (GDP) to Australia of $3667m nett present value or equivalent of 0.25% over the period to 2036.
This is what the Chief Minister managed to wipe from the northeast Arnhem region, the Territory and Australia on a public holiday – 26 July – when he reneged on the gas deal, and he said, ‘Do you know what? I have changed my mind. You cannot have 300 PJ of gas, even though we agreed to it; you can only have 175 PJ.’ This was the beginning of the end for the region. Many people believe the Chief Minister delivered an opportunity to Rio Tinto that now is the time to walk away. He sent the message that a deal is not a deal if it is done with the Chief Minister, and the Territory is not open for business when dealing with a Chief Minister and a government who cannot be trusted and are unable to stick by their word.
I take my hat off to the former Chief Minister, the member for Blain, who went out on a limb and published an opinion piece on 8 August 2013, a little over a week after the announcement of the reneging of the deal. I will quote from this piece because it is very pertinent to the former Chief Minister’s view about the assessment of risks, the weighing up of risks and why a gas deal was done in February. It obviously has a bit of a chip at the fellow who stabbed him in the back when he was in Japan and the incorrect decision he made. I quote from this piece that appeared in the NT News:
- The real risk is that by manoeuvring to avoid risk today we increase the risk of failing to secure gas when we really need it because the incentive for exploration today is reduced.
The original Cabinet decision had this reality at the centre of considerations.
Bold steps were taken to increase supply by creating market incentive for exploration accessed through a new 600 km pipeline paid for by industry and underwritten by the Commonwealth.
A new pipeline would provide access to an expanded domestic market for ‘stranded’ and smaller gas reserves.
Not only does this create a strong incentive to increase supply, it brings economic activity to remote areas.
- To justify Cabinet’s ‘new plan’ by elevating a risk exposure of $3.2bn as fact sells the Territory short and takes a very short-term political view of risk.
Confidence is eroded when we send mixed messages. Big talk of a ‘gas future’, ‘huge reserves’, and being ‘open for business’ is contradicted by a cautious approach to planning and decision-making.
The $3.2bn risk is, and always was, a worst-case scenario based around there being ‘no usable gas’ between now and 2026 or 2028 – 13 to 15 years from now!
The avoidance of the so-called ‘unacceptable risk’ doesn’t remove risk, it transfers risk. Risk is transferred on to the future of a refinery, a regional economy, the expansion to the domestic gas market, the construction of a 600 km pipeline
Where is the plan? We had the new future for Nhulunbuy statement delivered last week on the first day of sittings, a whole 16 minutes – 10 minutes from the Leader of Government Business and a two minute wrap. Not one other minister from that side talked about their plans. To be honest, in this statement there are no clearer plans either.
Somebody who will not mind being named – Denise Fincham, a long-term resident – mentioned to me she is absolutely up to her neck in trying to lobby, negotiate, attend meetings, get attention and get answers to things as a member not only of the Gove Community Advisory Committee but also of the task force. In almost three months, with three meetings of the task force and a fourth one coming up on Thursday in Canberra, there has been a brick wall every time. Nothing concrete has been delivered. There are some band-aid solutions being delivered, I will give you that. Consultancy fees are being paid for local businesses – 50:50 between the government and Rio Tinto – to give businesses some advice. However, as people are saying to me, through the GCAC and the Chamber of Commerce, there is not much advice that will do you good if you do not have customers coming through your door. I acknowledge that is happening, but it is a short-term band-aid solution.
I acknowledge the $10 000 for a promotion campaign in the tourism sector to attract people into northeast Arnhem Land. It is a beautiful place, and I am sure reduced airfares over a six- or eight-week period may help people get to the region. But, seriously, $10 000! I daresay the Chief Minister’s charter bill for his visits to Nhulunbuy would be in excess of $10 000. I do not think he has been on a commercial flight. He might take advantage of some of the cheaper flights with Airnorth and save the taxpayers a little money, rather than constantly travelling on costly charter planes. I recognise there are occasions when charter travel is necessary but, seriously, $10 000 for a tourism campaign?
What is the next part of the piecemeal plan you will be rolling out and announcing? What …
Mr McCARTHY: Mr Deputy Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 77, I move an extension of time for the member to complete her remarks.
Motion agreed to.
Ms WALKER: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker; thank you, member for Barkly.
What we are waiting for – and patience is wearing thin – is some announcement or indication that there is a structural regional adjustment package coming. It is not a handout, it is the type of package that will help bolster the community, bolster businesses, help people get through this difficult time but, importantly, will plan for a future beyond the residual business of this transition phase we are going through. There is absolutely no word on that.
The Chief Minister, during Question Time this morning, could not answer that question at all. Not only did he not answer, he deliberately avoided it. He absolutely avoids it. It is his role, as leader in the Northern Territory, to negotiate and fight for that with his federal counterparts, in the same way we have seen Premier Napthine in Victoria, within three weeks of the SPC announcement, and despite the inaction of the federal government, secure $22m to support the people in the region of Shepparton where SPC Ardmona was at risk of going under. It is not a handout, it is about modernising the premises of the manufacturing sector they work in. Understandably, there are a number of arrangements that must be in place around that $22m. That is the guarantee of a certain number of employees around that package. That was done within three weeks, despite the federal government doing nothing. There is a leader who steps up for the people he represents.
In the Northern Territory it is not three weeks but nearly three months now, and we have heard nothing about this structural adjustment package. There appears to be a complete disinterest in it. Not only that, we do not even have a social and economic impact analysis which would inform what the adjustment package might look like. The lack of interest is staggering. It is worse than staggering; it is absolutely gut wrenching for people in Nhulunbuy who are starting to go under due to the weight of the burden that sits upon the community. The levels of anxiety, worry and stress are really starting to eat at people. We see the backbone of the community and the resilience starting to break.
It does not surprise me that a member of the GCAC – and I fully applaud her – has called for a public meeting in Nhulunbuy tomorrow. It will be at the Arnhem Club at 5.30 pm. She has advised it will be to form a group of citizens to lobby for an independent assessment of the environmental impacts of the closure of the alumina plant on the region, an independent assessment of the social impacts on curtailment, national and international exposure of Rio Tinto’s speed of the curtailment and the impact it has had on the region. That is what she has posted.
I also add to that the failure of either level of government to put any pressure on Rio Tinto to slow down its curtailment, and the complete absence of a structural adjustment package. Not surprisingly, three months down the road, people went in with a great deal of goodwill and have done a lot of hard work around the Gove Community Advisory Committee – something which I got off the ground, Chief Minister, not you. There is some real nonsense and argy-bargy behind that. Not surprisingly, we now are starting to see one sector walk away and say, ‘We are holding a public meeting because we cannot work with this government and the federal government’. Many people are saying they cannot work with Rio Tinto either and what it is offering. Let us not let them off scot-free on what is a disaster in the region.
The Chief Minister must be aware, but he is not particularly concerned. The best he can come up with is sustained personal attacks on me. Yes, I am bitter, Chief Minister. How did you notice? Twisted? Yes, I am probably feeling a little twisted as well. If you think that is how I am, you should talk to some of the people in Nhulunbuy and see how bitter and twisted they are. See what it is doing to their lives and their kids’ lives, and see what it is doing to the social fabric of the community. Clubs and organisations that have existed for years are on the verge of going under because they are losing their membership and volunteer base.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I acknowledge the Chief Minister’s statement around the vision for the Northern Territory, developing northern Australia. However, until you can assure Territorians you are an inclusive Chief Minister who looks after everybody in the Northern Territory, including those in the northeast Arnhem region, I am afraid this statement counts for little.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Mr Deputy Speaker, when I saw the heading of this statement I thought I had heard it all before. I was listening to the member for Sanderson, who was really getting going towards the end. It reminded me of people who have made these statements in the past. Thanks to our wonderful Parliamentary Library, we were able to look up some history about the development of northern Australia, and it is not new. I wonder if in 100 years’ time what the Chief Minister has said will also go into the archives like Pig Raising and Bacon Curing as a Possible Industry for the Northern Territory by DC Tillman, Manager of the Primary Producers Bank of Australia Limited on 19 November 1928.
- My two visits to the Northern Territory have led me to form the opinion that there are large areas of totally unoccupied Crown Lands on the various rivers which are eminently suitable for one industry, which has not hitherto been tried on a comprehensive scale. I refer to the growing of pigs for curing purposes.
He went on:
- There are certain elements about pig raising which make it eminently adaptable to the conditions existing in the north.
He went on and on. He had some grand plans for the Northern Territory:
- I have made investigations in and around Darwin relative to the suitability of the country for pig raising. I find that pigs fatten well on the natural foods such as yams and lily roots. They are subject to kidney worm, but this does not affect the quality of the bacon produced. Swine fever prevalent down south is largely caused and spread by confining in sties. It has been proved by experiment that pigs allowed to graze are almost free of disease.
He went on to say that while:
- … cattle greatly suffer through insect pests, such as flies, mosquitoes, etcetera. Pigs are practically immune from the attention of such insects.
That is probably the reason there are so many pigs in the Northern Territory.
That is someone who had grand plans in 1928. There were grand plans in 1937. I am reading from a book I should have spent more time with called Commonwealth Government Records about the Northern Territory by Ted Ling. It has an interesting section which says:
- In December 1921 Senator George Foster Pearce was appointed Minister responsible for the Northern Territory. His concerns over the threat of the ‘empty north’ and his desire to ensure the Territory’s development led him to instigate two major innovations over the next decade. The first was to divide the Territory into two administrative regions with an independent commission managing the northern part. The second, and more radical, proposal was that the administration of the northern half of the Territory be handed over to a chartered company.
I thought that might make the CLP stand up. We can sell half the Territory off. We can privatise it. Guess what? If you read on there is a section called ‘The Barkly’. Only one company applied for it, the Barkly Table Cooperative.
- There was only one response to the chartered company proposal, and it originated within Australia, not the United Kingdom. In December 1933, a group of pastoralists formed a cooperative to develop the Barkly Tableland, with the centrepiece of the plan being a railway from the Tableland to a proposed meatworks on Vanderlin Island, one of the Pellew Islands in the Gulf of Carpentaria, together with a deep sea port. Cattle would be processed on the Island and the meat shipped to the United Kingdom. The proposal for a deep sea port on Vanderlin Island, with a railway connection with the Barkly Tableland, was not new. It had been mooted as early as 1913.
The administrative changes initiated by the Commonwealth, and by Johnson, together with the activities of the Northern Australian Development Committee …
… began to coalesce in February 1948 when the first British Food Mission, led by William Turner, visited Australia. This was the first of three British missions to visit the Territory; the other two visits were in March 1949 and June 1953.
Turner explained that the United Kingdom needed larger quantities of beef from Australia than it had imported previously – 400 000 to 500 000 tons of beef instead of 200 000 tons – due to the loss of markets in Argentina.
It went on. I am using this book as an example.
Further on, there was talk about a committee to inquire into the prospects of agriculture in the Northern Territory:
Paul Hasluck, the minister responsible for the Northern Territory, was undeterred, and in 1959 he announced the formation of a committee to inquire about the prospects of agriculture in the Northern Territory.
It went on explaining.
There are other great little books one can find, for instance, Our Northern Treasure House written by Patricia Thompson. In her introduction she said:
- Fifty years ago, most of the land in the north was regarded as a dead loss, hopelessly dry, much too far away from the thriving towns and cities of the south, arid, forbidding and altogether horrible. Above the Tropic of Capricorn, the only area which was admired was the coastal belt of Queensland, though even here admiration stopped abruptly at the northern end of the ‘sugar belt’.
She went on to say:
- The mid-twentieth century has changed indifference to intense interest. Uranium, found in Rum Jungle, has transformed the Northern Territory from a Cinderella to a Princess, and if oil, also, is discovered in Western Australia in payable quantities, tropical Australia will be a land of promise indeed.
You can find many more articles like this. There is a great little book called The Development of Australia’s North, a reprint of six articles by Stuart Sayers, which appeared in The Age in Melbourne in August 1962. It has great headings: ‘The Awakening Giant; ‘National Authority Needed for Northern Development; ‘Vast Deposits of Iron Ore in the Pilbara’ – that one came true – ‘Unsuspected Richness of Ore Deposits’; ‘Converting the Water of the North Into Gold’ – we have heard this today. It has a picture of cotton. I go back to the issue about cotton, ‘Bright Hopes for Agriculture in the North’ - many articles have been written.
There is another one here, North Australia Development, published in February 1966, from the University of New South Wales, by the People the North Committee. It is very interesting, quite a few people spoke in it. The honorary secretary said in his foreword:
- Thus it is hoped scientists and skilled men and women of many professions will be encouraged to seek answers to the many problems confronting those who are anxious to go ahead with development of the north. The donating of funds to the foundation will be one way for commerce, industry, organisations and individuals to assist in a practical manner. The results of the research will be circulated widely to draw public attention to the potential of, and opportunities in, northern Australia.
We also have books like the Regional Economic Development Policy and Framework Discussion from 1996, not long ago, which dealt with similar issues. Its foreword says:
- Economic development of all regions of the Northern Territory is critical, however it is recognised that resources should not be artificially redirected away from areas where their benefits can be maximised, as this may reduce the overall potential for growth and development of the Territory’s economy. It is therefore essential that the natural competitive advantages of regions should be identified and sustainably developed and regional development opportunities pursued vigorously.
It went on with a series of matters this document covered. Another one was the Northern Outlook Conference in 1994.
Someone might be able to help me, but I remember some years ago, when I was in local government, Jim Forscutt was part of a plan for development of northern Australia. There was a group of people who were meeting all around the Territory. They may have met in Western Australia and elsewhere. Even today, we have an inquiry which looks to trade on the future of northern Australia, a Commonwealth inquiry for which Mr Entsch, I think, is the Chair:
- Committee Chair Warren Entsch said supporting development in northern Australia will open up new opportunities that will benefit the entire country.
Mr Elferink: Hell yeah!
Mr WOOD: Hang on, I have not finished yet.
Mr Elferink: Since the 1930s?
Mr WOOD: Excuse me, that was a rhetorical question, if you do not mind.
There have been many promises made which have never turned into reality. The railway to Vanderlin Island is a classic example. Cotton in the Ord was a good idea at the time, and we can get back to the reasons why. Tipperary Station, where I arrived when I went to Daly River – I wondered why it had all been cleared. Scott Creek and Humpty Doo were great ideas. Ideas fail sometimes because of ignorance and people are sometimes greedy and see a chance to make a lot of money.
