2007-02-21
Madam Speaker Aagaard took the Chair at 10 am.
Mr WOOD (Nelson)(by leave): Madam Speaker, I present a petition not conforming with standing orders from 588 petitioners relating to vehicle access through, or parking on, the front boundary of Berry Springs Service Station. I move that the petition be read.
Motion agreed to; petition read.
Mr NATT (Mines and Energy): Madam Speaker, I update the House on the state of the Renewable Remote Power Generation Program, or the RRPGP. As you are probably aware, the program is Commonwealth funded and it is administered through my Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines. The program provides cash rebates on a dollar-for-dollar basis to install renewable technology to reduce the use of fossil fuels and provide effective power supplies in remote areas, including pastoral properties, indigenous outstations, Northern Territory government-funded remote communities and private power grid providers.
Never in the history of this nation has there been more of a need for a program such as the RRPGP. The message about global warming from greenhouse gas emissions seems finally to be getting through and the spiralling cost of diesel is making it progressively harder for Territorians living in the remote areas. The use of the sun, wind and water for generation of power is now widely accepted and, let us face it, there is plenty of sunlight in the Territory.
The Northern Territory’s RRPGP funding allocation is $49.37m. The figure is based on excise on diesel fuel used for public electricity generation over four years from 2001-04. My department is able to provide rebates of up to $0.5m per project. Projects requiring rebates over that figure are classed as major projects and are approved by the Commonwealth’s Australian Greenhouse Office.
To date, a total of 417 renewable energy projects, of which six were major projects, have been approved in the Territory. These have been funded to the tune of $18.9m or about 49% of the available rebate funds. These renewable energy projects already approved save an estimated 2.5 million litres of diesel fuel, which represents 6500 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per annum, an endorsement, I am sure you will agree, of the highest order for the program.
Major solar power projects are up and running in Hermannsburg, Yuendumu and the Lajamanu communities using state-of-the-art solar dish concentrators, employing the world’s most efficient solar cells. Projects at Kings Canyon Tourist Resort, Bradshaw Field Training Area and the Bulman community in the Arnhem region also operate major solar projects saving significant amounts of diesel.
The program is promoted under the Make the Switch banner through my department’s web pages, direct mail, the show circuit, seminars and information gatherings. However, the recently approved solar technology demonstration facility to be constructed at the Desert Knowledge Precinct in Alice Springs is sure to give this program and the technologies it promotes a big push. This $2.55m facility will showcase emerging solar technologies and will provide a unique environment for the assessment of new and emerging systems. Also, the Centre for Appropriate Technology is developing resources funded by the RRPGP to allow the delivery of a course called Certificate II Electro-Technology Remote Area Power Supply Servicing, which will back the growing renewable energy industry.
Approximately $19.3m is still available for rebates for the renewable energy systems in remote areas. This funding is available through to 2010. Having said this, I should point out that there are a number of projects under development including the wind power generation project near Tennant Creek for which expressions of interest were called last year. It has been estimated that the rebate funding of approximately $12m will be required over the next two years if the solar power proposals already flagged are successfully developed.
With the increasing focus on the environment and the global warming effects of greenhouse gases, renewable energy seems the logical environmentally sensible source of power into the future.
The examples I have given today and the plans that are in the pipeline demonstrate that many companies and people living in the right areas appreciate the benefit, both economic and environmental, of this program. It is my belief that it will continue to operate for the betterment for people who live in the Territory’s remote regions.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for his report. Renewable energy technology is very important for us to be discussing and implementing in regional remote areas in the Northern Territory. When I visited Hermannsburg a couple of years ago, I noted that there were many discs that were not being used. I hope they are up and running now.
Training for support services for regional and remote areas in renewable energy and maintenance of the equipment is very important. It was pleasing to hear that in the minister’s report as well. I am sure over time we are going to be discussing renewable energy at great length and I look forward to that.
Mr NATT (Mines and Energy): Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Katherine for her support of this program. It is a wonderful innovation, which is moving the world forward and, obviously, away from greenhouse gas emissions. We hope in the future that $19.3m, which is available until 2010, is taken up.
Ms SCRYMGOUR (Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage): Madam Speaker, it seems that every week we hear further reports of the crisis being faced by Australian river systems down south, with major systems such as the Murray-Darling on the verge of collapse. The federal government has announced a $10bn plan aimed largely at fixing the dire situation of that particular river system and dealing with other water problems nationally. In the Northern Territory, we plan to do it differently to look after our rivers.
In 2005, this government gave a commitment to protect the Daly River environment and allocated $3.5m to enable land and water monitoring systems to be implemented. We promised that only the highest standards of water and land monitoring would be applied to the Daly and that the moratorium on land clearing would remain until those monitoring systems were in place. In short, we committed to good science to better understand the environment of the Daly River before making decisions about the future of the region.
It is blindingly obvious that a rigorous approach to understanding how the environment operates was essential in order to protect the Daly - a river which contributes enormously to our lifestyle - and, at the same time, allow balanced and sustainable development. I am pleased to announce some of the results of the 12-month study into the links between land clearing and groundwater flows into the Daly.
The $333 000 study was jointly funded by the Australian government, the Northern Territory government, CSIRO and Charles Darwin University, with a contribution of $134 000 from this government. Unlike many Territory rivers, the Daly flows all year round because groundwater flows into the river from springs. Land clearing potentially alters the quality and amount of spring flows into the Daly and, as a result, could affect river health. This research came up with some very interesting and somewhat unexpected results.
The research found that following land clearing, two to four times as much water is likely to enter the aquifer where, ultimately, it will enter the river via springs. Native savannah bushland was found to use more water than native or improved pasture on cleared land. This is one explanation for more water entering the ground after clearing. This research provides some answers to an important piece of the larger, more complex puzzle: what happens to the Daly when land is cleared?
The results need to be seen in context. It could be wrong to interpret these results as saying that land clearing is good because more water will reach the river. The research shows that land clearing is not all bad for the Daly, but it is not all good either. Other issues such as how water is pulled from bores also need to be considered and the nett result for water resources following land clearing requires further work.
The breakthrough is that through this type of research we are now beginning to understand these trade-offs. Through research such as this we can understand the individual pieces of the larger land clearing puzzle, see how they relate to one another and them put them together to make overall judgments on how development can proceed in a way that keeps the Daly healthy.
In summary, Madam Speaker, this government made a commitment for better science, research and monitoring in the Daly and now our investment in that science is paying off. Government, with the assistance of the Daly River Management Advisory Committee, is building scientific understanding so that development can proceed in a way that does not turn the Daly into another River Murray. When this work is completed we will have a better understanding of our water resources and this will enable better decisions to be made about the future of this region that is important in the lives of so many Territorians.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for her report. The Daly River has been controversial in the way that the moratorium was placed on it, and it caused some heartache to some of the land owners who had already made a commitment to that area.
In saying that, I also say that the Country Liberal Party supports the sustainability of all river systems in the Northern Territory. We do not want to see happen here what has happened down south. It has been a bitter lesson for those people who are trying to make their living from the river in those southern areas and, of course, it has been a detrimental blot on Australia’s history.
To look at what has happened to the Murray-Darling and see photos of that now, it is just a shadow, basically, of its former self. We need to be responsible in the way that we approach it. I would like a copy of that report, minister, if that is possible. Some of the things you mentioned from the report are very interesting. We need to have a balance of protecting the environment and development in the Daly and other regions. I thank the minister for her report and I really would like to see a statement on the Daly in the near future.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I also welcome the minister’s statement on the Daly, which has been the centre of much discussion over many years, not just recent years. We can go back to the days when Tipperary Station had great plans to pump large volumes of water for irrigated pastures. That was in the 1970s, so it is not something that is new, but it is something on which we needed scientific information.
I noticed there is an application for clearing in the Stray Creek area before the Development Consent Authority coming up soon. I would like a copy of the report if that was possible.
You mentioned that they have found out by research that native vegetation actually takes more water out of the ground. That information had already been determined by your department, I believe. Only a couple of years ago, in the Howard Springs area, one my constituents who worked for the department, John Pidsley, did a report on how much water was being removed by native trees, and they found out that it was, in fact, better to have no native trees. I am not saying I am supporting that idea, but more water was put into the ground without the trees.
Of course, there are other things you have to take into consideration. That could mean higher water tables. If you look at the southern examples, clearing was one of the reasons that we have higher water tables down south which, unfortunately, had a high salt content. That is not necessarily the same here. Sometimes, when you do comparisons between the Murray and the Daly, you can talk fairly generally, but they are not the same systems. The dear old Murray and the Darling also have high salt content. Fortunately, we do not seem to have that problem because our water comes from a different source.
However, we do have to be careful with the way the Daly is developed because there is going to be more and more pressure for our water, as has already been indicated by the Commonwealth. You can see how even state governments are thinking with the plans that Premier Beattie is looking at in taking some of the water from his state south to help the Murray-Darling. We need that information. We need to be part of the development of Australia as well.
Ms SCRYMGOUR (Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage): Madam Speaker, I thank both members for their responses to this. It is an important issue and I agree, member for Nelson, it is not a new issue. The commitment from our government is new. We want to look at it in a more planned way to get the science, and pull it all together so that we can get a proper adaptive management plan. We are not just talking about the river; we are talking about the whole of the catchment areas and all the wetlands that feed into that.
There are some fragile biodiversity issues that have to be looked at. If we can do better than what has happened down south in terms of appropriate water allocation plans, that is desirable. Yes, it has been contentious, and there have been issues with some of the pastoralists with the land clearing moratorium. We have worked through those issues and everyone has put some goodwill towards it, and we can only make it better.
You can access the full report on the department’s website. I will also provide information sheets to members.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Mr HENDERSON (Tourism): Madam Speaker, today I update the House on progress in developing the backpacker market in the Northern Territory.
The Northern Territory Backpacker Development Plan released in May 2006 provides a framework for the tourism industry to work cooperatively to position the Territory as a competitive backpacker destination. It provides direction on how we might turn around the declines in the backpacker market since 11 September 2001.
Favourable feedback on the plan has been received from industry partners, such as the Tourism NT Advisory Board, the Backpacker Tourism Advisory Panel and members of the local industry. Since the release of the plan, Tourism NT has been very active in this market and I will outline some key activities shortly.
Before I do that, I want to clarify some information that has been put into the public arena about the backpacker market. Information from Tourism Research Australia shows that, whilst international backpacker numbers to Australia have not yet recovered to the peak levels experienced prior to the events of 11 September 2001, there has been good growth over the last year. The latest data from the International Visitor Survey suggests international backpacker numbers to the NT improved by 12.8% for the year ending September 2006 compared with the previous 12 months, with backpacker nights rising by a massive 21.2%. Additionally, the Territory grew its share of the Australian market by over 1% to 23.5%. This is great news for the industry; not only are our numbers increasing, but we are capturing more of the backpackers who come to Australia.
Tourism NT has embarked on significant promotional activity where they have successfully orchestrated a major promotional campaign with STA Travel in the UK aimed at the working holiday maker market. This campaign positions Darwin as the gateway to Australia. It comprises a one-way lead-in airfare of ₤299 consisting of Gulf Air flights to Singapore and Tiger Airways flights from Singapore to Darwin.
It was launched via a television campaign, and the advertisement also featured on 325 London buses running 72 times a day per bus for a four-week period. The campaign will take on a major focus during January and February 2007, a key UK booking period for travel to Australia and the Territory. This cheap ₤299 fare from London to Darwin was also a key feature on the NT stand at the 12th Daily Telegraph Adventure Travel Show in London recently, a stand supported by Northern Territory operators including Chilli’s Backpackers, Youth Shack, Travellers Auto Barn, Adventure Tours Australia, Real Australia, and assisted by the Trade Support Scheme and Tourism UK staff.
Working holidaymaker initiatives have also formed part of Tourism NT’s international promotional activities, where they have partnered with the German government employment agency to promote the benefits of a working holiday in the Territory for young German job seekers. Launched in September 2006, the campaign coincided with the European summer university semester break as well as the traditional long haul travel planning market. The campaign was highly targeted using web direct communications and the give-away of 10 return Qantas tickets to Darwin from Germany, inclusive of a six-month job experience in the Territory.
To date, there have been 40 separate print and electronic media reports, with a combined estimated advertising value of more than $2.5m. The first prize winners came to the Territory in November 2006, and I met them. Their experiences were filmed by the popular television channel Sat 1. Five episodes aired before Christmas with each slot viewed by over a million people. Part of the campaign was a road show through 14 cities, where over 800 interested working holiday makers attended a two-hour presentation about touring and job opportunities in the Territory. More coverage is anticipated in Germany during the first quarter of 2007 with reporting of the arrival and stay in the Territory of the remaining job prize winners.
Confidence in the backpacker market is improving, evidenced by the recent investment of Gilligan’s Backpackers in Alice Springs. The internationally renowned Cairns-based business purchased the old Melanka Hotel Backpacker Resort in 2006, and has major plans to redevelop the site. It is proposed that the existing property be replaced with a four-storey backpacker resort and entertainment complex. The resort will also have a plaza with shops and a restaurant.
Our former Tourism Minister and Chief Minister has spearheaded active lobbying of the Australian government for further reforms to the working holiday maker visa, with particular emphasise on the eligibility for a second visa and the introduction of a work and holiday visa for US citizens. The response from DIMIA to date has been most favourable, with possible introduction in 2007.
A comprehensive update to the NT Backpacker Development Plan is available on Tourism NT’s website. Before I conclude, Madam Speaker, I commend the officers of Tourism NT, particularly for the very strategic marketing that they are doing in Europe at the moment. It is proving very valuable; they are very creative people and doing a great job for the Territory.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Madam Speaker, I thank the Minister for Tourism for his report. The backpacker market, as you know, was a very strong supporter of the Territory until world events in 2001. As a result, not only did the tourism industry suffer but so did the horticultural and agriculture industries because we relied on backpackers to pick in our market gardens. Of course, we did not have them at mango picking time. That is another side to the backpacker market.
They rely on budget accommodation and budget airfares to get here. They spend a lot of money on good tours, but they look for budget accommodation and budget airfares.
I congratulate Tiger Airways for giving backpackers the opportunity to get to Darwin. It is strong encouragement. I support all marketing in Europe, the UK and the USA to lure backpackers back to Australia. It is pleasing to see that the numbers are increasing. In addition to the marketing that is done by Tourism NT, I congratulate Tiger Airways for offering a budget airfare that encourages them to come here.
Reports noted pursuant to standing orders.
Bill presented and read a first time.
Mr STIRLING (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I move that the Motor Accidents (Compensation) Amendment Bill be read a second time.
As most honourable members would be aware, the Motor Accidents (Compensation) Act, or MACA, establishes the Territory’s compulsory Motor Accident Compensation Scheme. The MACA scheme is underwritten by government and is funded by contributions from motorists paid at the time of registering or reregistering a motor vehicle. The Territory Insurance Office administers the scheme on behalf of the Territory government.
The MACA scheme is premised on the no-fault principle, but with some exclusions introduced over time by successive governments to contain scheme costs. In other words, compensation benefits for Territory residents injured in a motor vehicle accident or for the dependents of persons killed in a motor vehicle accident are usually provided automatically regardless of who is at fault. No-fault-based motor accident compensation avoids the need for costly and potentially stressful litigation in order to obtain compensation.
However, no-fault-based schemes also require the surrender of certain common law rights. Victoria and Tasmania also operate motor accident compensation schemes based on the no-fault principle. MACA prescribes compensation benefits for medical and rehabilitation costs, permanent impairment, loss of earning capacity, personal attendant care, and for the spouse and dependents of persons killed in a motor accident. MACA also provides equivalent statutory benefits for residents injured interstate in Northern Territory registered vehicles and indemnifies drivers of Territory registered vehicles against compensation claims by non-residents for accidents occurring outside the Territory.
Claimants are not provided compensation automatically in all cases. Benefits may be reduced or excluded if claimants are in breach of certain criminal and traffic offences at the time of the accident. This is based on the principle that claimants should not be automatically entitled to compensation where they engage in unlawful or reckless behaviour or conduct that directly contributes to their injuries. Currently, non-residents injured in an accident in the Territory and involving a Territory-registered vehicle can seek compensation through the courts if they can prove that the injuries they suffered result from the negligence of another party. Such costs are also borne by the MACA scheme. The availability of common law damages for non-residents has added significantly to MACA costs as the courts often award more for economic loss, medical and hospital costs and for personal attendant care compared with the prescribed benefits provided under MACA.
The settlement of common law claims also involves more extensive administrative and legal costs. For example, the average MACA payout size for common law damages is currently estimated at around three times greater than no-fault benefits paid to Territorians. Since 1998, there have been 18 common law claims by non-residents against MACA that have exceeded $1m in total costs. On another point, recent events have raised questions as to whether MACA benefits for personal attendant care for seriously and permanently injured claimants are fair and reasonable. Attendant care benefits provide for personal services provided in the home, such as washing, clothing, feeding and basic medical services.
In 2005, a review of options for a national attendant care scheme for persons catastrophically injured was undertaken on behalf of the Insurance Ministers’ Council. The review indicated that the introduction of proposed national attendant care standards would have involved significant costs in the Territory, potentially requiring an increase in MACA contributions of $73 per vehicle.
This indicates that MACA personal attendant care benefits are less generous than other no-fault schemes and those contemplated for the national scheme. As such, in response to increasing cost pressures from common law claims by non-residents, the findings of the review of options for a national, long-term care scheme, and in recognition of the fact that MACA has not been subject to a comprehensive review since its inception in 1979, I approved a comprehensive review of MACA benefit provisions in April 2005.
The review was conducted by a committee comprising Northern Territory Treasury, the Department of Justice and Territory Insurance Office officials, chaired by a senior private sector lawyer. Input to the review was also provided by the Deputy Insurance Commissioner of Queensland. The findings of the review committee were subsequently endorsed by the government in May 2006.
The bill before the House today will give effect to the findings of the review. The bill represents the first major reform program for compulsory motor accident compensation benefits since self-government. The substantive provisions in the bill are:
MACA is a high cost scheme due to its small size and the relatively high number of serious motor vehicle accidents occurring in the Northern Territory each year. The bill before the House today aims to balance the provision of fair and reasonable compensation for motor vehicle accident victims in a financially responsible manner. The provisions of the bill also complement the road safety measures currently being implemented.
Most significantly, the abolition of common law claims for non-residents will promote greater equity for claimants by implementing a single prescribed compensation benefits scheme for all accidents in the Northern Territory as well as removing a significant driver of MACA costs.
More importantly, the improvements to attendant care benefits will improve the standard of life for the most disadvantaged claimants – those who are seriously and permanently injured as a result of motor vehicle accidents.
Members of the public and stakeholder groups have had the opportunity to comment on the bill through an open consultation process finalised in January this year. There is, of course, the opportunity for further public comment between now and passage and debate of the bill in parliament. The bill before the House today is one of a suite of legislative reforms for the MACA scheme introduced by the government over the last 12 months.
Other significant changes include the establishment of the MACA scheme as a statutory fund administered by the Territory Insurance Office, and the introduction of legislation providing for the appointment of an independent commissioner charged with determining annual MACA contributions at arm’s length from government.
The combined effect of these initiatives is to substantially increase transparency and accountability in the administration of motor accident compensation benefits, maintain fair and reasonable compensation, improve the level of benefits provided for the most seriously injured, and enhance the capacity for compensation benefits to remain affordable for the financial contributors to the MACA scheme, the Territory motorist.
Madam Speaker, I commend the bill to honourable members.
Debate adjourned.
Bill presented and read a first time.
Mr STIRLING (Justice and Attorney-General): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a second time.
The purpose of this bill is to amend various acts that fall within the Justice portfolio and to make a number of other consequential amendments. Acts amended in this bill include: the Agents Licensing Act; the Anti-Discrimination Act; Business Tenancies (Fair Dealings) Act; the Criminal Code; Domestic Violence Act; Interpretation Act; Juries Act; and Vexatious Proceedings Act. The bill also contains amendments to the Victims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 to ensure certainty in interpretation and compliance with the intent of the act.
I will detail the amendments in the order in which they are contained in the bill. The Agents Licensing Act is amended to assist the Agents Licensing Board in making its assessment of the eligibility of individuals for a licence under the act. Where an individual has applied for a licence but does not have the prescribed educational qualifications, the act allows the board to accept that, by reason of other qualifications and experience, the person is competent to carry on business as a licensed agent. At present, the board will simply make the assessment of prior learning itself, spending time and resources in conducting the necessary inquiries.
The proposed amendment to the act will allow the board to, in effect, outsource this role to an appropriately qualified registered training organisation defined under the Northern Territory Employment and Training Act. This amendment will ensure that assessments are done in a fair and more consistent manner by appropriately trained experts. This amendment relieves pressure on the board, allowing it to concentrate on matters within its expertise. The applicant will also be assured that he or she receives a professional assessment.
The industry generally will also benefit, as persons with the appropriate competency, but without formal education qualifications, will be attracted to the industry. The amendment is supported by the Real Estate Institute of the Northern Territory, the Northern Territory Division of the Australian Institute of Conveyancers and the Agents Licensing Board.
Amendments are also made to the Anti-Discrimination Act. Section 41 of the Anti-Discrimination Act prohibits discrimination against another person in the supply of goods, services or facilities and various terms and conditions associated with provision of those items. Where these are supplied by or on behalf of an association, that supply may be exempt from the requirements, provided that the association is established for social, literary, cultural, political, sporting or other similar purposes and is a not-for-profit organisation.
Section 41(2) of the act is amended so that it is abundantly clear that not only does this exemption apply to persons who provide goods, services or facilities for or on behalf of an association, but also the association itself. This amendment will facilitate the more directed provision of community services whilst allowing engagement of a wide range of community members.
The Business Tenancies (Fair Dealings) Act is amended in this bill to ensure consistency in the way it deals with Australian and foreign companies. The act balances the rights of a tenant with those of the landlord in relation to business tenancies. It aims to protect small tenants who may be disadvantaged in their dealings with landlords. It was not intended that the majority of the provisions in the act protect publicly listed companies that generally have the resources at their disposal to balance the tenant/landlord relationship. The current act exempts Australian companies and their subsidiaries from the operations of the act except in relation to Part 13.
However, that results in an anomaly. Whilst Australian companies and subsidiaries are exempt, foreign companies and subsidiaries are not. This amendment eliminates the inconsistency. Exemption from the act will now extend to all publicly listed companies and their subsidiaries, Australian or otherwise.
There are three amendments to the Criminal Code in the bill relating to: the order in which parties in a criminal trial address the jury; the separation of the jury; and problems of incapacity of judges at trial.
The first of these amendments to the Criminal Code repeals and replaces section 363 and repeals Schedule 4 of the Criminal Code. The amendment is proposed in response to concerns raised by the former Director of Public Prosecutions and other legal associations about the complicated rules that govern the order in which counsel address a jury at the end of a trial. The current provisions direct the prosecution to address the jury last, at the end of a criminal trial in most situations, except when the accused is defended by counsel who calls no witnesses to the facts except the accused.
The overly complicated and unnecessary procedural steps currently set out at Schedule 4 also arguably penalise the accused if they choose to call witnesses in their case. The proposed amendments are simple and easy to follow. They allow the accused to address the jury last, regardless of whether he or she is represented by counsel and regardless of whether or not they choose to call witnesses.
I note, however, that where an accused person or their representative raises issues, draws conclusions or introduces evidence in their final address to the jury that are not supported by the evidence before the court, the court will be able to grant leave to the prosecution to make a supplementary address dealing with any such matters. The Director of Public Prosecutions, the Bar Association, Law Society and judiciary were all consulted on this amendment and expressed support for it.
The amendment to sections 365 and 366 of the Criminal Code will give the court the discretion to allow juries to separate at any point during the course of a trial, including while they are considering their verdict. Traditionally, juries are kept together and are not allowed to separate during the trial. This position has been modified somewhat with the court now having discretion to allow the separation up until a jury retires to consider their verdict. It is still the case, however, that after the conclusion of the evidence, there is no power to allow a jury to separate under any circumstances while deliberating on their verdict.
The new amendment recognises two important issues. First, that juries today understand the importance of their role in the trial. With the aid of binding directions from the presiding judge governing their conduct while separated, juries can be trusted to be true to their oath in considering the evidence. Second, the amendment recognises that there may be practical difficulties when a jury spends a long time considering its verdict. There is no provision to even allow them to be housed in separate accommodation should there be a shortage of rooms, for example, as is often the case in Darwin in the Dry Season. The introduction of this discretion will allow the courts to deal with potential difficulties without the need to abort the trial. The Chief Justice and judges of the Supreme Court have brought this potential difficulty to my attention, and I thank them for their careful attention to such matters.
The third amendment to the Criminal Code deals with procedures to be followed when a judge in a criminal trial becomes unable, for whatever reason, to continue with the trial. At present, where this occurs the trial has to be aborted regardless of whether the evidence has just begun, been heard for several months, or even when the jury is considering its verdict. This new discretionary power will allow another judge to take over the part-heard trial and preside to its conclusion.
This take over will not be mandatory, nor will it be appropriate in all cases. The new provisions require that the parties be given the opportunity to voice their opinions on the desirability of this course of action before the trial proceeds in this manner.
Where another judge does take over the trial, he or she will be required to continue the rulings of the original judge except in cases where the original judge would themselves have re-examined those rulings. That is, the pre-existing rulings will only be re-examined where there is fresh material before the court that justifies re-examination.
Where a replacement judge is not in place within a reasonable time, the jury will be discharged and the accused remanded in custody if not previously on bail. This amendment will facilitate a more equitable, efficient and cost effective justice system.
The next amendment in the bill is a technical one concerning the Domestic Violence Act. This amendment reinserts the penalty for a first offence of Breach of a Restraining Order. There is no change to penalty previously in place prior to the enactment of amendments to this section at the end of last year.
The Juries Act will also be amended by this bill to make it clear that the act does not prohibit a juror from seeking medical treatment in relation to any issues arising from their prior service as a juror. This amendment recognises that serving as a member of a jury is one of the most responsible and important roles in our community and can be a stressful experience.
Some jurors may require assistance after completion of their service in the form or counselling or other medical care. This amendment makes clear that when jurors need help, they can receive it without breaching disclosure restrictions in the act. Disclosing information in relation to your own service on a jury to a registered practitioner or psychologist in the course of treatment for any problems arising out of that service will not constitute an offence.
Again, this was an issue raised by the Chief Justice, and I thank him for doing so. I note, however, that a new offence is introduced to ensure that information disclosed in this manner goes no further. A medical practitioner or psychologist who is consulted by the juror and becomes privy to information about jury service cannot pass it on unless it is necessary for the health or welfare of the former juror. This allows for referrals and professional consultation, but not publication in any manner unconnected with assisting the former juror.
There is a small amendment to the Vexatious Proceedings Act to allow for the removal of a person’s name from the Register of Vexatious Litigants after they have died.
This bill also makes minor technical amendments to the Victims of Crimes Assistance Act passed by the Legislative Assembly last year. The act, along with the Victims of Crimes Rights and Services Act, introduced a raft of reforms to improve victims of crime services in the Northern Territory. The reforms were long overdue and provide a fresh focus in the approach of the needs and support for victims of crime.
As the Assembly is aware, the main focus of the act is the repeal of the current financial assistance scheme under the Crimes (Victims Assistance) Act and establishment of a new administrative assessment scheme for the provision of financial and counselling assistance for victims of violent crime in the Territory. This scheme is to be administered by the new Crime Victims Services Unit, which will also have some other functions such as administration of the new Victims Register and a community education role.
During preparations for commencement of the scheme, various technical amendments have been identified to ensure that it operates effectively and in accord with the original policy intent.
The most significant amendment is the introduction of the concept of ‘compensable violent act’. This concept of ‘compensable violent act’, which will co-exist with the existing ‘compensable injury’, is introduced to clarify that financial assistance is available where a person is a victim of a prescribed sexual offence. Certain sexual offences in the Criminal Code will be included in the regulations and victims of these crimes will not need to prove actual physical or mental injury; they will simply have to prove that the offence occurred. It was always intended that this be the case to reduce, as much as possible, any further trauma experienced by the victim. This intent is clear from the then Attorney-General’s second reading speech.
However, our legislation is based on a similar New South Wales scheme and a Court of Criminal Appeal decision in that state suggests that victims of sexual assault may still need to prove actual injury to be eligible for compensation.
New South Wales introduced legislation to rectify this problem in November 2006. While New South Wales court decisions would not be binding on the Territory, on the advice of the Solicitor-General and Parliamentary Counsel, the government decided it would be prudent to avoid all doubt on the matter.
The amendment to the section 4 definition of ‘medical expenses’ by including a reference to ‘medical reports’ is aimed at ensuring that applicants can access disbursement costs up-front in cases of financial hardship. By including ‘medical reports’ in the definition of ‘medical expenses’, the Crime Victims Services Unit will be able to assist applicants, both practically and financially, obtain the necessary medical reports. The amendment will also ensure equality of access to the scheme.
Schedule 1 to the bill contains a number of other minor amendments to improve the wording and comprehension of the act. One aspect of the schedule worth noting in detail is the amendment to section 33 of the act. This deals with the service of a victim’s application on the alleged offender. The government has determined that section 33 as drafted may have the unintended consequence of putting some victims at risk. Therefore, the section will be amended to give the director of the unit a wide discretion as to whether to serve the offender with a copy of the application. The amendment is supported by the Law Society Northern Territory, Central Australia Aboriginal Family Legal Unit and Victims of Crime NT.
These amendments to the Victims of Crime Act do not in any way change the policy or intent of the legislation. They will ensure, however, that the new Financial Assistance Scheme will work as effectively, fairly and efficiently as possible for victims.
Schedule 2 makes various consequential amendments to other Territory acts and subordinate legislation. These amendments correct references to the current Crimes (Victims Assistance) Act, which is being repealed by the new act, as well as making various other minor amendments.
Madam Speaker, I commend the bill to honourable members and table a copy of the explanatory statement.
Debate adjourned.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move –
This is a procedural motion to outline the order and Routine of Business for the 2007 Alice Springs sitting. A major difference for Alice Springs is, as we have done on the two previous occasions, to have a lunch break during the sittings from 12 noon to 1.30 pm on each of the days to allow all of us as parliamentarians to engage with various community groups in Alice Springs.
It is a significant initiative from this government to take parliament to Alice Springs every couple of years and to give the people of Alice Springs an opportunity to see and understand how the parliamentary process works and to meet with members. It has been very successful. I know those of us who have participated have enjoyed it. The capacity to maximise the impact of parliament moving to Alice Springs by having a lunch break, for example, gives an opportunity for the community to interact with us as members of parliament.
Also on restructuring the sitting days, on Wednesday, we will bring Question Time on at 7.30 pm. This gives an opportunity for people in Alice Springs who are working and cannot get time off to see Question Time at 2 pm, which is the traditional time. An evening Question Time really does open up parliament to the people.
One of the key initiatives that we took to the 2001 election was to open up the parliamentary process. We introduced television cameras for Question Time and the initiative of regional parliamentary sittings in Alice Springs. These are all designed to open us up to the public to see what happens in parliament and to see their elected members conduct the business of parliament.
I hope that all members will support this motion. It is all about taking parliament to Alice Springs, conducting the normal parliamentary business and government business, but it is also an opportunity to interact with the Alice Springs community.
I thank and congratulate the good officers of the Legislative Assembly. They do a magnificent job. It is a major logistical exercise, taking parliament to Alice Springs and ensuring that everything works from IT through to Hansard and the logistics of getting all of the bits and pieces we need to run parliament to Alice Springs. So my thanks, and I am sure the thanks of all of the members of this House, to your officers in the department, Madam Speaker. They do a fabulous job. It will be the April sittings. I know we are all looking forward to it. It is going to be fantastic to be back in Alice Springs. I urge support for the motion.
Ms CARNEY (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, there are many things I could say, but I should make the point that this is the first Alice Springs sittings that has occurred since I have been leader.
Members of the last Assembly will remember the absurdities that arose from the vying for positions of pretty much everyone in relation to who could claim victory for getting the sittings to Alice Springs. Many silly things were said in the past by both sides of politics about the Alice Springs sittings. I was always greatly amused when we had the government jumping up and down saying: ‘It was our idea; it was our idea’ and …
Mr Henderson: It was.
Ms CARNEY: … my predecessor saying: ‘It would have been ours, but there was nowhere to do it, and we built the convention centre, after all, so it is really our idea’, and the previous Speaker saying: ‘No, no, no. It is my idea. It is my idea’. People do not care.
Mrs Braham: I claimed it first.
Ms CARNEY: People do not care. There is a bottom line here and that is …
Mrs Braham: Why are you talking about it if it does not matter?
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms CARNEY: … getting the parliament to Alice Springs.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Ms CARNEY: Do I think getting the parliament to Alice Springs is a great idea? Of course it is. Karl would agree with me. The other members of Central Australia …
Mrs BRAHAM: A point of order, Madam Speaker! There have been too many times people in the House have been referred to by their Christian name. We know the standing orders …
Ms CARNEY: Sorry, the member for Stuart. Sorry, Loraine.