What I get from that is we have to learn from the mistakes of the past. The word missing here is ‘sustainable’ development of the Northern Territory. I will give you a classic example: the Ord River. I do not have a problem with the Ord River, but they grew cotton, or tried to grow it, during the Wet Season. It was ordinary cotton, so it means it was not GM; GM probably did not exist in those days. To keep the insects out of cotton in the Ord River, they had to spray the living daylights out of it. With all those insecticides and fertilisers, in those days – the irrigation was not as smart as it is today – they shoved all the irrigation water back into the river and killed a lot of fish. They also found the cost of trying to keep the cotton growing was so expensive it was not viable anymore. That is why there is now a possibility of growing GM cotton because there is not the requirement for insecticide as was required then.
With Humpty Doo rice, if you study the rice trail, there were many reasons the rice failed. It was not that it could not grow. In some cases, it was the wrong variety, in others it was just lack of knowledge of rice, because rice grows in the tropics. If you read the history of the plan, it was worked out – I do not know whether it was in California or Texas – because one of the providers of finance came from America and one from Australia. Unfortunately, it failed.
I sometimes hear people talking about development in the Northern Territory. The minister has referred to ‘the food bowl’. I do not agree that the Territory is going to be the food bowl, and I will give you some reasons. I should say it is going to be the food saucer, because no matter how much land and water you have, you must have the right amount of water and the right sort of soil. It is a bit hard to grow things on the side of the mountain – I would not call it a mountain – on a rocky hill. You would need good quality soil in a high rainfall area. You need it fairly flat, otherwise you get erosion. You need adequate water and a place to store it if you want to grow those crops during the Dry Season.
Storage of water in the Northern Territory is difficult because of high evaporation and, if you could dam, the limited number of areas you could dam. There is a limited amount of good soil. Soils can be mapped in the Northern Territory and I presume many of them already have been. You then must have infrastructure. If you find somewhere on the road between Halls Creek and Kalkarindji that has great water and great soil, you are in the middle of an area that is a long way from anywhere. It might be easy enough to move cattle from there, but if you are growing tomatoes, it might be a bit difficult. They might all shake to death and come out as juice by the time they get to the market. There has to be some practical implication of what you are doing, unless the government is willing to invest in infrastructure. That is something I do not think has been discussed enough in this debate.
Many years ago, it was the Liberal Party that had the vision to build beef roads. Have we seen that vision in the Northern Territory or north Australia since? Very little ...
Mr Elferink: Oh, I disagree. The railway.
Mr WOOD: Yes, very little.
Mr Elferink: The gas pipeline.
Mr WOOD: No, I mean roads. Where have any more bitumen roads been built in the Northern Territory since that happened? We have had a few, yes, such as the Arnhem Highway, but nowhere near to the extent those roads were built. We still use them. They have increased tourism and given remote communities all-weather access. Now they are being used, for better or worse, for some of the mining development in that part of the world.
Infrastructure, especially road infrastructure, is the key to development in the Northern Territory, whether it is tourism, mining, agriculture, horticulture or Aboriginal industry opportunities. If you do not have good infrastructure then you are wasting your time, because that is what opens up development.
The minister said the other day that the Central Arnhem Road had cost $430m. Yes, if it could be developed, you could open up places like Nhulunbuy, but we have not had the money or investment into those areas to do that.
It is good to have a vision, but it must be a practical, sustainable vision. It cannot cost us a lot of money. The minister for Primary Industry talked about water and whether people tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth about water. A number of members of the CLP support an Indigenous water allocation. It may not necessarily have been an ALP policy, but it was a policy of the Mataranka Water Advisory Committee, which was scrapped. That is what happened; that is why people were disappointed and why the member for Arnhem was objecting to that when she spoke about it.
It might not have been a policy of the Labor Party; I do not know. However, I know it was a policy. The Deputy Speaker has spoken of it, and he agrees with the Indigenous land water allocation. Do not say it is the people on this side, because there are people on your own side who are talking about it.
One minister talked about bananas. I used to grow bananas. Bananas need a lot of water. If the opportunity to grow bananas is stifled because there is no water allocation for that, then that industry will not get off the ground. There were many industries in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s where Aboriginal people were employed. There was no welfare, everyone had a job. Today that is not the case.
When you start having grand plans ...
Mr Elferink: They never had an award.
Mr WOOD: Yes. I will give you a classic example. Why do Aboriginal people not work at the Ali Curung watermelon farm? I was told by the Central Land Council it is because it is too hard a job, and they were going to grow pomegranates instead.
You can have these industries which are important but, in many cases, it is difficult to get people to work seven days a week. Keep your feet on the ground when you have these ideas because sometimes the reality is you have to bring people in from elsewhere to make those industries work.
I support mining. I have been to the Sherwin mine. I have been to the ilmenite mine and to other mines. I have been to Mount Todd and Redbank. If you are talking about sustainable development, you do not want to carry that legacy. How much does it cost the government, and how much did it cost the previous government to fix the legacy of Mount Todd mine? Yes, there may have been some money made out of it. Local Jawoyn people were pleased to see Mount Todd open when it did. But how much is it costing not only the Territory but the company that is rehabilitating it? How much is it costing for Redbank to be fixed? NT EPA has done some work on what can be done to fix the environmental damage caused by the Redbank mine.
There has been development and there will continue to be development but, if it is not done in a sustainable way, then that is not development, it is just nice words on a piece of paper. If it is going to cost us money into the future just so people can make short-term profits, then that is not the type of development we need in the Northern Territory.
The gas grid is a grand idea, Chief Minister. I am all for some of these ideas of increasing infrastructure if we can be on some type of gas grid. However, what is missing in this is we are not talking about any other form of energy. There is no mention of geothermal, solar or wind. We have just had a committee talking about tidal. Surely we cannot have all our energy eggs in one basket. We need to be developing a range of energy options so we can get the best solution for places across the Northern Territory. Alpurrurulam has a wind turbine because the Barkly has wind. Other places have great solar energy because they have plenty of sunlight. The Clarence Strait has big tidal movements, so we have someone looking at putting a tidal generator there. Surely that type of thing should be in this statement.
We should not lock ourselves into one corner and say, ‘Gas, gas’. More than gas forms energy and we should be broad enough in our vision to say we need to look at those other matters ...
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 77, I move the member for Nelson be granted an extension of time.
Motion agreed to.
Mr WOOD: Thank you, member for Barkly.
We heard about the Tiwi Islands project, which is great. However, people have short memories. This is not altogether new. We have Tiwi designs, Bima Wear, which has been going since about 1970, and Tiwi Tours which has been going for a long time. It is good to hear the Tiwis are going further, but it is also good to get the whole truth. Also, the reality is the Tiwi forestry plantation did not start in this government’s time. Those trees did not grow in a year-and-a-half, they have been growing for quite a while under a previous government’s regime, although there were concerns there were not enough environmental controls over the amount of land cleared, I heard from people on the Tiwi Islands who were not too happy about how that project started. The project now looks like it has a future.
It would be good to hear – perhaps the member for Arafura could give us some details on the MOU – examples of long-term employment and what will happen when the area is wood chipped. Is there a plan for revegetation of the area? We only heard a one-liner about it. That is fantastic, but it would be good to hear news about what the Tiwis are doing and get some more details about the long-term future of this venture. Once you have chopped up all the trees, it is the end of the wood chip. I presume there is more to come and hope we can get more detail.
The minister mentioned the abattoir. That is great news for the rural area and for employment. I hope many Aboriginal people can work on that site. I thank the Minister for Correctional Services, who is working with the company to see if prisoners can work there. That is a good concept all round.
Someone wrote to me concerned about prisoners working in abattoirs. I said, ‘The prisoners are not all murderers; there are people in there for whatever reason.’ There is an abattoir at a prison in Western Australia which provides meat to the prisons. It was a bit of an eye opener when I walked into the prison and there was rump steak and T-bone. They have their own beef and cut it all up. The prisoners get a pretty good meal out of it, but they get work, which is good. They provide their own food and that is great. If they can get the skills to use out bush at the abattoir, the Minister of Correctional Services is right on the ball there.
One of the things I noticed was a funny statement which had affordable housing in the same sentence as the Ord River. I am not sure if someone forgot to separate the ideas, but the Ord River has a fair way to go. I support the Ord River but believe it is a long way off.
On affordable housing, the question I ask the government is: what is the dollar amount you call an unaffordable house? I have an example in my family of a single income person with three children. Can they afford to buy a house in Darwin? The answer is no. What is the definition as an affordable house? Affordable for who …
Mr Elferink: Previous ABS statistics – affordable housing survey.
Mr WOOD: That might be right, but I am going from the statement, and many people quote affordable housing. I also say affordable land. If you can get affordable land you have a chance of affordable housing. If affordable housing is for a two-income family with both people on $90 000 to $150 000 per year and they have two children, one child or no children, perhaps they can afford a house that is affordable.
The people who miss out so much are those who do not have that sort of income, who struggle to pay high rents and find it difficult to move through life because they are always under the thumb of debt or an extremely high mortgage. I would like politicians to say what the definition of affordable housing is. The house does not have to be a big one. One problem is people tend to want houses far beyond their needs. Can a single-income family with a couple of children buy a house in Darwin and still have something on the table to eat? I do not know. If that is something this government can say it has done, that is terrific.
Defence industries were not mentioned, and what Defence did in relation to the United States Army coming to the Northern Territory. The previous government tried to get the development of Defence facilities off the ground with land near Robertson Barracks for possible development where a company might want to develop workshops or whatever to help with Defence industries. We did not hear much about that; nothing appeared in the statement.
I have been in this parliament a fair number of years. I have heard statements about the vision for the Northern Territory from both sides. It has been talked about since 1928, and even before that. There was a plan to bring the railway to Vanderlin Island from the Barkly. There were many plans and many of them have not come to fruition.
It was good to hear from the Chief Minister, but I emphasise if the CLP government says it is open for business, then it should be open for sustainable business, for business that will not cost us a lot of money to fix in the future. Unfortunately, the Northern Territory has had business over the years which has cost Northern Territory taxpayers money to fix. That is not sustainable. It is important the issue of sustainable development is the key to being open for business.
Mr ELFERINK (Attorney-General and Justice): Mr Deputy Speaker, I will pick up where the member left off. Sustainability is a concept which, I presume, he refers to in its ecological sense. If the member opposite is arguing that the Northern Territory government’s business is not to keep other business sustainable artificially, he makes a good argument for not doing too much in the Nhulunbuy area at all. The government …
Mr Wood: No, you have me wrong.
Mr ELFERINK: Perhaps I did, but you have to need to express …
Mr Wood: Do not start a business if it will cost the Territory taxpayer to fix it.
Mr ELFERINK: That is fine. I was reminded of an 1882 report by your opening comments. You can go back a long way and talk about the intentions to develop in the Northern Territory as much as you like. I agree, there have been many ambitious plans laid in the Northern Territory, some slightly more ambitious than others, and some better considered than others.
It is interesting that your comments reflect a couple of important points. The first is I heard a suggestion by the member opposite that at one stage half of the Northern Territory could have been considered for privatisation. I go so far as to suggest that 99% of the Northern Territory has already been privatised. For example, in the pastoral estate which makes up a fraction under half of the Northern Territory land mass, private money has been invested into the process of opening that land. The other half of the Northern Territory has been privatised in the sense that the land has been rendered into private hands, privately owned by a serious of trusts and, ultimately, to the traditional owners who are attached to those trusts. You made a very valid point.
I believe in private enterprise and property. It is a fundamental tenet of my political philosophy that private property should exist and should only be challenged on its intrusion in certain circumstances. While I understand private property is important, it is not absolute. It does not exist to the exclusion of things like law.
However, government has a way of inserting itself into private investment in a way we must be cautious about. I made reference to the 1882 report by W J Sowden, which was written by a journalist with a wonderful and witty writing style in 1882. He accompanied the colonial minister for South Australia to its far-flung northern territories. On page 153 of that book he made certain observations which are worth reading out for the purposes of the point I am trying to make:
- And now I have to submit for consideration the impediments in the way of the progress of our Northern Territory, through the development of its mining interests particularly.
The gold duty is no small one, and it affects the poor man almost solely, excepting in the case of companies, and at best it is a tax upon production, and therefore unsound. Whilst I was in the mining districts I obtained from owners of several of the mines the originals of bank and assay returns for the gold they had sent to Palmerston. Here is a sample copy. It is so suggestive of the tremendous handicap the gold-miner has to fight against in one particular alone that I will allow it for it to speak for itself ...
It then went on to, essentially, outline the taxes and charges that government inflicted upon gold miners, particularly the small operators in 1882. The big guys were doing okay because government was not interfering with them, and the small guys were suffering under the burden. We can go back a long way because not much has changed in the relationship between government and investment.
Let us look at this idea of privatising half of the Northern Territory. Considering that all of the Northern Territory has been effectively privatised, now let us look at the economic structures that underpin that. The half of the Northern Territory which was privatised and allowed to exist as the pastoral estate continued to generate jobs, wealth and income for the people who lived on that estate. Compare that to the success of the highly-managed and highly-regulated environment of the other half of the Northern Territory which was privatised. The two could not be more starkly different from each other, and it does not have anything to do with the quality of the land. The quality of the land on one side of the fence of the pastoral lease is no different to the quality of the land on the other side of the fence on a land trust. Nevertheless, the fiscal outcomes achieved by each are monuments to the nature and style of what has been done in those areas. Small wonder this Chief Minister wants to take us forward and change the fiscal model on the other side of the pastoral leases fence.
That draws us to another comment the member opposite made that in the 1940s and 1950s, everybody had a job. My word they did, even on the missions, when they existed in places like Hermannsburg. I have spoken in the past about Hermannsburg where everybody had a job. The point was the job was reflective of the productivity available to the community at the time. Hermannsburg produced cattle, leather, carpentry products, as well as about 60 tonnes of fresh fruit and vegetables into Alice Springs every year. Everybody had a job, but it was not particularly well paid. That was because once you divvied up the income of that community for all of the productivity for that community and shared it among the community itself, the wealth generated per head of population was probably not as great as what we now call a liveable and award wage.
The difference was there was no welfare system at the time so everybody had a job. It may not have been a well-paid job, but it was certainly better than being unemployed. Then came the government to rescue everybody, and introduced things like award wages on cattle stations where everybody had a job. All of a sudden, everybody was unemployed bar one or two. We saw this played out not just in the Northern Territory. You can see this played out at Holden, which has just left the country because people manufacture cars more cheaply in other parts of the world. We see this at the SPC cannery, though I understand they have now received a rescue package from the Victorian government; there must be an election in the air.
Who else has pulled the pin recently? Toyota and Ford pulled the pin because we have been artificially creating a wage environment which makes us uncompetitive in the manufacturing area. Consequently, we see this concept that we must control the economic environment leading to outcomes where – hallelujah! – nobody has a job. That is the result of it. Last night, was it Alcoa that announced the aluminium factory in Geelong would be shut down? I imagine it was for very much the same reasons the refinery in Nhulunbuy is being shut down. It is because competitively, we as a nation are asking too much.