Madam SPEAKER: Resume your seat, thank you.
Ms CARNEY: Madam Speaker, getting the parliament to Alice Springs is a really good idea. Anyone in this House who suggests that someone else takes the view that it is not needs their head read. It is great for the people of Alice Springs. I do not know what other people do, but when Alice Springs people come to Darwin, I always invite them to come to the parliament when we sit. When we are not sitting, I always try to show them around this building. It is a very impressive building. People from outside Darwin should see it. People who live in Darwin should see it. This building belongs to all of us. The parliament of the Northern Territory, wherever it sits, belongs to the people of Northern Territory.
What I would like to see is both sides of politics and the Independents rising above the traditional rubbish about whose idea it was - and aren’t we all fantastic about getting it there? - because people do not care. In fact, at the last …
Members interjecting.
Ms CARNEY: People do not care whose idea it was. People do not care. You know what people care about? They want to see better outcomes from the government.
At the last sittings, I do not know what the figures were, but there was a view that fewer visitors went to the last sittings than the one before. That was probably predictable. There was a bit of a wow factor at the first sittings. If there were more, there were certainly many school kids. I am not sure that necessarily thousands of people from Alice Springs attended. I am not sure necessarily that thousands will. However, the opportunity ...
Mr Stirling: Maybe they do not want to listen to you.
Ms CARNEY: Well, I do not know why you are all getting twitchy. How stupid are you? I am saying the parliament sitting in Alice Springs is a really good idea. I am saying: why don’t you get off your political high horse and stop rabbiting on and issuing your media releases, as you no doubt will, saying: ‘Aren’t we great for getting the parliament to Alice Springs?’
Well, bully for you! People do not care whose idea it was. People want to see good debates. I know you have difficulty with that concept - that is, debates in this place. I know you have difficulty, generally, looking after the people of Alice Springs. I hope you avail yourselves of the generous opportunities you have given yourselves of meeting with the Alice Springs people.
From what the Chief Minister was saying yesterday in Ministerial Reports, she meets with them regularly and they have many opportunities to talk to her. Well, you have given yourselves a bit more time. Good on you. We will talk to them, too. We always do, not like you lot.
The sittings are an important event for those people who are interested in politics, and we all know that not everyone is. For the people who turn up, I hope they enjoy the issues that arise. I expect to see a fair bit of political grandstanding by the government, which is indicative of the government’s approach to the people of Alice Springs. That is, they think they are not as smart as the people of Darwin. That is a view I do not share and will never share.
In any event, the parliament is sitting in Alice Springs. That is great. We are looking forward to it. The Alice Springs members are really looking forward to it, as we always have. Madam Speaker, thank you. I share with the Leader of Government Business and government members the enthusiasm for going to Alice Springs ...
Ms Scrymgour: Shocking! Hysterical. Rabid. Hurry up, Terry, and get back in as leader.
Ms CARNEY: I hear the mutterings on the other side. The member for Karama is doing her usual stuff. I do not even know what she is saying and, quite frankly, I do not care because she will have her day in Alice Springs. She is not very popular there at the moment, so has a bit of work to do before she gets there.
In any event, thank you, Madam Speaker, for your efforts. I know that you have gone to considerable effort to make the sittings more inclusive; to put your own stamp, in a sense, on them as is appropriate, and to see if we can shuffle things a bit to ensure that more people come along. It is not the case that the entire population of Alice Springs will be there. I remember in the last couple of sittings, looking around at the gallery and thinking: ‘Yes, just like Darwin, not many people turn up’. However, the opportunity is there and that is very important.
I join with the Leader of Government Business in thanking the staff of the Assembly. I, too, know that it is a logistical nightmare. All the Darwin politicians have to do is pack their bags, but for the staff of the Legislative Assembly, it is certainly a mammoth exercise. We thank them and you for your efforts, and we look forward to the sittings.
Mrs BRAHAM (Braitling): Madam Speaker, what a strange response from the Leader of the Opposition.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mrs BRAHAM: If no one cares about it, why raise it? It does not matter whose idea it was, it is a fact that we are going to Alice Springs. It is important to thank officers of the Legislative Assembly because it is a huge task. Now that we have done it a couple of times, it is a little easier, I am sure. Despite all the hoo-ha that just went on, the sittings are not just for Alice Springs people; they are for Central Australia and that is what is important.
I remember the little kid from Elliott saying: ‘It was really funny seeing white fellas yelling at each other’, which brings home to us that many people do not understand what happens in parliament. I hope there are good, crunchy things to be debated in Alice Springs. I hope some of the legislation achieves that.
There is one point I would like to raise with the Leader of Government Business. You have taken away Question Time in the morning, which was an advantage for many of the schools. It was great that there were many students there because they are the future generation and they will be the decision-makers. You have 2 pm, and I realise you will probably say that schools can attend at that time, but it is the case that some of them have to get back to school in time for kids to be released. It would have been great to maintain procedures we had before when we had one in the morning, one in the evening and one in the afternoon.
Yes, you are right. The evening Question Time is a great attraction. Perhaps it is something that we should also think about in this parliament because, let us face it, we do not get the numbers we could. Madam Speaker, you might like to think about having an evening Question Time. That would attract heaps and heaps of people.
I am looking forward to the Alice sittings. It will be the first time I will be there solely as a member, and it will put a bit of a different slant on it for me. We will probably have in the audience prospective Independent candidates. I put you all on notice. Keep your eyes open. Who are going to be taking the places of all the people? We are going to make sure we have our people there.
Mr Kiely: Are you going to resign down there?
Mrs BRAHAM: I told you I am not standing next election, so what an ideal time for people to have a good look at what they might or might not want to become involved in. Some of them might decide certainly not. It is going to be a great opportunity.
I thank you, Madam Speaker, and your department for maintaining support for the Alice Springs sittings. I am sure, regardless of all that hoo-ha we just heard, all members will enjoy it, even opposition members. I am quite sure it will be great.
Mr Mills: Of course we will enjoy it.
Mrs BRAHAM: Yes.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Braitling for her contribution and support. The member for Braitling does not, unlike the Leader of the Opposition who made a very childish contribution, continually talk down Alice Springs.
I suppose when we all finish our time in parliament, we will remember various debates and incidents that occurred in and around parliament. I will always remember - and congratulate and admire - the member for Braitling for her stand during the last Alice Springs sitting when there was a politically motivated rally organised through the member for Greatorex’s office designed to imply that Alice Springs was descending into a violent and crime-ridden society. The member for Braitling addressed the rally and said: ‘This is not the town that I live in, and we really should not be talking our town down’. Member for Braitling, I will remember that when I leave this place. That took an enormous amount of courage. You are to be commended for that.
Mrs Braham: And I got stones on my roof afterwards.
Mr HENDERSON: I hope we do not see similar politically motivated demonstrations this time. There probably will be.
We are all looking forward to going to Alice Springs. We will be debating issues with gusto as we normally do. I thank members for their support of the motion.
Motion agreed to.
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I move: –
Madam Speaker, we flagged that this disallowance could happen in the tabling speech in November last year, saying that there needed to be further legal advice about this disallowance. I would like to take time in this motion to explain what has taken place in terms of legal advice and action since that disallowance was flagged, and why we are moving the disallowance this morning.
To give a little context, the convention that applies in regard to the payment of money or benefits to elected representatives is clear: members of parliament are not entitled to payments or benefits for undertaking their duties unless such payments are of a recognised and authorised type. The rationale behind the convention is to protect the integrity of the parliamentary process and to avoid problems that may arise if fees for services were allowed.
In the Northern Territory, these principles are put into effect by way of a number of different acts. Section 21(2)(e) of the Northern Territory (Self-Government) Act provides that a person is disqualified from membership of the Legislative Assembly if they take any remuneration or allowance for services rendered in the Assembly otherwise than in accordance with a statutory provision. In the Territory, the primary legislation that makes such a statutory provision is the Assembly Members and Statutory Officers (Remuneration and Other Entitlements) Act 2006. The scheme of this act, as members will be aware, is to set the basic salary at a level indexed to the annual rate of pay for members of the federal House of Representatives, and to provide a mechanism for establishing other entitlements for members and statutory office holders.
The process for determining entitlements under the remuneration act is as follows. At the Administrator’s request, the Remuneration Tribunal inquires into and determines entitlements for members and other office holders. The Remuneration Tribunal’s determination must be both circulated to each person whose entitlements are affected by the determination, and tabled in the Assembly within six sitting days of receipt. Section 21(3) of the remuneration act provides that the Assembly may pass a resolution disallowing all or part of the determination within 10 sitting days of the determination being tabled.
If no disallowance motion is passed within this time frame, the determination will then become effective, or if a partial disallowance resolution has been passed, the remaining balance of the determination will then become effective. If no determination has been made through the tribunal process, the Chief Minister may make a determination in regard to an entitlement. Like other determinations, these must also be tabled, and they cease to have effect once there is a Remuneration Tribunal determination on that particular subject. I note that there have been no ministerial determinations under the current legislation.
In regard to these steps, I note that on 6 September 2006, the Administrator issued a request to the Tribunal under the remuneration act asking it to inquire into and determine the entitlements, other than basic salary, of Assembly members in their various capacities. The Remuneration Tribunal’s Report and Determination No 1 of 2006 were forwarded to me as the responsible minister on 30 October 2006. The documents were circulated to members on 20 November, and the determination was tabled on 28 November 2006. Accordingly, the 10 sitting days for bringing a disallowance resolution runs until 10 April 2007.
This is the first determination that the Legislative Assembly has had to consider under the new remuneration act, which came into effect on 26 April last year. During the course of last year, the Tribunal sought legal advice and clarification as to the extent of its responsibilities under the new act, and the meaning of some of the terms used in it. In particular, the Remuneration Tribunal sought clarification as to what the term ‘entitlements’ covered. The clarification of the Tribunal’s functions with supplementary issues and misunderstandings took a while to resolve. Unfortunately, the time taken for this task coincided with the timetable for making the determination.
As a consequence, after forwarding the determination to me, the tribunal wrote again advising that on the basis of legal advice it had received, it had reservations as to the validity of Part 7 of its determination. Definitive legal advice on the matters raised has now been received from the Solicitor-General. It is unambiguous, clear and covers all the issues. The primary issue revolves around the question of what ‘entitlement’ covers within the meaning of the remuneration act. This issue goes to the heart of parliamentary conventions and the legislative scheme whereby members are only entitled to payments and benefits for which there are legislative provisions.
In particular, the question revolves around whether the provision of office space, staff and equipment for members, the matters covered by Part 7 of the determination, are ‘entitlements’ within the meaning of the act and matters for which the Remuneration Tribunal has responsibility. The Solicitor-General’s advice is that Part 7 of Determination No 1 of 2006 is of no legal effect as the Tribunal has no jurisdiction to determine these types of matters and, consequently, the part should be formally disallowed.
I draw members’ attention to the following key parts of that advice from the Solicitor-General. The ‘entitlement’ as used in the remuneration act carries with it:
He went on to say:
He went on say that the entitlement referred to in the act:
Finally, that:
They are the key highlights from the Solicitor-General’s advice to us.
The remainder of the determination seems workable at this stage. It primarily deals with allowances payable, travel allowances and conditions, provision of motor vehicles and communications equipment. While there may be aspects of some of these allowances that are arguably partly provided to enable members to perform their functions, they also contain some aspects of being ‘benefits’ with a monetary value.
As a consequence of the legal advice, it will be necessary for the government to make alternative arrangements to provide clarity in regard to what office space, staff and equipment is to be made available to members to carry out their functions. Today, I intend to table a schedule which will deal with that to clarify any uncertainty. That will deal with office space, staff and equipment, the things that we all know are currently in the Tribunal’s determination.
As I said, the government proposes to prepare and circulate a schedule of those entitlements. In the first instance, this schedule will simply replicate Part 7 of the Remuneration Tribunal’s determination. The process will be transparent and the same standard will apply to all members. There will be a process whereby members can apply to the Treasurer or Chief Minister if they are of the view that special circumstances warrant some additional arrangement. Where such provision is made, and it is very much an ‘if’ such provisions would be made, all members would be advised.
On a different although related issue, I note that the tribunal has written to me pointing out that it had unintentionally omitted to provide a rate of travelling allowance for Perth in Schedule 1 of the determination. The consequence of this omission is that the slightly lesser ‘elsewhere in Australia rate of allowance’ is payable for travel to that particular capital city. Arrangements are under way to make a request to the Remuneration Tribunal to make a new determination on this specific issue. It is not anticipated that this will be a very complex or time consuming process, and the matter should be rectified shortly.
Madam Speaker, in light of what I have said, I commend the disallowance motion in respect of Part 7 of the Remuneration Tribunal Determination to honourable members.
Ms CARNEY (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I thank the Chief Minister for that explanation. I will be brief.
I have a couple of comments by way of observation. My hunch was that, in talking to a member from your office who attended the briefing this morning, a couple of things were to be taken on board by him. While that was an informal discussion, can I put a couple of things on the record for the future?
I will do it in this way: yesterday, you gave notice of what you were going to do today. I then spoke with the Leader of Government Business. He knew nothing about it; neither did we. I know that you flagged this in November last year, but I would like to think that in future, because this affects all of us and it is certainly not a political issue, if the government had its time over again, perhaps we would have had earlier notice. We asked for the legal advice because it seemed the obvious thing to do, given that the change was brought about on the basis of legal advice. We asked for that this morning. We got it, but if the situation were to arise again, at least the day before might be helpful.
In addition, an urgent briefing was thrown together. Perhaps nothing swings on it, but in hindsight, certainly courtesy and good manners suggest that you should do it differently next time around. I thank those individuals who attended the briefing in any event, including the representative from your office.
One difficulty that arises, and nothing really swings on it, but there is something of a hiatus given that the disallowance motion will pass today, which we support. Administrative arrangements need to be put into place to ensure that the things that are being disallowed today will appear somewhere rather than just floating. We were advised that the administrative arrangements are not in place, that they were working on them, but it might be a week or so. Given this gap, one cannot help but form the view that this was thrown together pretty quickly. In the event that something like this happens again, would it not be better, to use that great Australian expression, ‘all of the ducks lined up’ before we deal with the proposed motion.
They are the points that I make. We understand why this is occurring. Certainly now, knowing the background and having read Tom Pauling’s legal advice, there are other legal advices but we were advised that they were not really relevant because the very question that sought to be answered was not really asked in the first place. That can happen. On the basis of Mr Pauling’s advice, there is certainly no reason for anyone to oppose the motion today, and for the reasons that I have outlined, we support it.
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I take the point from the Opposition Leader that these briefings were late, but I also make the point that we flagged this in November and a briefing could have been requested by anyone in that time. I take the point made by the Opposition Leader, but the fact is that, very often, the opposition does not ask for a briefing on any of the bills we present ...
Ms Carney interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, with these determinations, there is a time limit and we had to have this in the parliament during this sittings. We are constrained in getting those advices in and making alternative arrangements because you cannot simply say: ‘We will do it next sitting’. It has to be done in these sittings. I take the point of the Opposition Leader, but I also say that sometimes it is difficult and you have to do these things running in a tight time frame.
I thank the opposition and the Independents for their support. I flagged during my statement that I would table alternative arrangements, and I table them now.
Ms Carney: Oh, you have them?
Ms MARTIN: Yes, I flagged it in the speech. That is something that is in place now, and I table them.
These are the entitlements to perform the duties of a member that are currently in Part 7.1 to 7.11, and these will now be established through this parliament by these arrangements. As I flagged, this will happen. I could go through all of these, but I will table them. They are really replicating what you would see in Part 7. As I indicated the legal advice - and it is good legal advice from the Solicitor-General. I know that the Opposition Leader, being a lawyer, often questions the wisdom of our Solicitor-General. I happen to think he is pretty terrific. As a QC, he does a wonderful job for the Territory in giving very measured and accurate advice. I am pretty happy with that. I am confident in saying that his advice on Part 7 is accurate. We will accept it as a parliament, and we will put these alternative administrative arrangements in place.
Madam Speaker, rather than read through them all, we will have them circulated as soon as possible.
Motion agreed to.
Continued from 28 November 2006.
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I realise that I had some in-continuation rights in this debate. We have just dealt with disallowance of the RTD and put alternative arrangements in place, and we have dealt with the issue of travel allowance to Perth arising from an oversight by the tribunal.
Those issues aside, it is a fairly straightforward determination. The salary increases for members, for office holders, has been restricted to 3%, which is in line with offers across the public sector. There is provision, and this has been discussed for quite a while, for members to take their annual business trip by car, to do it in their fleet vehicle and have the fuel costs met by government, but it means it extinguishes their airfare entitlement. That was an issue for the member for Nelson, and it has been clarified in this Remuneration Tribunal determination.
Another item put to the tribunal was that inoculations and travel insurance be allowable components for authorised overseas travel. They will now be picked up as part of the tribunal determination, so next time you want a jab or to take travel insurance on your official overseas trip, that will be picked up - although, I am yet to know where you need a jab for these days.
Mr Henderson: Some parts of Indonesia.
Ms MARTIN: Maybe some parts there. It has been a long time since I have had to have a jab to travel overseas.
There are also CPI adjustments to electorate allowances, which we all welcome with the pressure of costs, including the postal allowance.
I thank the tribunal for their determination. I know there has been this legal toing-and-froing about Part 7 and now the disallowance motion. Given that, and we will sort out the Perth travel allowance, thanks for all the work in this determination.
Ms CARNEY (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, if I may, I indicated by shaking my head that I was not going to speak on this, but of course that is never reflected on the Parliamentary Record.
It is appropriate that I speak, albeit briefly, to join with the Chief Minister in thanking those involved in the RTD. This is pretty much a standard determination. It is, to the extent that it needs support, supported by the opposition. We agree with what the Chief Minister has said, and I do not need to make any other comments.
Motion agreed to; report noted.
Continued from 28 November 2006.
Mr KIELY (Sanderson): Madam Speaker, I support the chairman’s statement presented in the November sittings last year. I am the newest member of the sessional committee. I wish that I had been on it much earlier. It is a very exciting committee.
When I had a look back at some of the minutes, I could see the direction they are heading. They have very good terms of reference, which I will go over because it has been a while since we have spoken about the terms of reference in the House. The committee is charged with inquiring into: the ability and effectiveness of existing structures and programs from grassroots to elite delivered in urban, regional and remote areas and recommendations for improvement; the role and benefit of School Sport NT programs and links to participation; and demonstrated links between participation in sport and reduced antisocial behaviour.
When the committee is being briefed on an issue, I find questions from members to be very insightful and bipartisan in their approach, which is quite heartening. It is easy to see that all members have an interest in sport and kids and where it leads to and how it can be a great benefit to the community.
When I think of my own family and kids and the sports that we get along to, you can see the impact that sport has in the Territory. I know that NT Hockey has a great junior program and does a wonderful job. On Saturday mornings, you should see all the kids. They range from Under 8s, Under 10s, Under 13s, boys and girls, right up to the senior grades. They have parent participation, coaches doing skills training and acquisition. The kids learn teamwork and discipline and they derive the physical benefits of being fit and active. Yes, it is it is a sport that actually drags your kids away from their Play Station 1 and 2, and now the Play Station 3, which I might say I am having trouble coming to grips with.
It is a fact that in this day and age, children have greater access to all forms of electronic amusement. These are good things; they are educational. We live in an information technology society so it is important that kids acquire these skills, but there is, and there has to be, a balance.
Unfortunately, the largest criticism I have about electronic games is that they are singular in their approach. They are not a shared activity. You can have two players, I suppose, but you cannot really say that there is a team spirit in them. It is something to amuse the child and much of the time, I feel children are left with an electronic babysitter.
I am a great advocate of team sports and what goes on of a Saturday. My young fellow goes to football or soccer. As many people know, he runs with Marrara Dragons. Let me also say, just in passing, that I am the patron of the Marrara Dragons. They are a fantastic club. The parent volunteer input is fantastic and it helps our kids get fitter. It teaches them community spirit, which goes to the terms of reference about demonstrated links between participation in sport and reduced antisocial behaviour.
I cannot say that I have spotted in deliberative meetings anything from a criminologist about the local scene. I have seen material nationally, which does make this link, so I am looking forward to unpacking that out of some of our meetings and seeing how that goes.
There is also tennis. Young Matilda Hurst was featured on the back page of the paper the other day. I have known Matilda’s parents since before she came along. I have watched her develop, and I know the effort that her mother puts in getting her to training. I know the effort that Pat has put into Matilda. She has responded quite well. There is a kid who has a great future in tennis; we as a community and we as a government should get behind her.
People have accused me of having a go at the history of the CLP. Let me say that the CLP has a good record of pumping money into sport. Go down to Marrara. That all happened under CLP governments. That is the spirit of sport in the NT; it transcends political boundaries, and I am proud of that. I am proud to be a Territorian. In my electorate of Sanderson, we have probably the best sporting facilities …
Dr Burns: And we are building more. We are building a great big soccer stadium.
Mr KIELY: Yes, as I was saying about soccer and its participation rates. We have had a bit of criticism about going ahead and fulfilling that election commitment, but it is great. The soccer stadium is coming along. I want to do an article in my newsletter about when it is going to be completed. Not only is it a great venue for all those who participate in football, and for those who want to go and watch football, the stadium is actually aesthetically pleasing.
Dr Burns: We hear lots of comments about it.
Mr KIELY: Yes, I receive a lot of comments. When we have a look at the Marrara precinct and talk about participation rates, we have had issues involving teams undertaking fitness training around the ring-road. It was a bit dangerous, particularly at sunset. It was also dangerous after major sporting events. I am very pleased to see the footpath-cum-fitness track is going in. It is half-completed. That was a commitment that I made and this government supported last election. I am proud and pleased. These are benefits to our sporting community.
Mr Mills: Look at me, look at me!
Mr KIELY: The member for Blain …
Dr Burns: You have the Magpies home ground.
Mr KIELY: That is right. What has happened with the Magpies home ground?
The NT government supports sport in the Territory; both sides of politics support sport. I am not going to denigrate the efforts of the Country Liberal Party on sport. I am pretty surprised that the member for Blain should denigrate that because he has spoken in this House about how his passion for sport …
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! There is a point of clarification for the honourable member. I did not denigrate. I was drawing reference to the fact that he was drawing attention to his own achievements, and I thought that was a little churlish.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Mr KIELY: I withdraw that comment, Madam Speaker. I misunderstood and I am happy to put it on the record that I misunderstood.
Mr Mills: Gracious of you.
Mr KIELY: Thank you, member for Blain. Sport and kids in the Territory are synonymous. They go together. I am very pleased to be on the committee. We are working hard towards finalising this review and the effectiveness of the structures.
We have a few bush trips coming up. The chairman is working very hard with the secretariat to get us out bush. It is very hard getting six members’ diaries all juggled together, and then to get to a range of communities in the Wet Season, so there are issues of transportation. They are being worked through now, but we will be going, as I understand it, across the Top End. We will be visiting communities in the Centre. We will be talking to them about how sport is delivered in communities and how it works into participation rates at the Territory, state and national titles, and international. These are very important things. It is important that people have access to our sporting facilities and opportunities that the people in the major centres of Alice Springs and Darwin have.
I look forward to the recommendations coming out of this committee, which will help guide our government on formulating new and innovative policies which, in the end, will be of benefit to kids, parents and the community. A healthier community will have an impact on our health system through decreases in lifestyle illnesses, which we see, sadly, all too often. I do not have the statistics and I certainly do not practice medicine, but I know a person in the medical field, and she tells quite often about the lifestyle diseases that beset our community. These are lifestyle diseases that if we tackle now, we can reduce.
Do not underestimate the value of what this committee is doing. It was a very forward thinking notion to set up this committee. Like the 1993 Moneghetti Report on Victorian schools, I am confident l that, under the past chairmanship of the member for Drysdale, and now the chairmanship of the member for Port Darwin, we are going to come down with a great report. I am sure it will be a unanimous report and well supported.
It is like everything else around this place, you can have a huge wish list. On the committee, everyone is fairly pragmatic about what can be achieved. I look forward to realistic recommendations being made by this committee; recommendations that we can all support. They will not be just recommendations for the minister for Sport to take up. There will probably be recommendations for Health and for Family and Community Services. It will be a whole-of-government approach and, I am hopeful, will be supported by the opposition and Independents.
With those comments, I thank my fellow committee members. I thank the secretariat. They are doing a fantastic job in researching, pulling the stuff together and getting the people in. They have a wealth of experience and provide great support. I give my undertaking to work hard on this committee, to deliberate with them, to look for the best outcomes for all Territorians. I look forward to the opportunity speaking more voluminously when the report is delivered.
Mr BONSON (Millner): Madam Speaker, I wish to speak about the interim report. As the longest-serving government member on the committee, I have seen it develop over the last few months, with the change of chair from the former member for Drysdale, who has become the Minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries. I too, like the chair and other members on the committee, congratulate him and thank him for the work that he did during his time as the Chair of the Sessional Committee on Sport and Youth.
It is appropriate for me to reflect on why we are interested in the Sessional Committee on Sport and Youth. It is this government’s identification of the relationship between sport and young people’s health, not only physically, but mentally, and the link between activities and participation in sport, and the role it plays in minimising the harm caused by antisocial behaviour and general health issues that surround individuals who are not, unfortunately, participating in some form of physical activity.
Sport obviously played a very important role in my life, and that of my family. There are other members in this House who have participated in sporting activities at whatever capacity and level they could reach all around Australia. I know that the member for Goyder played Rugby League in his earlier days and knows some characters around the place. The member for Arafura’s family is connected with Aussie Rules, softball and other sports. The member for Stuart is a very accomplished Aussie Rules player at the CAFL level. I understand he played in a number of premierships there for Souths – only joking! – Pioneers. That was a bit of a stir-up; he played for Pioneers, and he captained that football club, which has produced some of the most famous footballers who have played AFL. No doubt there are many others, but I do not have time to go through the achievements of each member of the House.
The member for Nelson, who serves on the committee, is committed to the benefits of participation in sport. To this day, to his credit, he participates at some level as well as being an umpire and volunteer in the Litchfield area. The member for Blain has a history in sport as well. He is a great believer in the benefits of sport. In a recent committee meeting we heard about his interest in swimming and we know about his interest in Aussie Rules. Through growing up with sport, he is aware of the benefits it has had for him.
Through my background and the way I look at sport after generations of family participation, it has not only helped in the health of my family, but also for family friends and others throughout the Northern Territory. It also creates great opportunities to meet people from different walks of life. There are many different people from all parts of their world who have a common interest in sport. They can come from backgrounds of English as a second language in the most remote areas of the Northern Territory to people in this Chamber, and everyone in between.
Sport has been demonstrated to be a great community event, and it has an ability to bring people together for the best of skills, things like team work, loyalty, friendship and networks. My first real job was obtained through my participation in Rugby League in Darwin. It was through the former member for Arnhem, Jack Ah Kit, who was wearing a different hat at that time, who saw me at the Rugby League. I was only a young person and he said to me: ‘Are you still interested in work?’ I said: ‘Yes’, and rang him on the Monday. Sure enough, he had organised a job for me. Through our connections with sport, what we see is that, as a community, the Northern Territory, in particular, places a great emphasis on participation and the benefits of the social interaction.
The terms of reference of the Sport and Youth Committee are focused on three areas:
We had an open and honest brief for them. No doubt, members understand the workings of School Sport NT and that will come out in the final report.
Then there is:
In my time as an Aussie Rules player, committee person, supporter, basketball player, Rugby League player, touch player, I came into contact with team mates or people who, unfortunately, were involved in antisocial behaviour, but sport was their connection back to the real world and with people who are living what we class as a productive life. This often gave them opportunities to come back into the fold. There is no doubt that for people who become ostracised in their community, the hardest task is to return to the community and feel part of it. If they do not, often it leads to antisocial behaviour of a criminal nature or self-harm by way of abuse. That is very important.
In the new chair’s contribution, she talked about the need to improve the way sporting programs are delivered across the Northern Territory so that more young people are able to access and, more importantly, are motivated to do so, a range of sporting activities. This is very important. Every member in this House would agree that competition for young people’s attention is very high. Kids are faced with the electronic age, the use of computers and other entertainment which is time consuming in a way that does not allow for any physical activity that leads to a fitter and healthier life.
Palmerston has a young population, yet a local sport like Aussie Rules over the last few years - and there might be a number of different factors why – has struggled to field junior teams. That is a reflection on how the world has changed. It is also a reflection on the way sports are delivering their sport to attract people. For example, you would have the major body plus the local footy club, maybe the high school and the family nucleus. With such a young population in that area, there needs to be a realisation by not only this committee but all sporting groups that we need to get these kids attracted to and participating in sports of whatever kind – Aussie Rules, basketball, netball, softball, tennis, it does not really matter.
The chair also talked about the need to understand that sport delivers healthier outcomes and is in the best interest and welfare of young people. As she said:
Most people would know that when they have been at their fittest is when they have been at their most active, watching their diet and looking after themselves. In this House, we can take stock of that. We have to look after our own health, and it is very important that we remain active – walking, jogging; it does not matter what activities we do.
I am going to say the word, Madam Speaker: it is all about our lifestyle, which is very important to all of us. This government takes our lifestyle very seriously. Our lifestyle is based around our family values. In truth, I do not think there is a member in this House, or people listening to or reading this transcript, who would disagree with the fact that growing up in Australia, it is the family nucleus that has driven the great lifestyle we take for granted. Based around that has been participation, historically, in the church, sport, local schools and the general importance of what family values are all about.
With this committee, there is a great opportunity for this government to implement some of wide-ranging recommendations that we will come up with, to take on-board the committee’s opinions. I agree with the member for Sanderson, and the member for Blain will probably agree, if we can come up with a joint report, without pre-empting anything, that really attacks some of the issues that we are concerned about, that will be a fantastic way forward.
Some of the most interesting evidence so far as been from remote areas. It is interesting that the groups to whom we have spoken have said that sport may be a vehicle for improving people’s lives out bush. I am interested in investigating that and seeing what we can deliver.
The longer serving members of the committee, and no doubt the new members will become familiar with this, have read the Moneghetti Report. This resulted from a committee set up in Victoria and chaired by the famous Olympian to look at sport within that state. It made some interesting recommendations which influenced how people approached physical education and sport in schools.
If we can come up with a report that galvanises what people believe as important to our physical and mental health plus delivers something in partnership with a number of different departments with a fundamental premise that we want people to participate in sport, so we want to lift the participation rate, because it will reduce antisocial behaviour, but it will also give us healthy outcomes, both mentally and physically for younger people and, therefore, improve the general community’s lifestyle.
I have probably spoken for a lot longer than I should, but I am looking forward to working with the Sessional Committee on Sport and Youth. I am looking forward to working with the opposition and Independents because they have made valuable contributions so far. No doubt, when we come up with our recommendations, they will continue to work hard.
I thank the new chair for coming on board. She will work hard to put her stamp on it, and to ensure she gets the best result as the chair for the general public. I thank the member for Sanderson for his contribution. I look forward to working with the committee staff behind the scenes who, as we all know, do most of the groundwork and help bring together the recommendations. I commend the statement to the House.
Mr MILLS (Blain): Madam Speaker, I will not speak for very long. I add my comments in support of the important work of this committee. The interesting aspect of this committee is that it works closely with the objectives of the substance abuse committee. It is important that we ensure that we allow the activities of those two committees to work very closely because they are pointing towards the same objective.
Whilst I can become irritated, and I trust others will become increasingly irritated by issues that are really of a political nature and point scoring, one of the merits, the benefits, the virtues of these committees is that we are able to work together and to agree on objectives. The objectives in this case should be simple and moving. Any visit to any remote community, or to families in our own communities who have young people having some difficulty engaging in a healthy lifestyle or any sort of hope for the future, really should be the ones who direct and govern all of our deliberations. That is why I enjoy being a part of this committee, and a part of the substance abuse committee. I can see the two are so closely related.
When I am in these committees, cases of kids, families in places across the Territory come to mind. I only hope that these reports and these debates will make a difference at some point in a clear way that is measurable. I have clearly in my mind a group of young lads – I have mentioned them in parliament before – whom I took away two years ago. I was shocked to see that their level of fitness was so low, their excessive and obscene interest in electronic games and mobile phones, and their diet being largely sugar and caffeine. When I was young, a cup of coffee or a cup of tea was something that was reserved for special occasions for a kid who wanted to sit at the adult table, and it was an adult drink. They contain stimulants. The levels of caffeine flowing through our young are extraordinary. The effects are significant and well documented. Kids with a diet combining sugar, fat and caffeine, as well as many other additives, coupled with no real interest in physical activities are the ones we must reach because they are the burdens that future systems and future administrations will have to find ways of accommodating. We think we have a health problem now. It is nothing compared to what is lying before us.
These sorts of activities and reports that we have the opportunity of assessing, the discussions that we have, must result in some kind of action. I commend the work of this committee. I welcome the new chair. I look forward to working with honourable members in addressing the objective of making a difference to the lives of our young so that, at some stage in the future, we will be able to say: ‘That resulted in this kind of change’. Not one of us would be of any other view than just how difficult this is. It is very difficult to go to committee meetings and have a talk, get another folder full of paper and another couple of reports, and an interesting interview and that sort of stuff, and file it away and off you go. I can tell you, from opposition, it is very difficult being on so many committees and trying to bring them together. We will need government backbenchers to put that little extra in so that we can do something. We will do the best we can in opposition, but it is a difficult proposition.
There are papers by people who specialise in this area. They all talk about how difficult it is. We are the decision-makers; we are the ones who make the decisions based upon this wonderful stream of research from specialists that come our way. It is difficult, but it is even made more difficult if we resort to shallow responses fuelled by political short-term interests. I just hope that that continues to fade away and that the good sense of honourable members to work in a cooperative way to try to make some sort of difference prevails. If there is a difference, we should be able to have mature discussions and come to some kind of agreement and put forward some sound recommendations which will make a difference.
I support the work of the committee. It is very important. I wish the new chair all the best and, from opposition, we pledge our support to this important process for the sake of our young people.
Debate suspended.
Ms CARNEY (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I move that so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent this House from censuring the Chief Minister, the Leader of Government Business, and the current minister for Police for lying to Territorians about police numbers and resources dedicated to keeping our streets safe.
Madam Speaker, this government is …
Ms Martin: You need to be advised by a more contemporary police officer.
Ms CARNEY: You do not like any criticism, you lot, do you? Take your seat. If you are going to talk, you should know standing orders by now. You have been around for long enough.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms CARNEY: Madam Speaker, the facts speak for themselves. This government promised constantly, persistently, using Territorians’ money in the brochures by saying: ‘We will deliver 200 extra police on the beat. We are on target to deliver 200 extra police on the beat’. This one: ‘120 extra police on the beat with 80 more to come’, I reckon that adds up to 200. Media releases - what do we have? - Chief Minister, 27 February 2005: ‘200 extra police on the beat by the end of 2006’.
Mr Henderson: I am glad you keep repeating it and reminding everyone.
Ms CARNEY: What else do we have? The list goes on and on. Let us have a look. The noisy one over there is the one who was demoted and he was probably demoted because they knew they could not deliver the promise. I reckon that is a very good reason for getting rid of a government minister. If they tell whoppers all the time, if they knowingly deceive Territorians, then they should be moved aside.
I know that the Leader of Government Business was pretty unhappy about that, because he has had a bit to say to people. He was unhappy, so be it. Territorians are unhappier because they know that the government has told whoppers. Let us have a look. The former and demoted Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services’ media release - and there are truck loads of them: 2 May 2006, ‘200 extra police on the beat by the end of 2006’. The list goes on. Here is another one: 11 August 2005, ‘200 extra police on the beat by the end of 2006’. Another one: 30 March 2005, ‘200 extra police on the beat’. This perpetration of …
Mr Henderson: There are quite a few more; keep going.
Ms CARNEY: If you are going to talk, you know where to do it from.
The lie has been perpetrated consistently, and the Leader of Government Business, if you were keeping count of the lies and deceit, is a long way in front. There is media release after media release: 12 June 2006, ‘200 extra police on the beat by the end of 2006’; another one, 2 May 2006, ‘Delivering 200 extra police on the beat by the end of 2006’. The list goes on.
However, it is not just confined to media releases. All of them on the other side, or most of them at least, have talked about police on the beat. In fact, the former minister, the demoted one, made numerous references to it. If you were to take, for instance, a ministerial statement on 18 August 2004, he said:
He also referred to increasing the numbers of police on the beat. He then said:
Yes, people took him at his word. Elsewhere in his speech, he said:
The list goes on. There was a concession late last year that the government was not going to meet its target. It was around about the same time that the former minister for police was demoted. The new minister for police started to use the mantra, but then the weasel words started to come into play, and what weasel words they have been! I will come to that a little later.
The member for Millner has come up with a cracker. He should not contribute too much because he tends not to be terribly good at it, but he writes a good memo. I will give him that much. In the ministerial statement of 18 August 2004, the member for Millner, somewhat unusually on that occasion following his lines, talked about the delivery of 200 extra police on the beat. He made numerous references to it. He even quoted his minister, his friend, the former minister for police, when he said:
The member for Millner goes on and parrots the government mantra. He refers to 200 more police on the beat by the end of 2006. If anyone was looking for references made by ministers of the Crown and their little backbenchers about delivering 200 extra police on the beat, they do not need to look very far. They need only look at the Parliamentary Record. They need only look at the truck loads of media releases issued by their $10m spin doctors upstairs. Of course, some of them do not even have a choice. They need only look at the glossies. I say it by way of digression that the Northern Territory branch of the Australian Labor Party promised they would never get into glossies. They would never do glossies; they said that in opposition.
Here are just some because I could not carry them all downstairs, Madam Speaker. First, did the government promise to deliver 200 extra police on the beat? It is incontrovertible. The answer to that question is: yes, they did. They promised it. Up hill and down dale, they promised it.
They knew late last year that they could not deliver, which is why the new minister for police started to use rubbery language. We think it is among the reasons the former minister for police was demoted. We all know that another reason was he is a threat to the Chief Minister so she sidelined him. In any event, there have been lies perpetrated knowingly, wilfully and ruthlessly by this government in all of the paraphernalia and I have just referred to some of it.
When members of the public hear the expression ‘police on the beat’, they are not thinking about police auxiliaries and ACPOs. They are not thinking about police personnel doing desk work. They are thinking ‘police on the beat’ means out and about. In fact, even government members know that. The member for Millner and some of his colleagues talked about ‘police presence’. The government knows how strong the expression ‘police on the beat’ is, which is exactly why you used it in your campaign propaganda, which is exactly why you have continued to use it on almost every occasion and in every publication about police and police numbers. The government knows how powerful an expression ‘police on the beat’ is. They know that Territorians and other Australians take it to mean police on patrols and police on the streets.
It is a disgraceful perpetration of the ongoing lie when the government knew that they were not going to deliver it. Even last week in this place, in answer to questions asked which were specific questions about how many police on the beat there were, tell us about the ACPOs, tell us about the auxiliaries, the yes-but-no-but-yes-but-no-but-yes minister said: ‘No, no, no. Do not worry about that because we have provided 200 extra police officers’. The language has clearly changed, and the language has changed in a disgraceful way. It is a perpetration of a lie; it is misleading and it is deceit of Territorians for whom they are meant to govern.
Why do we want police on the beat? For the same reason the government does: to ensure that our streets are safer than they are now. The government can extract and be selective about crime statistics, but nett crime across the Territory has gone up. In any event, even if that were not the case, you have numerous incidents where our fellow Territorians are becoming upset and, in some cases, at risk because there are not enough police on the beat.
Do we want to see the government achieve the outcome? Of course we do. Do Territorians want to see government deliver its promise? Of course they do. Probably that is one of the reasons why Territorians voted for them. Deliver your own promise. It is not as though we are quoting our party’s election material; it is not as though I am quoting my party’s media release. I am quoting your own.
How disrespectful and offensive it is to promise one thing and not deliver, and how gutless not to have the courage to say: ‘Yes, we did promise 200 extra police on the beat. We didn’t get there, but this is what we are going to do to ensure that we deliver our promise’. Surely this government has not become so arrogant and so out of touch that they can just flippantly put to one side a whole mantra of election promises, a whole category of election promises. They are not even going red; they seem not to even be embarrassed. They are in government. Everyone knew that this was going to happen, and they knew it, but how quickly they have forgotten about it.
They are a government that has become drunk on their own power. I look at the numbers: 19-4. Of course that is what you would expect from a bunch of arrogant liars, and that is the sort of person who is sitting on the other side, all rallying around the police minister. Some of them are rallying around the former police minister, wanting him to go for the leadership. Some of the others are rallying around the existing Chief Minister, saying: ‘Do not let him anywhere near it’, but they are all, nevertheless, rallying around. What is really worrying is that they actually believe it. They are rallying around and saying: ‘We didn’t promise that’, or ‘We have achieved our goal’. No, you have not. You have nowhere to go on this issue.
I say to the police minister, who I used to think took the word ‘integrity’ seriously: why doesn’t he put his hand up? He does not need to take the blame because it was the other bloke’s fault so he can do it in good conscience. Why doesn’t he say: ‘Yes, we have done all sorts of things, but we did not deliver on that promise’? That would be a good first step. A good second step is to tell us what you are going to do in order to deliver that promise and when it is going to be delivered.
There are so many instances, but in November in your own electorate, Madam Speaker, the Nightcliff Shopping Centre, people will remember that one night it took police 35 to 45 minutes to respond to a potentially violent situation on a Friday night. We all know the one I am talking about. There were acts of violence and vandalism before then. A trader was taunted by a gang of youths. It took, according to his reports, more than an hour-and-a-half before police assistance arrived. If there are 200 extra police on the beat, that bloke and others would not have had to wait the sort of times that they did.
‘Police on the beat’ is a term well understood by everyone, even the minister. It is well understood because they used it in their own advertising. If you look, for instance, at Karama, there have been ongoing difficulties, and I need not list them because there are so many. I quote the member for Karama on 9 October 2003, when she was talking about the O’Sullivan review, and I doubt very much whether she read it, but she said:
That is not the domain of ACPOs and auxiliaries; that is the domain of general duties police officers. That is the domain of police on the beat. Even the member for Karama, who is now a minister of the Crown, should be at least behind the scenes saying to her band of – well they are not very merry these days – miserable little men and women: ‘For my constituents’, let us put the politics to one side, ‘at least for the constituents – can you deliver?’ But, no, she will not and, of course, although she harbours leadership ambitions, she has thus far at least failed to demonstrate any leadership of her own.
There have been various quotes from the former Police minister, the demoted one, when he used the term ‘on the beat’. He said in his statement in August 2004:
That is what the police minister said and that is, you would expect, how he felt a couple of years ago. My, things have changed! Any suggestion that the government has failed to deliver its own promise is rejected in the most aggressive and hostile terms imaginable. I do not know what has caused this sort of attitude. If you are sprung, you should ‘fess up and you should say: ‘Yes, in relation to our election promise we failed to deliver, but this is what we are going to do. This is how we are going to deliver it’. But, no, Madam Speaker, that is not what we see from this government.
I had a look on the police website last night, and I invite anyone listening to have a look. They will see, as I saw, breakdowns of areas in which police can work. There is a section there on Aboriginal Community Police Officers, and I will come back to that. There is another section on constables. There is a section on auxiliaries, and it says in relation to auxiliaries:
In relation to ACPOs, the mystery becomes even more interesting. I appreciate the minister probably will not know this because he did not bother looking at his ministerial brief yesterday for Question Time which is why he did the yes-but-no-but-yes response. On the website last night it said, under the heading of ACPOs:
This government, in the absence of being able to bombard Territorians with glossies, now wants to bombard both the opposition and Territorians with numbers. If one looks at the Police Commissioner’s memo, he referred to 170 police officers; there are 148 constables, 28 ACPOs, two police auxiliaries, and gets to a figure of 199. Then, there is another figure of 29 ACPOs, another one of 21 police auxiliaries, and he gets to a figure of 215. One wonders whether that is why the minister is so confused because wherever he goes, he is seeing numbers left, right and centre, but the number he is not seeing is 200 extra police on the beat.
Referring to the website under the heading of Constables is a very helpful breakdown. Anyone around the world can log on to the police website. It is intended for recruitment purposes, I guess, and this is an overview of the police force. Under the heading of Constables, it says:
Group one:
Group two:
Group three:
Group four. According to the police website, there are four categories.
I challenge the minister to provide a breakdown in table form, come to the parliament tomorrow and table it, using that categorisation: Community Safety and Protection, I believe we are all square on what that means; Investigations, we understand that; Road Safety, got that one; and Human Resources. I invite the minister to come here tomorrow, or write to me, and say: ‘This is how many police officers we have under the police website heading of Community Safety and Protection’. I also invite the minister to include in that table whether there were 200 extra police on the beat who can fall under that category. I know the answer; there will not be 200 extra police on the beat. However, I challenge him to come up with the same sort of categorisation that is contained on the police website.
The minister has made much of the Police Commissioner’s memorandum. It is surprising that he has because, understandably, the police minister makes no reference to police on the beat. The police minister provides him with a number of figures which do not support the government’s claim in any way that there are, using government’s language, 200 extra police on the beat. It does not. By all means, minister, come into the parliament and use something that supports your case. This does not. What this says is that there are an extra 215, of whom 29 are ACPOs, and the website lists some of the functions of Aboriginal Community Police Officers. They liaise between police and their communities; they are not police on the beat as is commonly understood.
The police memo also refers to Police Auxiliaries. Let us go back to them. Their main functions include:
Not police on the beat as is commonly understood, as you promised. If the commissioner’s memo is the best shot that the minister has, then it is not a very good one because it clearly does not support his argument.
As a former lawyer who has gone into politics, I am often asked whether I miss the law. Generally, I do not. However, I do miss getting a fair go in a courtroom. I know that if you have a good case, good evidence, good witnesses and you run it well, you have a 50:50 chance of getting up on your argument. In this place, it is quite different because I know that with the best evidence in the world such as government glossies, Police Commissioner memos, what everyone said in parliament and all of the media releases, all of the best evidence in the world well put and well argued because it is just so easy to do, the minister is going to say: ‘No, no, no, the Leader of the Opposition does not know what she is talking about rah, rah rah, stop talking down the police,’ a line that is often used.
It is an offensive line and it is outrageous. Not that I should even need to do so, but for the record, this reference to ‘if I have been interested enough to turn up to the graduation’, well I put this challenge to the minister: give me a ring beforehand, let’s check each others diaries, and if my diary is free I will be there. You know that I was at the one before that. I think there are only four of us, yes, but anyway, we digress.
Unlike the law where you can have all the evidence on your side and succeed, I know that the censure motion is going to be defeated. I know what the minister is going to say. I know what the former minister is going to say. What is it? $5000 an hour we cost Territorians. Because I know what you blokes are going to say, by all means, participate in the censure because you should. One wonders whether you are able to fill up the time because your responses are so predictable you have nowhere to go. You have been caught out. I know that you know that we know you have been caught out.
Police officers are giving us information because they are furious, too. Normal average Territorians are ringing us up, as Harry Osborne did. What did he do? Ring Alice Springs about five or six times, 10.30 on a Thursday night. The phone went through to Darwin. It rang out in Alice Springs. Is that the fault of the police officers? No. Is it your fault minister? Yes. Is it the Chief Minister’s fault? Yes, because you said to Territorians you would deliver, you would provide the resources. Do you know what they expected because they voted for you? They expected that you would ensure that at all times there would be enough people to answer the phones. You, minister, cannot do that, and that is not, nor should it ever be, considered an attack on police.
In relation to the mobile police van, it is parked in areas when you do see it around the place, and I cited the example the other day of knocking on the door and there was no one there. You are deceiving Territorians. You are lying to Territorians. You continue to do so. I challenge the minister to ‘fess up and come clean.
Getting back to the Police Commissioner’s memo, on 18 December, the minister for police on the public record confirmed that the government is on target to add an extra 200 officers to the force by the end of the financial year. There are a couple of points to make. First, ‘on target to deliver 250 officers to the force’ is quite different from ‘will deliver 200 extra police on the beat’. That is the first point.
The second point is the minister’s reference to another memo from the Police Commissioner. I applaud the Police Commissioner for writing memos to his minister. There is nothing wrong with that. He should. I wonder if the minister would be good enough to table that memo. I think he should. I note that you have tabled the memo, which does not get you very far, but in the spirit of tabling memos, in December you referred to receiving a memo from the Territory Police Commissioner confirming that you are on track. I invite you, minister, to table that memo because we would like to see it.
That begs the question: how many memos do you get and how forthcoming are you with them? We all know that you table the ones that are the best. If the one you tabled is the best, some of the others must be shockers. I ask the minister: was there a memo that said: ‘There is no way known we are going to deliver 200 extra police on the beat’? Is there? The minister will not tell me and I doubt that I would be able to get under what are called freedom of information laws but are more accurate described as freedom from information laws.
If that is your best shot, it is a mystery. How many memos do you get? I think you need a lot because you are the yes-but-no-but-yes-but-no sort of a minister. I invite you to table them. Do not do what you do with the crime statistics, which is to extract a little and say all is fine and dandy. It is not. There are incidences occurring the length and breadth of the Territory that might not occur if you delivered on your promise. What is the rationale of delivering 200 extra police on the beat? Like your own mob said, police presence, people want to see it. It is what politicians in modern politics spend a lot of time crafting, like you guys did with all of your election and non-election propaganda. You know how important police on the beat are; you know how important that expression is. The voters in my electorate absolutely know how important it is. There is not a politician worth his or her salt in the country who does not know the value of the expression ‘police on the beat’ and when you say ‘200 extra police on the beat’ no wonder people are unhappy. No wonder they are disappointed. Some of them are outraged. Some of them believe their safety is in jeopardy. Some of them want to see this minister, unlike his predecessor who so obviously failed, take the lead.
He is probably capable of it if his colleagues would just let him get on with the job. I will give him the benefit of the doubt. I think he is committed to it, but, minister, you have to do better than yes-but-no-but-yes and you have to do better than parroting the mantra of the guy whose job you took. You have lied. Your government has lied to Territorians about police numbers and resources dedicated to keep these street safe, and you should be ashamed of yourselves.
Dr BURNS (Police, Fire and Emergency Services): Madam Speaker, I have been in this House going on for five years now, and this censure motion would have to be one of the weakest that I have seen. It petered out about halfway through Question Time and became very repetitive.
If that is the best the Opposition Leader has to offer, I suggest she move aside and let either the member for Blain or the member for Greatorex take over her job because I thought it was a pretty pathetic effort today. No doubt Peter Murphy is listening. Old Pete’s at the end of the telephone and tapping into Hansard. He would be most disappointed with your effort today.
We went around in circles. The assertion was because there were Aboriginal Community Police Officers and police auxiliaries included in the numbers, included in the Police Commissioner’s memo, somehow we were standing back or changing our commitment to the O’Sullivan Report. I pointed out very clearly through my responses to the very repetitive questions of the Leader of the Opposition that in terms of the recommendations of the O’Sullivan Report, the police auxiliaries and ACPOs were part of the recommendations.
I will read an extract of the O’Sullivan Report. I know that the Leader of the Opposition is very sensitive when I assert or suggest that maybe she has not read the O’Sullivan Report. Maybe she has not read it in detail. Looking at page vi in the executive summary:
What was the root cause of all of this? I quote again from O’Sullivan. This is page iv. He said:
What does that sentence mean? The former CLP government froze funds for recruitment. The police had no other option but to freeze. What did it result in? He talked about property crime clear-up rates of 14% to 17% as being less than acceptable. It is not acceptable. He said General Duties uniformed police resources were depleted in all urban centres. On average, only 25% to 55% of the approved establishment was available for more than 50% of the 28 day rosters to perform policing tasks.
It is evident what happened, and this mob opposite were responsible. For example, he said, at Casuarina Police Station for the January-February 2003 roster, only 25 of the established 58 police personnel were available for more than half of the roster period. So here we have a depletion of police resources, with a result that the shifts were depleted.
In relation to what I alluded to during Question Time about no follow-up on crime, one of the things that genuinely upset and disturbed Jim O’Sullivan from my conversation with him, and I refer members to page vii:
That is what Jim O’Sullivan said!
Here is what I was alluding to in Question Time, Madam Speaker:
That is what Jim O’Sullivan said, and it is just absolutely unbelievable that the Opposition Leader would go to a censure motion on police resources when there is this highly critical report – and, of course, Jim O’Sullivan does not mention the CLP, he is too much of a gentleman – but they are the ones that at the bottom of all of this. They are the ones the caused the depletion of police resources.
Our government came along and addressed the situation, got O’Sullivan in, and said: ‘Go everywhere in the Northern Territory, have a look and make recommendations to us,’ which he did. We funded it with $75m over three years! His recommendations included sworn police officers, increasing constables; Aboriginal Community Police Officers and police auxiliaries. O’Sullivan recommended that, yet the Leader of the Opposition tried to say that this was somehow less than useful. I know she does not like me saying it, but I do not believe she has read this report carefully because she would not say such a thing if she had.
The Leader of the Opposition waved a lot of brochures around, accusing the government of welshing on its promise of 200 extra police on the beat. As I explained earlier today, we have a modern police force and part of modern policing is having specialist units. They might not walk the streets as such. For example, Domestic Violence Units, targeted policing, targeting repeat offenders and repeat victims. Now, there may be some instances where General Duties police encounter domestic violence, but often this is a hidden problem, and officers need to attend certain places and target offenders. This is the very example that the Police Commissioner used at the last graduation ceremony to illustrate that these officers, such as the Domestic Violence Unit, are actually police on the beat.
Similarly in relation to property crime; we have specialist units that certainly have been beefed up, intelligence-led policing that has led to a 50% reduction in property crime since 2001. I acknowledge that there is always an upward pressure in terms of property crime. I acknowledge that, and we need to be vigilant in terms of property crime. We need to target those offenders, as the Police Commissioner has, who are responsible for the majority of the crime. These people come and go. They might come from interstate into the Territory. They might come out of prison and start up again. We need to be vigilant, and I know our Police Commissioner is extremely vigilant in terms of that.
The Leader of the Opposition used phrases like ‘telling whoppers’ and ‘deceit’. I suggest that the CLP was guilty of telling whoppers and of deceit because they presented themselves as the tough on crime party, but their weakened police force was a paper tiger. O’Sullivan very eloquently pointed to that in the report. Where are the whoppers and deceit? It existed in the CLP because they talked tough, but they did not have the police resources to actually back up their assertions.
Ms Carney interjecting.
Dr BURNS: You have had your say, member for Araluen. Please give me the courtesy of having my say.
If we are going to talk about whoppers and deceit, here is a beauty. This comes from the November sittings of this parliament. This is the memo that was tabled ‘Copy of leaked document’.
Ms Carney interjecting.
Dr BURNS: I know the Leader of the Opposition is sensitive about this, because Madam Speaker, you told her that she had misled this House. She had misled this House. Accusing ministers on this side of misleading the House, she has a lot of gall and she is on dangerous ground, but …
Mr Mills: Exactly where you are, comrade; exactly where you are.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: If you total up the numbers here, and I alluded to this in Question Time, right across the Territory, they are trying to say that there has been a nett increase in police of approximately 40. You know, there are minus one and minus two. Whatever happened within the Leader of the Opposition’s office tabulating this document, I do not know; this is the minus one, minus two.
As I said in Question Time, we have moved along from there. I think the opposition generally is accepting - I hope they accept - the memo written to me by our Police Commissioner about numbers. I hope that they accept that.
We now seem to be getting down to an argument of resource allocation within the police force, which is the purview of the Commissioner for Police. He is the one who deploys his police officers in line with government policy. If you are criticising government about the number of General Duties police, where they are and what they are doing, you are criticising our Police Commissioner, Mr Paul White, a very experienced police officer. He is a senior police officer who we are lucky to have. He proved himself in South Australia and is proving himself here.
You need to be very careful, Leader of the Opposition, in your criticism because you are criticising the police.
Ms Carney: We are not.
Dr BURNS: Well, you do criticise police. Your latest television advertisement criticises police …
Ms Carney: It does not.
Dr BURNS: It does criticise police. You visited the website. You have alluded to the gentleman in Alice Springs who rang, as I understand it, the police station number in Alice Springs and could not get through. He rang several times. Previously, I have explained what happened; after hours, the number used to be manually switched over by office people. They had forgotten to switch it over. My advice from police is that a problem arose with the manual switching of phones from the day time receptionist to the Communications Section. This problem has now been resolved. The Alice Springs communication area is to be upgraded with an integrated computer-aided system which should be in place by early 2007 and will include an automated call distributor system. There was a problem there, member for Araluen; I acknowledge that. However, the advice that I have had from police is that it has been rectified.
Getting back to the advertisement and phones ringing out that the member for Araluen has alluded to, I have been informed that a gentleman saw her ad on television one night, around news time, around 6.30, dialled the number - and what happened? It rang out!
Members interjecting.
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The phone rang once and then you hung up, because we answered it. We answered it! You lie! You continue to lie.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Members interjecting.
Ms Carney: Wrong!
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr Henderson: Was it a Darwin number or an Alice Springs number?
Dr BURNS: No, it was …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Minister, please continue.
Dr BURNS: It is great to see the Opposition Leader getting animated. I hope Peter Murphy is listening to this because it is firming up, the chances of the member for Blain and the member for Greatorex in the leadership stakes. ‘I want to hear what you say: police are not responding; ring this number’. Ring, ring, ring, ring, ring, ring out. So there you go. You know what they say about people in glass houses, Leader of the Opposition.
In terms of police answering calls, the advice that I have is that police aim to answer 90% of 000 calls within 10 seconds. Last year in 2005-06, they achieved 86%. So far this year, they are achieving 85%. Police aim to answer 80% of 131 444 calls within 20 seconds. Last year, they achieved 79%, and this year they are achieving 72%. They are below par there, but these are the targets and I am very focused on meeting them. I do not think the Leader of the Opposition can say the same about her number - and her number could be up!
The Leader of the Opposition was prophetic to some degree when she talked about knocking on the door and no one there. That is the essence of the opposition’s performance today. There has not been a lot of substance. There has been this big supposed attack mounted and it has gone nowhere. It has rebounded on the Leader of the Opposition.
Madam Speaker, we have invested $75m in our police force based on the O’Sullivan Report and it is bearing fruit. I repeat once again the crime statistics for Alice Springs. The Leader of the Opposition said last night: ‘The crime statistics in Alice Springs tell their own story’. So in a comparison to the latest crime statistics for the September quarter of 2006 and a comparison with the September quarter 2001, in Alice Springs we see assault down 11%, sexual assault down 33%, total offences against the person down 12%, unlawful entry with intent down 37%, motor vehicle theft down 7%, other theft down 22%, property damage down 14%, and total property offences down 20%. These are very important figures.
The other statistic I am looking for relates to the alcohol trials in Alice Springs. I just do not seem to be able to find it in amongst my papers, but essentially, the point I want to make is that police resources are extremely important and this government is attending to that. We will continue to focus on it. We have done a lot and there is much more to do. There is more to crime than policing. We all acknowledge that. We all know, as we discussed during the statement last week about alcohol and alcohol-related crime within the Northern Territory. It is important for us to look at some of the causes of crime along with our policing to take some of the load off our police.
In Alice Springs, Nhulunbuy and on Groote Eylandt, moving forward with alcohol management plans to reduce the adverse effects of excessive alcohol consumption in our communities is a very important strategy by this government. There has been a significant reduction. I cannot find the papers, Madam Speaker, but I know there has been a significant reduction in assaults in Alice Springs because of those alcohol restrictions. That is also very important.
What this government has done is to seriously address drug-related crime, something that the previous government was in denial about. Certainly, the link between property crime and drugs is well known right across Australia and the world, but it was something that the CLP were in denial about. This is a government that got tough on drugs. We have introduced drug house legislation.
Here is a story for you, Madam Speaker. In my own electorate of Johnston was the famous Foils at Moil. When I moved into my electorate office soon after the election, I knew about Foils at Moil. I asked police what was going on and they said they did not really have the laws to address the issue. What did this government do? We introduced drug house legislation. It was cleared up.
I had complaints when I was doorknocking prior to the 2001 election from people living across the road who said it was like a supermarket. People pulled up any time of the day or night, went in, got their drugs and left. They asked why the police were not doing something about it. There were a number of reasons why police were unable to act, not least because they did not have the laws or the resources to do it.
I had people living proximate to Foils at Moil who told stories about kids breaking into their cars, stealing fishing gear and heading straight to Foils at Moil to swap it for drugs, for cannabis. They actually followed the kids to Foils at Moil. It was a nightmare for residents. This is a government that was serious and did something about it.
We also had problems with serious drug dealers accumulating proceeds of crime, so we introduced laws to confiscate the proceeds of crime. It is not in my portfolio area so I am not sure of the precise amount that has been confiscated, but I think it is now close to $1m in confiscated property and proceeds of crime.
This is a government that looks at all facets of crime reduction. We take advice from professional people like Jim O’Sullivan and professional people in Justice, and we try to implement strategies to address issues. We do have outstanding issues, and I acknowledge that, but we are focused on solving them for the people of the Northern Territory.
All the opposition seems capable of doing is whingeing and carping and trying to pull apart numbers, asking for memos and trying to check that against this, introducing bogus documents. Talking about people on television, the CLP bogus document that they produced in here, ‘copy of leaked document’, it was completely wrong, asserting that there have only been 40 extra police across the Territory when the Police Commissioner has said there are 200. The opposition needs to get real in its efforts on law and order and police, accept what the government has done and try to work cooperatively to address issues that affect the Northern Territory.
Madam Speaker, I reject this censure. It has no basis at all. It has bounced back very badly on the Leader of the Opposition, and I think she is going to pay a bit of a price for it.
Mr MILLS (Blain): Madam Speaker, the central nub of this censure is the question of the police, 200, on the beat. It is a very clever use of words that were very deliberately chosen. There would be expensive focus groups to generate a confirmed position that if one says: ‘200 extra police’ there will be a sense of relief in the community, but you will add to it by saying: ‘They will be on the beat’. Then you maintain that perception in the community by glossy brochures, by smiling photographs and bombarding letter boxes to perpetuate the impression.
We are saying that it is not true. It is untrue. That is the central aspect of this censure. Minister, you may say whatever you wish, but you have not addressed that central issue. There are not 200 on the beat. You have convoluted explanations. You would never commit to an explanation that would go into a letter box to explain this convoluted business about intelligence-led policing, another slogan to try to create the impression that something has changed when nothing has.
You waved a document around and laughed and mocked a man of integrity and said: ‘This is the bogus document’. Have you had an opportunity to apprise yourself of the quality of that document? Have you? Have you checked what was in that document? Have you wondered whether there could well be some evidence to support those documents, or is it just convenient for you and those who love to preserve a perception and play the game, the theatre of politics? You cast slogans around the place and then hide behind something you have not investigated to your own satisfaction. That document has far greater substance, and I will stand behind. I know where it came from.
If the minister had taken the time to look at it and can stand here and play that kind of game, I am ashamed of him. It might be easy to play a game, and some on that side there love just playing the game. They will say: ‘I think we got them, I think we got them on the ropes. We can say whatever we choose to maintain a position of political advantage’, when, in fact, the truth is a completely different matter.
I urge honourable members in their own quiet time – you can still play the game if you wish – to check that document out. Check that document out and see whether there is some substance to it. You may be surprised. What I would be very surprised about is if, after checking that document out, you changed your rhetoric. I would be surprised. I believe there would be some great relief in our wider community because there is growing cynicism about what goes on in this parliament supposedly in the way of robust and sensible debate.
Parliament seems to be a place of sloganeering. At the heart of your response, minister, and I can hear it happening on this side, the cogs are turning and you are thinking: ‘We are on the ropes a bit here so, all 19 of us, let us create the impression that there is a problem with the four’. Oh, come on! You have the resources of departments behind you, you have the fifth floor full of advisors crawling all over the place, and you have backbenchers sitting down there. One of those backbenchers could have taken that document that you so conveniently whack a slogan on, and have your chorus laughing along behind and thinking: ‘Oh, yes, is he not a funny bloke? I’d better laugh, because one day I might want his support to be in Cabinet’, or something like that, but, why don’t you get one of the backbenchers to check that document out?
You have vast resources there. You have a very clear issue in front of you. Do you have an extra 200 on the beat? That is the contract you made with Territorians: police men and women actually on the beat, out there working on the front line. You have not substantiated that at all. You have hidden behind slogans. You have created false impressions.
Let us use another argument. Let us say everyone is concerned about what is going on in the classrooms because classrooms are overcrowded. You do a few focus groups, and people think: ‘Oh, I would like to share something that I am really concerned about’, in this case it is education, and they will say: ‘We are worried about the size of classrooms’. Then you have a lot of little focus groups all around the northern suburbs where you need to win your seats, and you get this same message coming again and again. The little think tank that is up there says: ‘I know what we will say! We will have an extra 200 teachers in the classroom’. Aha! So you go out with this crafted message as a result of very deep market research, and you launch it with glossy brochures the likes of which you never supported when you were in opposition. You …
Members interjecting.
Mr MILLS: You were offended by them. The Chief Minister used to stand here with outrage at the expenditure of this sort of stuff. Well, the expenditure by this government, now that they have moved from this place over to there, way exceeds anything the CLP ever did. It is a government by media release, by slogan, by self-promotion way in excess of anything that once appalled you.