We continue to push this idea that we can, somehow blithely ignore the reality of what is going on around us and overseas and somehow, magically, we can rescue all of this by racking it up on some sort of credit system to rescue the jobs. It is a false economy. It reflects a lack of productivity. For that reason, it is dangerous to go down this path because eventually, when the correction comes on a massive scale, you will have real social upheaval with massive unemployment and those sorts of things.
It is better to do the pain incrementally than substantially after a false economy has been generated. The restructure of the economies of Europe and the United States in the late 1970s and particularly in the early 1980s – and I refer honourable members to two books, one called The Commanding Heights, the other one called The Birth of Plenty, which will take you through that process and why that process was necessary. Indeed, we had a Labor Prime Minister in this country pursuing similar economic rationale, getting to the point where he had to say, ‘It was the recession we had to have’. All of that should speak volumes as to how we approach the development of the Northern Territory sustainably and philosophically.
There is one other point I would like to pick up on, and I am sure the shadow Treasurer will correct the member for Nhulunbuy on this issue. Not 80% of the Northern Territory’s income comes from the Commonwealth or federal government; only 20% of our income comes from the federal government through national partnership payments and specific purpose payments. The 20% she alluded to being our money, of course, would have been our own source revenue.
However, what she did not clearly understand – and she needs to understand this well – is the federal government does not supply the 60% of the income which is our slice of the GST under horizontal fiscal equalisation. The glue that holds this federation together is nothing to do with the federal government. It is an agreement between the states and the Commonwealth to create the Commonwealth Grants Commission that then takes the GST pool and shares it among the various jurisdictions through a disabilities measurement process. That is how we get 60% of our income.
The federal government has nothing to do with setting those ratios. That continues to be a fight between jurisdictions, and we are used to the sounds of the states, particularly Victoria and New South Wales, wanting to adjust those arrangements.
For the member for Nhulunbuy to say we get 80% of our funds from the federal government is wrong. We get 20% of our funds from the federal government for specific purposes and national partnership agreements.
Having dealt with that, the Leader of the Opposition, and I am pretty sure the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, talked about the absence of references to social structures in the statement. Of course, the statement cannot cover the field; while the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister drive the Northern Territory forward, seeking investment and trying to attract investment to the Northern Territory through a sober and temperate promotion of the Northern Territory, rather than the – what was it called by the deputy shadow Treasurer? – ‘fiscal stimulisation’, which struck me as a rather odd expression. It sounded a little like Miley Cyrus’s Wrecking Ball and some sort of financial twerking taking place in an effort to get people to come to the Northern Territory.
We have to be more sober than that and present ourselves as a place to come to do business where we are sober, sensible and measured, but enthusiastic about what we do. It is about focusing our attention and knowing the signal we want to send out, which is that this is the place to do business. We can be excited by that. When you knock on our door and walk into the room and say, ‘Hi, I would like to invest $100m in the Northern Territory’, we then present people to investors who are businesslike and earnest in what they are doing.
Essentially, what I am referring to is how we present ourselves. You must wear a suit from time to time because other people expect you to when they have $100m to invest in your jurisdiction. I recommend that any person who becomes a minister of the Crown in the Northern Territory takes on the mantle of that type of professionalism.
Could you imagine if somebody walked into a room where the Treasurer was sitting with large round glasses, bright red suspenders and a twirling bow tie, how that conversation would go? ‘Hi, I have $100m to spend in your juris … - okay, move on.’
It is about how we present ourselves and it starts with how we present ourselves as a government. It continues through to how we continue to present ourselves in relation to how we get our public servants engaged and how we, as a jurisdiction as a whole, are engaged. It is about saying to investors that this place is safe and sound. My role as a minister of the Crown is to make sure the social components, social policy structures and positioning of the Northern Territory government reflect what the investor would be looking for.
What would an investor be looking for in this jurisdiction, particularly if they are putting staff on the ground? They would expect a reliable system of security, which is one of the reasons we, as a government, went down the path of creating the concept of Pillars of Justice so we could improve the quality of the criminal justice system, as well as the civil justice system, in such a way as it advances and meets the expectation of potential investors in the Northern Territory.
It is for that reason we in the Corrections system not only have Sentenced to a Job, but we have a Corrections system which says to the investment world we are open for business and are creating those structures. Also, in the Corrections environment, out the other end of that we are able to manage those people even after they leave prisons, which is why we now have a business relationship between Corrections and Housing.
I thank the Housing minister for his assistance in this area where we are taking houses which are beyond economic repair, not only repairing them using prison labour, but giving a pathway for prisoners to live in those houses while they are on parole so we can keep greater control of them. That is demonstrating a competence of governance that can be looked at by some external party which can say, ‘Yes, that is safe’.
Pillars of Justice starts with a police force which is properly empowered. For these reasons, the Chief Minister has already described things like paperless arrests and Alcohol Protection Orders. We are mindful of the impact of drunks on our streets, hence we have created, under the health banner, a system of keeping drunks off the streets, which is alcohol mandatory rehabilitation. That is demonstrating to people that we have control of the problems that might cause investors some pause. We are starting to realise that with many of the really high frequency drinkers in custody, they are, in part, contributing to the falling amount of alcohol being consumed in our community. We are targeting our solutions in a way that people are being held responsible for their own conduct and, in the process, demonstrating to anybody who wants to live here that we are constantly improving the quality of the legal and criminal justice environment.
We have a Pillars of Justice system in place. I am about to bring to Cabinet my preliminary juvenile justice policy. We will now roll out – we must get it through Cabinet, but we have been working very hard – a fully integrated domestic violence policy which overlays Pillars of Justice. It will come under the victims’ pillar. Every time you present a policy, you create a greater depth, from a policy perspective, all the way across the spectrum of social issues in our community. These are intimately linked.
The child protection domain falls under my stewardship. There are relationships between the criminal justice system, the juvenile justice system and child protection which need to be, and should be, exploited so we can continue to signal to the world we have a justice system which is reliable, fair, trustworthy and world’s best practice. This is what we have achieved and are continuing to achieve in the Corrections space through the Pillars of Justice structure.
It is what we are achieving, and we will soon be rolling out substantial improvements in criminal justice processes, particularly in the lower courts. I am about to start reviewing the whole of the civil processes in the lower courts, not least of which will be the introduction of a Northern Territory civil appeals tribunal. Appeals tribunals occur …
Mr CHANDLER: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 77, I move an extension of time for the member.
Motion agreed to.
Mr ELFERINK: A civil appeals tribunal is something which occurs in a more mature jurisdiction. Almost every other jurisdiction – if not every other jurisdiction – in this country has some sort of administrative appeals tribunal. The fact we will create a similar structure within the Northern Territory will demonstrate to potential investors we have in place a better system, an improving system and one people can trust and know. This is about making us ready to send signals into the world that we are a place with a good, strong legal system which will look after your civil needs. This means things like the law of contract, the law of tort and any other services, particularly commercial law, will operate in a predictable fashion.
The signal I am trying to send, in this case, is we lower your sovereign risk by being a jurisdiction which is sensibly governed in the area of legal process. This is a very important signal to send to investors. Investors will look to countries and jurisdictions which have a more carefully established system of jurisprudence than they will where it is more questionable.
If you ask a company if they are keen to invest in Africa or Australia, we hope we would be able to send a signal from the areas of government I have carriage for, and Australia will beat those African nations hands down. This is not where I will set the benchmark. The benchmark will be much higher. We will have a benchmark in the Northern Territory where our criminal justice system will be seamless across the board, to the extent it will be something people will look to and rely upon. It is for this reason you send signals like one-punch homicide legislation where you are prepared to do mandatory sentencing, particularly in relation to offences of violence. Also, you are prepared to introduce things like Alcohol Protection Orders, so a person or a company trying to send people into the Northern Territory can say, ‘You can go there, live and work there, it is safe. The police can be trusted, the systems and institutions of government can be trusted and relied upon, and the systems and institutions surrounding the government can also be trusted and relied upon.’
This is also the reason I am talking about showing a positive attitude through the public service. The question I answered this morning in parliament received guffaws of laughter from members opposite, because I had the audacity to be a bit corny about it and say things like I want public servants to engage in the job they got into the public service to do.
I want child protection workers protecting children. I have told child protection workers to use their judgment and I will support them. I want them to take a risk, if it is for the right reasons, and I will support them. I expect public servants to make mistakes and, when they do, so long as they are acting in good faith, I will back them. I have noticed that when you trust people and ask them to make and pursue decisions, they tend to own those decisions far more completely than if they were simply told to go and do that thing.
The nett result is – and I have noticed this particularly among prison officers in the Corrections system where they have been trusted to make judgment calls – they are increasingly, with every passing day, making more judgment calls and owning those decisions. There have been screw-ups, of course there have. However, they own them so fully they fix them and get on with it. They are engaged with their job, in many instances, in a way they have never been engaged before. It is a sheer pleasure to watch.
I am trying to encourage child protection workers to get engaged with the reason they got into the public service in the first place. I expect that of police officers, nurses and teachers. I want them all to engage with their job in the way they were trying to engage the day they left university and walked into that job for the very first time. That is the reason we create the policies we have in the public service. That is the reason we have core values attached to the public service. If people want to know what we are on about, we are on about core values like the commitment to service. It is right at the top: ethical practice, respect, accountability, impartiality and diversity.
Accountability does not say you will be in trouble every time you do something wrong. Accountability says the Northern Territory public service is transparent and accountable in all its actions. That means even if public servants do something wrong, they are still accountable. It does not mean they will necessarily be penalised.
Create that public service, then send the signal into the investment world that when you knock on the door of the Northern Territory government – whether it be through a minister’s office or public service department – the message you will get from the person on the phone is: ‘Hi, I love what I do, I am enthusiastic about what I do, how can I help you do your business here?’ That is part of what has to happen.
I can give you very specific examples right across the board as to how we are doing these things. We have heard criticism that this is just a vision statement. There are practical things we are doing. I have described things that are happening in the Corrections environment, the civil and administrative appeals tribunal and the legislation I gave notice of today in relation to identity theft. All of those things provide a message of security.
The Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, the minister for Planning, the Minister for Infrastructure, the Minister for Tourism and the minister for Primary Industries and Mining are stepping forward and promoting the Northern Territory as a result of this plan. That is good. It is my job in particular, and that of the Minister for Education and the Minister for Health, to make sure when we make gains in all of those spaces, we consolidate those gains in such a fashion that investors looking at the Northern Territory can see there is promotion, activity and forward advancement from most of government. Any gains this government makes are consolidated with good policy coming from those other three ministries, those social maintenance areas.
It is for that reason that I, in particular, and the Minister for Education, are prepared to take risks and challenge those forces which would seek to drag us back, because they cannot see the bigger picture. They cannot bring themselves to look beyond the next car loan or whatever causes people to become scared. What we are saying is there must be better ways to do what we can do. Yes, we will take risks.
Sentenced to a Job is risky. The former government was flirting in this area and had a couple of guys working on that space, and there was risk. There is real risk. I was nervous. I was nervous about the smoking policy and I am nervous about a number of policies we are going to roll out. I have certain apprehensions about the Northern Territory’s civil appeals tribunal because things might, and probably will, go wrong. It does not mean I will be afraid. It does not mean I will, as a minister of the Crown, stop and say, ‘It is too scary, I am not going to do it’. One of the things we have to demonstrate – as a government, as a jurisdiction as a whole – is we are unafraid, we are passionate, and prepared to take risks. We will take risks and, if we screw up 30% of the time, it means we will be successful 70% of the time. I am unafraid of that result. If we walk out of government at some point in the future – be it sooner or be it later – with a 70% success rate, I will be delighted.
We must keep showing vision. I heard the cynicism dripping from the lips of the member for Nelson, who for four years had more opportunities to drive these sorts of things than perhaps any other individual in this parliament, but sat on his hands and found all the reasons not to do things. We will press on. We will do things, and continue to press on and take risks. I understand my role, as I know all other ministers understand their roles on this side of the House, to dovetail in behind this policy and lock it down.
This is a time of change. This is a time when the north of Australia will shine. The technology and the economic circumstances of the world at the moment, particularly the Southeast Asian corner of the world of which we are part, are there for picking. The fruit have now ripened on the tree and are hanging low. If we fail to reach up and pluck those low-hanging fruit, then we have failed the people of the Northern Territory.
Mr Deputy Speaker, as I so often say, from my perspective and my position of belief, this should be about one thing and one thing only, and that is: the true welfare of the people of the Northern Territory.
Mr CONLAN (Tourism): Mr Deputy Speaker, he goes okay, doesn’t he? The look on the member for Barkly! We just needed Land of Hope and Glory underneath that, John, and it would have brought a tear to our eye ...
Mr McCarthy: I have heard better shows if you are asking for a critique.
Mr CONLAN: No. I thought that was pretty good. Land of Hope and Glory underneath that and the hairs on the back of our necks would have stood up. It is not a bad way to finish. ‘We are here just for the betterment of the people of the Northern Territory.’
I support this statement in my capacity as the Minister for Tourism. I have a number of portfolios, and tourism is one of the key drivers of northern Australia. It will play a critical role in the future as we develop northern Australia.
It was interesting listening to the member for Nelson. I am not sure where he went with his statement. He offered a lot of ‘what ifs’ and did not bring too much to the table. He had a whole stack of reports, reviews and books on northern Australia. He had done some research with the Parliamentary library and brought a few books here to demonstrate that this topic has been …
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! To give the minister the kudos he needs, I draw your attention to the state of the House.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Ring the bells.
A quorum is present.
Mr CONLAN: Thank you. How easily amused they are in opposition. We used to have a bit of fun like that too, things that kept us awake.
The member for Nelson had reports about northern Australia. I am not trying to mount an attack on the member for Nelson, I am just trying to assess his argument. He had reports and said this had been a topic of discussion for 60 or 70 years, probably longer, since the 1920s or 1930s.
Member for Nelson, thank goodness it has been at the forefront of people’s minds for the best part of 70 or 80 years. It is about developing northern Australia. It is an ongoing discussion. If you look back to the 1920s and 1930s and see how far we have come today, we have achieved a great deal. It is because of books, reviews and reports like those discussions that took place in the 1920s, 1930s, 1950s, 1960s and ongoing. It is because of ministerial statements like this and the ones the previous government made in this House on a number of occasions about the future of the Northern Territory, of northern Australia and of Darwin as a capital city in the Asian region.
The former Labor government brought countless reports or ministerial statements to the House, and we will also continue to so. Thank goodness these statements have been brought into parliament, because it is a conversation and discussion we need to have.
I do not know what point the member for Nelson was trying to make, it was lost on me. It is incumbent on us all to ensure these conversations are at the forefront of our minds as a government, a civilisation, a country and a jurisdiction in the Northern Territory.
My portfolio of Tourism will play a key role in the future of northern Australia in developing this part of the world. I will address some of those areas. I am glad the shadow minister is in the room to listen to them. I am sure he will enjoy the next 10 or 15 minutes.
Tourism, as we know, has a rich and diverse culture which attracts visitors from all over the world to the Northern Territory. Our thriving tourism industry will build a bigger economy, which means more jobs for Territorians. As we know, tourism is worth approximately $1.6bn to the Northern Territory economy and supports about 16 000 jobs.
The government has plans to grow the industry to a $2.2bn industry by 2020. There are some pretty comprehensive targets to achieve the $2.2bn visitor economy by the year 2020. Achieving it will require substantial growth in tourism exports across northern Australia, and provide an additional 4300 jobs, which is not too bad.
I will touch on the 2020 Vision, the Northern Territory strategy for growth. It outlines our blueprint to help deliver this growth in the tourism sector. It sets out a vision to boost growth to 3.1% annually and deliver an extra $535m in visitor expenditure a year to the Northern Territory. The government’s vision is to attract 1.7 million visitors annually to the Northern Territory by 2020, about 400 000 more visitors than we receive now. An additional 400 000 visitors a year will benefit local tour operators and businesses, create more jobs and help develop our regions.
The 2020 blueprint is to address serious declines in visitation to the Northern Territory and stimulate growth within the industry. The draft strategy affirms the government’s commitment to our tourism industry and its critical role in building a bigger Northern Territory economy and, through that, the development of northern Australia. An injection of $2.2bn in annual visitor expenditure to the Northern Territory’s economy by 2020 will see this vision turn into a reality.
Tourism Vision 2020: Northern Territory’s Strategy for Growth known as our 2020 Vision, has a few key pillars:
To grow the value of the visitor economy through embracing opportunities outside the traditional leisure sectors, focusing on priority markets and niche segments such as conference and cruise tourism, which will provide the best return on investment.
Build and maintain the Northern Territory’s traditional international source markets – including the UK, Germany, Switzerland, Canada and Japan – and implement the China market activation plan targeting other high growth potential markets from the east.
Leverage sporting and cultural events for tourism, for example, the Darwin Symphony Orchestra playing at Uluru, and the SKYCITY Triple Crown V8 Super Cars championships in Darwin.
Work across industry and government to identify strategies to address the supply side of constraints and access.
That is transport and aviation, accommodation and workforce capacity.
Improve business sustainability through a better coordinated, cohesive and profitable industry which is focused on quality.
The 2020 Vision is a whole-of-government approach.
Asian engagement has received some criticism in the parliament over recent days. I am aware of some comments made by the opposition, particularly the shadow minister for Tourism, who had his chance as Tourism minister but did not deliver. As a result, he is critical of the government’s position on China. He has misled the parliament by suggesting I said, ‘We are not putting any money into China, let us put all of our money into our traditional markets’. This is not the case. First, I did not say that and, second, we are putting a substantial amount of money into China. About $1m is going into China to maximise Chinese tourism ...
Mr Vatskalis: Read the vision before you come in here.
Mr CONLAN: I have read the vision. It was very much a part of the whole formulation of the vision. There is an enormous amount of money going into developing and growing the Chinese market ...
Mr Vatskalis: How much?
Mr CONLAN: I just told you, close to $1m a year, similar to what we put into our traditional markets. There is a lot of money going in, but we are not seeing the visitors on the ground yet. My concern, which I raised in parliament last week, is I am not sure if we will ever see the huge numbers we see through our traditional markets ...
Mr Vatskalis: Well, if you promote the Territory, you will.
Mr CONLAN: You think you have all the answers. You had your chance as Tourism minister and you failed to deliver.
We are investing in China, we have a comprehensive Chinese strategy …
Mr Vatskalis: Nobody knows where Darwin is.
Mr CONLAN: If you read the 2020 Vision you would see our comprehensive Chinese strategy ...
Mr Vatskalis: Here! Have a look. No Darwin. Sydney, Uluru, that is it. Where is the money being spent? Obviously not in the right place.
Mr CONLAN: I do not know what you are talking about, I cannot hear you ...
Mr Vatskalis: This is promotion from Hong Kong.
Mr CONLAN: I do not know what he is talking about. All I am saying is the government is spending money in China, $1m to attract the Chinese visitor ...
Mr Vatskalis: Obviously not in the right place.
Mr CONLAN: I ask you, member for Casuarina, what is it we have to put in front of the Chinese consumer to attract them to the Northern Territory?
Mr Vatskalis: You need a promotion, a proper campaign. You have not done it.
Mr CONLAN: Promotion, he says. That is it! Let us put up fancy banners, some television ads, go to the railway station and, all of a sudden, we are going to magically see the Chinese tourists appear. It is laughable and it is why you got nowhere with this portfolio and the Chinese tourist, absolutely nowhere!
I just asked the member for Casuarina what we have to put in front of the Chinese consumer to bring them to the Northern Territory; he said ‘promotion’. That is it! That is your answer. He clearly has no fundamental understanding of the Chinese market. I thought by now you might be a little closer to understanding the Chinese market, but clearly you do not …
Members interjecting.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Can I have a bit of order!
Mr CONLAN: I thought you might understand but you clearly do not. That is why you are over there. You have no fundamental understanding of what the Chinese visitor wants ...
Members interjecting.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Could I have a bit of order, please.
Mr Vowles: You know nothing about Chinese people.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Johnston! Can we have a bit of order in here, please? We are not in committee stage, and we are not going back and forth. We are all here to listen to the minister speak. Thank you. Remember you people are on warnings.
Mr CONLAN: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. Now we have established that the member for Casuarina has no fundamental understanding about the Chinese market or Chinese tourists, I will run through some of the facts.
It is estimated that about 754 000 Chinese and Hong Kong visitors arrived in Australia in 2012. That is it not even one million, and the Territory’s market share was only about 1.7%. Tourism NT has set an aggressive target of 30 000 visitors by 2020, to a value of about $46m. That is the target we have set, and watch us deliver it ...
Mr Vatskalis: One hundred and thirty million will travel.
Mr CONLAN: The Northern Territory’s strategy for these markets – just listen member for Casuarina. I know you have a fundamental misunderstanding of how the Chinese market works. You have been over there under the shroud of some fact-finding parliamentary tour ...
Mr Vatskalis: I did, I found out what you are not doing.
Mr CONLAN: Yes, we all know what happened. I have seen the report. I have heard what happened while you were there. We know it was under the cloud of some shadow ministerial trip, whatever it was – a nice holiday for you. I wonder if you visited your wife’s village? Is that where you got all your information about your high-level strategic meetings you had in China?
This is where it has all come from. You are apparently closer than any one of us to China. I am assuming you think you are an absolute authority on the Chinese market. I am trying to outline to you, shadow minister, some of the facts and where it all actually goes.
The strategy for these markets is to focus on increasing in-market activities, increasing participation and support for trade-focused events and schemes, and increasing the profile of Territory destinations and product within targeted Asian market programs. I do not know how much clearer it has to be for you …
Mr Vatskalis: And how are you going to do that?
Mr CONLAN: I do not know how much clearer we have to make it for you.
The bold target has been set. As I said, we have a target of 30 000 visitors within the next six years, to a tune of about $46m. What is your target for the next six years?
Mr Vatskalis: Bring them here.
Mr CONLAN: ‘Bring them here’, he said. ‘Promote! Bring them here!’ There is absolutely nothing underneath what you are saying. He keeps holding this thing up – there is absolutely nothing, there is no meat on the bone. If you unpack what you are saying, all it is, ‘How do we get …
Mr Vatskalis interjecting.
Mr CONLAN: I asked him in parliament, ‘What is your strategy for increasing Chinese visitation to the Territory?’ ‘Bring them here’, he said. That is it. Fantastic! ‘Bring them here’ is his strategy. The bold target of $46m …
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Casuarina, please refer to Standing Order 51. Can you learn it off by heart?
Mr Vowles: That is no interruption, Kon.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Johnston, remember you are on a warning from this morning.
Mr CONLAN: The China market activation plan which was developed by Tourism NT in consultation with stakeholders in 2012, outlines the key activities to be undertaken by industry and government, in partnership, to deliver the target of 30 000 Chinese visitors to the Northern Territory by 2020. That is realistic; it is bold but achievable.
I do not know what you are bringing to the table. All you are saying is what we are doing over there is not good enough. Somehow, you are an expert. You have been there and you are an expert. You are an authority on China. I would like to hear what you think we should be doing. Please put some meat on the bone, put some detail around your rhetoric, we would love to hear it. I have still not seen this media release about your China trip. We still have not seen anything; I have not seen a report. There has been no report in the parliament about what you did, at taxpayers’ expense, when you went there under the shroud of a shadow ministerial trip over the Christmas break. How convenient! We know what is going on, Kon. It is okay, we get it.
Let us talk about tourism infrastructure. Better infrastructure is needed to grow our tourism industry and be the leader in attracting more visitors to the whole of the Northern Territory and northern Australia; we need better roads, rail and aviation. The member for Sanderson, the Minister for Infrastructure, highlighted this in his response to this statement earlier. Sea and airport facilities will open the Northern Territory to more tourism opportunities, helping to grow the north.
Tourism across regional Australia is being challenged by poor regional dispersal from major gateways to Australia. Dispersal is a big problem. People come here, and we need to get them out into the regions.
This government has been pushing hard to position Darwin and the Northern Territory as a gateway to Asia from northern Australia, and we will continue to do so. It is an absolute no brainer. We have already made inroads in this space with Philippine Airlines, AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines and SilkAir.
The Darwin International Airport expansion will support this. This is a private initiative. I am not trying to claim any credit for the $60m investment at Darwin International Airport, but it does show confidence in what the government is doing, and in Darwin and the Northern Territory as a destination. We are determined to position Darwin as a gateway into Australia, particularly from Asia. The Darwin International Airport expansion will help achieve that vision. The project is the biggest ever undertaken by Darwin International Airport in its history, with the size of the airport virtually to double from about 16 000 m2 to 27 000 m2. It is huge. I believe the new Virgin lounge, which is a great get for us, and the Qantas lounge will be operational in their new look by around August.
Let us talk about the memorandum of understanding with Qantas. It was a historic moment that saw a fair bit of criticism from the member for Casuarina. He was unable to strike up this partnership. He said this had nothing to do with the Northern Territory government. In fact, it had everything to do with the Northern Territory government. The Northern Territory government brought this to the table with Qantas. I signed, on behalf of Tourism NT, the MOU with Qantas last year. It is the biggest airline marketing partnership deal in the Northern Territory’s history to the tune of about $7m. It is a three-year cooperative agreement that will mark the Northern Territory as a leading tourist and event destination to the world. The idea is we support Qantas and Qantas supports the Northern Territory. It became our preferred carrier, and we became one of its preferred destinations. It is as simple as that.
We have to understand that we need Qantas more than Qantas needs us. To me, it is a pretty good deal. One of the world’s most respected airlines, a global organisation, is promoting the Northern Territory through all its literature, inflight magazines, inflight audio/visual packages, all its digital activation material driven through the website; it is really good. We have already seen heaps of it: radio/television campaigns all over Australia promoting the Northern Territory; special deals with Qantas; and holiday packages into the NT. It runs from 1 July 2013 to 2016, three years inclusive. It relates to Qantas and QantasLink services. Other members of the Qantas group and other partners including Jetstar, Emirates and other alliances will be considered. There are also other partnership agreements with them.
I am proud to say the arrangement was driven very much by Tourism NT and is presenting Qantas with a compelling reason and opportunities in our shared source markets to deliver increased visitation to the Territory. The agreement is with one of the world’s most respected airlines and will help deliver the government’s 2020 Vision of 1.7 million visitors by the year 2020. That is 400 000 more than we currently have. I keep repeating it. I know I have said it a few times, I am not trying to burn up the clock. Goodness me! I just about did.
It is an important factor of growing and developing northern Australia, and it is a key platform for Tourism NT. It is our major focus of growing the visitor economy ...
Mr GILES: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 77, I move that the minister be given an extra 10 minutes to conclude his remarks.
Motion agreed to.
Mr CONLAN: Our campaign is about dispersal to the regions. Our gateways often tend to benefit, but we need to make sure we are dispersing into the regions. A strong tourism industry will also help develop our regions. Identifying tourism opportunities in our regions will also help drive economic development.
For example, there is the new Gove campaign which, for some reason, has come under criticism from the member for Nhulunbuy. I am very surprised. She does not seem to like it too much. I thought she would welcome this $10 000 marketing campaign. This is the beginning of a campaign to drive tourism into East Arnhem Land. I will go into some of the breakdown. She was critical of the expense. I have here a breakdown of the $10 000. The campaign includes new print brochures showcasing the huge range of experiences available in the region. As we know, it is one of the last untouched spectacular parts of the world and, we believe, a linchpin for attracting that type of tourist to the Northern Territory. It includes digital advertisements on Facebook, targeted websites, Tourism NT’s consumer website, which is travelnt.com, the Airnorth website and promotional e-mails to thousands of Airnorth subscribers.
Airnorth has come on board and is offering special flights at $199 each way between Nhulunbuy and Darwin. Its digital advertising and marketing campaign is very aggressive and active on its website. It was developed after a five-day visit to the region last month by a team from Tourism NT and the Department of Business. I thank the Department of Business for its assistance. At this stage, it is a cost of $10 000, but it is an initial kick start to a campaign to promote East Arnhem Land and showcase its beauty and wild rugged wilderness to the rest of the world. That is exactly what it is. It is an experience you can have like no other. It is largely untouched on a number of fronts – from the human hand, from mankind in general, and from a tourism infrastructure perspective. There is much work to be done there but it is a destination Tourism NT is keen to pursue.
We have identified a number of opportunities and this was just one of them. Business tourism is one area where the Territory can step up and promote northern Australia to the rest of the world. I have spoken previously in the House about its valuable growth market. I refer, of course, to meetings, conventions and the conferencing sector.
Previously, I advised the House that Darwin has been chosen to host the National Rural Health Alliance Conference in May 2015. On the back of this, this past financial year the NT has been successful in attracting the Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic surgeons, health information management associations, Australian head and neck surgeons, Australian HIV/AIDS society, CRANAplus nurses, Baker IDI and Australian sexual health conferences to name a few. We are being recognised as a premium destination for conferencing.
The health-related events are just some of 65 we secured during this financial year for the future, generating an estimated $53.6m in expenditure. That is not too shabby if you ask me, it is pretty good. An amount of $53.6m will be injected into the economy as a result of our business tourism. It is a reflection of the Northern Territory focusing its attention on those areas of specialist standing and profile. Tropical and remote health, for example, is a perfect fit for Darwin conferencing. Besides the obvious tourism impact and the prestige of hosting such events, they also bring an enormous benefit to the Northern Territory community in having such a high-profile industry in the Territory.