You tell the community: ‘We are going to have 200 extra teachers in classrooms’. And the public says: ‘Oh, what a relief! We have people who know what we feel and think’. Now, you will be able to go through all the schools and see whether there actually were 200 teachers in classrooms in addition to what you currently have because you could do an audit. You could do a roll call and find out how many. Now, what we have here is: ‘Yes, we have now done that; we have achieved that great plan’. The community says: ‘Yah! You have achieved the plan; you have delivered exactly what we wanted’. We have trained an extra 200 teachers, to use the different story. We have trained 200 extra teachers. The person in charge of the uni or wherever says: ‘Yes, we have now trained 200 extra teachers’. ‘But you told us that they were going to be in the classroom’. ‘Yes, that is exactly right. We have trained an additional 200’.
You might have put another 200 in the system, but whilst that was going on, there were others leaving the system. That is exactly what you have here. Yes, the Commissioner, and all credit to him, has said to government: ‘We now have achieved the objective of 200 extra trained’. At the same time as that training, there is attrition; there are those who are leaving. The impression maintained - not the truth, but the impression - is that there are now 200 extra police out there on the front line delivering on the concerns of the wider community. However, that is not true. There are 200 who have come in, been reconfigured in all sorts of different ways and they are not actually on the beat. If you do an analysis of that, you have raised an expectation, a deliberately crafted expectation, and quibbled on it. You have not delivered the expectation that you deliberately cultivated within the community, and targeted with glossies. You have not done that, nor have you taken the time to check some of the information that has been provided to you by the opposition. You would much prefer to stand behind a slogan and laugh, scoff and mock. Shame upon you.
For those over there who chorus ‘shame’ about the memories of the past, ‘shame, shame’ as though you really believe it, and perhaps you do, which is really quite sad, because there are other aspects of the past that could well be illuminating. It helps you to look back. It is all right to read your own selective history books that have been written up there for you on the fifth floor so you can see this terrible dark past. I know the member for Goyder is already developing the war crimes tribunal to deal with the terrible crimes committed in the past. They will have the whole slate clean and probably start the clock again so that we will have a whole new era. Like the Khmer Rouge, we will have a whole new era and change the clocks and the calendars, and have time that started in 2001 as Year 1, because we cannot bear to look at those horrible things that happened before the golden age of the Australian Labor Party.
That is just nonsense, absolute nonsense. It is the stuff that distresses members. You hear stories about the great freeze that occurred in 1990 to 1991. I wonder how many members have had a look at what happened in that time and the context in which it occurred. It might be of assistance to help you to stand comfortably as a member. You need to have a look to see what happened then.
At that time, you may recall, there was a recession. It was a recession that, you may recall, we were told we had to have. There was a Treasurer whose name was Paul Keating and who managed some economic reforms that resulted in recession across the Australian economy and affected the states. The state with the most fragile economy, the Northern Territory, was particularly affected. Central to some of those reforms was one omission and that was a consumption tax. The then federal Labor Treasurer was personally supportive of a consumption tax, but was rolled, and that was not permitted to be included in those reforms. Then he cleverly changed position, as Labor politicians are able to do just to play the game and to advance the political agenda, and he opposed the GST when it was spoken about by Hewson. He found ways of pecking it when, in fact, he supported it. Nonetheless, that taxation system, which is now the GST, was missing from these reforms. As a result, the Northern Territory starved. It was unlike these times; there was a recession. I wonder how this government would have managed in those difficult times.
Let us move to today. There is a conservative government in Canberra and a Labor government in the Territory, quite the reverse. Rather than starvation, this government is being loaded up with cash beyond its expectations time and time again, year in and year out. It is completely the reverse situation. It might be convenient for you to put this aside because it does not assist you with your sloganeering, but that is the fact. If you listen to this government criticise decisions that were made 15 years ago in a completely different financial environment, it is fascinating. The budget for the Territory back in 1990-91 was less than $1.6bn. What is it today? Well, you know your slogans. It is over $3bn. Back then it was $1.6bn, now it is over $3bn; a completely different economic environment, totally different.
Consequently, the budget at that time for police was $62m. This year, the police budget is $192m. These are very different economic times. It makes it much easier to ignore these facts and these issues of context in history and the ebb and flow of economic fortunes for the sake of whacking slogans around and getting the cheer squad behind you. It is not true. You need to be a little more sensitive with the truth.
We have a government of the sincere belief that they have managed to steer the economy in the direction that it has gone. I take my hat off to the member for Drysdale who was refreshingly honest in admitting that there is a small amount that the Territory government has in fact done with regard to the resources boom. We all know the truth: there are factors way outside the control of this parliament, or even the Treasurer, that have impacted upon the Territory. That is the fact. Now this government is going along with the flow and these things are occurring. There were different cycles, there were different times that resulted in very difficult circumstances for the then Treasurer, who was a member of the CLP.
Even a cabbage could achieve what has been achieved by this government with the GST funds that have flown through. It is not difficult to do when the money is flowing in, but maybe he will not stick around that long.
If this government had stuck with the same spending arrangement on the former system’s income, we really would have a banana republic here. You see, this government says how much it spends and how they are the biggest spenders ever while keeping the budget in surplus, but where does the money come from to allow that luxury? The GST; it comes from another source ...
Dr Lim: And borrowing.
Mr MILLS: And borrowing, but the capacity to spend seems to be the highlight of their day, to be able to say we have spent this and we have spent that. Good at spending, but you are managing in times of plenty and I fear for the times when there is less. These are very different circumstances. The only reason this government can promise to provide more spending is because of a tax system that they resisted and opposed at all costs and that is the GST. You are a bunch of hypocrites.
The government of the early 1990s then turned to the Commissioner for Police and asked him what they could do: ‘We have difficult economic times. The money is not flowing in the quantum that it once did. We have a recession. We are reassured by the Labor federal Treasurer this is the recession that we had to have’. Many of us had a lot of difficult times then. Think of Palmerston at that time. Interest rates were 17% or more. They were difficult times. Government, at that time, managed in difficult times and they turned to the Commissioner for Police. He had to come up with an effective plan. It required leadership.
Let me remind members of Mr Palmer’s book about police management, Police Leadership in Australia. In that book, he discussed the need for strategic management of police forces. That includes fiscal management. As Commissioner, he was forced to live within his means by circumstance of the time. The ALP in Canberra was presiding over an economy that was, in fact, a recession that we had to have, a correction of the market, and anyone here who had a mortgage at that time on any loan knows the difficult times that we went through, no less the Territory Treasury.
This is part of a strategic planning process which includes planning in lean times. The department shed some of its non-core functions and moved into other areas so that police numbers were not immediately needed. Was it perfect? No, it certainly was not. Considering the poverty of ability in Canberra to manage the national economy it was necessary, it was required. The capacity to manage in difficult times is the issue here, not the convenience of slogans which suit a short-term political agenda that is, in fact, dishonest.
Let us now consider the person who the government of the day turned to so that they could get through these miserable and difficult times, and they were difficult. Mick Palmer gave the government the advice it needed to get through those tough times. He went on to be the Federal Commissioner for Police, the top national cop. How well is he regarded? Well enough for the Chief Minister to solicit to head up her inquiry into Aboriginal violence. He was a legend, according to her, because of his capacity and skills. So which is it? Is he useless or is he a legend? The fact is that he is a great Territorian who has served the people of the Territory well and bravely for many years. At least he saw through the tissue of politics that the Aboriginal inquiry is, and decided to extract himself from it, but this is the man who gave advice on which the government of the day relied in particular circumstances. If the situation were the same for this government, would they make the same decisions now? That is the question.
No, they would probably borrow, borrow and borrow because that is the ALP way. It is not difficult to run perceptions based on focus group polling to create your own political future. It is much more difficult to provide visionary and courageous leadership. No, they do not because the national government has done the right thing by the states and by this Territory. Going back to the censure, you have deliberately created an impression, you have deliberately crafted that and you have not been able to refute the charge that has been laid against you that you have not lived up to the expectation, the contract in fact, that you have with the Territory for 200 additional police on the beat. That is not what we have.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I condemn this motion from members opposite because they have not prosecuted their case at all. The Leader of the Opposition’s motion attempts to censure the Chief Minister, the Leader of Government Business, and the current minister for Police for lying to Territorians about police numbers.
They have had the best part of an hour of parliamentary time to prove that this side of the House, including the Chief Minister, has lied to Territorians about police numbers, and they have not done that. There has been no systematic prosecution of the centrepiece of the motion that we have lied about police numbers. There has been no documentation provided, there has been analysis of the numbers provided, there has not even been any attempted credible explanation of the fabricated documents that were tabled during the November sittings, which purportedly tried to prove in a very convoluted way that numbers were fewer than what the commissioner was stating publicly at the time. There has been no systematic prosecution that we have lied about police numbers.
Let us go back to some basics. The member for Blain talked a lot about numbers, budgets, GST and recessions. I have gone back to the last budget that the CLP handed down, the famous 2000-01 Budget, which was deceptive and fraudulent and released eight weeks prior to the lead-up to the 2001 election. We have had that debate many times. For the 2000-01 Budget for Police, Fire and Emergency Services, Mike Reed was the Treasurer and the relevant minister. That budget was $121m. It was down on the estimated outcome for the previous year of $126m. They actually allocated the police in that budget $5.6m less than the police were going to spend the previous year. If we look at the budget today, it is $192m.
That is money that has been committed to our police force every year. I think it is an extra $71m. If an additional $71m allocated to the police budget every year is not employing an additional 215 police officers plus a significant increase in budget capacity to fund operational facilities and equipment for those police, where is it going? If it is not going into wages and salaries of additional police officers, where is it going? It is a huge commitment from this government, a 55% increase in the police budget.
The fundamental principle that the Opposition Leader is trying to prosecute is that we have not met our target of an additional 200 police on the beat across the Northern Territory. She has not a shred of evidence. She is a lawyer who thinks that she is still at the bar. Courts are supposed to determine the cases, guilt and innocence, based on evidence. There was nothing introduced into this debate today to prove that this government has not met its target. We have a 55% increase in the budget, an extra $71m going in a year. That money has gone to meet our targets of an additional 200 police, extra equipment, and extra facilities for police across the Northern Territory.
If you do not believe me and the current Police minister, one would have to believe the Commissioner of Police. I had the honour and privilege of working with the commissioner for nearly four years. He is a man of the utmost integrity. Whatever people might say about our commissioner, he is a man of the utmost integrity and leads the force impeccably. The commissioner stated in his memo:
So, if you do not believe us, you have to believe the Police Commissioner. If you do not believe the Police Commissioner, you stand condemned because he is a man of enormous integrity.
The member for Blain said: ‘You do not talk about attrition’. I attended many recruit squads and always enjoyed them, but very rarely did I see anyone from the opposition at those recruit squads, even when they did have 11 members on the other side of the House. Once O’Sullivan was committed and those squads were going through, on most graduation parades there would be three recruit squads on parade. That is 70 officers on parade: a recruit squad of around 25 or 26 graduating, plus another 50 in two separate recruit squads coming through, and a very impressive sight that was.
The commissioner went on to say that:
The police now have the financial capacity to recruit ahead of attrition, and that is certainly something that they did not have the capacity to do under the CLP government.
The police have met their commitments. I am happy that the Leader of the Opposition was reminding us of our brochures to explain to Territorians how police are being allocated. I will go to O’Sullivan and the issue of additional resources going in for administrative and professional people to allow those police officers to go back to the beat.
Quoting from Update No 1, February 2004:
Of police on the street, 150 will be constables:
The government, very clearly, articulated 200 more police on the street, plus additional ACPOs and police auxiliaries. There is no hiding the fact that we were recruiting auxiliaries and ACPOs who are sworn police officers. The first brochure that we released said:
More resources for NT Police
There was no hiding of recruitment facts in those brochures, and I know that there were many more of them. I bet London to a brick that the Leader of the Opposition has not read the O’Sullivan Report word for word because had she, she would understand that on top of the 150 extra police personnel, 148 constables and police auxiliaries and doubling the ACPOs funded under O’Sullivan, an additional 37 professional and technical positions and 50 administrative support positions that will directly support or take over roles currently performed by police to ensure more police are available for delivering core policing services.
There are an additional 87 civilian positions whose duties were previously being carried out by sworn uniformed police officers in those roles that have freed up the vast majority of police officers to go back to the beat. That is where the 200 comes from. It is pretty simple.
In respect of the definition of ‘the beat’, it is police who are protecting and serving the community by clearing up crime.
The member for Blain said that intelligence-led policing is nothing but a slogan, and he said it time and time again. That was the core operational strategy that our Police Commissioner introduced into the police force when he became commissioner in 2002. For the member for Blain to say it is nothing but a slogan is offensive because it is not a government slogan. It is the core organisational policing strategy the Police Commissioner has introduced into the force. To move the force from an old-fashioned 1950s reactive-style police and model, which is what we have inherited, such was the paucity of funding, and we will go to what O’Sullivan said about the funding, to a modern, proactive intelligence-led police force that is reducing crime across the Northern Territory will be the great legacy of our current Police Commissioner. He has just accepted another five-year term. That will be his legacy when he retires: to have transformed this police force into a modern, intelligence-based police force, a legacy the member for Blain condemns as a slogan.
If we look at what O’Sullivan had to say, and go through the reason why we had a reactive police force up until the funding arising from O’Sullivan kicked in, General Duties uniformed police resources were depleted in all urban centres. On average, only 25% to 55% of the approved establishment was available for more than 50% of the 28-day rosters to perform policing tasks. For example, at Casuarina Police Station January-February 2003 roster, only 25 of the established 58 police personnel were available for more than half of the roster period. Is it any wonder they were chasing their tail? Is it any wonder that we had clean-up rates for crimes that were less than acceptable? They were flat out attending the most serious of assaults and offences. That is the reason, which has nothing to do with Mick Palmer and Peter McAulay. They can only deal with the resources that were allocated to them by a government that had totally taken its eyes off the ball …
Dr Lim: You twist your words whenever it suits you.
Mr HENDERSON: They are not my words, member for Greatorex; they are Jim O’Sullivan’s words:
Almost a total failure! That is what we inherited when we came to government. In terms of the rising crime rates, the property crime that was going through the roof, drug-related crime that was going through the roof when we came to government, what was the CLP’s response? What was the CLP’s response to crime going through the roof in the Northern Territory? Mandatory sentencing! That does not cost a cent. That does not cost a cent: we are going to put a Mickey Mouse law into the parliament, look tough, round up all these kids up, lock them up. You steal one banana, you are going to gaol. That was Shane Stone’s mistake. One banana, one biscuit, you are going to gaol.
I have tabled documents here from previous Commissioners to Mike Reed at the time. In terms of a policy response to crime that was going through the roof, they might have had a mandatory sentencing policy, but they did not have police on the ground to undertake the investigations, make the arrests, get the briefs into the courtroom and get a conviction because they did not have the coppers out there. It was a policy response that was never going to go anywhere near leading to a reduction to crime. Very proudly, it was nothing other than a political stunt to try to get the community’s eye off the ball when the main game was a government deliberately under funding our police force.
We repealed mandatory sentencing, very proudly, as the first act of the new Labor government in the Northern Territory. We increased the funding to police and now we are seeing crime being reduced across the Territory, which is what we should all want. If we look at those figures, these reductions in crime are being achieved by a well-resourced, modern police force with an additional 200 police on the beat across the Northern Territory, and intelligence-led policing that is not a slogan, but a very accomplished crime fighting strategy.
The facts speak for themselves. House break-ins across the Territory are down by 50% over the last six years, a 50% reduction to property crime. How was that achieved without extra police out there? Break-ins to commercial and other premises are down by 31% over the last six years. Motor vehicle and related offences decreased by over 51% over the last six years. Other theft is down by over 25% over the last six years. Property damage is down by 29% over the last six years. Here is an extraordinary figure: in total, there were 10 272 fewer property offences in the Northern Territory than six years ago. So when the CLP were in government, there was more crime and fewer police officers in the Northern Territory: 10 272 more victims of property crime in the Northern Territory than there are in 2007 under a Labor government. Sexual assaults across the Territory have decreased by 21% over the last six years.
This is a government that is proud of its record in supporting our police force. We are not going to be distracted by red herrings, fabricated documents trying to purport a fact. There is no basis in fact for this. We have a police force that is achieving significant results. We have much more to do. One crime is one crime too many, but there are far fewer victims under this government then there were under the CLP. Any objective assessment and comparison of the crime scene in the last year of the CLP government across the Northern Territory, what was happening out in our streets, communities and suburbs as opposed to what is happening now, will show a significant decrease. We have more to do.
This is an opposition that is struggling for issues. We all love Wicking cartoons. I got my second today in six years. I am looking for a few more, but the Opposition Leader’s political strategy is based on Wicking cartoons and Peter Murphy, a ghost from the past, rattling away. It is a political strategy that will take them nowhere because they do nothing but talk down the Territory. They talk down the Territory at every turn. This is a government that is getting on with the job. We have much more to do.
Madam Speaker, I move that the motion be put.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! There are two motions before the Chair, the first from the Leader of Government Business that the question be put, and the second from the Leader of the Opposition. The first question is that the motion be put.
Motion agreed to.
Madam SPEAKER: The question now is that the Leader of the Opposition’s motion be agreed to.
Motion negatived.
Continued from earlier this day.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Madam Speaker, I add a little to the debate of the interim report delivered by the Chairman of the Youth and Sport Committee.
This has been an interesting committee. Those people who are on it are naturally very concerned about what we have available for our youth with the Northern Territory. It is good that we can work in a bipartisan manner. It seems strange that I can stand here now after we just had that censure motion when everyone was spewing forth at each other, but it is nice to be able to talk about something in bipartisan manner to calm things down a little.
There is genuine cooperation from all members of the committee to look at what we have in the Northern Territory that does address youth and sport. I am also on the substance abuse committee, and I see a lot of interaction and overlapping of the issues between the two committees, which is good because some of us who are involved in both of those committees can see where it is obvious that sports introduced in communities in the Territory, especially remote communities, will be advantageous to our youth.
Obesity is a huge problem in children nationally and internationally, and sport plays a very important part in address that serious problem.
I have had the opportunity to look through some of the reports that have been handed to us and I know we have a long way to go in addressing the infrastructure that we have in those communities to be able to encourage the young people to take part in sporting activities. In turn, that should assist in their development in the communities. I am speaking specifically about communities at this point because that is an important issue for us to be addressing as a committee. In regional towns and in Darwin there are a lot of opportunities and facilities available for young people to utilise, but it is pretty obvious that we do have a fair way to go in some of the remote communities.
I have no idea of what we are going to end up with in our recommendations because, naturally, we will have to spend a lot of time deliberating our recommendations from that committee. I am sure that we will look at it in a way that will benefit most of the young people throughout the Northern Territory.
As I said, the Youth and Sport committee does overlap with Substance Abuse, and it has become really obvious that that has had a detrimental effect on a lot of our youth. I welcome the chairman’s interim report. I know that we have a long way to go, and I know that the information that has been collated to date has taken a lot of time. I congratulate Pat Hancock and the secretariat for doing such a sterling job. Of course, because we are busy doing other things, Pat and her staff spend a lot of time collating this information to make it easier for us as a committee to make a decision. I thank her for that and the other members of secretariat.
I look forward to working over the next few months on this committee, especially coming up with some recommendations for government. I know that government has serious concerns about youth and sport, and substance abuse. Hopefully the committees can work together to see if we can come up with something that will be advantageous for our young people in the Northern Territory. I thank the chairman for her interim report.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I joined this committee because I felt it was a very timely move by the government to look at sport throughout the Territory. I know there are people - and I know some of them quite well - who cannot stand sport but, for me sport is an integral part of our life as Australians and Territorians. There are champions from the Northern Territory in many sporting activities, but it is about more than champions. It has a lot to do with our culture and it crosses other cultures.
Whether you are Aboriginal, Greek, Dutch, German, Anglo-Saxon, Irish or whatever, sport does not have any boundaries. That is one of the good things about it. It has a unifying – well, it is not always unifying. At certain football matches I have attend, it is quite the opposite, but generally speaking, it is a unifying occupation. We all barrack for the Aussies, and we all barrack for the Territory when we are pitched against interstate teams. It is about more than champions; it is a lifestyle. I mentioned the ‘L’ word – I am sorry.
Mr Kiely: It is, Gerry. You are allowed to use it.
Mr WOOD: Thank you, member for Sanderson. It is part of our lifestyle. This committee is looking at the total picture of how sport fits in with the whole community. In this case, we have been looking at how it fits into schools, remote communities, urban communities and developing elite sporting stars. We have the Northern Territory Institute of Sport, which is helping develop Northern Territory champions who can stand up not only for the Territory, but for Australia on the world sport scene.
The other issue is that sport is expensive in many cases. You need sporting facilities for champions or to promote good quality sporting activities. That is the other thing this committee needs to look at. The government puts money into sport. How well is that money being spent? Is it being spent as efficiently as possible? Is it going out to as many people in the Northern Territory as possible?
Sport covers people from a very young age to a very old age, and we should remember that it does cover people of all ages. At the Master’s Games in Alice Springs, I saw a lady running the 400 m and she took 20 minutes off the previous record. We are talking 400 m, by the way ...
Mrs Miller: 20 seconds.
Mr WOOD: 20 seconds was it?
Mrs Miller: You said 20 minutes.
Mr WOOD: I said 20 minutes? It might be 20 seconds. Forget all that. She took an enormous amount off the record. The previous record holder basically walked around. That was between, I think, the 80 and 85 age group. I went to see the lady who won it because she went round like a steam train. She was from Tasmania. I asked if she had always run. She said: ‘Yes, I was always a marathon runner, but my legs got a bit sore so now I am only doing the sprints’. It shows you that people of all ages can continue enjoying sport.
We have to recognise that when we are spending our money, we do not focus just purely on the younger people. We need to broaden it out, especially for older people. The baby boomers are just about finished their boom, and the overweight and sagging knees are starting to take over. In this society, we need to remember that sport is a good way of exercising. It is about health as well. I made a note: what is the role of sport? In many cases it is fitness; simply keeping you fit.
I am organising a public meeting about prostate in March. I know that one of the ways of reducing the risk of prostate is to keep fit and not to be obese. I can tell you that I have to work continually on keeping at least my weight to a reasonable level. One of the reasons for that is that by keeping fit, you can keep healthy, which is an important thing for the whole of the Territory.
Diabetes and morbidity, people sitting down doing nothing, is a terrible mix. Unfortunately, two of my brothers-in-law have died from that combination. They had diabetes and basically sat down, did not do much more work, and their life just passed away. There were other reasons as well, but basically they were not doing anything; they were not active. That just did not help their cause. It is sad when I see older people who obviously have let themselves go, and you know they are at risk from heart attack or diabetes or other chronic disease caused by not keeping yourself in reasonably good nick.
Sport can help that. Sometimes it is hard to exercise by yourself, but if there is Super Rules E grade cricket or a group of people who are of a certain age who get together and play sport, it is much easier to exercise as a group because you encourage one another, which is good.
Another area we do not emphasise as much as we should is community pride, which helps in a lot of our smaller communities. The Minister for Local Government and others would know better than I the pride in winning the football in Central Australia when community football groups get together. It is bad enough on Bathurst Island. Someone was telling me the other day Elliott, for instance, has three football teams and they all did pretty well. They all go down to Tennant Creek, and I bet if they beat Tennant Creek teams, they think it is great.
Mr McAdam: Barkly plays Katherine next week.
Mr WOOD: Yes, I umpired a game between Beswick and Elliott.
Mr McAdam: Back the Barkly.
Mrs Miller: I hope Beswick won.
Mr WOOD: No, Elliott won. It was their home ground and they did a count of the number of players with five minutes to go. The Elliott umpire was running around with me and, of course, Beswick had to lose their score with five minutes to go, but I digress.
What I am saying is that sport gives us an opportunity to put pride into some of these places. We have been talking about local government recently and some little councils and towns being dysfunctional, but there are good sides in those communities. I bet people love to say: ‘I come from that community even if it is a bit of a dump’. If they have a footy, basketball, netball team or softball teams in the case of many of Central Australian places, they are proud of their team and their community. You can instil pride and we should use that as part of lifting some of these communities. There is a lot of talk about that through the changes to the local government, but there are other avenues as well which go hand-in-hand.
Sport has a great role to play in trying to help reduce crime. That is one of the terms of reference. There is still the old adage about if you have nothing to do, bored kids get into crime and trouble. Sport not only makes sure that they are not bored, it builds up team work and responsibility, especially team sports. It is drilled into them: ‘You have to play over here; you are not playing as an individual, you are playing as part of a team, and if we all play that way we can win’. It is part of life’s experience and developing responsibility and discipline, which is more important than ever. You can discipline in kids that you might not get at home. If you put them into a football team, they learn discipline because they love their footy. They realise if they do the right thing, they have a fair chance of winning.
For some young people it is a good way for them to learn to communicate with other people. You get shy kids who are reluctant to move into these team sports, but once they have some encouragement and start to enjoy the game, many of these kids come of our of themselves. I see kids every Sunday because I umpire junior footy and you always ask for the captains to come out. These kids are Under 13. A captain of one team comes out and shakes your hand and says: ‘I am Tom,’ as confident as could be. There was no shyness. He knew that he was the captain and he showed that he was in charge. Sport can have that effect on young people.
I always remember John Kennedy because I was, and still am, a Hawthorn supporter. John Kennedy was the coach.
Members: Oh, boo!
Mr WOOD: Thank you very much. There is a story why I barrack for Hawthorn. I am not sure if Madam Speaker will allow me but I will have a go. My mother made sure I barracked for Hawthorn because she looked at my nappies and said: ‘You will be a Hawthorn supporter’.
I lived very close to Hawthorn football ground. John Kennedy was the coach. He was the first coach to get them to a premiership.
Mr Bonson: Kennedy’s commandos.
Mr WOOD: He was a man who believed that sport enabled boys to become men. That is what sport is about. It is about changing people, changing attitudes. I am sure that the member for Drysdale would - I got the electorate right this time - would say the same thing. Look at a lot of our leaders in society who have come from sport, and sport has that ability. Look at what opportunities Aboriginal people have to lead, to be role models. That is the one big, shining light in our communities, especially with Aboriginal people in the Territory. We have some real champions and they are starting to blossom. They are starting to speak up and show that they are not second rate; they are up there with the best.
I know not every Aboriginal footballer can be an AFL footballer and we have be careful that we do not say to everyone that they will be champions. Some of them are not going to be champions, but it gives people something to aspire to, especially to Aboriginal people. Even that is something great about sport.
I know some people are driven mad with sport; they can’t stand the cricket on the telly all the time, but I’d suggest they change the channel. Sport is a good recreation for people. We shouldn’t forget that people go to watch sport. It can be a family activity. I know Daly River people who always come up to watch some of their people who play for Southern Districts. The Daly family comes up and sits under the trees to encourage their young fellows who have driven up to play football and then they go home. There are plenty of other families doing the same thing.
Organised sport also encourages volunteers who help out on the day. I don’t think this person would mind me mentioning it. In Under 14 Wanderers, we need volunteers as goal umpires. One of those is David Bates, the jockey. His son plays in Under 14, and he comes every Sunday when Wanderers are playing and promptly does the goal umpiring. There is never a word; he just comes out and does it. He encourages his son to play football. You see, it is not just a matter of the people who play; it is family and supporters, so it is about community.
A member: He’s a rover?
Mr WOOD: He is a rover. Well, he’s not as small as his father. He has a very strong left-foot kick. You know how you get the natural left-foot kickers and you wish you could tie a brick to it so they can kick right-footed when they need to?
That serves to highlight the fact that it is an important area in the Northern Territory. It does lift people up when conditions aren’t as good as they might be. I think of Richard Tambling. He came from Jabiru; he also came from the 15 Mile community or Palmerston Indigenous Village. As much as people work hard to make it a good place, it is fairly depressing. It is not the sort of place from which you think a champion will emerge, but he has. Richard Tambling has come out of a community that is not the best, but he has had good support from his grandma and he has done well. It shows that you can achieve, even when things aren’t as good as they might be.
I am enjoying being on the committee. The member for Millner mentioned that each member has a bit of a relationship with sport in their life. I should thank the member for Drysdale, who was previously the chairman until they downgraded him to a minister. I was sorry to hear that; he was doing a great job, and I mean no disrespect to our present chair. He was doing a great job, and he was keen to get out into the communities and he did go to some of them.
We have some big issues to consider, especially when it comes to remote communities: the facilities and the people we employ to carry out sport and recreation work. We have to make sure there is sufficient funding and equipment to do it properly because sport and employment go hand in hand. You cannot play basketball all day and you cannot work all day. What is the old adage? All work, no play makes Jack a dull boy. It is a good adage and we need it in many of our communities, but we must give them the funding to carry it out properly.
I also thank the staff – Pat and all those people who put up with us. I know they have to do a lot of work organising trips and getting it all written down in reports and then wonder why we haven’t read our reports, but they are very patient people and I thank them for that. I thank members of the committee, too.
We have a long way to go. The thing that worries me with committees is that we can come up with recommendations and they are all very nice, but in the end, the recommendations have to go to government. I hope government takes them seriously and implements them and that we do achieve real change. It is no good having these committees if they are just filling in time. We need committees that provide practical recommendations and for government to show that it supports the committee and the community by putting money and effort into making sure those recommendations come into being.
Ms SACILOTTO (Port Darwin): Madam Speaker, I thank all honourable members for their contributions. Our committee, as is obvious from contributions from both sides of the Chamber, works in a bipartisan manner. All of our members have a true and passionate commitment to our youth, and it is fair to say that we all consider sport to be the glue that can bind communities together.
Several members on this committee also sit on the Select Committee on Substance Abuse. It is true that there appear to be serious links between sport impacting on self-esteem, health and psychological wellbeing. Low self-esteem, poor health and lack of psychological wellbeing can all be linked to future substance abuse. Substance abuse and poor health are in epidemic numbers in many of our communities.
I will once again go over the terms of reference for the committee, which give the committee three focal areas upon which to concentrate:
most importantly:
As the member for Sanderson mentioned, we will be travelling to not only urban areas, but with particular focus, to remote communities in the bush, to hear direct from youth and those who support youth and sport. The contribution from the member for Millner showed his true personal commitment to identify what links there may be between participation in sport and the possible reduction in substance abuse and antisocial behaviour. I know the member for Millner, even with the heavy work commitments as a member of the Legislative Assembly, is a keen participator and mentor in the local sporting world.
Members: Hear, hear!
Ms SACILOTTO: It is commitment like this that is so valuable to this important committee. The member for Millner also mentioned the national debate on childhood obesity. As was reported in today’s Northern Territory News, 25% of Australian children are obese.
I appreciate the member for Blain’s support, and I, too, hope, as chair of this committee, that the effects of the recommendations made in our final report will flow through to help young whom we have met personally on our committee travel and young people of the future.
The member for Katherine has spoken about many things today and in the past about how important sport is to the youth of the Katherine region. I certainly agree that we have a long way to go, particularly in the sense of remote communities’ encouragement and participation.
I commend the member for Nelson for his passion in relation to participating in this committee. It is certainly not only a look at elite sport, more of a grassroots look, and it includes urban, remote, schools, regions and looking at access for many young people. We all agree that pride and sporting achievement is an empowering asset.
As committee chair, on behalf of all members, I thank the wonderful and dedicated members of the secretariat: Pat Hancock, Brian Lloyd, Kim Cowcher and Kellie Trout for their hard work and commitment to this Committee.
Madam Speaker, I conclude with a quote from Thomas Carlyle:
Motion agreed to; statement noted.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I table the Auditor-General’s February 2007 Report to the Legislative Assembly.
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I move that report be printed.
Motion agreed to; report printed.
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly take note of the report and that I have leave to continue my remarks at a later hour.
Leave granted.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I table a report by the Department of the Legislative Assembly pursuant to paragraphs 5.20 and 8.8(c) of Remuneration Tribunal Determination No 1 of 2006, which contains an annual schedule of member travel at government expense and an annual schedule containing the respective totals of government payments for each member for satellite and mobile telephones.
Honourable members, I also table a letter from the Chief Minister with a schedule of mobile phone bills, including download charges from the Department of the Chief Minister.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move that the report be printed.
Motion agreed to.
Mr VATSKALIS (Business and Economic Development): Madam Speaker, it is important for Northern Territory businesses to become involved and embrace research and development and innovation initiatives to stay competitive in our global economy.
I would like to outline to the House the programs this government is undertaking to assist our businesses and the outcomes they are achieving.
The Northern Territory Research and Innovation Board was established in 2004 and is a valuable resource for government in levering external research funding, encouraging and supporting research and innovation, and making recommendations for the expenditure of the Northern Territory Research and Innovation Fund. Last year saw the retirement of three members from the board: Veronica Arbon, Mike Burgess and Penny van Oosterzee. I take this opportunity to thank these members for the valuable contribution they made to the inaugural board. The government greatly appreciates the contributions of these retiring members, not only for the dedication and hard work that they have put into the board, but also their impressive achievements. They have given their time, energy and considerable intellect to put the board on a stable, sustainable footing, and to lifting the board’s public profile.