We hope the legacies to the broader community will far outweigh the direct tourism benefit. These events are hard won. The business events division of Tourism NT, known as the Northern Territory Convention Bureau, or NTCB, works in conjunction with industry and government partners to bring these events to fruition. In some cases, like the recently-staged Mortgage Choice Conference of about 600 delegates in Alice Springs, negotiations and relationship management began in 2007, some six years ago. An enormous amount of work goes into delivering outcomes like this, and I congratulate Tourism NT for securing these important events for the Northern Territory. As I said, they are worth approximately $52m in direct delegate expenditure to the Territory – around $10m for Central Australia, and $41m for the Top End.
Another tangible example of how much importance this government is placing on tourism is the Chief Minister has taken on the role of patron of the Business Events Ambassador initiative. The initiative will see a group of high-profile corporate and opinion leaders promoting the Northern Territory, nationally and internationally, as a great business events destination and a great place to do business. We are not sitting idly, waiting and hoping for business to arrive, we are actively pursuing it, chasing it. Our ambassador program will bear enormous fruit for the Northern Territory.
Today, the Northern Territory Convention Bureau is leading a group of 17 Territory business events specialists in Melbourne for the largest international business expo in Asia-Pacific. The Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meeting Expo, otherwise known as AIME, is the region’s premiere meeting and incentives event, with more than 750 exhibitors from five continents attending from 18 to 19 February. It is on right now. What is the date today?
Mr Styles: The eighteenth.
Mr CONLAN: It is on today and concludes tomorrow. About 2500 attend this expo, which is huge. We are very active in this space.
In the remaining time, I will touch on the cruise sector, because it is another key plank to developing northern Australia. Tourism NT is working on various projects to maximise the economic benefit of the cruise sector in the NT. The Territory can be the capital of northern Australia when it comes to attracting cruise ships. We are working with key cruise line partners to encourage more ships to visit Darwin more often and stay longer, promoting Darwin’s ideal geographic position as the gateway to Australia for cruise ships relocating from Asia. Darwin is expecting another 20 cruise ships between now and 30 June this year. That will be a total of 39 by the end of the financial year, and it will include the visit of Queen Mary, which will arrive here on 27 February, next week. That is huge news – huge ship. It will be fantastic.
Positioning the Northern Territory as a leader of northern Australia will also give us more bargaining power as we push for amendments to the cabotage rules under the federal Coastal Trading (Revitalising Australian Shipping Act 2012. This regulation is inhibiting growth in an expanding industry which brings economic development opportunities to northern Australia. We have been speaking constantly with the newly-elected Commonwealth government about this prohibitive act with regard to our cruise sector.
I want to have a quick word about our CEO for Tourism NT. Tony Mayell outlined the impact of the regulation at a meeting with Tourism ministers in October 2013. It is well and truly on the Tourism minister’s agenda for the TMM, MINCO, which will be held again, I think in April this year. Not long to go.
The statement mentioned hotel investment in the Darwin city master plan, which will help our tourism industry, hotel planning and investment. It is topical in Darwin. Last year, the Halikos Group bought two new businesses, taking the total number of hotel rooms to 780 in the Northern Territory: the Hilton Hotel introduction into the Northern Territory, and lan Soho suites with 300 hotel rooms opened in July. The Argus apartment expansion will have up to 700 hotel rooms coming online this year. This is great news of confidence in our product in the Northern Territory, particularly in Darwin as the gateway to Asia. These rooms could not come soon enough. There are many issues regarding the accommodation squeeze, but this will help ease it. Also, it will help achieve our goals in the 2020 Vision of $2.2bn in visitor expenditure by 2020. To do this, we need 200 hotel rooms online every year. As I have outlined, we are well ahead of the game.
I have no time to go into the marketing of the $8m. I might have to save it for another episode, member for Casuarina – to be continued. I am sure you would very much like to know where the additional $8m is going into our traditional markets as well. Yes, we are spending in our traditional markets. I say thank goodness for them because, if it was left up to you, you would walk away from those traditional markets and put all your money into the great unknown market. We know this is what you do. So, we will do it again, same time, same channel, on another occasion.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the Chief Minister for his statement.
Mr GILES (Chief Minister): Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank all members for their contributions. I seek leave to continue my remarks at a later date.
Motion agreed to.
Debate adjourned.
REORDER OF BUSINESS
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business)(by leave): Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the order of business be re-ordered to enable the Treasurer’s Mid-Year Report to be brought on for debate forthwith.
Motion agreed to.
MOTION
Note Report – Treasurer’s Mid-Year
Report 2013-14
Continued from 5 December.
Mr McCARTHY (Barkly): Mr Deputy Speaker, I believe I have about 10 minutes to complete my remarks. The member for Port Darwin was ridiculing me from the other side of the House for daring to talk about CLP economic policy. In another great turn of events, I heard the same member comment on the shape of an MLA’s reading glasses, the wearing of a Texan tie described as a ‘twirling bowtie’ and a comment on wearing braces to hold up one’s trousers. It never ceases to amaze me that this guy, in his personal attacks, can stoop to the idiotic levels of commenting on the attire of an MLA. I read in the media that he paraded himself in a major hardware store dressed in a singlet, hot pants and clogs. My heavens! If that is not the height of hypocrisy, I have never heard it. However, I digress.
I go back to the subject of economic policy and the opposition’s job to hold this government to account – even members who wear hot pants, singlets and clogs in public. I continue with my remarks that the 2014 mid-year report makes interesting reading. The first chapter, Overview on page one, shows an $832m improvement in the Northern Territory’s fiscal balance for the non-financial public sector, which includes government agencies, Power and Water Corporation and the Darwin Port Authority. That is from this financial year, 2013-14, to next financial year, 2014-15. It is an interesting proposed windfall for government.
This $832m improvement is not reflected in the general government sector, the government agencies. The nett operating balance for the general government sector or agencies shows a $201m deficit in 2013-14 and a worsening $208m deficit in 2014-15. How is it, Treasurer, that you find an $832m improvement in the Darwin Port Authority and Power and Water Corporation? The projected revenue measures from these statutory authorities do not cover off the $832m, so please explain where you are realising this improvement. Is it through the sale of public assets? Will the Treasurer rule out the sale of public assets? You have a reply to this debate, so use your reply to explain the $832m improvement.
I note on page two of Overview we are advised there is a one-off increase to GST revenue being received in 2013-14 that relates to the 2012-13 financial year. This affects the general government sector, not the non-financial public sector, so that does not explain the improvement. Sale of assets is still the front runner in assumptions. The mid-year report predicts CPI will run at 3.9% in 2013-14, yet we know it is already running at 4.4%. Through the Treasurer’s own admission recently, it is expected to climb even higher. Why does the mid-year report predict a lower inflation rate? Perhaps the Treasurer would like to explain.
I note in 2012-13 inflation was running at 2%. Little wonder Territorians are crumbling under the massive cost of living burden being inflicted by the CLP. Little wonder wage claims are seeking higher than 3%. The mid-year report shows the government’s agency budget outcomes are worsening from predicted at budget time in the 2014-15 financial year. I ask the Treasurer to explain the reason for this worsening position. Specifically, I point the Treasurer to Table 2.8 on page 12, which shows a predicted 2014-15 deficit of $171m, but it has now been predicted to worsen to a deficit of $208m. Could the Treasurer please explain?
The mid-year report Economic Outlook underlines the importance of the liquefied natural gas, LNG, production from the Ichthys plant located at Blaydin Point. I refer the Treasurer to page 19. It is abundantly clear that the growth in the economy is as a result of the construction associated with this project, then the significant increase in exports. Yet if you listen to the rants of the members opposite, this economic growth is as a result of them. The mid-year report shows this nonsense written large. I refer the Treasurer to Figure 3.1, which is also interesting in that it shows the impact of the global financial crisis.
The mid-year report shows, across the general government sector and non-financial sector, a continuing underlying deficit in the fiscal balance and underlying cash deficit through to 2016-17, despite the Treasurer claiming there will be a surplus.
Can the Treasurer please explain why the comprehensive operating statement on page 26 and the cash flow statement on page 28 all reflect deficits across the forward estimates, yet you claim to be back in surplus? How do you achieve this goal which your own mid-year report does not reflect? Territorians demand to know if it is asset sales.
I note also that nett debt is increasing across the forward estimates – from pages 30 and 33 balance sheets – despite your claims that you are reducing debt. I note, Treasurer, you inherited a non-financial public sector debt of about $2bn, and it has risen to $5bn under your watch. I refer you to page 33. What can Territorians take from this mid-year report from the rubbery figures of the Treasurer who claims to have inherited a Labor debt of $5.5bn when it was in fact $2bn? What we have here is a bit of a magic pudding, an improvement in our statutory authorities of $832m, but no explanation from the Treasurer or the government. There is an improvement in general government sector budgets this year, but worsening next year, bearing in mind these figures would include the 10% cuts being made to budgets now at the direction of the Chief Minister.
What we will find at estimates is agency overruns – for example, in Corrections and Health – massive agency cuts in Education and the slashing of services to Territorians. All for what? We have a worsening in the cost of living, a reduction in government services and a projected debt of $5bn, which you seem nonplussed about, yet you rail about a projected $5.5bn debt.
Meanwhile, you have put the ‘closed for business’ sign up to the mining sector by hiking up levies. You focus on onshore fracking and ignore the opportunities of major offshore oil and gas. You ditched 1200 jobs in Nhulunbuy and shaved about 2% of GSP with the closure. Then, after rolling over to Rio Tinto, you failed to deliver the much-promised three-hub economy because you gave water rights to your mates. You dropped the Ord Stage 3 from any speeches, and filled accommodation up with business, pricing tourists out of the market. It is not a success story, Treasurer.
Mr ELFERINK (Attorney-General and Justice): Mr Deputy Speaker, I will make a couple of points in relation to the mid-year report from the Northern Territory government for the financial year 2013-14.
Let us start with the obvious one: A $5.5bn projected debt for the year 2016-17, which is what the last set of Labor government budget books provided. I point out to the members opposite that for the same column – so I am comparing apples with apples – we have now gone under a projected debt of $5bn. We are now at $4.946bn. That is a $500m improvement on where these guys opposite were taking us. We have managed to do it without – what do they say? – ‘decimating the public service’. I heard the interjection today about thousands and thousands of public servants being cast into the wilderness and not employed. I tabled papers today which demonstrated that between the September quarter 2012 – the quarter of the election – and the December quarter last year, there were 142 fewer public service positions out of a public service of over 20 000 people. That is because these guys are into hysteria, not consideration of the issues.
We have made it clear we want to be better financial managers. I do not like the fact we are still tracking towards $4.9bn for the non-financial public sector balance sheet projections for the year 2016-17 but, my goodness gracious me, it is a $550m improvement on where they would have taken us.
I cannot help but be fascinated by the way the shadow Treasurer navigates his way through the books. I know he is a little sensitive about his dress being brought into ridicule, but that was not my intent. My intent was to give him some advice so if he was speaking to a future investor in the Northern Territory, he filled that investor with more confidence. The way you start doing that in your professional environment where you do your work is to dress in a way that is reflective of the way you do your work. If you make it all about you, ‘Look at me! Look at me! I am wearing a Johnny Cash outfit’, that scares investors off. Investors do not care what you think of yourself; they care what you think of them and the amount of comfort you are prepared to give them. When I meet investors in the Northern Territory, generally I am wearing a good suit. It is a sign of respect to them. Outside, yes, I will wear my running shorts and daggy old T-shirts when I go to Bunnings because I am also a person in the Northern Territory ...
Mr Tollner: Plus clogs.
Mr ELFERINK: Mind you, I have to confess, I threw the Crocs away.
Mrs Lambley: Because your wife told you to.
Mr ELFERINK: Yes, the missus told me to. She said, ‘Get rid of the Crocs, mate’. Yes, I realise the reason I copped that fine had to do more with my running shorts than my clogs. However, if I was going to Bunnings to meet the general manager to see if he wanted to invest another $10m in a new Bunnings store, I would wear a suit.
That is what I am trying to relate to the member opposite. I was not trying to embarrass him; I was asking him to reconsider the way he deports himself in the workplace, that is all. He can take that advice or leave it: first impressions count.
Going back to what we were talking about before and the way the member opposite has come to his figures. This figure of $850m …
Mr Tollner: It is the Opposition Leader who first trotted it out, the former Treasurer.
Mr ELFERINK: Okay, the former Treasurer. They reached a place where they trotted out a $850m cut ...
Mr Tollner: $832m.
Mr ELFERINK: An $832m cut in what we are spending. What they did to achieve this – one is not quite sure, but one has to presume – is take the mid-year report, open it and say, ‘Oh, my goodness gracious me! Look at the financial balance for the non-financial public sector.’ They have looked at column 2013-14 and column 2014-15 and have seen in column 2013-14 the figure of $1.181bn. They then looked at the next column and saw the figure changed to $349m. That is the number that gives us the $832m difference, and that is as far as they have gone. They have reached the bottom of the page and formed the conclusion, ‘My goodness, that has to be a government spending cut’.
The shadow Treasurer and the former Treasurer should take time to read the bits of these reports that really matter. Those are the columns, figures and tables at the back of the report which form part of the Uniform Presentation Framework. Chapter four, page 25 is where it starts. The Uniform Presentation Framework is designed to clearly state the financial position of a jurisdiction in Australia. It is used by the Commonwealth and every other jurisdiction, and is part of a national agreement. The reason being that if I open the Commonwealth budget books I should be able to read them as effectively and quickly as any other jurisdiction’s budget books. We are signatories to that arrangement, which is why we have the Uniform Presentation Framework. The hint is in the title, the Uniform Presentation Framework. It is the way we present things.
I am sure members opposite would rather present the Northern Territory budget on an Excel spread sheet. I suspect when they were trying to do their budgeting the Excel spread sheet was the vehicle by which they did much of their planning, which enabled them to drop all sorts of things on and off. One of the ones that irritated the hell out of me was the arrival of the reality that all this money was being spent on a new prison without a single provision being made by the former government – not a brass razoo – for moving into it. That is not a cheap exercise. That is a matter this government now has to wrestle with. It is a legacy from a former government that simply decided it would not make any provisions.
We have seen this in Health and in any other number of infrastructure projects the former government funded. It put no money aside and made no provision for future planning to put people into these institutions, or to describe how much we would spend to get into these institutions. The gift of legacy we have received from the former government is this beautiful gift we have been given of all these infrastructure projects with no provision at all on how to fill them.