From 1 January 2007, three new members joined the board:
The aim of the Research and Innovation Grants is to encourage and support research and innovation that meets the needs of the Territory, and to build and retain the Territory’s capacity for quality research and innovation. The government allocates $300 000 per year for this program. The most recent round of grants, the fourth, was completed late last year. This round is notable for its shift in emphasis because for the first time, a new category of grants, the Innovation Grants, was offered.
In previous rounds, the majority of applications for Research and Innovation Grants have come from the public sector or institution-based researchers. The creation of the new category of grants, combined with an increased effort to market the grants through briefing sessions targeting the private sector, resulted in 19 of 24 applications for innovation grants coming from small and medium enterprises. Small and medium enterprises were also offered support from my department to assist interested businesses in preparation of their applications, including final checks before submission.
Examples of successful grant recipients in the Innovation category include:
Of particular note has been the success of the Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge project, or TRACK for short. The board provided an initial seed grant of $50 000. From this, the parties have sourced just over half of their $40m budget. The Territory government is providing $4.8m in kind over four years with CDU coordinating the project across northern Australia. They will examine the river catchments and estuarine systems of tropical rivers across northern Australia together with enterprise opportunities for indigenous coastal communities associated with these river systems.
Between early 2005 and late 2006, the board has allocated about half a million dollars in grants. From this allocation the program has successfully levered, conservatively, $4.8m in external funding into the Territory’s research economy. The board is looking to maintain this successful track record while diversifying grant funding to include both research and the small and medium enterprises sector of the economy.
A core objective for the immediate future is to help Territory’s small and medium enterprises achieve a similar level of success at levering substantial Commonwealth and industry funding for research development and innovation in the Territory. The government is developing mechanisms to facilitate this by improving access of SMEs to information on what kind of grants are available, and offering assistance in the preparation of submissions. Since research has shown that SMEs that are actively engage in research and development and innovation tend to be more sustainable than those that do not, increasing the investment the smaller companies make in research innovation is a government policy priority.
Innovation for small business includes such factors as management and organisational practices, restructuring, process adaptation, logistic management, workplace re-organisation, and applications of new technology and capital investment in new plant and equipment.
Whilst the track record of small and medium enterprise engagement in research and development and innovation has been below national standards until recently, it is pleasing to note a significant increase in the level of engagement when comparing data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2004-05 innovation survey with the earlier 2002-03 survey. While the sample size of the Territory is small, the trends emerging are interesting.
The proportion of Territory businesses innovating jumped from 25% in 2002-03 when the national average was 30%, to 32% in 2004-05 when the national average was 33%. That was a significant improvement for the Territory. The proportion of Territory businesses which introduced or implemented new significantly improved operational processes jumped from 14% in 2002-03 to 23% in 2004-05. Even better for Territory business, the portion of business which introduced or implemented new significant improved organisation managerial processes jumped from 16% to 29%, which is above the national average of 25%.
Research undertaken by my department has demonstrated the importance of productivity if we in the Territory are to sustain economic growth and therefore wealth creation, job creation and population growth. The innovation grants are aimed at encouraging increased investment in machinery equipment and intangible assets, boosting investment in plant and equipment and technology.
Productivity is one measure; workforce participation is another. Research innovation policies have a role to play here through the related area of education of a highly skilled workforce in our urban and regional communities. Such a highly skilled workforce will in turn feed into high workforce participation.
Charles Darwin University plays a critical role in its contribution to the research economy. The importance of Charles Darwin University to the regional economy of northern and central Australia cannot be understated. This importance is reflected by the government entering into a new partnership agreement with the university. The new agreement runs for five years until 2012 and was signed by the Chief Minister and Vice-Chancellor last November.
On a related matter, I am pleased to note that the government is moving to conclude a partnership agreement with the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education. To complete the collaborative arrangements, there is also a Memorandum of Understanding between Charles Darwin University and the Batchelor Institute. The collective efforts of CDU and BIITE and agencies like the Centre of Appropriate Technology are particularly important in lifting the work skills of indigenous people, vitally important for lifting the workforce participation rate of this group, which is unacceptably low.
My department is currently developing and coordinating policy on the development of research priorities for the Territory under six headings: enabling technologies; environmentally sustainable Territory; achieving and maintaining good health; safeguarding the Territory; the learning environment; and tropical and desert futures.
The Territory is blessed with considerable depth in its research expertise. To take just one example, health is without doubt an area where we excel. Success is being built in the Graduate School for Health Practice in the Institute of Advanced Studies at CDU, established in late 2005 under the leadership of Professor Lesley Barclay. It is a unique partnership between CDU and the Northern Territory government, with a particular focus on developing the capacity of the Northern Territory health workforce, particularly indigenous health workers and researchers. I was delighted to see the appointment of Dr Jonathan Carapetis to head up the world-class Menzies School of Health Research at CDU. I am also pleased to note the recent appointment of Dr David Cooper and Professor Frank Plani as Co-chairs of the $65m National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre.
Recognition of the role of research has to pay in service delivery, particularly vital institutions like hospitals and universities, is important. It would not be possible to attract and retain professionals of the calibre of Barclay, Carapetis, Plani and Cooper without an active research program. These people make up the foundation of the knowledge economy in the Territory, attracting other researchers, postgraduate students, clinicians and millions of dollars in funding into the local research sector.
The Commonwealth’s Cooperative Research Centre, CRC, program has provided valuable support in building the Territory’s research economy. The three CRCs headquartered in the Territory with government involvement include Desert Knowledge CRC, CRC for Aboriginal Health, and CRC for Tropical Savannah Management. Over the period 1999 to 2012, the Territory government is committed to investing $3.5m in cash and $33.3m in kind to the CRC program, with the main commitments coming from the Departments of Health and Community Services, Natural Resources, Environment and the Arts and Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines. Engagement in the CRC program is consistent with the Territory government priority of building the research capacity of the Territory through collaborations across the sectors and research agencies.
In the case of the Tropical Savannah CRC, additional benefits have flowed through an agreement with ConocoPhillips on an important project for greenhouse gas mitigation. ConocoPhillips will fund central and western Arnhem Land indigenous communities at $1.1m per year to restore customary burning regimes that limit the number of large fires, so reducing the amount of carbon dioxide liberated from the woody vegetation that finds its way into the atmosphere.
While there are challenges ahead as to how the Territory government might best engage in the CRC programs, these should not eclipse the opportunities. The Northern Territory has significant research strength in fields such as sustainable natural resource management, regional development and promoting and maintaining good health on which it can capitalise through the CRC problem. An inter-departmental committee chaired by my department is coordinating policy in these matters.
Bioindustries are currently underdeveloped in the Territory. There is scope for expansion in the field of bioprospecting or the search for novel compounds from biological resources. The Biological Resources Act 2006 Biological Resource Regulations 2006, in conjunction with the Policy for Access To and Use of Biological Resources in the Northern Territory, ratified in 2005, provide a transparent governance framework for the use of Northern Territory’s biological resources for the purpose of bioprospecting. This provides legal certainty to individuals or organisations wishing to undertake bioprospecting in the Northern Territory.
The Japanese Bioindustry Association, JBA, a peak industry body, has demonstrated their support for our regime by sending a delegation to the Northern Territory late last year. As a result of this visit, two Japanese groups are now in discussion with a view to entering into commercial arrangements involving Northern Territory biological resources. It is notable that JBA has previously refused to do business with jurisdictions without a regulatory framework.
The governance framework requires the negotiation of the benefit sharing agreement, which will see the Northern Territory seeking to increase the level of complexity and quality of research undertaken in the Territory. This will lead to an increase in the number of researchers coming here, contribute to the economy and help to develop bioindustries.
Much of what has been said covers all of the Territory, but I wanted to also speak about the Desert Knowledge initiative of the government. The government was very pleased to have the full board of Desert Knowledge Australia become operational in 2006, with distinguished Australians, Hon Fred Chaney AO, chairing the statutory corporation, and Harold Furber as the deputy chair. John Huigen was appointed late last year as the chief executive.
The Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre also went through some restructuring over the last year or so, including the appointment of Noel Bridge to the position of deputy chair and Jan Ferguson as chief executive. The Desert Knowledge CRC is a very important research institution in Central rural and remote Australia. It has the support of many collaborative partners, including the Territory government, Charles Darwin University, The Desert Peoples Centre, the Batchelor Institute, the Centre for Appropriate Technology and the Central Land Council.
The Desert Knowledge precinct is our principal capital works item in Central Australia’s research economy. Early stage headworks are now complete. The business and innovation centre housing Desert Knowledge Australia and the Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre is scheduled for occupation in April. Stage 1 of the Desert Peoples Centre is scheduled for completion at the end of 2007, in time for commencement of education and training for people in remote and indigenous communities in early 2008. Stage 1 works for the entire precinct are estimated to cost $30m, with completion in 2008.
I remind honourable members about the 2007 Northern Territory Research and Innovation Awards. These will be the third awards we have held, and I had the pleasure of launching the call for nominations on 10 February 2007, with a closing date of 16 March. The awards will be presented on the night of Thursday, 10 May 2007. They will provide recognition to the men and women who make such a great contribution to the quality of life in the Northern Territory. Last year, 51 nominations were received for five awards in the categories of: the Minister for Business Economic Development Innovation Award; Indigenous Innovation Award; New Generation Research and Innovation Award; Tropical Knowledge Research Award; and Desert Knowledge Research Award. The Chief Minister’s Research and Innovation Award is selected from one of these five winners. Around 200 people attend the dinner, and I encourage each of you and your constituents to participate in what is rapidly becoming a highlight of the Territory calendar.
Key issues for 2007 facing the Territory’s research economy include:
Benefits also go beyond the strictly financial because, by working in collaboration, Territory researchers have sought out those benefits in ways that promote sustainability and protection of important environmental values. They have also given special emphasis to participation by the Aboriginal people of the regions and building regional economies.
The importance of the knowledge economy and the value of innovation are easily overlooked, but the benefits of good science applied in relevant ways for all the people of the Northern Territory are real and quantifiable.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the Assembly take note of the statement.
Ms CARNEY (Opposition Leader): Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the minister for his statement. There are a couple of things he did not include, and I will take him to those. Where the minister saw fit to single people out and to congratulate them on the work that they are doing, I join with him in thanking them on behalf of Territorians.
This area is not what you would call the classic barbecue-stopping discussion, but we are all, and should be, very grateful to those who work in it because there are great dividends to be reaped by all of us in the Northern Territory. So thank you to those people for their efforts and perhaps, most importantly, for their commitment. Some of the people working in this area are seriously committed and very enthusiastic about the work they do.
Northern Territory government spending on research and development decreased from $29m in 2002-03 to $24m in 2004-05. In 2002-03, the Territory had the second-lowest proportion of gross expenditure on research and development at 1.36%, but then in 2004-05, the figures are not published. It is a bit cute, with respect to the minister, to come into this Chamber and sprout about the amount of government funding towards research and development after decreasing spending from $29m to $24m and having the second lowest gross expenditure on research and development in the country in 2002-03. That those figures are not to be published in 2004-05 does rather reek of a degree of government spin. Western Australia, the lowest in gross expenditure in 2003-04, reported the largest growth in gross expenditure on research and development, up from 1.29% to 1.72% in 2004-05. Perhaps the Northern Territory government just wanted to keep its investment in R&D to itself so as not to be embarrassed. No doubt, the minister will respond to that in his reply.
On page 6 of the minister’s statement, he made mention of the $4.8m that government is funding towards the Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge project, called TRACK. However, in your department’s report at page 44, under the heading ‘Cooperative framework’ on tropical science, knowledge and innovation when discussing the TRACK program, it states:
What we know, minister, from the ABS records is that under your government, you have cut money used in R&D and, six months ago, you were lauding the fact that $5m was to be invested by government in the TRACK program, yet today, it is now down to $4.8m. The obvious question is: what has happened to the remaining $200 000? If there is a rational explanation, so be it, but it is curious that the minister did not raise that in his statement. $200 000 is a lot of money, especially in an area like this. It is not easily swept to one side.
On page 44 of the department’s annual report 2005-06 under the heading NT Research and Innovation Board and Fund it states:
Minister, through you, Mr Deputy Speaker, this afternoon you announced the figure that you have allocated in grants to late 2006 to be about $500 000. This means, presumably, that from July to December, the grand total of $20 000 was funded by your government in grants towards innovation research in the Territory. I will put that again. Your annual report says, under the heading ‘NT Research and Innovation Board and Fund’:
Yet, this afternoon you announced the figure you have allocated in grants up to late 2006 to be, as I understand it, $500 000 or thereabouts. Following that logic, minister, it tends to suggest that between July and December, the grand total of only $20 000 was funded by your government in grants towards innovation research in the Territory. I could be mistaken, but I hope that the minister might have something to say something about that in his reply.
Also, minister, the total amount of funding levered since 30 June last year has increased from $2.75m to now, conservatively, $4.8m. As we know, it is unlike that government to miss any opportunity to blow its own trumpet, but we know approximately $1m is to be spent on the burning project in western Arnhem Land, yet I have not heard the minister mention where the other $1m in levered external funding is being directed. I assume it is being directed somewhere. Perhaps he can tell us where that is being directed. I would have thought those details might have been in his statement.
I am glad that the minister mentioned small business as a policy priority for government or more particularly, for his department. We all know, and if you do not, you should, that home-based business is the fastest growing sector in the Northern Territory economy. There is a real need to develop this specific category of business. I am sure the minister knows this. There is a need to develop new and innovative practices for developing these businesses in order to allow them to grow and reach their full potential, which of course all of us want.
The following statistics, Innovation in Australian Business, were released by the ABS in early December 2006. In the area of barriers to innovation, the ABS found that the most commonly reported barrier to innovation for both innovating and non-innovating businesses related to costs. Over half of innovating business, 58.4%, and over one-third of non-innovating businesses, 36.5%, cited cost-related barriers as an impediment to innovation. Of those cost-related barriers, direct costs were too high at 3l.6% for innovating businesses, and 21.1% for non-innovating businesses was the most significant. That illustrates that there is a real need to get the direct costs of R&D down to business. It is something clearly your department, minister, needs to work on. Of course, that would not just be confined to the Territory. The need to make it more attractive to business by reducing the cost of R&D fostered through government incentives is a basic carrot for business to continue to invest and to attract interstate and indeed, international, business to develop the research capabilities that we all know we have in the Territory.
My view is that the sky is the limit. As we, the Northern Territory population, have developed over the years, there is a sense now that the sky is the limit. I am not sure in this particular sector that there was that level of confidence years ago. I guess we all get better as we get older in a community in particular. So that is clearly an area that not only this government, but all governments need to work on.
Interestingly, minister, in the ABS figures released in December 2006 lack of skilled staff was reported as a barrier by 27.2% of innovating businesses and 20.6% of non-innovating businesses. That figure, I guess, we would expect. Again, it is not a problem that is Territory specific; it is Australia-wide.
That leads us to the ideological opposition that the Australian Labor Party has to bringing in skilled labour. The government is continually hammering on about its investment in the skills base of the Northern Territory, but I do not hear much on whether the government would be minded to give it an extra boost, for the want of a better expression, by assisting with bringing in a skilled workforce or more skilled workers.
The sky is the limit, and the skills base and the impediment perceived by those in this sector should not be underestimated. Clearly, the government needs to continue its efforts. I concede that efforts are there, but it should continue and probably ramp up over time its efforts to further facilitate and harness this sector. Innovation is something that not only the sector needs, but something government and government departments across the country need.
Staying in the ABS statistics, in the area of drivers to innovation, profit-related drivers were the most frequently cited reasons driving innovation reported by 94.2% of innovating businesses. That is probably no surprise. Within the broad grouping of profit-related drivers, the highest individual drivers were increased revenue, 71.5%, and improved productivity, 70.9%.
The old chestnut of profit and revenue is the biggest driving force in the development of innovation in Australian business and unless there is a payoff, those in the industry could be forgiven for saying: ‘Why bother in any commercial operation?’ I do not need to be very clever to work out that as a business person, and I have been one myself, unless there is money in it, you just do not do it.
The ABS figures and the information contained in the study, I am sure, will have been considered by the department and, of course, getting the right information is always a good basis for any government policy.
I hope, minister, to hear you say that both you and your department are across the figures. I assume that is the case, and perhaps it might be wise to come back to this area in 12 months time to see what good work the department has done in order to address some of these difficulties and problems as contained in the ABS figures. I am sure your interstate counterparts will have done some work as well.
That leads to government needing to deliver social benefits to attract investors and partners in various projects. My own view is that the government could probably be doing more on that score, but I digress. The minister will have observed that the tenor and tone of my delivery in this debate is a measured one because I do not think this could ever be called a political issue. It is a long way from being a political football, so I make these comments in a measured way and in an attempt to constructively participate in the debate.
As the minister would be aware, other drivers of innovation include increasing responsiveness to consumer needs. That was assessed at 65.3%, no surprises there, and increasing market share, 46.6%. Once again, all of those factors are commercial necessities for any successful business looking to further expand its market share and influence.
That leads to the need to strengthen research and development links with regional economies, something that traditionally we, over 30-odd years, have done reasonably well in the Territory. It does not matter to a large extent what political side is in office, there is recognition that we need, across a diverse range of areas, to pitch, engage, harness and foster our relationships with people in our regional economies. The spin-offs are endless and I do not need to list them here.
Links with regional economies such as Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, China and India have always been, and continue to be, and probably given globalisation, are becoming even more important to the Territory than perhaps it was even 10 years ago. I wish the minister well in fostering those relationships, that is, the strengthening of research and development links.
Still on the ABS, in the area of ideas, knowledge and abilities, the most reported source of ideas or information for innovative activity was internal sources, 75.8%, and Australian business is looking inward for inspiration in the next step of its development. That includes ideas and/or information sourced from within the business or other parts of the wider enterprise group to which the business belongs, and that can come back to fostering relationships in our region.
A telling statistic from the ABS Innovation in Australian Business publication was that institutional sources, 7.7%, were least used by innovating businesses as a source of ideas or information. Institutional sources included universities or other higher educational institutions, government agencies, private and non-private research institutions and commercial laboratories.
From what I have just said, you could form the view that the private sector does not have the confidence or the relationships with the various institutional sources that they perhaps should. The private sector and those institutional sources should utilise one another’s services, drive, enthusiasm, passion and innovation as much as possible. Clearly, based on the ABS statistics, it really was not happening much. I suspect there are many reasons for that, and the sorts of attitudes that underlie the lack of engagement, I suppose. Those attitudes have not really changed overnight and, to a large extent, have to be a generational change, but the fostering of better links between the private sector and institutional sources should be a motivating factor towards the top of the list for any government setting policy in this area.
I was surprised when I saw that figure: 7.7% is pretty low, given the potential of these two sectors working together. I do, however, understand why it is that low in the sense that this could be considered a relatively young area, but it is an area to which all of us need to devote some attention. I note in the statement the references to CDU, the CRCs and so on. I believe we are actually doing it pretty well in the Northern Territory, however, the ABS figures should not be forgotten.
Just under 73% of innovative businesses reported that they had no formal methods in use to protect their intellectual property. Now, intellectual property is always interesting, but the fact that so many innovative businesses reported that they had no formal methods in use to protect their intellectual property is also surprising. It is of real consequence for all innovative commercial projects and partnerships undertaken in the Northern Territory and elsewhere for very obvious reasons. I ask the minister to, as I am sure he will, actively encourage the protection of intellectual property through whatever means available for the safety and prosperity of the projects and the potential economic and social benefits of those projects in the Northern Territory.
Minister, there are various ways I could have approached your statement, but, as I said, I wanted to be constructive. Providing the figures in the course of this debate was probably the most interesting way of participating in it. Research and development does need to be encouraged and supported by governments at every level. Facilitating bringing the relevant parties together is something that all of us should aspire to achieve. There is just so much talent, so much to do, and we are blessed in the Northern Territory because we have a lot of clever people. When you have clever and passionate people, as I said, the sky is the limit.
Good luck in your efforts, minister. Maybe we can talk about this again, either formally or informally. I share with your good wishes to all involved. There are obviously other issues in the statement, but it is not critical for me to address them. So much of it is not political. The outcomes that all of us seek do not come down to partisan politics, so we are all in this together. It might be that in the future we will see some more high profile government programs or support, because it is not exactly what you would call a high profile sector, although it is for those involved.
As politicians, we appreciate its importance; however, I am not sure that it is as high profile as it could be. It should be because any high profile industry or sector can attract people. For instance, it would be great if high school kids knew about the potential of this sector. Maybe there are some education programs that can be run. I guess it comes back to being a bit more high profile. With those comments, I conclude. Thank you for presenting the statement.
Mr McADAM (Local Government): Mr Deputy Speaker, in supporting the minister’s statement, I intend to concentrate on three of my portfolio areas: Communications; Housing and Local Government; and Central Australia. Some might consider these to be disparate policy areas; however, they all illustrate some of the unique challenges that face the Territory.
First, to the information technology sector, the Martin government understands that information and communications technology has become a critical infrastructure cornerstone for business, education, health and the community. A strong, highly-skilled and competitive local ICT industry must be capable of providing innovative solutions that respond to the many diverse challenges facing Territory business in today’s highly competitive global economy.
As the Minister for Communications, it is important to me that the local ICT industry continues to lead in the areas of skills development. It is equally important that we have strong, viable and highly capable ICT companies in the Northern Territory.
The Northern Territory government’s ICT contracts have a major effect on the NT ICT industry. Government ICT procurement accounts for more than 50% of the Northern Territory’s information and communication technologies market. As minister, I believe we need to take a very responsible approach to this government’s ICT procurement. There is an obligation to obtain the best value for money at the same time as continuing the development of local industry participation and building capability. The procurement guidelines ensure that this balanced approach continues through the ‘Buy Local’ assessment criteria. The government’s ICT contracts are a good example of how this balanced approach can work effectively.
Multinational and national companies are encouraged to partner and collaborate with local businesses when bidding for government ICT contracts. These companies bring the latest global technologies and tool sets. They provide advanced skills and capabilities. Most importantly, these technologies and skills are passed on to their local partners, thereby enhancing local industry capability. Through these partnership arrangements, the contracts also ensure a substantial share of the revenue flow to local NT ICT companies and businesses.
Retention of employment within the Northern Territory is also an important feature of the information and communications technology contracts. This government also seeks to lever additional benefits from these contracts. In recent contracts, additional benefits have included over 200 extra jobs for Territorians. The employment aspect is an objective in itself, however, these jobs represent a skills set that would otherwise be lost to the Northern Territory.
These policies are in line with the NT’s ICT industry’s five-year strategic plan. In November last year, I was invited to the Australian Information Industry Association’s NT Branch AGM, where I was pleased to officially launch the NT ICT Industry Strategic Plan. The strategic plan covers the next five years and provides a sound basis on which industry and government will continue to build the capabilities of the local ICT industry and deliver benefits to all Territorians. The AIIA Strategic Plan provides a framework for coordinated future actions to enhance the NT industry’s capabilities and, as mentioned previously, capitalise on industry strengths.
The level of capability and innovation within the NT ICT industry is highlighted by the success of local ICT businesses and local, national and international ICT industry awards. Darwin-based ICT company, SRA Information Technology, won two national awards at the 2006 Australian Awards with their environmental monitoring system, EnviroEasy. The same company went on to win the Recognition Award at the International Asia-Pacific ICT Awards in Macau. Further, an additional two NT companies have made it through to the finals of the Secrets of Australian ICT Innovation Competition. Winnellie-based Syntonic Technologies are a strong contender in the communication applications category with their smart microprocessor-based antenna technology. After having won the NT ICT Award in Darwin, Darwin-based M&S Consultants are through to the e-learning category with their educational system, REACT.
These three companies are great examples of how innovative ideas can be nurtured and developed into valuable commercial products. Each of these companies is chasing significant export opportunities. SRA Technologies are presently considering expanding their operations into Asia and later this year hope to open an office in Singapore.
It is clear to me that innovation, especially in the ICT industry, is a catalyst to industry growth, creating new employment opportunities and benefits for the community as a whole. To ensure the continuing development of this innovation, it is essential that we have a strong ICT infrastructure. The key to these infrastructure requirements are the communication tools available to industry. Broadband is the latest technology to have a significant effect on how businesses from all sectors operate more efficiently. There is now substantial documentation linking the uptake of broadband to improved economic outcomes at both national and regional levels. We have seen substantial improvements over the past five years in both the types of services available and the reach of those services.
Most areas in Darwin and the regional centres have access to broadband services. Telstra, as the major provider of infrastructure in the Territory, continues to expand the reach of these services, with on-going installation of the necessary infrastructure. This expansion program is set to continue and we, as a government, will also continue to work with the Commonwealth government and the key telecommunication providers to deliver improved telecommunications services.
It is my ambition to see all Territorians have every opportunity to participate in the broadest possible economy in the most efficient manner. Similarities can be drawn between the challenges facing our infrastructure needs in ICT and housing. The tyranny of distance and our extreme climatic conditions provide similar challenges for both types of infrastructure.
Before I go on to housing, I want to highlight how important it is in respect to information communication technology, infrastructure in bush communities. The member for Stuart would be aware of this, but recently broadband was turned on in Yuendumu. There would be some questions about why Telstra chose to invest in Yuendumu. It is indicative of companies like Telstra which, quite apart from recognising the need to provide these essential services not only in places like Yuendumu, but into other places around the Northern Territory and indeed regional parts of Australia, the important thing is that Telstra has recognised the importance of information communication being available in such places. As previous speakers have mentioned, we live in a global village and we know that there are going to be limited jobs in the short- to medium-term within some parts of the Northern Territory.
It opens up a real opportunity of allowing indigenous people to engage in the broader economy, and to be exposed to some global applications for economic outcomes. We know that there is great capacity in the sale of arts and crafts. More importantly, ICT capacity provides people with a real opportunity to engage with the broader community on their own terms. That is the good thing about information and communication technology; it is one of the few innovations for regional Australia that allows people to do things on their own terms. We do not have government agencies ramming down the throats of people the advantages or disadvantages of the technology. The important thing is that the technology is there and people will use it if they choose to do so. That is important, and I always try to get the message across that upgrades of communication and information technology in the regions of the Territory are critical so that people can engage in a meaningful way from an economic and social perspective.
I have a bit of time for Telstra because they take risks. Companies like that normally do not take risks, but they have seen the opportunities that can and will be accessed by people in the regions in the future. I pay tribute to Telstra for that reason.
Another of my areas is housing. Territorians have always been innovative in their approach to building and construction. It is innovation borne out of necessity. Our extreme climates and weather conditions together with the challenges associated with remoteness have driven innovation across the building and construction industry for many years. The extra wear and tear on a home from overcrowding in remote communities and the need to get more housing for the indigenous housing dollar are driving innovations across the housing sector today.
The conditions that exist in remote communities are the primary impetus for the government’s 20-year plan for indigenous affairs. I would like to highlight today that our housing initiatives are supporting business and driving innovation in the Territory. In terms of the government’s direct financial involvement in the housing sector, Territory businesses have benefited from $88m allocated for housing under the 2006-07 budget. Our investment in public community and government employee housing means more jobs on the ground. We will invest a further $100m in remote housing over the next five years. This funding has been committed over and above the scheduled program for housing in the regions.
Employment and training outcomes and regional economic development are key planks of our 20-year plan. Our investment in remote housing will underpin these imperatives. On 8 February, the Territory government called for expressions of interest to pilot low cost innovative housing options in remote communities and, indeed, across regional NT. The Martin government has invested $2m in the innovative housing pilot project, which is geared to attract builders, designers and manufacturers who can deliver cost-effective and durable housing. I have seen great potential in the varied construction techniques, alternative building materials and pre-fabricated housing options that the housing sector is developing and working with.
Government will put these housing solutions to the test. In doing so, we will enhance the opportunities for business and innovation across the Territory. It is generally recognised that for a long time in the NT and probably other parts of Australia, the cost of constructing houses has risen substantially because of material costs and labour costs. The question we have to ask is: can we continue to fund the same model of housing at an escalated price that is not providing the outcomes? That is the stage we reached and it is for that reason that we engaged the private sector. We said to them: ‘Join the indigenous housing industry’, because in the past, indigenous housing was isolated and was not part of the broader construction industry market. We had a workshop in August last year where we brought together a whole host of people from the private sector and some of the existing providers.
As I said, this is a pretty exciting innovative development in housing because not only will it provide competition, but it will also be innovative in the context of the use of new materials.
An important point here is that there are going to be some real spin-offs in the Northern Territory. I do not necessarily see this as a specific industry response to indigenous housing because most of our kit homes and materials come from interstate or from overseas. There is great capacity to link the indigenous housing innovations into the broader economy, and I am referring to a manufacturing base somewhere in the regions. I do not know whether it is viable or feasible, but the point is that we have to, at the very least, allow these sorts of things to develop. That would be my vision and ambition: to try to get some sort of manufacturing base in the Northern Territory not only to provide housing for indigenous people, but to provide to the broader market within the Territory, and to look at options in Western Australia and Queensland and exporting to Asia.
There are some real benefits in that approach. More importantly, it also provides a real opportunity to get proper training and employment outcomes through this sort of model. At the moment, we have lots of dollars out there, small pockets in each community for training, housing management and a host of other areas, but we are not getting value for dollar. I do hope that this initiative will have some significant spin-offs into the future.
My other portfolio area is local government. It is probably not in the context of this statement, but it is important to understand that a form of local government is critical. It is important in terms of where the Territory sits today and where we might sit in the future. Yesterday, we had many speakers talk about the need to provide certainty and opportunity, and the need to ensure that equity applies across the Territory.
I return to the point that the broader community, the private sector and a variety of other organisations, see this as a real developmental opportunity. Other government agencies can have a look at this as being a real social economic development opportunity. On the issue of indigenous housing, it was always viewed an indigenous problem. Local government in indigenous communities was an indigenous problem. That is not the case any more.
It is important that we put in place, with the local government reforms, proper economic and social outcomes. It is early days yet, but I can see immense potential down the track, and I ask all agencies to engage in this process to see what opportunities there might be, and for some of our ministers to have a look at it and see how we can value add to local government in the bush. Believe me, if you sit down and go through some of the opportunities, they are immense and, again, that is something we can talk about later. I do not have that much time to go into it, but it is critically important.
I am also Minister for Central Australia. Since the Martin government came to power in 2001, we have invested millions into research and development initiatives to better service the business sector across the Northern Territory. Central Australia faces unique challenges, being an arid zone environment and geographically isolated from major cities. Government investment in this part of the Territory has not only aided established businesses, but has also helped to create business opportunities that are as unique as the country itself.
With continued investment by this government, business confidence in the Territory is amongst the highest in the country. This is evidence of the success of the government’s strategies such as Economic Development Framework. Projects that have arisen from government strategies in Central Australia include Desert Knowledge Australia, the solar demonstration facility, and Water Reuse in the Alice project. The Desert Knowledge Project is poised to provide huge benefits to the Territory and to local business. The establishment of the Desert Knowledge Precinct will see the Northern Territory government invest over $30m into the Central Australian economy, while MBY Constructions, an Alice Springs-based company, has successfully secured a $2.1m contract to build a business and innovation centre, which is seeing up to 60 local subcontractors employed to work on this state-of-the art structure.
Mr WARREN: Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the minister be granted an extension of time pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr McADAM: Thank you, member for Goyder. I was talking about employing up to about 60 local subcontractors on the project being undertaken by MBY Constructions.
Desert Knowledge Australia is enjoying great success in bringing together businesses and tourist networks across state borders. The capacity to join groups of common interest and expertise and create a collective voice is the key strength of the Desert Knowledge approach. As I previously mentioned, the Central Australia industry has the opportunity to capitalise in leading-edge research.
Part of the Desert Knowledge calendar for 2006 was the Desert Knowledge Symposium held in November. The symposium attracted more than 330 registrations from all over Australia and overseas, and consisted of a conference and trade exhibition by desert businesses and support organisations. The symposium addressed issues facing desert communities, including skills shortages, technological innovations, pastoral practices and research into more effective ways for the tourism industry to attract and monitor four-wheel drive visitors. This government’s investment in Desert Knowledge Australia shows our commitment to see desert businesses continue to grow and prosper in our unique environment.
Research and development work is helping to create economic opportunities for people in that region. Some current projects include bush products in the desert, 21st century pastoralism, desert businesses and thriving desert regions. The information collected as a result of these projects will see benefits flowing to the Central Australian business community, as well as providing useful knowledge to communities throughout the world.
Living in a community in an arid zone necessitates the best use of scarce resources, and one such resource is water. Water recycling in Alice Springs has taken a giant step with government committing $10.4m to Water Reuse in Alice Springs. The project will stop dry weather overflows from the Alice Springs waste stabilisation ponds into the Ilparpa Swamp. Rather than letting precious water go to waste, the effluent will be recycled so that it can be used.
Initially, the project will treat and recycle 600 mL of water a year. Treated water will be pumped to the Arid Zone Research Institute where it will be stored in an underground aquifer before being used to irrigate horticultural projects, helping create employment and economic opportunities. While there are other similar water reuse projects around the world, this project is unique as it involves the soil aquifer treatment process, using as storage an aquifer associated with the former path of the Todd River for the storage treatment of the recycled water.