That then takes me back to the $832m figure they have been claiming. If you go to page 32 of the mid-year report under the Uniform Presentation Framework, on Table 4.7 the Non-Financial Public Sector Comprehensive Operating Statement page, I draw honourable members’ attention to the 2013-14 column on that page and ‘Purchases of non-financial assets’. I pause briefly. What would be a non-financial asset? A non-financial asset is defined, as a general rule, as something like a building. It is not money, it is something hard and tangible you can bump into. Some examples of that would be, for argument’s sake, things like gaols. Oh! Hang on, did we build a gaol, Mr Treasurer? I seek an answer through interjection. Did we build a gaol or did we have one bequeathed to us by a former government?
Mr Tollner: Very nice of them.
Mr ELFERINK: Yes, and I have been critical of the gaol Mahal we have received because we could have done better. Nevertheless, it is what it is.
I look further down the row where it is says ‘Other movements in non-financial assets, $513.605m’. That is more than half of the figure in the purchase of non-financial assets and would be a single project, namely, the gaol. It is all of a sudden our fault on this side of the House that we have to honour the agreements they made prior to leaving government. All of a sudden, we are the fiscal wrecking balls, according to these people opposite.
They make the deal so the bills get paid by the next government, whether it is them or us, because they know they have to side step the issue in the budget process. Then, finally, when the bill is paid, the deal they made is somebody else’s fault. Could you imagine how these guys would sit in a restaurant? This is how it would work. ‘Yes, I would like the Dom Prignon champagne, the lobster, the pt de foie gras and any number of expensive dishes, including dishes made out of yaks milk collected by Sherpas in the high Himalayas.’ Then, all of a sudden, they decide somebody else has to pay the bills and say, ‘You bastards, why on earth did you order all of that food?’ That is the argument they are running. It is all of a sudden our fault they ordered the pt de foie gras, the lobster and the Dom Prignon. That is the argument they run, and I cannot believe they have the audacity to run that argument …
Mr Tollner: What is worse is they put it down to asset sales. They cannot even recognise their own prison.
Mr ELFERINK: That is right. I pick up on the interjection from the Treasurer. They do put it down to asset sales. The problem is it is all about asset purchases, but it is not financial assets we are talking about. That would be easy, we could dispose of the financial assets far more easily. However, we cannot dispose of this sucker. This paper weight is the one we are stuck with. It demonstrates one of two things. They are fundamentally, blithely ignorant on how to read one of these books. They are still, as former Treasurer Mike Reed used to say, chewing on the spine trying to figure out how it works. Alternatively, they are being sinister in their deceit.
I reckon, particularly where the former Treasurer is involved, this sinister motivation is exactly what is there. They play it out in all manner of fashions in the public service and say things like ‘fact’, after they make one of their assertions.
I listened to the member for Johnston the other day say ‘fact’ after ‘fact’ and the whole speech was pretty ‘fact’ filled. As far as we are concerned in this House, we will continue to challenge them and put the record right because they are deceitful in the way they conduct themselves.
The fact is if their assertion was anywhere close to true, our future financial position of $4.9bn worth of debt into the future …
Mr Vowles: Sit down, please. Sit down and give somebody else a go.
Mr ELFERINK: … would not eventuate. It is just …
Mr Tollner: The truth hurts, Kenny, you have just been called out.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Johnston, you are on a warning. I will remind you …
Mr Vowles: Does that go all day?
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yes, it goes all day and I reminded you an hour ago.
Mr ELFERINK: I congratulate the member for Johnston for his contribution to this debate. Perhaps he would like to stand now and give us his view on how the Uniform Presentation Framework works, and describe why things like the GSP and the SFD are important for the people of the Northern Territory. I invite him. I can tell you he will not climb to his feet. He will sit there and throw little interjections across the room as he insists on doing. Unfortunately, the member for Johnston would not be capable of reading this document, of that I am certain.
I would love the member for Johnston to give me an erudite dissertation as to how this document works and, moreover, demonstrate how wrong I am. To that end, I invite the member for Johnston to commence his erudite dissertation and demonstrate his understanding of the way the uniform presentation system works in the Northern Territory as well as in the rest of the country.
Mr TOLLNER (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I admit I was waiting for the member for Johnston to prove the Leader of Government Business wrong and put the facts on the table, such is his wont. The Leader of Government Business did a fantastic job of completely demolishing any argument of $832m of asset sales.
This was first promulgated by the Opposition Leader this morning, who, we must not forget, is the former Treasurer of the Northern Territory. The member for Karama had five years, in fact, as the Treasurer for the Northern Territory. What she showed this morning was that when it comes to the mid-year report, she can get to page one, but she cannot seem to get any further. When you look at page one, as the member for Port Darwin pointed out, there is this thing there between 2013-14 and 2014-15, the ‘nett debt of the non-financial public sector’, and there is $832m. What is that? You would think the former Treasurer, having spent five years in the job, would have said ‘What is that? Let us look through this document and work out what that is.’ She may recognise her prison.
No, for some reason she cannot get past page one of the mid-year report. She automatically assumes, ‘The government is being very sneaky here, they are obviously going to privatise Power and Water’. This is absolutely nuts! The same comments were made last week when the Auditor-General, in his report, showed there was an accounting profit of $41m by the Power and Water Corporation: an accounting profit.
One would think that a person who did five years as Treasurer of the Northern Territory would have an understanding of the difference between accounting profit and economic profit. In layman’s terms, I will outline the difference. If I was to go to the casino and spent $10 on a Keno ticket, as the game progresses – bing! – I find I have won $4. I run around the casino saying I have won $4. That is an accounting profit. If, however, I take into account the $10 I spent buying that ticket, I would quickly realise I have lost $6. Minus $6 is the economic profit of that transaction.
The Opposition Leader crows about these unholy profits that are being generated by the Power and Water Corporation just when the government is in the business of splitting it up, sacking all the employees and privatising it for the benefit of their rich mates in business. How far can you draw the bow? It is becoming ridiculous. What makes it most ridiculous – I will say it again – is this lady, the Opposition Leader, was the Northern Territory Treasurer for five years. You really have to question how the books were done for five years. Who was running the show?
Then look at the circumstances we find ourselves in after 11 years of Labor and five years of that person being the Treasurer of the Northern Territory. It is pretty quick and easy to understand how we, as a government and a jurisdiction, have found ourselves in such a fiscal and financial mess, with a potential $5.5bn debt they left us.
As the Leader of Government Business said, the mid-year report shows we are cutting down on that debt by $500m already. This is an achievement in itself. It is a mammoth achievement, and I pay tribute to my ministerial colleagues for going the distance, because it is not easy making tough decisions. We have to cut our spending, rein in Labor’s debt and rein in the budget deficit. To do anything else is utterly irresponsible and would make us no better than the former Labor government that presided over this shocking and ridiculous situation.
The member for Port Darwin has done a fabulous job of destroying the credibility of the Opposition Leader – well, he has not destroyed her credibility, she has managed to do that herself – highlighting how she has things so wrong.
It is shameful to hear the member for Barkly, the shadow Treasurer, speak on this topic. In fact, when I tabled this statement, the member for Barkly immediately started talking about the Treasurer’s Annual Financial Report. He did not know the topic he was talking on or the document he was referring to. It is rather embarrassing. The message for the shadow Treasurer is: mate, do not take your lead from the Opposition Leader. Do not take anything the Opposition Leader says, as it will be far from the truth.
For the benefit of members I will again show this chart put together so well …
Ms Fyles: That your mate just gave you.
Mr TOLLNER: That is right. … by the Minister for Infrastructure of the Labor Party building things. As the Minister for Infrastructure said, in this case it was pyramids. Look at that. You can see clearly how the Territory was tracking along with its nett debt, then five years ago – bingo! That is where the Opposition Leader became Treasurer and look at what happened. It is rather graphic in its illustration and shows how pathetic the opposition was when it came to fiscal restraint. She had no ability to control spending. Spending went crazy. We are now left in a ridiculous situation in the Northern Territory. We are by far, on a per capita basis, in the worst financial state of any jurisdiction in the country.
You have to realise you are up against people like Wayne Swan, who predicted last financial year they would have a small budget surplus of $1bn. By the time his budget came around it had blown out to a deficit of $20bn, and we now know they ran a budget deficit of $50bn. Big numbers! However, they pale into insignificance on a per-capita basis when you look at the Northern Territory.
It is wrong for anybody to take any notice of the Leader of Opposition when it comes to economic matters. When it comes to the mid-year report, she only got to page one. She made a wild assumption, after looking at page one, the government was up for asset sales. Who could blame us if we were? We are staring down the barrel of all that debt. The fact is, as has been well and truly explained, there are no asset sales. She was, in fact, looking at Labor’s prison. How pathetic not to recognise that. Goodness me, how pathetic.
Madam Speaker, I commend the mid-year report to the House and call on members to note the report.
Motion agreed to; report noted.
ADJOURNMENT
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly do now adjourn.
Mrs LAMBLEY (Araluen): Madam Speaker, I briefly raise the important issue of ovarian cancer and efforts to raise awareness to promote women’s health throughout Australia. Each year in Australia, Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month is held in February to raise awareness of ovarian cancer and recognise women, their families and friends affected by ovarian cancer.
Ovarian cancer is a disease where some of the cells in one or both ovaries start to grow abnormally and develop into cancer. There are four main types of ovarian cancer named after the type of cells in the ovary where the cancer begins to grow. Epithelial ovarian cancer begins in the epithelium, the outer cells that cover the ovary. This is the most common type of ovarian cancer, accounting for about 90% of cases.
Borderline tumours are a group of epithelial tumours which are not as aggressive as other epithelial tumours. Borderline tumours may also be called low malignant potential, or LMP, tumours. The outlook for women with borderline tumours is generally good regardless of whether the disease is diagnosed early or late.
Germ cell ovarian cancer begins in the cells that mature into eggs. These tumours account for about 5% of ovarian cancers and usually affect women under the age of 30 years.
Sex cord stromal cell ovarian cancer begins in ovary cells that release female hormones. These tumours account for about 5% of ovarian cancers and can affect women of any age. Both germ cell and sex cord stromal cell ovarian cancers respond well to treatment and are often curable. If either of these cancers affect only one ovary, it may be possible for younger women to have children after treatment.
One in 77 women will develop ovarian cancer in their lifetime. Each year, more than 1200 Australian women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer and around 800 will die from the disease. An average of three Australian women are diagnosed every day. Unfortunately, when most women are diagnosed, their cancer will be at an advanced stage where the cancer has spread and is very difficult to treat successfully. More than half these women will not live for five years after their diagnosis.
However, if ovarian cancer is found in the early stages, up to 95% of women will be alive and well after five years. More women need to be diagnosed at an early stage when ovarian cancer is treatable. There is currently no reliable early detection test or screening program for ovarian cancer. Every woman needs to know the symptoms of ovarian cancer, which can include increased abdominal size or persistent bloating, unexplained abdominal or pelvic pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, needing to urinate often or urgently, or a change of bowel habits.
Every woman needs to be aware of the risk factors. There are a number of factors that can increase a women’s risk of developing ovarian cancer. Age is the main risk factor for ovarian cancer. The risk increases with age, and women aged over 50 are more likely to develop ovarian cancer. However, ovarian cancer can affect women of all ages. Family history and genetics are probably responsible for 10% of ovarian cancers. If you have two or more relatives from the same side of the family who have had ovarian, breast, colon or endometrial cancer, your risk of ovarian cancer may be increased.
Other factors which may increase the risk of ovarian cancer include never being pregnant, having a small number of pregnancies, or never having taken the contraceptive pill – this may be because pregnancy and the pill give the ovaries a rest from ovulation – infertility or a history of using fertility treatments, using oestrogen-only hormone replacement therapy or HRT for 10 years or more, smoking cigarettes, eating a high fat diet or being overweight or obese. On the other hand, having several children, breastfeeding, and using the contraceptive pill may reduce the risk.
This morning I hosted a morning tea – or a ‘morning teal’ as the ovarian cancer fraternity refer to it, in keeping with their chosen colour, teal – to raise awareness of ovarian cancer in my suite upstairs with special guest Alison Amos, CEO of Ovarian Cancer Australia and our local NT Ovarian Cancer Ambassador, Alice Burton. It was well-attended and provided a great opportunity to promote the issue and raise awareness and profile of ovarian cancer. I thank those who participated and those who donated. I especially thank Belinda Shannen from my office for coordinating and organising what was a very successful event.
Madam Speaker, I look forward to working with Ovarian Cancer Australia and other stakeholders, as we seek to limit the impact this cancer has on the lives of Territory women.
Mr VATSKALIS (Casuarina): Madam Speaker, I wish to speak about job cutting at Darwin Port Corporation. We all remember the election when the CLP said repeatedly that public servants’ jobs were safe. Here we are again and seven jobs have been cut at the port of Darwin. Some mechanics and electricians were told there was a review of their jobs. Six days later, they were informed the decision was made. There was no genuine attempt to consult, which was extremely stressful to the employees and their families. Some of the employees who are losing their jobs have 30-plus years’ experience. They are hard-working Territorians, people with decades of experience and commitment to making the port of Darwin one of the best in the country.
The reason for cutting those jobs was unjustified. The Darwin Port Corporation, to date, has refused to provide relevant information to support its decision to cut these jobs. The union met again with the Darwin Port Corporation last week and management is continuing to refuse to provide relevant information. The union continues to press for information from the employer that indicates there is no longer work for these members. The Darwin Port Corporation has not ruled out using contractors, so unanswered questions remain on this matter.
Following the mechanical failure of the East Arm Wharf container crane on 14 October 2013, the corporation decided to decommission the crane. The Darwin Port Corporation determined the repair work on the damage sustained could not guarantee longevity in the crane’s capability. The decommissioning of the container crane has been the main reason given for the loss of jobs at the port. The Chief Minister said earlier today in this parliament that the crane decommissioning was why the roles are no longer required. He said:
- … we have now made a decision that it is no longer repairable and those employees who were doing the repairs and maintenance on the container crane are no longer required to do that.
In around 18 months when we can get the new container crane, if that was to occur, we would have to re-employ people to provide the service and maintenance.
However, statistics from the union indicate the container crane was only around 9% of total work, with much other work also involving the bulk and ship loading facility. By any measure, that does not justify cutting jobs at the port. Given that the crane maintenance work was only a small portion of their daily work, why would any government want to lose decades of experience and knowledge with a view to re-employing people 18 months later? The only reason would be plans to contract out mains work at the Port of Darwin.
This is disturbing because we are talking about people with 30 years of experience. The moment these people resign and leave their jobs, they are not going to come back in 18 months’ time. Some of them will probably retire. Others might go to a different place or even different states. They used an excuse about the crane being decommissioned because it sustained damage, which may be true. Then they said if we get a new one in 18 months, we will have new people. I also understand some of these people asked to be moved to other places in the Darwin Port Corporation or other areas in the public service, and that was not accepted.
I call on the minister to have a serious look at the Darwin Port Corporation and why he really wants to lose these people. They are long-term Territorians with long-term knowledge of port operations. They have done other jobs in the port, not only repairing the crane, but repairing the boat handling facility. There may be a day we will need somebody. Bearing in mind what is happening with the mining and gas industries now, it might be difficult to find anyone to work at the port.
Madam Speaker, once again, I call on the minister to have a serious look and talk to port of Darwin management to see how he can accommodate these people so we do not lose valuable experience.
Ms ANDERSON (Namatjira): Madam Speaker, I adjourn on the late Harold Tom Matasia.
Harold Matasia’s funeral was held two weeks ago in the Finke Aputula community. I knew Mr Matasia well through my many visits to Finke, and he will be missed. I pass my sincere condolences to his family and the community of Finke. I also take a moment to tell you a bit about Harold’s life.
His life is instructive because he was a Torres Strait Islander who travelled across the country for work. There is a myth perpetuated by some people in our society that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will not travel for a job. This is not true. Harold’s life is a fine example of that.
Harold was born on Badu Island in the Torres Strait in 1942. He lived there through his early life when, as a teenager in 1959, he came to Australia and worked in Mackay cutting sugar cane. Later, he got a job with the railways which took him as far as Adelaide. He then worked in Whyalla at BHP Steelworks, working on ships that docked to pick up the steel that was produced there. After that, he went to Port Augusta and asked if there were any jobs on the railway. He got a job working at Duffield Railway Siding south of Finke. Later, he was transferred to Finke.
While working there, he met Agnes Dempsey who later became his wife. Harold left the railways and married Agnes and in 1968 their first daughter, Sandra, was born. Years later, on 11 January 1971, came their second daughter, Linda. Four years later, on 4 April 1975, came the third daughter, Rosemary. Much later, Harold and Agnes were given a child, Matthew Smith, who they raised as their own.
Throughout his long life, Harold worked in many different communities, including Ernabella in South Australia, always coming back to Finke, which he regarded as his home.
Harold only visited his home Badu Island once. He was working on the railways before coming to Duffield or Finke. He went home to visit his mother. Later, his brother, who moved here from working in Darwin when Cyclone Tracy hit, went back to Townsville and Cairns to visit, and found out that their mother had passed away. His brother did not tell him until he asked many months later.
Harold worked for Aputula Housing Association for many years. Throughout those years, he was the chairman at least three or four times.
Tragedy struck the family in 2001 when the eldest daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer which finally took her life in 2002. It was heartbreaking for Harold and his family. However, other than that sad time, Harold had a long and happy life among his family and many friends and will be sadly missed. He was a fantastic man.
As I said, there is this myth that people perpetuate that Aboriginal people cannot move around the country to get jobs. This is a really fine example of a man who come from the Torres Strait and moved around to find himself employment and eventually found himself a wife and adopted another language. It was amazing to see this Torres Strait Islander then become a Pitjantjatjara/Luritja speaker as well.
Ms FYLES (Nightcliff): Madam Speaker, I will talk about the Nightcliff island proposal. It is clear there is much angst in the community about the proposed development of Nightcliff island. There is a lot about the project which is unknown, but we do know the Northern Territory government has issued a lease of over 98 ha in Darwin Harbour off the coast near Coconut Grove/Nightcliff, for the purpose of feasibility drilling for a residential island. This is immediately offshore to my electorate and has raised great concern within our community.
When I questioned the Minister for Lands, Planning and the Environment this morning, he tried to pretend the island has nothing to do with him. I quote from Hansard earlier today:
- The first thing is what are we actually talking about?
He then went on to say:
- … I am excited there are developers with the confidence in the Northern Territory to want to develop something spectacular, something iconic, something …
The Chief Minister, Adam Giles, has been similarly positive about the proposal. On 4 February this year on ABC radio he described it, ‘If you are thinking about the concept, this is a visionary concept’.
Last night we held a community meeting at the Nightcliff Sports Club. I invited the Minister for Lands, Planning and the Environment to attend to explain to residents what is happening, but all I received from his office was a generic e-mail saying he was unable to attend. I also invited the Planning Commission’s Gary Nairn, but never heard back in relation to my invitation.
The developers have also advised they will not be consulting publicly until they perform feasibility testing. There has been no consultation on the issuing of a Crown lease allowing feasibility testing without an environmental assessment.
In addition to granting the lease, the minister for Lands and Planning granted the proposal significant development status and referred it to the CLP-created Planning Commission. While the Planning Commission now has a role, there has still been no consultation.
Residents are concerned the government has kept them in the dark and, to date, has not provided our community with any information on the proposed project and what it entails. The project has the potential to have a massive impact on the Nightcliff community and the people who live there. The government has not released any information on the geotechnical investigation works that will be taking place.
In answer to my question this morning, the Minister for Lands, Planning and the Environment said he welcomed the vision. Minister, vision and consultation are not mutually exclusive.
There has been no consultation whatsoever on the island proposal, and as local member I have been receiving a lot of feedback from residents. I invited residents to join me at a meeting about the proposal last night and we discussed what little we have been told. The planning process involved and some of the community’s concerns were discussed.
Territorians who participated in the meeting last night unanimously oppose building an island in Darwin Harbour. At the meeting, people asked questions about the proposal which remain unanswered today.
What natural disaster preparations will be made? Recent high winds and tides along the Nightcliff foreshore have played havoc with the bicycle path, so what protections would need to be in place in the harbour for an island development during a cyclone? Additionally, and probably most concerning, 3000 residents would be on this island which would put pressure on existing roads, water and sewerage infrastructure. Responsibility for maintaining and upgrading those assets rests with the Territory government, so what scoping work is being done on the financial implications for those works? These are the questions our community has.
The minister is trying to pretend the island has nothing to do with him, but he was responsible for the Crown lease. He calls it ‘a little drilling on some mudflats’, but those mudflats and mangroves are currently zoned as open space. Locals are concerned that if they continue to walk over that, are they trespassing? These are the questions people raised with us last night.
There was a lot of concern about the primary and secondary storm surge zones in the Nightcliff and Coconut Grove area. If an island was built, what impact would this have on people’s insurance premiums because there may be a change in the primary zone?
The Planning Commission quietly, over the Christmas period, released its Towards a Darwin Regional Land Use Plan 2014. Nowhere in the plan is there any indication of an island in Darwin Harbour. I find it amazing that report could be issued with no mention of the island. This is the biggest concern people have and there has been no mention of it. We have quite serious feasibility testing taking place, a lease has been issued for five years, yet there is no link to the proposal in this plan.
I quote from the NT News report of 27 January:
- Last week, acting Planning minister John Elferink said the developers had properly consulted and engaged the community -because they put a notice in the NT News classifieds to advertise of the forthcoming drilling as legally required.
Consultation should be much more than an advertisement in the paper. Consultation to date has been non-existent, and that is not right. Our local community should be treated respectfully and have its views heard. Will there be any meaningful consultation with the community about what is being proposed? Consultation should have started on whether we want an island off our coast or not. I do not think we should allow a lease or exploration if people are genuinely not interested in the proposal.
The government previously confirmed the feasibility tests in Darwin Harbour were not subject to any environmental impact analysis since the Environmental Protection Authority had determined they did not require any environmental impact analysis from its point of view. We have seen offshore drilling without any environmental consideration. Our community has the right to know why the government has proceeded with these approvals without explaining the project or its potential impact on our harbour.
A number of people have been concerned. My office has been inundated with messages, and at the markets people are really concerned they have been left in the dark. Last night, a young primary school student who lives in Coconut Grove letterboxed her neighbours. For Hansard, I will read what she letterboxed.
- Beach protest. I, Bella, am disagreeing with the people that are trying to put an island at the end of our street. The Halikos Group, with the support of minister Peter Chandler, are the people who are going to build a Nightcliff island at the end of the street. They are going to build a brick wall that will apparently stop the tide from coming in, but it won’t. They can’t build on sand and add pipes. We think it is unfair for the people who live in our street, who love walking down to the sea, or the people who go to watch the beautiful sunset. They are violating our area. About 500 trucks will come down our small street and no one will be able to get in and out.
She asked people in her street whether they agreed with the project or not and asked for them to return it to her house:
- I will pass this on to Natasha Fyles, our local member, to help save our beach.
This is from what a primary school student letterboxed. She can consult, yet we cannot see anything from the government and the minister. This is what has been most concerning to our residents.
We wanted to have a discussion about whether we want an island in our harbour, and where we want it in our harbour if we do, not to have feasibility testing. It feels as though it is going backwards. I am sure there would be an international outcry if a government granted a lease to explore the feasibility of an island in Sydney Harbour, yet it is somehow completely acceptable to allow this to happen in Darwin Harbour without any consultation.
I quote the minister, again from this morning:
- Every building in the CBD would have had drilling to look at the substructure to see whether or not it will even stack up – whether it will be feasible …
This is a public, open space. This is our harbour, not an inner city block of land which might have a house on it where we are looking to develop units. This is public open space and people have been astounded that a lease could even be issued over water.
You claim it as an idea, but you do not understand the magnitude of what is being allowed to be explored without consulting our community. Overwhelmingly, people are telling me they do not want an island. I would have thought this would have been the best point to start the conversations.
Residents have the right to discuss whether they want an island or not, before we look at whether it is possible. You have not provided me with any information around my questions on whether environmental or social impact analyses took place before the lease was granted. Residents of the Nightcliff area feel their community cannot cope with 3000 additional people. I am not an environmental expert, but there are so many environment impacts that I cannot list them here.
People are concerned about the lack of information about the proposal, and disappointed the government is not being up front. Minister and Chief Minister, over the past few weeks our community has made it clear and they reinforced it last night at the community meeting. Territorians, families and our children in the area are worried about what the government is potentially allowing to happen.
Madam Speaker, the overwhelming desire from the meeting last night, and from our community in general, is we do not want an island development built off the Nightcliff and Coconut Grove shore.
Ms WALKER (Nhulunbuy): Madam Speaker, this evening I talk about the Get Your Jugs Out afternoon tea, which was held in Nhulunbuy last Saturday, 15 February, from 3 pm to 5 pm at our local town hall. It was an event born out of a conversation I had with a dear friend of mine, Wendy Troe. We have known each other a long time and we were having – no doubt many people around Nhulunbuy have been – a conversation about the situation we find ourselves in with the curtailment of the refinery. Around Christmas, people were starting to feel pretty down in planning their future.
Wendy and I came up with the idea, having read a profile piece in a national newspaper about the CEO of Rio Tinto, Mr Sam Walsh – an Aussie from WA who now lives in London as helm of the company. In the article was not only the story about how he was delivering great profits for Rio Tinto and a good return to shareholders – and those profits are coming at the expense of the curtailment of the Gove refinery – it also featured him on a very human level, talking about his avid collection of milk jugs. He has 350 or so milk jugs.
As we talked about the things which had appeared in this article, we decided we would have an afternoon tea, a get-together for our community, and would invite people who came to the afternoon tea to bring their milk jugs with them. We would line these milk jugs up and have a display and a subtle dig at Mr Walsh. It was in a community spirit, nothing nasty, but somewhere for us to have a focus.
Attached to every milk jug were little red tags we encouraged people to fill. We tied them to the jugs and it became a very personal thing. We then had a judging of the milk jugs. There were prizes for the prettiest, plainest and quirkiest. They were judged by the Leader of the Opposition. It was a quirky event that brought people together. It was a little teary for some people but, importantly, people came together, had a cup of tea and a beautiful spread on a long table with all these plates of delicious things to eat.
The decoration of the hall was themed in pink and we raised around $1300 for the Jane McGrath Foundation for breast care nurses, and we raised people’s spirits. That was probably one of the most important things we wanted to do with the Get Your Jugs Out event.
I need to thank a number of people who contributed to this event. While Wendy Troe and I were the organisers of it, once we launched this event and let people know it was happening, we had a number of people contact us to say they could help. We welcomed that help that came from people like Bec Muirhead. Thank you very much, Bec, for helping us get the hall together. Bernice Cox was very quick to offer her support. Thank you to Bernice and her husband, Peter, who came to the hall to assist us setting things up. I also thank Heather McGee, who came along to help run the event on the day and sat at the table at the entrance taking people’s tickets and selling raffle tickets. I thank and acknowledge Estelle Carter. John and Estelle run Gove Peninsula Bakery. When I approached Estelle to make some neat little cupcakes for us, she said she would like to donate them, so we had 100 little cupcakes. Jill Stephens is a long-term local lady who will be leaving town, I believe. Jill works as an agent for Nutrimetics, and she was very quick to offer some prizes to be raffled off.
I thank Nhulunbuy Corporation, which provided the hall to us and waived the hiring fees. I thank Sodexo which assisted us with cups and saucers. We did not want to have foam cups on the day; we wanted it to be a proper afternoon tea with china tea cups and saucers. We also gathered cups and saucers from the Four C’s Red Room, a fantastic little community centre.
Blue Douglas, God bless him, has lived in Nhulunbuy forever. We asked Blue to help us with the sound system at the hall. All we really needed was sound and a microphone, but Blue went above and beyond, as he always does. He ended up being our auctioneer for a beautiful print that had been donated. He ended up purchasing that print with the highest bid, with the money going to the Jane McGrath Foundation. He stayed behind at the end, helped clean up and was on the end of a broom. Thank you so much, Blue.
I thank my colleagues, the members for Karama and Nightcliff, who came over for the afternoon, along with a few other people. It was great to have them there. The Leader of the Opposition brought a couple of beautiful cakes to share and the member for Nightcliff brought a beautiful cushion from Raw Cloth which she donated. She then shared with me the conversation she had at Raw Cloth when she explained what she was purchasing the cushion for. The family who run Raw Cloth said, ‘Let us donate a cushion as well’. There was a pair of cushions that were very hotly contested as a prize. There were a number of people who liked the cushions better than the beautiful tea set I had donated.
I thank the ABC for its interest in sending out a journalist and a cameraman. One of the things people in Nhulunbuy are finding is we are geographically isolated. We feel cut off from the rest of the Territory. People do not want our story or our plight to be forgotten, and the best way we can do that is to continue to attract media attention. We welcomed the ABC being there. With our Get Your Jugs Out concept, we were trying to think of something quirky that would attract some media interest. We got that so we were pretty happy.
When the afternoon tea was done and dusted, as is the deal with the town hall in Nhulunbuy, ‘You hire it, you clean it’. We were given it with the normal charges waived, so I say a huge thank you to people we did not ask but just offered to help at the end: Cheryl O’Dwyer; Susan Stiff and her daughter, Teagan; Sue Devon and her daughter, Hannah; Jo Carroll; along with Wendy, Bernice, Heather and me. I hope I have not left anyone off that list. All of the washing up of cups, saucers and side plates, then cleaning the hall, was done by that group of people. My thanks go to all of them. A total of $1300 was raised, and people’s spirits were raised as well.