Another scarce resource in this sort of environment is energy. Harnessing renewable energy sources is an important part of maintaining communities. The $2.55m solar technology demonstration facility will be established at the Desert Knowledge Precinct in Alice Springs. The facility will showcase emerging solar technologies and provide an ideal testing ground for future solar projects. Infrastructure work to support the demonstration facility will commence shortly. It will include a control building, transformer and switch gear, conduits and cabling for connections to the precinct’s internal grid, and a performance monitoring system, interpretive displays and amenities for visitors.
The Commonwealth government’s renewable remote power generation program also provides cash rebates to remote power users to switch to cleaner and cheaper renewable energy. Rebates totalling $18m have already been offered to Territorians.
Already in existence is a solar power station at the community of Hermannsburg, not far from Alice. This power station, built by Solar Systems Pty Ltd, consists of eight mirror dishes with a diameter of 14 m, rated as the highest performance commercial solar power technology in the world. The dishes will supply approximately half of the community’s power needs, meaning less diesel consumption, reduced greenhouse emissions and lower noise levels. I congratulate Solar Systems Pty Ltd on their close working relationship with the community and the council of Hermannsburg, Ntaria, to get this project off the ground.
The government has also fostered relationships with the land councils and Aboriginal land holder organisations such as Centrefarm to achieve a greater yield and more productive use of indigenous-owned lands. These relationships have led to greater employment and training opportunities for indigenous people. Centrefarm is currently planning over 20 horticulture developments across Central Australia, including the Barkly. Projections indicate that in the first five years alone, there is capacity to develop over 500 ha of new horticultural enterprises on Aboriginal land, with the potential to generate a gross income of nearly $30m. In addition, there is potential for around 250 new, permanent full-time jobs, the majority being available to local indigenous people.
In November 2003, the NT government released the Anmatjere Regional Development Plan as part of the Building Stronger Regions Stronger Future initiative. In May 2005, the Indigenous Economic Strategy was released. The horticultural industry has been identified as a way of fostering indigenous employment and training. There have been a number of exciting developments over recent years. The investigations into the viability of mango crops are being undertaken at the Centrefarm project in Ali Curung in my electorate, and that is important to dwell on for a moment. The Barkly has traditionally relied upon the pastoral industry and, of course, the mining industry. The pastoral industry remains a very viable economic driver in terms of jobs and engaging the community. Pastoralists in the Barkly are very innovative.
Together with the mining industry, we are going through a bit of a downturn at the moment, but the point I want to make is that horticulture has the potential and capacity for better economic and social outcomes than both of those industries, although the pastoralists will not agree with me. This project at Ali Curung has the potential to change the whole economic focus in the Barkly. We know we have tonnes of water, sufficient to be able to responsibly service a horticulture industry. That is one of the biggest challenges for the government. When we talk about research and development opportunities, not just in the Barkly, but in places such as the Borroloolas and Lajamanus of this world, the potential is there. It is a matter of how we do it. The project at Ali Curung is critical, and I applaud everyone involved.
A 200 ha citrus development has been entered into at Utopia between the Angarapa Aboriginal Land Trust and the Central Land Council. Another example is a six hectare trial under way at Aputula south of Alice Springs. They are growing table grapes, citrus, melons and dates. I have been there about three times in the last 12 months for various reasons, but on each occasion, I have seen substantial differences in the development of that site. I congratulate the community. Geoff Myers, from Alice Springs, is doing a lot of work with the community. There is good water. Apparently it is a micro-climate in that region that is unique. It is special, hence the trialling of these different crops. It is that sort innovation and development that will provide real focus for communities in the bush, and hence local government reform.
On the mining side, in August 2006, $0.5m was invested through the Northern Territory Geological Survey, replacing outdated data covering the Arrernte region north-east of Alice Springs. In conjunction with the $15m Building the Territory’s Resource Base campaign, the NT Geological Survey has assisted in marketing the Territory as a prime exploration and mining destination. DPIFM has basically opened two new mines in the Central Australian region in the last 12 months. Three more are expected in the next 12 months and a further seven in the next three years.
The other interesting development is oil exploration. In 2007, there will be six wells drilled in the Central Australian region, which are in the eastern Amadeus and western Pedirka zone. That is six in 2007 compared with two in the last 15 years. Oil and petroleum exploration is booming in Central Australia. Quite apart from traditional oil exploration country to which I referred in relation to exploration permits within the eastern Amadeus and western Pedirka zone, Centralian Petroleum will shortly commence seismic work on 473 km of the Amadeus Basin to potentially investigate two large gas projects.
The Beetaloo Basin, which is also in my electorate, is also an exciting project. Sweetpea Petroleum is involved in that. They are currently undertaking investigations of the basin, covering an area of 686 km. Through the drilling of wells, substantial exploration potential has been found in rocks up to 4.4 billion years old. My understanding is that subject to the company’s decisions, there could potentially be 12 exploration wells plus around about $80m. That is what I have been advised.
The other one, which is important, is the geo-thermal potential in the Dunmarra Basin and in the Borroloola region. This is research and development that we should encourage, which we are. There are great opportunities in the Borroloola area.
There are some really exciting times ahead for the Northern Territory. The sky is the limit. The most important thing is for government to provide the direction and support in terms of economic and social outcomes. It is for that reason that I am particularly proud, in the context of the information and technology and the housing areas. We have said: ‘We are prepared to support and facilitate, but we want you to drive it. We want you to come to us about how it should be done’.
I thank all those industries that I referred to in the statement for their innovative responses and their capacity for research and development, which is going to bring some real outcomes, particularly in the regional communities of the Northern Territory. That is what we want to do because we want jobs and economic growth, the result of which will be social outcomes in bush communities.
Mr WARREN (Goyder): Mr Deputy Speaker, today I support the Minister for Business and Economic Development on his important statement in which he proudly outlined how the Martin Labor government is strongly supporting Territory business to be competitive in a global economy.
As a professional engineer, geologist and economist who has worked for many years as a consultant in the private business sector before entering parliament in 2005, I can truly assure the House that relevant and meaningful research and development underpins business sustainability.
The Martin Labor government has consistently shown a strong commitment to research and development, and I firmly believe that research and development is, and will continue to be, a major vein pumping blood to the heart of our strong and sustainable economic growth. I am truly and unashamedly proud to be part of such a visionary government.
In 2001, when, thankfully, the Martin Labor government was mandated to govern the Northern Territory, it had to take on the responsibility of dealing with the infamous financial black hole. Equally as important, it had to deal with the huge task of turning the Territory economy around. I am proud that now, in 2007, this government has transformed the Territory. We are now leading the nation in economic prosperity. Business activity is at an all-time record, and our economy is strong, robust, growing and sustainable. This has all come about because of a combination of major project promotion and responsible fiscal management.
The Martin Labor government is now at the helm of sustainable economic development. We now have an economic environment in which Territory businesses are prospering. Our gross state production has seen an incredible growth rate of 7.5%, driven by investment, which I am proud to say has been attracted by the Martin Labor government’s responsible management of our economy. While investments so far have been the principal driver behind GSP growth, our strong and robust economy is being increasingly driven by business outputs and is forecast to grow at 6.25% in 2007-08. This economic forecasting strongly shows that future GSP growth will be on the back of long-term, sustainable production growth.
We are entering exciting times which will benefit all Territorians, but this government is not content to rest on its laurels. There is no better way for this government to ensure that Territorians participate in this burgeoning, responsible and sustainable growth than to devote attention to promoting and encouraging research and development in our important and emerging business sectors. This research and development does not stand alone. It is an integral part of our overall business support initiatives, which clearly show how the Martin Labor government is in tune with the needs of Territory businesses to ensure their prosperous future.
This government is again rising to a challenge. The minister proudly outlined the depth of research and development that is currently occurring in the business sector throughout the Northern Territory. Contrast this to the scant regard that previous CLP governments had given to the importance of research and development in creating a prosperous Territory economy.
In supporting the minister’s statement, I wish to re-emphasise this government’s view, as stated by the Minister for Business and Economic Development, when he said it is important for Northern Territory business to become involved and embrace research and development and innovation initiatives to stay competitive in our global economy.
This government clearly put its words into action. I congratulate the government on the establishment of the highly successful NT Research and Innovation Board. As the minister stated, since its formation in 2004, this board has provided an invaluable resource for government to not only lever external research funding, but to support research and innovation, and to make recommendations for expenditure for the NT Research and Innovation Fund grants.
The Martin Labor government allocates some $300 000 per year to build and maintain the Territory’s capacity for quality research and innovation. It was especially pleasing to hear the minister advise the House that 19 of the 24 applications for innovation grants came from emerging, small- and medium-sized Territory enterprises.
In the Research and Development category, I note the success of the Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge project, or TRACK as it is known. The TRACK project is an ambitious program to research the tropical rivers of Northern Australia, their catchments and estuarine areas. The TRACK research program aims to:
I took particular interest when the minister outlined how Territory businesses have actively embraced research and development and business innovations under the Martin Labor government. We have leapt from well below national averages in 2002-03 to at or better than national averages by 2004-05. I would now like to touch upon a couple of examples of research and development that Territory businesses have embraced, and the considerable outcomes they are achieving as a result.
I would like to start with the Darwin Aquaculture Centre. The centre is located at Channel Island in Darwin Harbour and is in my electorate. Last week, I outlined to parliament the extent of the world-class research being undertaken at the Darwin Aquaculture Centre, particularly the previously unheralded production of baby crabs or crablets. The considerable expertise at the Darwin Aquaculture Centre is being used to benefit the NT’s growing aquaculture industry. At its facilities, the DAC has developed the technology to provide a reliable supply of filtered seawater and wastewater treatment. Furthermore, tropical aquaculture techniques being developed there are being used to foster and benefit this emerging and important industry.
The DAC is also assisting the local arm of Tasmanian Seafood. Tasmanian Seafood is a company that is investing its resources locally into research and development and innovation industries in order to stay competitive. In particular, it is examining the captive breeding of trepang, otherwise known as sea cucumber, at the Darwin Aquaculture Centre. I understand that the company’s access to the DAC facilities has allowed them to fast-track the establishment of a pilot hatchery for sea cucumbers in the Northern Territory. To date, the pilot trials for sea cucumber production have been very encouraging for the company.
The lease agreement also provided for the company to construct a covered roof structure at the rear of the DAC facility in which they will do some of their research. This structure is to be left at the DAC once the lease expires, so it is a win-win situation for both industry and government. Most importantly, on the back of this assistance given to Tasmanian Seafood by the DAC, I understand that they are now in a process of assessing major investment decisions within the Territory.
The DAC story does not end there. The DAC has been instrumental in the development of our barramundi aquaculture industry in the Top End. The DAC supplies fingerlings for our barramundi farming industry, which, incidentally, is undertaken at Adelaide River, Middle Arm and the Blackmore River, all in my electorate. One of these operations is the Humpty Doo Barramundi Aquaculture Farm, which is a small company established in 1993 and owned by six local families. It operates a barramundi fish farm on the floodplain of the Adelaide River near Middle Point. Bob Richards, the Managing Director, and his partners have been developing the farm principally to supply larger size whole fish to interstate markets for the fillet trade.
Humpty Doo Barramundi is a true success story. It has adapted its operations and tidal exchange flow through to minimal water exchange. At the same time, it has successfully made the transition from supplying plate-size barramundi for Top End restaurateurs to producing three tonnes per week of filleted fish for the interstate market. Humpty Doo Barramundi has not only survived, but has continued to grow and develop while many other barramundi farms have failed. This has been due, in no small part, to improving its niche through innovative research and development.
In December 2005, Humpty Doo Barramundi successfully obtained a Commonwealth government grant for $160 000 under the Food Processing in Regional Australia program. Humpty Doo Barramundi is using this funding to implement improved husbandry and harvesting progresses.
The company also secured almost $600 000 with an AusIndustry Industry Cooperative Innovation Program grant. This grant is approved on a merit basis and encourages business to business cooperation on innovation projects that enhance productivity, growth and international competitiveness of Australian industries. When I visited the farm late last year with the then minister, the member for Wanguri, the Managing Director, Bob Richards, proudly told us of how his company had formed a consortium with Tasmanian-based AQ1 Fish Food Technologies and Queensland-based Readily Aqua Products. Bob showed us how the consortium is working to increase the efficiency and effectiveness for the feeding process by implementing appropriate automated feeding strategies using an innovative feed sensing technology controlled centrally with a computerised delivery system.
The system has apparently been a tremendous success, judging by the fact that they are currently having the enviable problem of unexpected overproduction and they are madly sorting and packaging their harvest and reaping greater benefits from their considerable efforts.
As we all know, the mango industry is a key contributor to our horticulture and is valued at more than $90m at the first point of sale. It is the key horticultural product in my electorate.
I would like to tell the House about an export trial for a group of Katherine mango growers who were invited to join forces with Kununurra growers to undertake a sea freight trial of mangoes to Europe. Trials sought to test an innovation approach developing export mango markets using a low cost sea freight system rather than expensive air freighting. A total of 25 tonnes of Katherine mangoes were exported by sea through this trial. The consignment was transported in three separate containers in which atmospheric conditions were modified by significantly raising the level of carbon dioxide. Two containers were sent through the port of Darwin and the other through Fremantle.
Several Territory growers took part in the trial and some of these growers travelled to Europe to see the quality of the fruit on arrival. The growers reported the first shipment of mangoes from Katherine was soft at first but firmed up within 24 hours; otherwise they were in excellent condition. The two subsequent containers showed signs of sap burn and there were some quality issues. While the commercial returns were not as high as initially expected, the trial did show that mangoes can be successfully shipped over extended periods to overseas markets. I must advise the House that this government did assist the trial through the Trade Support Scheme. What came out of this trial is the need to ensure that our mangoes arrive at overseas markets in top grade condition.
On that point, the Territory is again taking the lead in this area of research and development. An important initiative to develop export markets for mangoes is the vapour heat treatment facility at Berry Springs which has been established by Jabiru Tropical Orchards - and, yes, this is another great initiative in my electorate. The importance of this project cannot be underestimated because Australian mangoes for export to Japan are required to comply with the mandatory vapour heat treatment. Vapour heat treatment technology eliminates fruit fly larvae by rapidly heating the freshly picked mangoes, but the process needs to be precise for each batch processed.
The Berry Springs operation has put a considerable amount of effort into modifying the process and honing their skills to ensure that our top grade fruit is not unduly damaged by the process itself. I must stress that only the best of the best fruit is selected for the process as even minor blemishes are highlighted by the heat treatment. The great benefit of embracing vapour heat treatment technology is that it allows our top quality mangoes to comply with strict Japanese import regulations as well as helping our Territory growers to access other lucrative offshore markets such as China.
As I said during last week’s sittings, the Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines’ involvement in the mango crop forecasting project is a great asset to Territory mango growers. The DPIFM-Horticulture Australia Limited Mango Crop Forecasting Project has made a very significant contribution to the success of the 2006 mango season. This leading edge forecasting project has allowed the mango industry to be provided with invaluable assistance in labour hire planning and transport needs for growers, packers and transportation logistic companies.
I also commend the Northern Territory Horticultural Association for getting together with Charles Darwin University last mango season to jointly run a training program for pickers and packers, which apparently was a great assistance in preparing harvest labour for the Top End’s mango industry.
Another exciting innovative research and development program is currently under way in the pastoral industry, on which my colleague, the member for Barkly, touched during his speech. This is the 21st Century Pastoralism Project, which is a Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines and a Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre collaborative effort. It aims to improve the economic viability of our desert pastoral enterprises. This collaborative effort aims to facilitate opportunities for desert pastoral enterprises to significantly reduce production costs and, hence, improve their overall profitability.
By concentrating on the development of remote controlled technology that allows managers to remotely control pastoral infrastructure such as water tanks, pumps and troughs, these marginal pasture projects have a greater potential to be sustainable. Using telemetry, as it is known, a station manager can check his tank levels, turn bore pumps on and monitor water flows in troughs, all from a computer in the homestead.
The Utilising Technology Telemetry subproject within the 21st Century Pastoralism Project emerged from pastoral industry workshops held in April 2006. That subproject identified telemetry as a high priority research issue. More particularly, pastoralists wanted an independent evaluation of the current commercially available telemetry systems, or remote control systems as they are called, in terms of their reliability and cost benefits so that they could inform their decisions about installing telemetry.
Pastoral industry members strongly believe that if telemetry systems could be independently proven to be reliable, it would significantly increase their adoption. The Utilising Technology Telemetry subproject will address this industry need by assessing the reliability and cost efficiency of commercially available telemetry systems within desert pastoral enterprises. There is a range of commercially available telemetry systems and one system developed in the Territory, showcased on a Territory pastoral station recently, allows the manager to use HF radio at the homestead to remotely turn on and off bore pumps and, in turn, to receive an image of the watering points to confirm that adequate water is available for livestock.
Development of new telemetry systems and devices such as remote cattle walkover weighing and drafting systems, if successful, will enable pastoralists to daily monitor animal weight gain, enabling them to draft and manage stock from their homestead. This research seeks to build on the National Livestock Identification System in which a unique electronic tag is attached to trace livestock movements.
While the National Livestock Identification System was implemented to provide confidence to the market place, the industry is well placed to deal with any biosecurity concerns. It also offers an opportunity for further industry-based research. The theory sounds straightforward. Cattle visiting a water source will pass over a weighing station. The individual National Livestock Industry Scheme tag will be read at the same time and pastoralists will receive a daily update of cattle weights. The use of this innovative research and development is bound only by the limits of one’s imagination. It may even lead to remote controlled drafting of cattle.
The Utilising Technology Telemetry subproject is a partnership between the Northern Territory DPIFM, DKCRC, Sheep Co-operative Research Centre, Observant Pty Ltd Australia and the University of Wollongong. The research has been conducted at four pastoral properties across desert Australia, namely: Napperby Station in the Northern Territory, Quinyambie and De Rose Hill Stations in northern South Australia, and Monkira Station in south-western Queensland. Station staff collect the monitoring data and are therefore conscripted as formal researchers within this project. Initial results are certainly very interesting. The use of telemetry systems on Quinyambie Station has saved $103 000 annually in decreasing the costs associated with bore runs, which involves station staff travelling from bore to bore to check water availability. This trial is particularly important given the labour skill shortage being experienced throughout rural industries. The research will continue until the end of 2008.
In conclusion, I would like to briefly mention a great little innovative project in which the Humpty Doo Primary School in my electorate played an integral part. Recently, the EnviroNorth website was launched at Humpty Doo School. This great initiative came about because there was a lack of accessible information for schools about tropical savannahs. The education department and the Tropical Savannah Research Centre jointly developed the website so that teachers and students could learn about our own tropical savannahs. Viki Kane and Jenni Webber from the school provided educational advice, and the students tested the prototype. The EnviroNorth website has already been accepted as a leader in tropical savannahs for northern schools.
Mr Deputy Speaker, this government is committed to delivering for all Territorians into the future. As I said at the outset, our vibrant research and development effort in the business sector is a major vein pumping blood to the heart of our strong and sustainable economic growth. I thank the Minister for Business and Economic Development for his most important statement, and I look forward to further updates.
Mrs BRAHAM (Braitling): Mr Deputy Speaker, this must be one of the most exciting areas that any minister could ever have, and I can understand why he must really enjoy this portfolio because, let us face it, it is futuristic. It is developing the Territory in many ways, and I thank him for his statement.
I want to make some comments about Desert Knowledge. It is a fantastic concept. The fact both the federal and Northern Territory governments are behind it is important. It is a little disappointing that, from the road as you drive by, many people will say: ‘What is happening? We cannot see anything yet’. It is pleasing to know that the first stage will be opened in about May this year. That will at least cement for the people of Alice Springs that something is happening there. There is a lot of interest in the concept. This is not just for the Centre; this is for Australia and there are so many important issues with our environment at the moment, I am hoping good things will come out of it.
The solar demonstration facility will, hopefully, be opened at the end of next year. That has great potential for the Centre, as for other parts of Australia. Already in remote communities we have solar lights. Most of us have solar hot water systems, and I heard tell, minister, that there are going to be solar panels put on the hospital roof to generate power. I am not sure whether it is a local rumour, but that is the sort of thing we should be looking at. We should be making more use of solar energy, particularly for our larger centres. As time has gone by, the solar panels have reduced in size. I am not sure of the correct terminology, but when they first came out, they were fairly big and bulky panels. Technology has facilitated reducing their size. Why shouldn’t we be capturing all that sunshine in Central Australia and around the Territory, and why not use it in many of our remote communities, as well as for big buildings in towns?
This is an opportunity for this government to subsidise the use of solar all over the place, on pastoral properties and remote communities. They can be used for water pumps and generators. Wind technology is a great experiment in Tennant Creek. In this day and age when we are all so conscious about our environment and the damage we do to it with greenhouse gas emissions, this is great.
What did the Desert Knowledge people say? Over 100 tonnes of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide will be saved each year when the $2.55m solar technology demonstration facility is built at the Desert Knowledge Precinct. This is the equivalent of taking around 25 cars permanently off the road. What a great concept. I would also like to push the hybrid car so you can plug it in at night and charge the battery or use the solar charge on it. We do not do enough of that. Eventually, that is the type of car that would suit me rather than having to rely totally on fuel, the price of which seems to be going up and up. It seems to be a much more attractive deal.
There are many ways we can use this solar technology, and many ways we can help our environment. Minister, anything you can do to promote this centre around Australia when you visit other states, you should be doing it. It is something, eventually, of which we are going to be very proud. It is so innovative. Programs like The New Inventors should be invited to the precinct to show exactly what Australians can do, and what Territorians can do. We are the clever country and we do not tell people enough how clever we are. Here is an opportunity to do that, minister.
Electricity sourced other than by way of generators must be a good thing, especially if it comes from the sun. People in Alice Springs do not think much is happening out there, so it will be good when we get pictures of buildings and people are invited to the opening so they can see what is happening. As I said, most people, as they drive past say: ‘It is just a road going in to nowhere; there is nothing there’. Obviously, this visual impact will help considerably to cement the fact that this is happening; this is a good thing and government is behind it.
All I can say is you are a lucky minister. I would not mind having a portfolio like this because it is really interesting and exciting. You are going to come across all sorts of things that many of us will never understand or get to see. Good luck with it, minister, and thank you for your statement.
Ms SACILOTTO (Port Darwin): Mr Deputy Speaker, today in supporting the minister’s statement on research and innovation in the Northern Territory, I would like to acknowledge some of the brilliant people in the Territory.
First, I mirror the minister’s delight in the appointment of Dr Jonathan Carapetis to head up the outstanding Menzies School of Health Research. Dr Carapetis moved here with his wife, Dr Susan Skull, and family and is a constituent of mine.
The Northern Territory Research and Innovation Board and the Northern Territory government bring us the fantastic Northern Territory Research and Innovation Awards. These awards are funded through the NT Research and Innovation Fund. In 2006, we were fortunate to have 51 nominations across the five categories. The categories are: New Generation Research and Innovation Award; Desert Knowledge Research Award; Tropical Knowledge Research Award; Indigenous Innovation Award; and Minster for Business and Economic Development’s Innovation Award. The finalists in each category in 2006 were:
The Northern Territory Research and Innovation Board and Fund aim to:
In closing, I wish the Northern Territory Research and Innovation Board all the best for the coming year and look forward to the 2007 Innovation Awards, which close on 16 March. Nomination forms are available online. The prizes are fantastic this year and are funded through the Northern Territory Research and Innovation Fund and supported by AusIndustry. The awards are open to all eligible Territorians. This year’s awards will cover the same five categories as last year. The Minister for Business and Economic Development Innovation Award carries a $5000 prize, as does the Desert Knowledge Research Award, Tropical Knowledge Research Award, and Indigenous Innovation Award. The new Generation Research and Innovation Award carries a $2000 prize. The overall winner will receive the prestigious Chief Minister’s Award for Research and Innovation. Let us encourage those people we know are brilliant and innovative to enter these awards. I commend the minister’s statement to the House.
Mr VATSKALIS (Business and Economic Development): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I thank members for their contributions. I really appreciate their comments. As you can see, the Territory is in can-do country. We have ideas and we translate them into reality. I know it is very difficult sometimes because small business in the Territory cannot have the skills, ability and money to invest in research and development innovation, but every so often we have some brilliant examples.
Steve Tiley with his Hercules lift is a typical example. You see some of these ideas and you think: ‘Why didn’t I think of it first?’ But someone did think about it and he made it a reality. It certainly is not a barbecue-stopper and nobody talks about research and development, but it is an exciting area. People working in research and development are really worth weight in gold.
Members mentioned some of the people mentioned working for CDU, Menzies or for the hospital and the research they are doing in health areas is exciting. Some of the innovations and techniques in the mining area are absolutely fantastic. If you look at Tennant Creek, the rehabilitation of the Peko site, they are utilising bacteria to process waste and recover gold and other precious metals ...
Mr McAdam: Cobalt, copper.
Mr VATSKALIS: And copper. In addition to that, if you look at what is happening with primary industry, the way they utilise computers and technology to measure, at a distance, the weight of cattle, how many cattle pass a watering point, if there is any problem with the cattle and water levels, it is absolutely fantastic.
I agree that we have a long way to go. There are problems. The cost of research and development is a prohibitive factor. The lack of skilled workers is another, but we seem to overcome these problems. We have the ideas, we translate the ideas and our government, through the awards and grants, assists these companies to translate the ideas into reality. We have done that in the past and we will continue to do it. We work with companies to get them over the hurdles, to assist them with how to write submissions for further funding, and how to incorporate and patent their intellectual property. We will continue to do that.
I thank the Leader of the Opposition for her cooperative approach. I do not have information about the figures she mentioned. I will go back and have a look and, at a future date, bring back this information to advise her about any variations.
As for skilled labour, the Labor Party does not have a fundamental opposition to skilled labour. What we say is that we should invest for our future; we should invest now for our workers of tomorrow. What we totally object to is the exploitation of people coming from overseas and working in Australia for very low wages or utilising these people on the low wages to bring the wages down for Australian workers. What I abhor especially is the importation of apprentices. If we are going to provide jobs for apprentices, let us do it with Australian kids. There are hundreds of Australian kids out there who want to become an apprentice. Let us put our money there.
I thank the Minister for Local Government. I agree with him that local government can be a vehicle for research, development and innovation. We have seen it in other areas. I recall that a council in Western Australia developed a very innovative approach on how to rate people by their rubbish. The rubbish bin had a chip incorporated in it. When the machine went past and lifted the bin, it would weigh the bin and identify the chip and immediately enter into a computer how much rubbish it took for property A, how much for property B, and people would be rated according to that. Not everyone had a flat rate. That is a very good example of an innovative approach.
I thank the member for Goyder for his comments. I encourage all members: if you have a project taking place in your electorate, promote the awards and suggest to these innovators or problem solvers that they put their hand up for nomination for the awards.
To the member for Braitling, thank you for your response. Desert Knowledge Australia will have an open day so people will have the opportunity to have a look at what is happening. You asked about subsidies or support by the government. Power and Water already provide a subsidy if you install a solar hot water system in your house. It will not be long, I believe, until we will see subsidies in other areas. We have seen some innovative approaches on how to cut the greenhouse gases. Recently, the federal government announced banning all incandescent globes, and it will be very interesting to see how that works. The big trick is how we are going to address the consumption of power by split system airconditioners. They are power hungry, yet everyone seems to turn them on at about 5.30 pm. You arrive home, and all the lights in the city seem to dim. Thank you very much for your comments.
As the member for Braitling said, I am excited. I am a technology freak. The day after Microsoft Vista was released, I was in the shop buying it and installing it on my computer. I look forward to the future and I am very pleased to be the minister for DBERD because I have carriage of research and development and innovation.
The Territory is a can-do place. We have a can-do approach and because we are faced with so many difficulties in our everyday life, climatic conditions and distance, we seem to be able to identify problems, provide solutions and solve problems that, for other people, would be totally insolvable. I thank Larry Bannister and his team for the fantastic work they have done. Larry, I am right behind you because innovation, development and problem solving in the Territory is for us a cash crop for the future. We can develop things here that we can sell to other places and we can make money out of it. I thank all members for their supportive comments.
Motion agreed to; statement noted.
Ms LAWRIE (Infrastructure and Transport): Madam Speaker, it is certainly no secret that the Territory’s construction sector is one of the key drivers of our economy. This is especially true in the Northern Territory where we are a developing economy. In the Northern Territory, without a healthy construction industry, you simply will not have a healthy economy. This was the case when we came to government in 2001. The construction industry was on its knees, as was the Northern Territory economy.
However, with sound financial management, we have turned things around and the construction industry in the Territory is now experiencing an all time high. Our economy and our construction industry are bucking national trends. There are significant facts and figures that demonstrate this, and I will cover some of these later. At the moment, all you need to do is look around to see how much construction is occurring.
To name just a few, in the northern suburbs we have the soccer stadium and the fire station. As you head into town, there is the Darwin middle school construction, and there are construction projects right throughout the CBD. Our magnificent waterfront precinct is cultivating as the pearl of our harbour side.
In Palmerston, there is the recreation centre, Palmerston High School and impressive residential projects. In Alice Springs, there is the Desert Knowledge Project, the Yeperenye Shopping Centre redevelopment, the Imparja building and, soon to start, the Alice Springs Aquatic Centre. All of these follow the magnificent Traeger Park grandstand. Katherine and Tennant Creek both have urban enhancement projects and, last week in Wadeye, I inspected the recently completed first ever secondary school in that community.
It is timely to reflect on how far our construction sector has moved ahead under the Martin Labor government, and the drivers that have helped place our construction sector as one of the most solid in the nation. It is also timely to look at what needs to occur to ensure we are doing everything we can to never go back to the doldrums of five years ago.
On coming to office in 2001, the government was faced with a very sick construction sector. Building approvals were at rock bottom and private sector investment was declining. The infrastructure budget had been starved of cash, and the government inherited a huge black hole.
A major focus of our Economic Development Summit was getting the construction sector back up and running. We listened to our construction sector and acted on their concerns. We spread our capital works and repairs and maintenance program across the year to help reduce the Dry Season boom and the Wet Season bust cycles. We injected a high level of cash for capital works and infrastructure. We also spread our capital works program across the Territory and focused our dollars on projects that would form the building blocks for further economic development. Most importantly, we delivered cash to the Territory’s infrastructure budget, a budget that includes capital works, minor new works, and repairs and maintenance. This has always been the way.
Record amounts have been spent on infrastructure programs. Since 2001, the government has spent more than $2.7bn in cash on infrastructure. Since 2001-02, we have delivered an extra $523m in cash allocations to our program. We have increased our capital works spend every budget. In 2001-02, $364m cash was allocated to infrastructure. In the 2006-07 budget, the cash allocation for infrastructure is $482m, a 32.5% jump from when we came to government.
The Martin government has been the most tax reforming government in the Territory’s history. We have cut business taxes. We have delivered the lowest tax rate in the nation for businesses with up to 100 staff. We cut payroll tax to back Territory business. In a real shot in the arm for the construction sector, we gave significant tax breaks for first home buyers and reformed the HomeNorth scheme. Every person I meet in the construction industry counts these initiatives among the key drivers of growth in the housing market.
A $2500 stamp duty debate for all Territorians buying their principal place of residence, significantly increasing the tax-free threshold for stamp duty for first home buyers from $80 000 to $225 000, and increasing the number of Territorians accessing the HomeNorth scheme has resulted in a booming housing market. The growth in home loan applications and house prices has exceeded national growth, and the number of residential approvals continues to be at historically high levels.
Our land release strategies have resulted in a balance that benefits everyone. We have been able to ensure Territorians are getting an extremely healthy return on their property investment but, at the same time, we have a higher percentage of first home buyers in the property market than anywhere else in the country, and our housing affordability is second behind Canberra.
I am very glad to say that these initiatives have worked. As the housing industry association says:
In 2001, when we came to government, about 250 dwellings were being constructed annually, a very low figure. In contrast, our strong financial management, tax cuts and land release policies mean that this figure has now quadrupled to about 1000 dwellings constructed annually. A fourfold increase in five years is a remarkable achievement. In 2001, annual construction work was about $500m. Now it is at $2.3bn, approaching a fivefold increase.
We are experiencing unparalleled private sector investment in the Territory. This investment has not happened by accident. The Martin government initiatives have made the Territory a more attractive place to do business and to make your home. This is money in the pockets of Territorians. It benefits Territory families and it enables people to get out and enjoy our great lifestyle.
Our government is in active dialogue with the Housing Industry of Australia’s Northern Territory Branch, the Real Estate Institute, the TCA, Chamber of Commerce and the Property Council, to work together on maintaining the momentum in housing construction. This dialogue is both about hearing ideas firsthand from the industry groups, and an opportunity for government to inform industry on land release strategies. We recognise land release must be managed carefully and be balanced. While it is a component of providing affordable housing, we must also ensure that land release does not undermine the value of people’s investment in property. While property prices have risen sharply in recent years, Darwin is still the second most affordable capital city in Australia behind Canberra.
The December Quarter 2006 National Survey of Building and Construction, as recorded in the Business Review Weekly, found that while residential construction activity was strong in Western Australia, Queensland and the Territory, only Territory builders held a perception of continuing expansion in the sector. I can assure members of the House that the Martin government is doing all it can to keep our construction industry charging ahead. We recognised that the time was right to reform our construction industry to help attract and retain construction workers.
The Building Act was amended to incorporate a range of measures to increase consumer protection and assist in developing a more professional and robust building industry. These measures included registration of residential builders through the Building Practitioners Board, changes to the building certification process, mandatory dispute resolution mechanisms in building contracts, and the next phase, a home warranty insurance regime. These measures, with the exception of the home warranty insurance, commenced on 3 July 2006. These changes provide for a more sound building control regime that will better deliver the protections and outcomes that the community and industry expect.
The Martin Labor government also introduced the Construction Industry Long Service Leave and Benefits Act of 2005, delivering portable long service leave provisions for a highly mobile industry. The act established NT Build to administer a portable long service leave scheme on behalf of workers in the construction industry funded by a levy on project developers. The NT Build Board comprises members of relevant industry associations and construction industry unions. The scheme is to ensure that workers in the industry are able to accrue long service leave entitlements as they can in other jurisdictions. This reform is an important plank in the Territory’s drive to both develop and maintain a skilled worker base.
An active construction sector means jobs. The Martin government has helped create 6000 new jobs in the last year. More than 2000 of these are new apprentices or trainees. It is estimated that the Territory government’s construction program alone directly sustains about 5000 jobs per year. There are thousands more flow-on jobs in small business and retail sectors. As an example, last year there was a 37% increase in the purchase of machinery and equipment in the Northern Territory. This is an enormous annual increase and demonstrates the ripple effect of a healthy construction industry.
I will now turn to some of the key projects under way across the Territory. The 15-year $1.1bn waterfront project is an iconic development which will continue to build construction and business confidence over the next decade as well as bring longer term economic benefit. Stage 1 of the development, including the Darwin Convention and Exhibition Centre, public infrastructure and residential, commercial and retail spaces, will open in 2008. This project is an example of the Martin government’s strategic approach to infrastructure spending. While Stage 1 alone will see a $300m injection into the local economy and the creation of 1000 jobs, the construction of the convention and exhibition centre will deliver longer term benefits to the tourism and retail sectors and flow right through our economy.
While construction of the $1.5bn Darwin LNG plant is complete, with exports of liquefied natural gas commencing last year, targeted ongoing exploration in the Timor Sea indicates significant growth in future LNG production and export. Darwin is developing as the hub of an exploration and development push, driven by the global demand for liquefied natural gas. ConocoPhillips and Santos have embarked on drilling across two permits in the Timor Sea, aimed at proving up gas reserves needed to fulfil the expansion of the Darwin LNG plant with a second train. Recently, the Commonwealth released two further permits in the Bonaparte Basin where the Blacktip field is now under development to supply gas via the Bonaparte gas pipeline to Darwin’s Channel Island Power Station.
Additionally, final investment decisions are expected in the near future that will see the construction of the first helium extraction plant in the southern hemisphere valued at $33m and obtaining its product from the vent gases of the LNG plant. The planning application for this major value-adding project is now in the system.
The $70m Natural Fuels Ltd biodiesel manufacturing facility in the East Arm development area commenced its commissioning program in October of last year. This plant is integrated with the $60m state of the art Darwin Industry Fuel Terminal developed by Vopak NV which has now been operating for more than a year. Also under investigation in this location is a proposed $450m condensate processing facility which is also likely to be integrated with the fuel terminal. With the Bonaparte gas pipeline, the associated onshore gas processing plant at Wadeye, and the construction of the helium extraction plant at Wickham Point still to come, the Territory will continue to experience significant levels of engineering construction.
Early this year, the $24m East Arm bulk export facility will be completed and will allow for the efficient transfer of material, using rail, road and the port infrastructure. The Darwin Port Corporation has already established agreement with OM Manganese for the export of manganese ore at the rate of 500 000 tonnes per annum over the next 10 years, with the first export of ore sent in June last year.
The corporation is also negotiating with Territory Iron Limited for the potential export of up to 1.5 million tonnes of ore per annum from Frances Creek to start this year. This kind of strategic government investment is strengthening the Australasia Trade Route as a viable alternative for traders to both our north and south. Darwin has established itself as Australia’s gateway to Asia and, increasingly, Asia’s gateway to Australia’s southern states.
The Martin government is delivering the biggest capital education investment in the Territory’s history. This will deliver new and improved school facilities targeted at improving educational outcomes. Of the $46m allocated, the single largest project due for completion in 2008 is the $19.5m Darwin Middle School facility adjacent to Darwin High School at Bullocky Point. Stage 1 will accommodate 400 Years 7 and 8 students and Stage 2 will accommodate 200 Year 9 students as well as a performing arts centre. The new facility will complement existing infrastructure at the school.
Meanwhile, construction is well under way for the new $6.5m soccer stadium at the Marrara sporting precinct in Darwin due for completion by March this year in time for the Arafura Games. This will be the identifiable headquarters of the world game in the Territory and will cater for the sport’s increasing popularity. The project involves the construction of a fully roofed stadium with two full-sized soccer pitches to international standard. The main grandstand will have immediate seating capacity of 500 and a future capacity of 1000. It incorporates four player change rooms, referee change rooms, public toilets, kiosk, storerooms and parking facilities.
Construction is well under way on Darwin’s new Marrara Fire Station, valued at $4.9m, to enable improved response times and modern occupational health and safety facilities for fire officers as compared to the existing pre-Cyclone Tracy facility. The new station has an appliance bay that caters for four fire engines and includes officer accommodation, a large training room, gymnasium, workshop, office space and indoor and outdoor amenities areas.
In Alice Springs, the Desert Knowledge precinct is moving ahead. The Business and Innovation Centre and Stage 2 headworks are under construction and due for completion in the first half of this year. It is expected work on the Desert Peoples Centre will start this year following the close of tenders early this month.
The government also funds strategic infrastructure and supports private investment that will boost our tourism sector. The Little Mindil development will see a resort constructed in Darwin that will become a destination in its own right. The SKYCITY Entertainment Group is the preferred developer, and they recently announced an interim $30m upgrade and renovation program to their existing entertainment facility.
The Martin Labor government is now spending $50m more per annum on roads, the most per taxpayer in the country. In budget 2006, $134.9m was allocated to our roads and highways. We are also driving strategic roads investments. Construction has commenced to seal part of Namatjira Drive, making a big impact on the upgrade of the Red Centre Way, previously known as the Mereenie Loop, an important tourism link in the Centre. The works, costing $13.3m, will link by sealed road a number of major tourist attractions including Glen Helen, Ormiston Gorge and Redbank Gorge.
Members will agree that these constitute a great variety of projects. There are economic development projects, tourism projects, sporting and lifestyle projects, education projects and roads projects. They are projects that are building the Territory and keep the Territory moving ahead.
The biggest threat to the advancement of our construction industry is the skills shortage. Contractors and subcontractors local to the Darwin area all have full order books resulting in tendering being selective and favouring the best designed and documented projects. Demand for construction services and products remains strong, with the forecast stabilisation yet to materialise. This situation seems to be affecting other Territory centres as well as Darwin, with indications that contractors are reluctant to tender on smaller projects and those in the rural and remote areas.
In the near future, private sector construction demand will compete strongly with public sector demand. Against this background, the government commissioned a review of the delivery of the government infrastructure program. ACIL Tasman carried out the review under the direction of a joint public and private sector steering committee. The preliminary findings are now with the committee and the report is under consideration. The terms of reference for the study included a review of private sector capacity to deliver the government’s infrastructure program in a timely and cost-effective manner, given the shortage of skills and resources and limited competition in some sectors of the industry. The report is required to make recommendations in connection with the following issues:
In November last year, in line with the government-wide reform, we cut red tape and introduced the new arrangements for Tier 3 purchasing; that is, for projects in the $10 000 to $50 000 range. There is no longer a requirement to advertise tenders and procurement is able to proceed based on three quotations. Firms must be registered with the Northern Territory Industry Capability Network, ensuring that local businesses get the first opportunity. The government consulted widely, and put in place procedures to assist more businesses, particularly those in the regions, to have their bids considered quickly and without red tape.
While growth in private sector construction expenditure is forecast to continue to outpace public sector investment, this places some challenges on government. Additionally, with skills and labour shortages in the construction industry across the nation, we have an increased opportunity to boost indigenous employment and participation. The Australian Technical College, currently under development in Darwin, will have a role to play and its appropriate targeting of technical and trades areas will be critical.
A low tender response across all regions and all tender sizes has become more pronounced over the past four years, a factor that, again, drives up costs, particularly for the government’s infrastructure program. While total contractor supply to the overall construction sector in Darwin is adequate, there is evidence of a decline in capacity in our regions.
Supporting a competitive local construction industry is one of the most significant outcomes and objectives for the government. The design and construction industry bodies meet with senior departmental officers on a regular quarterly basis, supported by various ad hoc groups. The government seeks to closely involve industry in the development of annual program schedules, contract packaging and product and design standards.
Developing partnerships with Aboriginal Territorians drives economic growth in the bush. The construction industry has potential for increased indigenous participation. Indeed, the construction industry offers perhaps the greatest opportunities for indigenous employment and business development. The government has as an objective the greater sustainable employment of remote community indigenous people in our construction industry. In 2005-06, the department awarded contracts to the value of $11.3m to remote indigenous organisations for work such as road construction and maintenance, aerodrome maintenance, building construction, and house construction and training. This includes a $4m contract with Larapinta Constructions, a joint venture between Ntaria Council of Hermannsburg and a private construction company to provide crushed pavement material for Namatjira Drive upgrade works.
Eleven indigenous trainees were employed under the contract, with four completing the eight core and optional competency units offered; eight attaining competency in front-end loader operation; five attaining competency in roller operation; five attaining competency in excavator operation; and five attaining competency in backhoe operation. Another contract valued at $2.4m was awarded to the Thamarrurr Regional Council for the servicing of housing lots at the new Wadeye subdivision of Nilinh. The contract is being managed as a joint venture with a private partner and includes a training program for local indigenous employees.
In the course of this financial year, contracts to the value of $13.4m have been awarded to indigenous organisations. They include: $3.9m with Tangentyere Constructions for the construction of houses at Yuendumu, Mosquito Bore and the Alice Springs Town Camps of Larapinta Valley and Trucking Yards; $1.5m with the Nganmarriyanga Community and the Nauiyu Nambiyu Community Government Council for upgrade of the Port Keats Road; $3.3m with Nyirranggulung Mardrulk Ngadberre Regional Council for Indigenous Housing Construction, Training and Employment Projects at Wugularr and Barunga; and $2.6m with Tiwi Islands Local Government for Indigenous Housing, Training and Construction Employment Projects at Nguiu and Milikapiti.
In 2006-07, the Power and Water Corporation awarded a contract valued at $500 000 to a private contractor to improve Yuelamu Dam water storage. Five local indigenous trainees were employed under the contract, with all successfully completing a module in plant operations as part of a Certificate III in Civil Construction. These trainees are normally employed through CDEP as part of the community road crew.
On behalf of the Department of Local Government, Housing and Sport, the department of Planning and Infrastructure manages the indigenous housing construction training as part of the Northern Territory Indigenous Housing Construction Program.
The Indigenous Housing Construction Training Program provides community-based organisations and indigenous people with opportunities and the necessary support to achieve the following outcomes: construction and repairs and maintenance capacity for intended or established indigenous building teams through Certificate II General Construction courses which include units of work to provide trainees with repairs and maintenance skills; and construction trades capacity for interested indigenous people through the Certificate III in General Construction.
Eleven apprentices are currently undertaking training for Certificate II in General Construction. A further 16 apprentices have completed Certificate II, and 10 of these are continuing in Certificate III. Three former apprentices have recently been employed by Ntaria Council to undertake housing and civil works tasks.
In 2006-07, a revised training program is being implemented to provide two-year Indigenous Housing Construction Training and Employment Projects to 40 trainees in nine communities, with an emphasis on achievable outcomes and progression to paid employment. New training project agreements have been signed by Ltyentye Apurte Community Government Council, Nyirranggulung Mardrulk Ngadberre Regional Council, Galiwinku Community, Yirrkala Dhanbul Community Association and Tiwi Island Local Government. Existing training programs at Amoonguna and Wadeye are continuing.
Increasing the level of indigenous employment in remote construction and repairs and maintenance can be achieved through the Northern Territory government procurement process. Procurement may involve direct contracting of indigenous community organisations, using certificates of exemption for all or part of the works; specification of requirements to engage local capacity in cases where the project is subject to competitive tendering; or other procurement methods such as joint venturing.
Where competitive tendering is determined to be the appropriate procurement method for an identified project, tenderers can be required to complete and Indigenous Development Plan or to comply with contract-prescribed indigenous participation requirements. The procurement method selected for delivery of works in remote communities is dependent on the capability of the local workforce or enterprises to undertake specific works.
As the main builder of government infrastructure in the Territory, the department provides numerous opportunities for a skilled workforce to continue building in the Territory. At present, the private construction sector is performing strongly, with some adverse impact on the government’s infrastructure program. Both the public and private sectors face similar challenges, especially with labour and skills shortages and low levels of indigenous participation. In part, some of these challenges arise from the unprecedented high and very healthy levels of construction activity. In other words, they are good problems.
The economic forecast for the Territory is very positive, and the government is working with the private sector to maintain our busy and productive construction sector with continued investment in infrastructure. We will continue to focus our capital investment in a strategic way: to build a wider economic base for the future, to reduce our economic volatility and create new and sustainable opportunities and jobs for all Territorians. We will continue to maintain our dialogue with the sector to ensure that their needs are understood. Under the Martin government, the Territory now has a lifestyle and an economy that is the best in Australia. The work we have undertaken to successfully rebuild our construction industry underpins this. We are constructing a better Territory.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the Assembly take note of this statement.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Mr Deputy Speaker, since I have been a member of this House, I have found it interesting that whenever the minister speaks about anything, she puts as much rubbish on the CLP as she possibly can. According to her, only this government knows what to do in the Territory. Every time she opens her mouth, the deception she pours forth is quite irritating to listen to. This minister will take every opportunity to rewrite history, and this statement is no exception.
Whilst she talks consistently about the evil which was the CLP, I remind her that in the period between 1978 and 2001, the CLP took the Territory from being an utter backwater - a Siberia to describe it bluntly - of the federal public service to the vibrant and vastly enlarged place it was when the ALP won power in 2001.
I concede things have gone well for the ALP government, but it needs to be remembered that some of the tough times, such as the early 1990s for the CLP, was during the recession we had to have when the Prime Minister, Keating, whom I could only describe Placido Domingo of global Treasurers in Canberra, was nailing the Territory to the wall.
Did the CLP have good times? Yes, of course, and you can bet your bottom dollar we had bad times. However, the Territory has a history of boom-bust cycles and nothing appears to have changed at all. The difference between the CLP and the ALP in government is that this ALP government has never known a bad time. The GST can only be described as rivers of gold which have delivered so much for the Territory government, and have enabled it to achieve so much more.
The fact is that the Territory’s income is so dependent on Canberra we do not have much say in our fortunes. If this government were good financial managers, they would never have opposed the GST. The truth of the matter is that they are merely along for the ride; this government is in the passenger seat and not the driver’s seat.
Let us talk about the economic capacity of the government for a moment. Last year, the government announced an unexpected surplus after budgeting for a deficit. That was based on a court case which may now produce a negative result because some of that money will have to be returned due to a recent Supreme Court decision. It is noteworthy that in these times of plenty, the government was still prepared to run a deficit budget. Surely the aim of good fiscal management is a balanced budget or better, especially when your income outstrips your expectations.
It is worth noting that four years ago the projected income for the Northern Territory in the year 2005-06 was $2.5bn. Surely all planning at that time for future expenditure must have been reliant on those projections. I refer you to Budget Paper No 2 for 2002-03 at page 62. The actual income for the year 2005-06 was $3bn. This is $500m more than the government dared to dream it would receive only four years ago. The income for the Territory has been vastly in excess of that, and yet the nett debt plus employee liability situation continues to deteriorate. Nevertheless, the GST, as I said, remains a river of gold that continues to flow into the Territory coffers.
The Treasurer resisted the GST when he was in opposition. He had an awful lot to say about it. Do you now, Treasurer, have the courage at least to admit you were wrong, or is it the case that to acknowledge that would blow your cover as a good money manager? I suggest it probably would.
Every year, income for the Territory has gone up over $100m more than the government budgeted for. Last year was no exception. Then, the total revenue for the general government operating statement was $2.75bn. What was received was $3bn. The government made $250m more than it expected last year and returned a surplus of $108m. Wow! That is a damn lot of money. The Treasurer made an extra $250m and saved $108m and now he will have to give some back. I wonder where that is coming from. I certainly hope it is not from the infrastructure budget. This is not fiscal management; it is simply good luck. Once again, wages were not kept under control in the last financial year despite the warnings given by the Auditor-General in February 2006. Mind you, the number that you are pulling on the nurses tells me that Treasury has had a little whisper in your ear.
Another aspect of the government’s spending policy is that it has had the effect of pushing up demand, not so much demand for valuable outcomes, but for consumer spending and service consumption. The Treasurer said the other day in this House that there is a lot more money around for recreation. That means gambling, alcohol and tobacco. Increased demand has the effect of pushing up inflation and the Territory’s inflation rate now is 5%. That is way over the national economy.
What it means is that if you were earning $50 000 a year 12 months ago, buying power of that $50 000 has been reduced to $47 500. In effect, $2500 has been scraped from the income of many average workers in the space of a year. About one-third of the Territory’s workforce is supported by public money, that is the public service. That means the extra several hundred million being spent by government every year is going into the pockets of average Territorians. This should be good news for public servants, and it is, but the bad news aspect for public servants and everyone else is that if that money is spent on consumer items or service consumption, the demand that creates adds to the inflationary effect, which means that the buying power of the wage increase is diminished.
The problem is that those in the private sector who have not enjoyed the same increases are hit by the same devaluation of their incomes. There is evidence to support my proposition. Year in and year out, we have seen the budget papers demonstrate rapid wages growth in the public sector and there is no doubt the money is largely going into expenditure rather than savings in the Territory community.
I draw members’ attention to the CPI figures issued by the ABS in September 2006. On page 9 of those figures, the ABS reported:
It is good that money is being spent on bricks and mortar because that bodes well for the future. However, the other components driving inflation are recreation, alcohol and tobacco. Conspicuous consumption of this nature will drive demand, but once spent, the money is gone. It is an inflationary pressure, but what is left after the money is spent is a sore head, a dirty ashtray and an IOU.
The Territory has had a profound opportunity to save and to put money into infrastructure. Considering the amount of extra money that the Northern Territory has received, the increases in infrastructure spending is really disappointing, minister. The fiscal policy embarked upon five years ago has been abandoned in favour of a mis-timed spend, spend, spend philosophy and so little of it is targeted at the right areas such as roads, hospitals and the like. The Territory economy is hot in Darwin, but I am afraid it is not so hot in other places. The minister is telling us how terrific it is that the government is pouring money into infrastructure programs, most of which are in Darwin. It has a downturn at some point in the future.
As part of the rewrite of the Territory’s history, it is interesting that the government occasionally lapses. Commodity prices that are driving our mining sector because of the Chinese boom time have nothing to do with this government. That is a fact acknowledged by the mining minister when he admitted that the Territory government does not have that much to do with mining in the Territory. To use an analogy, success has a thousand fathers and a failure is an orphan. When things do slow down, as they invariably will, we will see the Territory government pass the buck to others.
If there has ever been an example of a simple lie, and I do not know if I am going to be picked up for using that word but I am not quite sure what other to use - I could say deception. I have checked in the dictionary on quite a few words, but they all mean the same thing. This one really is a bald-faced untruth from page 4 of her statement:
That is what the minister said. No, Mr Deputy Speaker, that is simply not true. I direct members to Budget Paper No 4, page 7, of the 2006-07 Budget, which says that the capital works budget for 2005-06 was $505m. The capital works budget for 2006-07 is $482m. Whoever wrote the speech looked at the figure for five years ago, looked at the figure for this year and assumed that it was an increase every year. It is very lazy and not very efficient of the person who wrote the speech. It is a bit lazy for the minister not to, first, check to see that it was right and, second, not to check her speech more carefully.
For the minister to stand here and say today that capital works has been increased in every budget, by clarification through these budget papers, is simply a lie. Sorry, I cannot use the word ‘lie’, but I really do struggle to find a more appropriate adjective ...
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Katherine, would you please withdraw the word ‘lie’?
Mrs MILLER: Yes, I withdraw that, Mr Deputy Speaker. It is just a bald-faced untruth.
The point is that this government is in the business of rewriting the history of the Territory. I am reminded of an almost Stalinist attempt to write the CLP out of the history of the Territory. Every day in this parliament, I hear from this government how much the CLP did to stuff up the Territory. I remember the difference in the NT between 1978 and 2001, and I can tell you, the CLP was good for the Territory and if there was a shred of capacity to be honest amongst the people in this room, and especially this minister, that would be acknowledged.
The minister tries to claim the LNG plant as the ALP’s. No, Mr Deputy Speaker, it is a product of the CLP Stone government, and the railway a product of the CLP Burke government. Yulara exists because the CLP built it. I ask members to look around. The building in which we sit, member for Nelson, was opened in 1994 and was passionately attacked as an unwarranted extravagance by the ALP in opposition, but it did so much to protect local businesses at a critical time in our economy, again at a time when it was very lean. The funding for the Territory was very limited and came from an ALP-dominated Canberra from funds raised by a redundant and anti-growth taxation scheme.
An alternative taxation scheme was proposed in 1983 and it was called a VAT, a GST by any other name, by the then new federal Treasurer, Paul Keating. He could not get the idea past Hawke’s economic summit of that year. When he was Prime Minister, smelling a fear campaign, he reversed his position on that issue completely, and ran an anti-GST campaign against John Hewson. It was a very successful campaign and it assured Prime Minister Keating an extra term. Isn’t it a pity that the victory for the true believers of GST was orchestrated by a man who did not believe it at all? That fear campaign was repeated by the Territory branch of the ALP when John Howard went to the polls on the issue. It failed, and thank goodness for the Northern Territory’s sake that it did, because a broad-based consumption tax has proved to be a boon to growth in this country. That growth has meant a growth in revenue nationally, and this little old jurisdiction gets a nice shot in the arm every single year from both predicted and unpredicted GST revenue. The Commonwealth Grants Commission pours manna onto the path of the ALP, yet they do not and will not acknowledge it. It just sticks in your throat.
The minister claims HomeNorth as an ALP brain child. No. HomeNorth was started by the CLP. It was a great scheme and the ALP has allowed it to evolve as it would have done anyhow. I heard the Treasurer say earlier how the ALP’s HomeNorth scheme has provided $11m more than the CLP’s scheme would have. True, if you use all the old parameters of measurement. However, there have been changes to house prices, big changes. The Treasurer understands that HomeNorth would have evolved in a similar fashion under the CLP. Perish the thought; it may have even been more generous. The shift in stamp duty claimed by the minister makes sense because of the shift in house prices.
This government needs to very seriously address the shortage of land for first home buyers. It is disappointing that this Labor government has left first home buyers out in the cold when it comes to being able to enter the housing market purely because of the cost of land and the shortage of affordable land for first home buyers. The CLP used to offer discounted blocks through a ballot process for first home buyers. This has gone. A CLP government will reintroduce this. There is a way to provide first home buyers with a way into the housing market, and it can be done without risking the equity that current home owners have. Government can do this without a significant effect on their budget bottom line. Government has no excuse and can offer support for first home buyers.
A process of providing a number of blocks from each land release for a first home buyer’s ballot can be done. This process, if implemented by government, will at least give first home buyers the opportunity to enter the very expensive Territory housing market. My colleague, the member for Nelson, has also been working on this. Here is, yet again, an opportunity for the minister to take out her earplugs and forget about her politics, and listen to what the opposition and Independents have to say in respect of dealing with some of these very serious matters ...
Mr Wood: In Alice Springs.
Mrs MILLER: Yes. Mr Deputy Speaker, I know that the minister and government really do not like hearing this sort of news either but, conceptually, the waterfront dates back to the CLP. Admittedly, there was no wave pool in the CLP proposal, but there was a free access town beach in the concept.
Cullen Bay is a place where many ministers love to enjoy a relaxing time, and why not? They do a bit of their spending on their gold cards. That was a CLP driven initiative, and resisted passionately by the ALP whose reasons were because sand would be taking from the sandbar nearby. I bet every single one of them uses Cullen Bay and so they should, it is a lovely area, but give credit where credit is due. I know you hate it; it sticks in your throat.
The tax breaks claimed by the minister are products of arrangements which have been announced in budgets years before the ALP came to office. The lowering of payroll tax by increments can be found in the Treasurer’s comments well before 2001.
Times are good, but it has much to do with external forces including the inheritance the government received from the former government. Claiming it all as the ALP’s own work is just not truthful. One of the best rewrites of them all is for you to sing the praises of ConocoPhillips and talking about the Channel Island Power Station in the same breath. That is a bit of a joke, too, because no matter what spin is put on it, the fact remains that because of this government’s inability to respond effectively to the gas environment it inherited from the CLP, you have been stuck with having to pipe gas hundreds of kilometres at huge expense when there is one of the country’s biggest gas suppliers not two kilometres from the power station, which is just plain dumb.
The ENI result is not a good result for the Territory. It is merely a necessary result. Because this government took its eye of the ball, they lost what should have been an easy deal and they have not been able to secure the gas supply from the obvious source since. It was a dumb move, and very short-sighted.
The rest of the minister’s statement is a rehash of the statement the Chief Minister delivered last week. It is a 40-minute self-glorifying advert for what a great job the ALP is doing for the Territory. If this government governs well during a downturn, then I will be impressed, but until they manage to do that, I can only describe them to be a bunch of amateur sailors. This is a very good analogy, saying what a great crew they are for sailing across a still duck pond. They have yet to show their mettle as seafarers and when the storm comes in, I want to see who is left on the deck.
I want to now address the minister’s trip to Canberra to put the case for Territory road funding. The minister knows full well that the Country Liberal Party has always fully supported a partnership. There is no argument from the Country Liberal Party about support for government for additional funding for the Territory. We are well aware …
Ms Lawrie: That is not what you said the other day.
Mrs MILLER: Yes, it is, and I am going to remind you of what you did not do. You should be ashamed. I do not think you could convince your Cabinet colleagues of the importance of the rural roads because for you not to meet an obligation of dollar-for-dollar from the federal government is extremely disappointing. That has resulted in the equivalent of $1.5m less for that outback road. It does not matter which spin you put on it, the facts are there. That is the agreement with the federal government, dollar-for-dollar, and you knocked it back so Western Australia was the lucky one to get the additional funding.
That aside, you need to convince Canberra that you are serious in the argument you put to them. You have the support of the Country Liberal Party in your attempts to gain as much funding as you can for Territory roads because there is a substantial amount of money needed. The next time you put a case to your Cabinet, when you have the opportunity to match $1-for-$1, I certainly hope that they listen to you and you put your case loudly enough. I hope they realise just important our road systems are. When you go to Canberra, I wish you every success in being able to negotiate a deal for a substantially increased funding for Territory roads and that is meant in sincerity. I support your attempts to do it.
I must admit, yesterday when Madam Speaker talked about tone, I hope that you make sure your tone is a little more reduced and conducive when you go to Canberra. I do not know that it would be in the best interests of the Territory if you use the tone that you use here at times when speaking to the federal Minister for Transport and Infrastructure.
I thank the minister for her statement. I am looking forward to listening to her reply because I have no doubt that she will be absolutely choking to acknowledge that there was some success before 2001 in the Northern Territory.
Debate adjourned.
Mr STIRLING (Treasurer): Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the Assembly do now adjourn.
I was very pleased to hear that seven students from the Yirrkala Community Education Centre graduated following completion of the Northern Territory Certificate of Education 2006. My congratulations go to Ngalkarbuy Mununggurr, Gathapura Mununggurr, Birrala Yunupingu, Gapuynga Gurruwiwi, Ganybu Mununggurr, Yikatjpirr Wunungmurra and Nuwaniny Burarrwanga.
I also acknowledge the consistent effort and support of Andrea Kingston who has worked tirelessly over the past 10 years on the secondary education program at Yirrkala. Andrea has supported and encouraged these students through the process. I thank her for her efforts and determination in assisting these students to reach their potential at secondary level.
The Australia Day awards ceremony was held at the town hall organised by the Nhulunbuy Corporation. Citizen of the Year, Peter Cox, was chosen for his continuous selfless contribution to the community. He is the incumbent President of Nhulunbuy Regional Sports Fishing Club and instrumental in many projects which benefit the community and other organisations. Among Peter’s initiatives was providing logistics and event coordination to the Darwin Symphony Orchestra’s trip to Nhulunbuy; and the Gove Yacht Club lighting where he instigated the implementation of new heavy duty security lighting to enable safe access to the yacht club’s car park and boat ramp. He also organised funding for grant applications, design, engineering, construction and installation of the club’s signage. He was the force behind organising several auctions from which proceeds were used to purchase much needed equipment for the Gove Hospital. He organised fishing clinics to promote family-oriented activities for the community. He is the Secretary of the Northern Territory Game Fishing Association. I congratulate Peter and thank him for his contribution to our community.
Scott Whelan and Mitchell Putland were both awarded Young Citizens of the Year following their brave and selfless action in assisting to save lives last year. A local family with relatives from Canada were swimming at Turtle Beach when the grandmother and grandson got into difficulty. Mitchell and Scott grabbed their surfboards and raced into the surf to help them. Their skills, initiative and courage saved Kevin Belair and his grandmother’s lives by bringing them to shore without hesitation or thought that they may also have been at risk. These young men are both junior lifesavers who have come through the Nipper Skills Development Program and have represented the Northern Territory in surf lifesaving. These boys are a credit to their families and are very worthy recipients of the award. I might add that it underlines the value of surf lifesaving because without the skills that gave those two young guys the courage to enter what was heavy surf on the day on their boards, two people would no longer be with us, a grandmother and a grandson. Certainly the surf club celebrated their achievement, and it was fantastic to see it further recognised with them being awarded Young Citizens of the Year.
The award for Community Event of the Year went to the Garma Festival. Mandawuy Yunupingu accepted the award on behalf of the Yothu Yindi Foundation. The Garma Festival signifies various aspects of Yolngu culture, indigenous knowledge of land and sea, craft, dancing and sharing of ideas and values through various forums and is now in its ninth year.
The Group Training NT and Alcan Gove Training Awards were held last month in Nhulunbuy Town Hall and I congratulate the following recipients: the Group Training NT Apprentice of the Year, Luke Tabone; Trainee of the Year, Nick Bevington; Alcan Apprentice of the Year Stage 1, Diana Lade; Alcan Apprentice of the Year Stage 2, Aaron Daff; Stage 3 Apprentice of the Year, James Watters; Stage 4 Apprentice of the Year, Jaimus Easter; and Trainee of the Year, Shirley Cooper.
Congratulations also to Robert Yeo and his team at Group Training Nhulunbuy for organising the evening.
I was pleased to attend the 2007 Australian Defence Force Academy Appointment ceremony at Parliament House in January, and to congratulate Nhulunbuy student, Cameron Felice, who was successful in joining the Royal Australian Air Force. Cameron was an outstanding student at Nhulunbuy High School. This was a great result for the school and a very proud moment for Cameron’s parents as they shared the moment of sending their son off on his career path. Cameron has an enormously proud father who did his time with the Navy and has now seen his son off into the commissioned ranks of the Air Force.
I commend the Yirrkala Community for a very vocal and passionate ‘no’ to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mal Brough’s proposal to remove the permit system from Aboriginal communities. The meeting on Monday was well represented by many leaders and community members from East Arnhem who demonstrated their vehement opposition to any removal of the current permit system to the minister’s representatives in attendance as part of the consultative process.
I picked up my sister from Victoria at the airport last night. She handed me a package which had a note from my brother that said:
It certainly will be, Mr Deputy Speaker, and I intend to pass it on to the minister with responsibility for Heritage to see the most appropriate place for it and perhaps some checking of records for Japanese bombers shot down over Darwin on 25 April 1942 or around that date. It is a rather unique little piece and it just shows the sorts of things you can pick up in the bottom of a bric-a-brac bag of junk at a garage sale. I thank my brother for sending that up. I am sure the minister will find the right locale for that piece and that it will be perhaps tested for authenticity, but most importantly preserved and held.
Ms MARTIN (Fannie Bay): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, a number of Territorians were honoured with Australia Day Awards this year. One in particular I would like to acknowledge is John Baskerville. John was awarded the Public Service Medal for his outstanding public service to the Central Australian community.