I will put some of the messages on the record. I have had my electorate officer collate all of the messages that were attached to the red tags. I will be packaging up those tags when I am back in Nhulunbuy at the end of the week, and we will be sending them to Mr Walsh so he gets an insight as to how this is impacting on people’s lives.
Here are just a few of them:
- Gorgeous Gove. Our home, our very special piece of paradise in this beautiful part of the world and a fantastic place to bring up kids. We want to stay.
Hi Sam, just a note to let you know how devastated I am that the home my family and I have had in Gove has suddenly come to an end after nine wonderful years and in circumstances that I am unable to control. Since 29 November, I have been unable to sleep due to the uncertainty of my family’s future.
Come to Nhulunbuy, Sam, see the impact of Rio’s decision.
Dear Sam, no longer cheers, my dears; it is now tears, my dears.
Dear Sam, Nhulunbuy is such a sad place right now.
Mr Walsh, where is our two-year ramp-down process? Where is your compassion? Even the Chief Minister rated a mention in one of the comments, which I am keeping anonymous:
Hi Sam, sorry about Adam Giles, not sure how that happened, we all look forward to voting him out and firing this plant up again. I heard alumina is going strong again. Should be a good year for Rio Tinto, but don’t forget about Gove.
There is nothing offensive in those comments. There was nothing offensive in the afternoon tea we ran. It was an opportunity for the community to get together; it was predominantly women, but some gentlemen were there. We look forward to organising more community events that bring people together, cheer people up a bit and let one another know those support mechanisms are there for them.
Mr STYLES (Sanderson): Madam Speaker, I speak about the recently concluded Chinese New Year celebrations. The Chinese New Year was celebrated by the Chung Wah Society in particular, a group I wish to speak about regarding its contribution to our community and its commitment to keeping the culture and traditions of the Chinese New Year alive.
Chinese New Year 2014 commenced on 31 January, and it is the Year of the Horse. In my Chinese lessons, I was told one has to be very careful about Chinese when you are talking to your mother in the Year of the Horse, because if you do not get the pronunciation right, you can end up calling your mother a horse. That is not a good thing for an Australian or any Chinese descendants.
The celebration started at the temple in Wood Street at the Chung Wah Society with the beating of drums, the clanging of bells, fire crackers and people getting together at midnight and lighting joss sticks. If those listening and those who read this have not been to the temple, I encourage you to have a look. It is a really beautiful place. It is extremely well kept by the Chung Wah Society and its many members. Also there is a museum of Chinese history and Chinese culture in the Darwin region and across the Territory in the goldmine days.
It was the 1870s when many Chinese people emigrated to the Northern Territory to chase gold and work in the gold mines. In fact, I was told recently that in the 1890s Chinese people outnumbered Europeans in Darwin by a factor of six to one. It was a Chinese outpost in the late 1880s.
The Chung Wah Society commenced in 1949. The basis of why they wanted to get the society going was to build good relationships with the community and to promote their culture. If one looks where we are today, many years later, they have achieved just that. We had our Chinese Lord Mayor in Alex Fong Lim and, currently, Alex’s daughter, Katrina, is Lord Mayor of our city.
I was blessed by the lion dancers. The troupe has a group of lions provided by the hard work of the Chung Wah Society and a contribution from the Chinese government.
Sadly, a few years ago there was a fire at the temple and they lost all their dragons and lions. The Chinese government, along with the Chung Wah Society, provided new lions and they are spectacular. There is a little technology involved in that they light up like Christmas trees. They are a great hit with the young people, especially young children.
The Chung Wah Society and the lion dancers have a tradition of blessing homes and shops. I was fortunate to have my electorate office blessed, along with other shops in the Northlakes Shopping Centre on 8 February. They bless your shop, chew up the lettuce and, as tradition goes, when you make a donation to the lions, good fortune will come back 10 times over. Of course, most people give a generous donation. Those donations are used to maintain the temple and facilities of the Chung Wah Society so they can continue to teach the young people their culture and traditions.
The troupe was in Alice Springs on 1 and 2 February. I was fortunate to be in Alice Springs where I saw them performing. It was a little warm for the lions, but they got through. The young people who operated the lions and dragons did a fantastic job.
It behoves me to place on the Parliamentary Record that these young people train so hard and so often to get it right. When you see some of the feats they perform inside these suits – the acrobatics, the aerobatics, they are on benches and tables performing all types of tricks. It takes a lot of dedication and work.
First, I acknowledge the adult members of the troupe: Warren Wong; Nathan Tam; Elizabeth Law; Wayne Lo; Clifford Young; Brendon Santos; Bradley Yuen; Jonathon Quan; Shaun Pearson; Ansari Fong; Stephen Pearson; Courtney Chin; and Rochelle Chin.
There are many students and the youngest member of this troupe is three years of age. The troupe split into three different groups, with a couple of lions in each group. One came to my office. I was very fortunate, I had the youngest member who is three and right into it.
It was fortunate Lord Mayor Katrina Fong Lim was with that group, working hard all day making sure the troupe made it to where it was supposed to be on time.
The students and young people in this troupe are: Joseph Tjung; Matthew Chin; Aaron Chin; Phoebe Whelan; Patrick Chin; Brayden Chin; Ashlee Chin; Madeleine Chin; Kristina Lee; Lucy Chin; Georgia Chin; Mikayla Chin; Aidan Fong; Nathan Lee; Marcus Lee; Karina Lee; Jaxon Small; and Lukas Small. Lukas is the three-year-old who came up to about my knee, who was banging and clanging on drums and having a great time. There were also Madison Lei, Sophie Lei, Haylei Whitehead, Adam O’Dowd, Jack Thomas, William Thomas, Joshua Yin Foo, Alyssa Yin Foo, Jessica Lai, Sarah Lai, Brycen Parry, Karissa Parry, Daniel Chin, Jyden Ah Toy Chin, Hannah Lo, Kylie Lo, Lachlan Lo, Noah Lo, Jake Fletcher, Sydnee Fletcher, Nathan Fletcher, Brandon Ting, Eric Kitazato-Mu, Nicholas Lee, Cameron Pevely and Aidan Pevely. They did a fabulous job.
We had the whole troupe at Parliament House on Monday last week and they did a fabulous job. Those in the House who were present for that would have seen a huge number of people celebrating Chinese New Year. The Chinese dancers, along with the dragons and lions, did a superb job.
New Year is a 15-day celebration. The Chinese certainly know how to party. It is spring time in China when they celebrate the new beginnings, fertility and all the celebration that goes with growth, food production and everything good in their society.
That culminated in the Chung Wah Society Ball, which this year was held on the lawns of the casino. It was a fantastic event and the room was full. It is an event that is, sadly, sold out four or five months before it occurs, it is so popular. I encourage anyone listening, anyone in the House or anyone who reads this adjournment debate speech to attend one to see what adds to the rich culture of the Northern Territory and, in particular, Darwin.
We are blessed to have people who keep their culture alive. This is one, but there are many cultures alive and well in Darwin.
To the organisers of the Chung Wah Society Ball and the committee of the Chung Wah Society, thank you very much because you add to the richness of this city. I have said before and will say again that people ask me why I live in Darwin, especially when they come from down south. I simply say to them, ‘Come with me for a weekend and look at what Darwin has to offer’. When they do they are stunned and amazed.
At my table at the ball were a number of people who had recently arrived in Darwin, newcomers. They hold significant positions in our city now and they were amazed. They had never seen anything quite like what we have in Darwin.
To Austin Chin, President; Daryl Chin, Vice President; Tiffany Chin Rinaldi, General Secretary; and of course, Roland Chin, the Treasurer, and all your committee members, Andrew Chin, David Quan, Dennis Low, Desmond Yuen, Jade Schembri, Jonathan Quan, Mervyn Chin, Natasha Yuen, Nathan Tam, Quen Foo, Randall Chin, Roger Lowe, Shaun Pearson and Stephen Pearson, to your Temple Officer, Mervyn Chin, Temple caretaker, Paul Ho and a few others who are part of that, thank you for your contribution to our community.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I will follow up on a couple of issues raised today. One was a question I asked of the Minister for Employment and Training in relation to reports in The Guardian newspaper last week. My concern was the minister did not seem to know about it. My other concern is whether he will do something about it. I will read from an ABC report on Friday which said:
- The Indigenous Affairs minister Nigel Scullion is calling on the Prime Minister’s department to investigate allegations a company misused funding for an Indigenous training program on INPEX’s gas project in northern Australia.
The statement went on to say:
- In a statement the Indigenous Affairs minister says the federal government gave Macmahon Holdings $3.4m to deliver hundreds of training and employment places for Indigenous people on INPEX’s Ichthys project. The LNG project is worth $34bn and is expected to be one of the largest pipelines in the world when completed. The Guardian Australia reports on allegations the workers were not paid for a six week training program and then had supervisors falsify their accreditation so they could work onsite at Blaydin Point. The report claims the company had found ‘deficiencies’ in the program. A spokesman for the Indigenous Affairs Minister is calling on the Prime Minister’s department to inquire further about the allegations. INPEX has told the ABC it’s launched its own internal review.
I am a bit concerned the minister said he has not seen the letter. That is fair enough, it may have only gone to certain people. However, as Senator Scullion knew something about it and is in the same party as the minister, I thought word had got back there are some concerns.
I will read something from the letter. As I said before, it is anonymous, but it starts off:
- I just thought the Darwin public should be aware of an absolute act of racism and discrimination toward local Indigenous people. In 2012, Macmahon recruited 24 trainees in two separate groups to undertake a six-week program. At the commencement of training, trainees were advised that training was unpaid for the duration of the six weeks; however, full-time employment would be provided on completion of six-week training.
It has since come out that the trainees were in fact supposed to receive an allowance for the six-week program, as do all the other ‘rock star’ programs throughout Australia, and training was not delivered appropriately to Australian standards.
I could go on, but I will not read the whole letter. This information has been sent to a few members of the community and members of parliament by whoever wrote this. It will be interesting to see if any one of them pays any attention.
I am not making any accusations against Macmahon but it has been raised in The Guardian and by Senator Nigel Scullion. I am asking our Minister for Employment and Training to please check whether this is being investigated. It would be fairly worrying if a company has been training people, but not actually training people, and issuing certificates for an education they did not complete. I hope the minister can come back to parliament with some indication of what he is doing about that matter.
The Minister for Land Resource Management made a statement today about water catchments and water advisory committees, for which I thank him. He made a remark that I should be the one who keeps pushing for these water advisory committees. I thought I would give the minister a bit of a reminder.
On 27 March 2013, nearly a year ago, I said as part of a question that the Howard East Water Advisory Committee has not met in nearly a year, and I do not know how long it has been since the other advisory committees have sat. I asked the minister if the government had scrapped water advisory committees.
It is funny that it is the same question nearly two years down the track. Is it a case that I have not been pushing, or is it a case the department did not want this advisory committee to get off the ground again? We have gone down the path, as all the advisory committees have been mothballed when there have been fairly important issues being discussed. There is none more important than Mataranka water allocations and whether there should be Indigenous water allocation. There are some major issues in Howard Springs with one oil and gas company looking for rights to explore the Howard East aquifer. These are issues you would expect the Howard East Water Advisory Committee to be looking at. Unfortunately, no committee has been there for over two years to look at these issues.
All I have heard from the minister is that I should have been pushing for it. Minister, the proof is in the pudding; we did push for it 12 months ago and nothing happened. I am again asking in parliament why it is not happening. That is my job, to push it.
I hope now it has been pushed twice in two years it can get a bit of a move on and get back to what it used to be. Otherwise, we will get a feeling that the government does not want it to operate because it is an independent body. It is run by the department and has a Chair, and they are the ones who organise the meetings. We have not had a Chair so it is very hard for even that to happen until the Chair is appointed.
There is a little complaint I have which I complained to the previous government about. For many years – not every year – when the Board of Studies Awards were held in parliament, I was of the belief members of parliament were invited. I have always enjoyed going to those Board of Studies Awards because often they include students from the rural area. It was good to go along and see them get awards and support them. I was in parliament the other day and asked someone what all the chairs were being put out for in the afternoon. They said they were for the Board of Studies Awards.
Why does it appear that politics comes into that? They are the Board of Studies Awards. It would be nice to ask all members of parliament if they would like to come. I normally checked up and made sure there were students from my area, the rural area especially, because I liked to go along and meet their families and congratulate them as well.
I was a little disappointed to hear there was an awards ceremony here the other night, and I did not get a look in. I hope it is not a political reason, but just an oversight.
Last, I have listened to the member for Nhulunbuy and her concerns about her town. I congratulate her on all the hard work she has done. I have said before – and I did get a nod from someone on the other side, believe it or not – how would people feel if their town population was decimated by over 50%? Of course, one is going to feel passionate and that things are not good in that town. When you listen to the member of Nhulunbuy speak from the heart, you realise she lives in a town which is suffering.
I am not sure, as a member of parliament, I fully understand the pain people are going through. I am not sure how much more a single person can do. I will try to get to Nhulunbuy in the next few weeks to get a feel for what is going on. I get around the Territory to look at other things, and this is as important as the other things I look at. This is the demise of a major community in the Northern Territory. I will let the member for Nhulunbuy know and she might be able to put me in touch with a few people. I might do my walk around town asking people how they feel and what they see as the future.
I am not trying to be a know-all here, but it was mentioned about the possibility of workers at Gove being a part of the INPEX project and whether they can fly in and fly out. In other words, they can still live in the town. They can still keep that community alive, maybe not as it was before, but it will allow children to still go to school, their mums to stay there and people to stay in the Northern Territory.
I have not heard a thing since then. It was raised with Sean Kildare. I am not blaming him, it is not his issue. I thought the government could ask whether there is an opportunity there for a number of workers. We are getting 3500 people in the INPEX village. Wouldn’t it be great if, theoretically at least, 1000 of those people came from Nhulunbuy – if they had the skills? That would be something good, but I do not hear anything more than ‘We are looking at this and looking at that’.
Many of those things are not going to happen overnight. Tourism, for all your talk, will not change the world overnight. The fishing industry is great, but it will not change overnight. Those things take time to develop. If you are looking at tourism from a point of view of hotels and more tourism infrastructure, there are many other issues. It is a mining lease which is on Aboriginal land. There is a range of other issues that need to be worked through. It would have been nice to get some feedback on the option of INPEX for the workers.
I say to the member for Nhulunbuy that I will try to arrange a time to get out there. I would like to see how people feel. We should be in solidarity with the people in Nhulunbuy.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
Last updated: 04 Aug 2016