As many of you know, John is the Director of the Southern Region of my Department of the Chief Minister. He is responsible for the smooth running of the many projects we undertake in Central Australia, and he does a tremendous and enormous job. One of John’s most notable achievements has been taking a lead role in the creation of the Desert Knowledge Project. Desert Knowledge is a project we believe in and one in which we will continue to invest. The commitment and vision of John and the Desert Knowledge team are making this project a reality and it is set to bring long-lasting benefits to Alice Springs and the entire Central Australian region. I hope everyone here joins me in congratulating John Baskerville on his award. It is one that is thoroughly deserved.
The Territory’s unique environment and diverse wildlife is well known around the world. There are many volunteer organisations right across the Territory that help protect and preserve our precious environment. Wildcare Alice Springs is one of those organisations and it recently celebrated 10 years of community service in Central Australia.
With a pool of around 30 volunteers, Wildcare rescues abandoned and injured animals and nurses them back to health for up to six months. In all, Wildcare Alice Springs has saved over 4500 animals in the past decade. They have done this with the help of Emergency Services and other organisations that donate their goods and services to assist the great work of these volunteers. Wildcare Alice Springs plays a vital role in protecting and preserving our environment. I congratulate them on their decade of service to the community and hope they continue long into the future.
The Telstra Road to Tamworth competition is a chance for undiscovered talent to make their mark on the country music stage, no matter where in Australia they live. Michelle Murphy is from Idracowra Station, 270 km south of Alice Springs, and was one of the eight finalists in the competition which was held at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. After travelling to Darwin for the heats and winning, Michelle travelled to Tamworth to compete in front of a sell-out crowd. Our own Jessica Mauboy was there to spur on the contestants and lend some Territory support to Michelle. Jess also wowed the crowd with a special guest performance. Despite her best efforts, Michelle did not win, but she certainly did us proud. To be one of eight finalists out of more than 700 entrants is an extraordinary achievement. Congratulations, Michelle. I am sure you will do great things and become a regular face at Tamworth for many years to come.
The Territory Branch of the Royal Life Saving Society Australia is an important organisation and one that helps prevent loss of life and injury in our aquatic environments. They are dedicated to turning everyday people into everyday community life savers through education and training, health promotion, advocacy, sport and participation, risk management and research. This evening, I recognise their work and the great team at Sports House in my electorate of Fannie Bay. The NT Branch offers a variety of swimming and water safety programs across the NT, including infant aquatics, Swim and Survive, Junior Lifeguard Club, Bronze Rescue, Sunday Lifesaving and Lifesaving as a sport. Last financial year, they administered 154 courses throughout the Territory, with the bronze medallion and senior first aid courses in high demand.
In early 2005, the NT branch implemented a remote pools project, which involves a Darwin-based officer working with remote communities to help them maintain and manage their pools. The project was extended last year with a two-year Building Healthy Communities project starting at Daly River. Betty Sullivan is the Daly River Project Officer and I wish her all the best in this important role. The program will work towards increasing physical activity, recreation and use of the swimming pools. It will also look at improving the delivery of training courses to people with English as a second language. By the end of 2007, the society aims to have a Swim and Survive program running in all remote communities, and all remote pool staff trained in water safety.
I take this opportunity to acknowledge the dedicated staff at the NT branch: the Executive Director, Floss Roberts; Business Manager, Michael Lloyd; Leah Cullen, Training and Development Officer; Rebecca Pierce, the Project Officer; Swim and Survive Schools Officer, Jacqui Dobson; and Administration and Finance Officer, Aroha Jennings.
Several staff have moved on from the branch in recent months, and I acknowledge their contribution to water safety in the Territory. Many thanks to Mark Fitzsimons, Rachel Butt and Fiona Smith. In addition, many thanks to the NT Branch Executive Committee including Randall Cook, Kim Clark and Jacqueline Nichols. Thank you, too, to all the trainers who conduct swimming and lifesaving programs across Darwin and in our regional centres. They provide people with vital knowledge and skills necessary for aquatic rescues and emergency care.
The NT Pool Lifesaving Championships team competed at the national championships in Perth last month. Congratulations to team members Amanda Riley, Sarah Dowd, Denise Clark, Zoe Clark, and Alice Cotton, as well as team manager, Kim Clark and coach, Alister Lear.
Darwin High School’s 2006 Year 12 graduation ceremony was held at the end of last year, on 28 November, at the Darwin Entertainment Centre, and it was a memorable event. The graduating students were all dressed to the nines and looked incredibly glamorous. They were also clearly very excited to have completed Year 12. The teachers and families who attended, while very proud, were no doubt very relieved that the final challenging year of school was over. I acknowledge all the staff and students who participated in the graduation program: Janine Matheson who delivered the welcome; Rachel Elphick who assisted with the presentation of graduation scrolls; and principal, Marion Guppy, who gave the farewell.
Student Dominic Moc Saint-Clare did a great job introducing the guest speaker, Markus Meier, a former Darwin High School student who has now achieved success with his music and works for Customs. Markus spoke about the importance of following your dreams and pursuing the things you are passionate about in life.
Gemma Nourse delivered a clever and thoughtful valedictory address, and it was clear to see why Gemma has done so well in debating and in her role with the model United Nations. I wish Gemma luck at university in Canberra.
I also recognise the evening’s artistic performances. Joseph Yuen played a Chopin piano etude. As someone who plays the odd piano etude by Chopin, I can say he played it beautifully and much better than I could ever do it. The dance performance, He it Vaihi by the Years 10, 11 and 12 Dance Class was very moving, and I know my electorate officer was very taken with it. Well done to choreographer, Julia Quinn and dancers, Karajayne Handberg, Vera Tabuzo, Elle Chandler, Carmen Jay, Kathryn Lawrence, Katrina Firth, Sosefina Fuamoli, Kate Ryan, Rochelle Chin, Jessica Gollow and Laura McIntyre.
As much as I would like to name every student of the Darwin High School Class of 2006, unfortunately it is not possible to do here but I congratulate each of them on completing Year 12 and I wish them all the best in the future. My warmest congratulations, too, to all teachers and staff of Darwin High for their commitment to the education of our young people. I wish them all very well for this coming year.
Darwin High, with its graduating Year 12s, did the best they had ever done and have lifted, quite extraordinarily, the percentage of their Year 12 students achieving an 80 TER and above. We have seen a doubling of that in the last two years in terms of that success. So I add a personal note to the teachers at Darwin High and the students for a most successful 2007 year; may we repeat the success of 2006.
Finally, Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, back in 2005 sisters, Stephanie and Christina Brown established their business, Salivate! Creative Catering for Food Lovers. Since then, they have gone from strength to strength. In September last year, they opened their first retail outlet, The Food Lovers Store, at Stuart Park in my electorate. Stephanie and Christina are true locals, having been here since before Cyclone Tracy. Their mother, Kay, was closely involved with both the Darwin Theatre Company and the Cavenagh Theatre and is now one of the Grey Panthers. Their father, Colin, was a long-running union president in the 1970s and 1980s.
Salivate! is a high quality gourmet catering business specialising in fresh, imaginative food. It also caters to those with special dietary requirements. Christina and Stephanie are very passionate about food and love to create a memorable one-off experience for their customers, whether it is an elegant dinner party or a simple picnic. They can cater for just about any event, including cocktail and dinner parties, business breakfasts and lunches, outdoor events, photo shoots and weddings and their reputation is growing. While they have won some high profile jobs, like catering for 800 at the premiere of Ten Canoes last year, the job they like is to go into peoples’ homes, set and decorate the dining area and cook a three or four course meal on-site.
The Food Lovers Store is a caf and retail store. It sells great coffee and cakes. It serves breakfast and lunch and has fresh pasta and sauces to take home. They also stock a select range of gourmet items from the Territory and interstate, including organic, gluten-free and dairy-free products. An example is Salivate!’s own brand of organic mango chutney, lime pickle and preserved lemons, which are based on their parents’ recipes. The aim is export them in the not-too-distant future.
More and more people are getting to know about this dynamic duo. Christina has a radio segment on Territory FM every Friday, talking food with Gino, and has also taken over the food section of the Sunday Territorian, where she presents Salivate! recipes using local produce and foods. The Food Lovers Store then serves that recipe at Sunday brunch so people can try it out. The recipe is also posted on the website for anyone to download. I recognise the efforts of Stephanie and Christina Brown and their staff, Clare Cairns and Lonny Ruddick. I am proud they have set up shop in my electorate and I wish them all the best for the future.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I wish to speak about two men from the rural area who recently passed away. One was in the prime of his life and one, I suppose, was more senior and lived a fairly full life.
The first is Mark McCasker, a young man, only 19 years old, who passed away on 18 February. Mark was the much-loved son of Ray and Jo Anne McCasker and brother to Daniel, Ben, Rebecca and Jessica from Virginia. Mark was diagnosed with cancer during the June long weekend last year. He lived most of his young life in the NT and was passionate about playing Australian Rules. He wanted to be an AFL player. He was the NT Primary School captain and was part of the team that won the NT National Under 18 title under coach Darren Bewick.
He joined the NT Institute of Sport and played with the NT Thunder team. He went to Melbourne last year to work as an apprentice builder and played for the Werribee Football Club, having finished Year 12 at Marcellin College in 2005. He loved his footy, and I was reminded the other day of how he booted the football straight into my head when I was umpiring a junior game at Freds Pass. We all had a laugh at my expense, and then got on with the game.
Everyone hoped Mark would beat the cancer, and I know his mother and father hoped that, too. They would have spent every cent they could to save him. Alas, that was not the case. Mark had many friends who knew him through his footy and they, along with his family, will sorely miss him. He also had many friends from Marcellin College where he had studied Years 8 and 9. He was known by his classmates as ‘Darwin’.
His home team, the Southern Districts Crocs, showed how much they missed him by dedicating a win against St. Mary’s not long before he died. As the captain, Shannon Rusca, said: ‘When I got a phone call from his dad at half time asking me to play my best footy and try to win it for Mark, there was only going to be one winner. The boys took it real hard and made sure we’d do the right thing by Mark’. It was one of the club’s finest wins. Alas, Mark died not long after, surrounded by family and friends.
Father John Carnie from Marcellin College told me about how many of Mark’s young friends kept him company during his illness, and right up to his death. Some of those young people will be flying up on Friday for a memorial service at Freds Pass. The funeral in Melbourne was held at the Chapel at Marcellin College. It was a tribute to Mark, with his Marcellin comrades there in great number. There were many from Darwin, and his club from Werribee also attended. His two brothers and two sisters, Daniel and Ben, and Rebecca and Jessica, paid tribute to him and their love for Mark truly shone through their sadness. Large numbers of people travelled to beautiful Phillip Island where Mark was buried.
I want to finish with the words that Father John spoke at the funeral:
Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Nelson, I would like the Parliamentary Record to record my support for the tribute you just paid to Mark. Thank you on behalf of Goyder constituents, as well.
Mr WOOD: Thank you Mr Acting Deputy Speaker. My second eulogy is for the older person, someone I knew as well. This eulogy was written by the brother of the wife of Garnie Thomson, Colin Kirby.
That was reflected by the very large number of people who turned up at the Living Water Uniting Church in Humpty Doo for his funeral.
The same applies to Ray and Jo Anne McCasker. I also extend my personal sympathy to them. This must be a terrible time to lose their son at such a young age. Again, I know that people in the rural area will be there to support them. The Southern Districts Football Club certainly will support them. Our prayers and thoughts are with them for both Mark and Garnie.
Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Nelson, I, too, extend my condolences to Garnie’s family. That was a very fine tribute. Thank you very much.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I also know Mark’s parents very well, Jo Anne and Ray McCasker. It is a tragedy that they have lost their son. They are a very close knit family, and they have instilled some wonderful work ethics in their family right from a young age. It is such a tragedy to see them lose their son.
I spoke in adjournment the other night of an incident and our experiences with Jo Anne and Ray and the McCasker family. I extend my deepest sympathy to all of the family. Unfortunately, Mike and I will be unable to attend the memorial service on Friday as I will be on a plane at that time going to Adelaide. I am very sorry that we will not be there to support them. I know they will have a lot of family and friends, and especially Mark’s sporting mates will be there. It will be wonderful. My deepest sympathy to them and I will catch up with Jo Anne and Ray when we get back.
Tonight, I take the opportunity to place on the Parliamentary Record my respects for a lady who died, Rosie Darwood. Rosie lived at Leanyer. I did not know Rosie personally, but I do know that her death at a fairly young age has had a significant effect on quite a few people. The reason I know so much about Rosie, my connection with her is that, for the last six months of 2006, she was the family day care provider for my granddaughter, Jorja Wachtel, and another little boy I know, Luke Twartz.
Rosie was also a Coordinator for Darwin City Council Fun in the Parks, which organised school holiday programs and there would have been many parents and young people who would know Rosie through her involvement in these programs.
All members in this Assembly appreciate how very important it is for our very young children to have a positive early start in life and make all experiences as enjoyable as possible in their development. It is always a challenge for mums to leave the children in hands of others to care for and it is only natural that mums hope that they have chosen a carer with whom their child bonds. In the case of Rosie Darwood, my daughter, Trisha, was very fortunate that Jorja had such a wonderful carer. She absolutely loved going to Rosie’s place three days a week, as did her little friend, Luke. Jorja, who was only 18 months old when she started going to day care, would have gone there every day, she loved Rosie so much. She would ask her mum, Trisha: ‘Go to Rosie’s, mum?’
People like Rosie are treasures as carers for young children, so it was with great sadness that Rosie advised Trisha and Deb just before this last Christmas that she was unable to continue Family Day Care due to illness. Rosie had breast cancer several years ago and was hopeful that she was fully recovered. Unfortunately, she was recently diagnosed with cancer of the liver and, due to her illness, and to be with her family, Rosie had to close her Day Care and travel to Perth for treatment. It is with great regret and deep sadness that I report that Rosie died in Perth on 15 February. Rosie leaves a son, Hayden, and a daughter, Teagan, to mourn her passing as well as the parents of Jorja and Luke, who will always appreciate the love and care that Rosie gave their children while in her care.
On behalf of two very appreciative parents, Jorja’s mum, Trisha Wachtel, and Luke’s mum, Deb Twartz, deepest sympathy to Hayden and Teagan, who have lost a loving and a very caring mother.
Dr BURNS (Johnston): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I am sure that all members of the Assembly will join me in extending our condolences to the family and friends of Dr Peter Thatcher, the Director of the Forensic Services Branch of the Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services.
Dr Thatcher passed away on 7 February after an 18 month battle with cancer. He was a highly respected figure in the field of forensic science and made a significant and sustained contribution to the Northern Territory community over the past 10 years.
Dr Thatcher’s forensic science career began at the Victorian Forensic Science Centre in 1971 after completing a Masters Degree at Melbourne University. He became an Assistant Director in the Victorian State Forensic Laboratory responsible for pharmacology, clandestine laboratory investigations, audio analysis, document examination, drug analysis, fire and explosion analysis, and gun shot residue analysis. He was responsible for initiating the first fire scene examination section in an Australian jurisdiction. In 1986, he was awarded a scholarship to visit Sweden and undertake collaborative research into fire investigations.
Dr Thatcher presented papers on fire investigation to the Australian and New Zealand Forensic Science Symposium on no less than five occasions. He authored or co-authored four papers for the Encyclopaedia of Forensic Science and published various scientific articles in forensic science and forensic medicine journals. Dr Thatcher worked on several major overseas cases in Fiji, New Zealand and Vanuatu, and reviewed cases from Indonesia to the Christmas Islands. He was President of the Australian and New Zealand Science Society from 1983 to 1989.
During the 1980s, Dr Thatcher was seconded for several years to an AusAid project in Papua New Guinea where he established a forensic science lab in Port Moresby. In 1992, he became Assistant Director for Special Projects with the Victorian Forensic Laboratory. He helped the laboratory achieve accreditation under the American Senior Crime Lab directions and the National Association Testing Authority.
In 1997, Dr Thatcher was seconded to the Northern Territory Police Forensic Services section to review the Northern Territory’s forensic operations. I do not know if it was something to do with his love of fishing, but he stayed on, and in 1998 was appointed Director of what is now the Forensic Services Branch.
Dr Thatcher was passionate about the Northern Territory, and in particular the Northern Territory Police Force, and his passion was infectious to those around him. Dr Thatcher’s last major case was the trial of Bradley John Murdoch for the murder of Peter Falconio. Among his major achievements were obtaining national accreditation for the Northern Territory Forensic Science Centre, one of only three integrated forensics facilities in Australia. He was the driving force behind the Northern Territory’s DNA laws, which are considered to be the best in Australia. As part of this process, he adapted many of the best facets of UK legislation and improved upon them. The UK has adopted many of these improvements, and a number of Australian jurisdictions are now following suit.
Dr Thatcher’s energy, enthusiasm and clarity of vision in this area were a major catalyst in facilitating the operation of the National Criminal Investigation DNA database. Dr Thatcher will be greatly missed by members of the Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services who have asked me to extend their sympathies to his wife, Sue and daughter, Annaliese. On behalf of all members here this evening, I extend my sincere sympathy to Dr Thatcher’s family and friends. Our thoughts are with you at this difficult time.
On a happy note, I had great pleasure earlier this month in attending the graduation of Police Recruit Squad 87 and welcoming another 22 constables into the Northern Territory Police Force. This is the second recruit squad graduation I have had the honour to attend since taking over the portfolio last September.
All members of Recruit Squad 87 deserve congratulations for passing the extremely rigorous 31-week training course. They and their fellow graduates are a credit to themselves, their families and the staff of the Police Training College. I would like to particularly acknowledge Constable Galia Fomin from Darwin, who was awarded the Rod Evans Memorial Trophy for the highest academic achievement; Constable Mark Clemmens, who won the Commissioner’s Trophy for Best Overall Performance; Constable Timothy Kingston from Darwin, who was awarded the Glen Huitson Trophy for the Most Consistent Application in all areas of training throughout the recruit training course; and Constable David Witham, who won the Physical Training Trophy.
I was very pleased to see some 50 trainees from Recruit Squad 88 and Recruit Squad 89 taking part in the graduation ceremony, and I look forward to attending their graduations in the coming months. In all, there are currently 70 recruits at various stages of their training. I take this opportunity to acknowledge the work of the staff and officers of the Police College, in particular Acting Sergeant Dave Skelton and Acting Senior Constable Luke Kingsbury who are the coordinators of Recruit Squad 87. To the Director of the College, Commander Max Pope and all your staff, I know you have been very busy over the past few years with the huge increase in the number of police recruits, and I thank you for all your hard work. You have given our new police the foundation on which they can build successful careers as Northern Territory police officers.
I would now like to turn to some of the goings-on in the fantastic electorate of Johnston, which I am privileged to serve as the local member.
Chantel Holloway is one of my younger constituents. Late last year, Chantel travelled to the 2006 Callisthenics National Championships. I was able to make a contribution to her travel costs and was recently rewarded with a letter from Chantel telling me about her experience. Chantel reported that while the Territory team members did not get any placings at the nationals, they were very proud of what they achieved and how they performed at the competition. They also received numerous compliments from people from other states. I have no doubt that Chantel’s dedication to her sport will see her go a long way as she gains experience in interstate competitions and spends time perfecting her routines and developing her skills. Chantel has been selected to represent the Northern Territory again this year, and I wish her and the whole callisthenics junior and intermediate teams all the best of luck when they travel down to Adelaide.
I will also take a moment to mention Chantel’s big brother, John, who has been a great help to me over the years, especially at Christmas when he volunteers his time to help me around the electorate and, in particular, with my Christmas party. John and Chantel are worthy young people, and I look forward to following their progress over years to come.
Last year, I kept members up to date with the Jingili Primary School’s support for the Leu Lau School in East Timor. I am happy to inform the house that Jingili Primary’s bid to collect 400 exercise books during the last half of 2006 was achieved. This was a fantastic effort by the students who managed to cover the floor of the assembly hall with the books. With the help of East Timor Sunrise, the books will soon be with the children of Leu Lau School in East Timor.
Tonight, I acknowledge the recipients in my electorate of the inaugural Chief Minister’s Literacy Achievement Awards. These awards recognise the literacy improvement and success of students from Transition to Year 7 in Northern Territory government schools. From the Wagaman Primary School, the following students were recognised: Nickolas Dakis, Transition; Oliver Markey, Transition/Year 1; Ben Jackson and Sheena Fitzsimmons, Year 1/2; Izabella Silva-Cendo, Year 2/3; Peta Bonnell, Year 3/4; John Mulbah, Year 4/5; Joel O’Brien, Year 5/6; Emma Jackson, Year 4/5/6; and Vincent Silva, Year 6/7.
At Jingili Primary School, the recipients of the literacy awards were: Dylan Mustey, Transition, Most Improved; Alexandra Smith and Isabela Charles, Year 1/2, Most Improved; Claudia Lee, Year 2/3, Personal Best; Breanna Haase, Year 3/4, Personal Best; William Anstey, Year 4/5, Personal Best; Robyn Turner, Year 5/6/7, Most Improved; and Megane Marques, Year 6/7, Most Improved.
Moil Primary School awarded Chief Minister’s Literacy Awards for 2006 to: Isaac Verity and Andreas Kalamboks of Transition/Year 1; Caleb McIntyre, Year 1; Netanya Lai, Year 1/2; Hayden Verity, Year 2/3; Chad Dickens, Year 3; Helena Frewen-Lord, Year 4; Dean Lyons, Year 4; Eliza Morse, Year 4/5; Michael Pilling, Year 5; Stacey Gould, Year 5/6/7; and Mathew Petterson, Lucy Anderson and Nathan Lai of Year 6/7.
I presented awards at the Alawa Primary School and took great pleasure in shaking the hands of Amy Chin, Hannah Roche, Nader Powling, Michael Lynch, Mayamoon Latham, Nathan Wilde, Peter Von Stieglitz, Jackson Wolfe, Taylor Walker and Annaleigh Issacs-Greenwood. These awards were presented to the students in four categories: Personal Best; Most Outstanding; Most Improved; and Most Imaginative.
Well done to all those students for their achievements.
Following the recent citizenship ceremony held on Australia Day, I was delighted to welcome the following new citizens to my electorate: Praveen, Jayalaxmi and Pranjal Thodupunuri of Wagaman; Mr Heng Dieng Ting of Jingili; Mr Fong Ting Jong and Ms Siau Ping Li of Wagaman; and Egas, Filomena, Decideria and Vario Alves of Alawa.
The Student Citizens of 2007 were also announced, and I extend my sincere congratulations to: Tiara Ladju of Wagaman Primary School; Margaret Harrison of Moil Primary; Kevin Kadirgamar of Casuarina Senior College; and Shannen Pugh of Jingili Primary School. Well done! They are leaders of the future in our community, and I am sure we will be hearing more about these young people in years to come.
Finally, I want to publicly acknowledge a letter I received from a constituent in Jingili who wrote to me and to the Minister for Family and Community Services to acknowledge her gratitude to the staff of Jingili Kindergarten Childcare Centre and Preschool. This constituent is a full-time working mother to whom the provision of quality childcare and preschool education is of the utmost importance. Having had the experience of several childcare centres, my constituent wrote that the Jingili Kindergarten stands out for its child-centred approach and for its friendly and professional staff.
It is fantastic to receive such a glowing acknowledge of the great work that the people are doing at Jingili kindergarten. It is an outstanding centre and has some very caring and wonderful people working there. I am always glad to attend functions and read to the children. I have had the great pleasure in reading to the kiddies there and I have attended some very enjoyable functions.
Jingili is a fantastic place in which to live and go to school, and the kindergarten contributes to the sense of community by creating the perfect atmosphere for our youngest children as they begin their journey through the school system.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, they were some highlights from the Johnston electorate.
Ms CARNEY (Araluen): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I talk about a serious issue in Alice Springs; one that, in particular, the government has not done well in, pretty much from start to finish, although the matter is probably a long way from being finished. This is about the Titan and Taurus generators from the Ron Goodin Power Station.
Even the most casual backbencher observer on the government side will have heard of the Ron Goodin Power Station. This is the power station in Alice Springs that supplies the power for town. The Titan and Taurus generators have created some difficulties. The minister, in the past, has been well aware of the noise coming from the power station after the installation of the Titan generator. It has been going on for about 18 months, perhaps a little longer.
As an occasional golfer, if you are on the second hole at the Alice Springs Golf Course, you can hear it. It is okay for me because I am just getting through my shot and moving on to the next hole. This is not in my electorate; it is in the electorate of my colleague, the member for Greatorex. I know, because Alice Springs is still a small town, that people have been speaking all over the place about the anger that has been caused by the noise of the generator. It has formed the basis of discussion on talkback radio, it has had media reports and people are talking about it pretty much all over town. Everyone who does not live near the golf course or near the Ron Goodin Power Station knows about this issue.
Why it is that it took the Minister for Essential Services so long to demonstrate even a thin veil of leadership on this issue will remain a mystery to the people of Alice Springs and, particularly, those who have been affected by it. There was a story in the Centralian Advocate some time ago that dealt with some people who were affected by this noisy generator and who were actually living in a motel. Other people have talked about having to be administered with medication so that they could sleep at night. Others have shed tears in frustration about the noisy generator.
Even though it has been far too long to see any action from the government, it was somewhat heartening to see the Minister for Essential Services act in the last few weeks. However, he has not acted to resolve the problem in an immediate sense; he has simply said that the Titan and Taurus generators will be relocated. He has nominated three sites and then, in his usual way, slipped away and said where these generators actually go is a matter for Power and Water. If the minister is able to tell Power and Water to move the generators then, equally, he is able to participate and lead in the decision as to their relocation.
There are three sites that have been suggested by the minister. One is the most appropriate by a country mile. The suggestion that the generators be relocated to the Ilparpa area, which is in my electorate, has angered residents. My phone rang hot, and I received faxes and e-mails from constituents. If memory serves me correctly, they also rang talkback radio to express their horror that a noisy generator is being moved to placate, at long last, some people, but will be moved to another area close to a residential area. Of course, it is perfectly understandable that people are very concerned. The actual location that is proposed in Ilparpa is in a former valley, so the noisy generator probably has the potential to be worse by bouncing off the ranges in Alice Springs. I can well understand the concern of my constituents on that matter.
Another proposed site is near the airport. That is, again, not ideal and, whilst not in the heart of a residential area, very close to it. Noting the geography of the area, one needs to be receptive to the reverberation effects of a noisy generator.
A third area is the Brewer Estate. The minister has said that all three sites are under consideration. Given that it took him 18 months to announce the relocation, and we do not know when that will be, but I do not hold any hope that he will demonstrate similar albeit very thin leadership when it comes to saying exactly where it should go. I have written to my constituents and I have written to the minister. I have urged him to ensure that the generators are moved to the Brewer Estate. That is an area well known to the people of Alice Springs and that is where the generator should go. Blind Freddy can see that the generators should go there. My colleague, the member for Greatorex, has been speaking to many of his constituents as well as people generally in Alice Springs. Neither of us have met anyone who says that Ilparpa or near the airport is a good spot. It is the Brewer Estate; that is where it should go. I am asking the minister now in the parliament to ensure that that is where these generators end up.
What has been even more disappointing than the minister’s long failure to act, but I suppose it is the norm when it comes to all things Alice Springs because of the general contempt that government ministers have for the people of Alice Springs. The minister wrote to people and said words to the effect of: ‘Hello, I have decided to act and I am suggesting the movement of these generators’. He has disappointed everyone for two reasons. One is he attached to his letter a scandalous and disgraceful media release in which perpetration of an untruth continues notwithstanding the fact that my colleague, the member for Greatorex, has made his position abundantly clear.
Now, I understand political spin but when this government slithers in the most disgusting ways imaginable and says in a media release, and sends it to the people of Alice Springs, and I quote the media release dated 7 February 2007:
That is wrong, wrong, wrong. Government knows it. I do not mind the adversarial nature of Territory politics under the reign of the regime of the Martin government, but I strongly object to the spreading of untruths like this. They know it is an untruth and it should be retracted, but such is the contempt for the people of Alice Springs, they perpetuate it. They do think, as I said last night in this place, the people of Alice Springs are stupid. That is why they treat them so badly. Well, the people of Alice Springs do not buy this for a moment. My colleague, the member for Greatorex, and I have, as a result of this scandalous allegation, dealt with a number of constituents and have said in very clear terms, and I have written to many of them, that:
That is what the people of Alice Springs will accept. It beggars belief that anyone would suggest the doubling of people’s power bills. It beggars belief that even this government would stoop to the depths of perpetrating the untruths which comprises the minister’s media release of 7 February.
The minister wrote to everyone in Alice Springs based on our information, certainly my electorate, Dr Lim’s electorate, and the member for Braitling’s electorate. Not only did they spread this garbage – and it is garbage; it is untrue – what they did is sent not one copy to everyone, not two, not three. Some people got four, some five, some six, some seven, some eight letters. The record is 10 letters, 10 of the same letter. Not a copy of the minister’s letter with the scandalous media release copied on the back, not using one bit of paper, recycling-type lefties that you are. They come in here and talk about all of the green credentials that this government has and they do not follow through on their own mantra; they do not have the wit to put the minister’s media release on the back of a letter to people. No, two pages.
Some people received 20 bits of paper courtesy of the Northern Territory government. I received a call on Friday. It was an absolute scream. I wish I could bring my mobile phone in here and play it. This was a person in Alice Springs who said: ‘Jodeen, I don’t believe this. Yesterday we got six letters from that …’ - and I will not say exactly how he described the Minister for Essential Services because it is very unparliamentary, ‘Yesterday we got six letters from that minister and, one by one, they went into the bin’. Then he said: ‘We could not believe it! We went home for lunch and we picked up another two’. Six letters. True story! Then he said: ‘What is that bloke doing? What is that bloke doing up there? Who does he think he is?’. It has become a laughing stock that the minister has sent up to 10 letters to people in Alice Springs.
The people of Alice Springs think that is a disgraceful waste of their money, and it is. They note the irony that they received two bits of paper – not, as they might have expected, the copy of a media release on the other side. They are also aware of the scandalous and disgusting allegation made in relation to my colleague, the member for Greatorex. They also do not buy for a minute that the so described ‘Carney Opposition’ wants to charge people the real cost of power, doubling their power bills. What arrant nonsense!
This government is prepared to do whatever it takes to stay in government, create mischief and to tell what can only be described as whopper upon whopper upon whopper. My colleague, the member for Greatorex, and I know the people of Alice Springs much better than the government ministers who fly in and fly out as quickly as they possibly can. The government, as I have said, is contemptuous of the people of Alice Springs, and this is yet another example. There are so many.
The minister should hang his head in shame. He has failed even the most basic requirements of being a decent government minister. He cannot even organise one letter to each person in Alice Springs. He cannot organise a media release attached thereto or copied thereon to be accurate. He has to resort to absolute garbage like the contents of the media release of 7 February. This is yet another demonstration of the incompetence and arrogance of this government and the despicable way they treat the people of Alice Springs.
They will go to Alice Springs in a little over a month and they will say to the people of Alice Springs that they love them very much and that they care for them and that they are going into bat. Well, I do not think so. These people should be ashamed of themselves and the Minister for Essential Services should be thoroughly ashamed and not a little embarrassed by what he has done. It will catch up with him in the end.
Dr LIM (Greatorex): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I will continue where the Leader of the Opposition left off …
Ms Scrymgour: Oh, you are not, are you?
Dr LIM: … with regard to the power station in Alice Springs. And I do not particularly care what the minister says or tries to interject.
Members interjecting.
Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Dr LIM: The honesty, truth and ethics, all that went out the window.
Mr Knight: You would not know what that was.
Dr LIM: I seek the withdrawal of that from the ignorant member for whatever it is – Victoria River or Daly. Obviously, the Deputy Speakers are not listening to the debate at all. Oh well, never mind.
Members interjecting.
Dr LIM: The empty vessel over there is not worth listening to anyway. Let me just say this …
Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, I ask you to withdraw that. You are calling into question the Chair’s …
Dr LIM: What? Empty vessel? What is wrong with empty vessel? Is not empty vessel allowed?
Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: You are calling into question the integrity of the Chair. I asked you to withdraw the comment, member for Greatorex.
Dr LIM: I dissent from your ruling, Mr Acting Deputy Speaker.
Members interjecting.
Dr LIM: And the clock should be stopped while I do this.
Mr Kiely: I am prepared to speak if you have finished …
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr LIM: The words are: I dissent from the Acting Deputy Speaker’s ruling, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, in rising to my feet …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, I was not in the House. I will ask for rushes before I make any …
Dr LIM: I am happy to explain what I said and for you to rule on that. As I was rising to speak and referring to the Leader of the Opposition’s contribution in adjournment, I picked up this media release from the Minister for Essential Services, and I said: ‘Honesty, truth and ethics went out the window’. Then the member for Daly reflected on me, saying that …
Mr KIELY: Speaking to the point of order …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr LIM: … saying that …
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The member for Greatorex is speaking at the moment.
Dr LIM: … I have none of the attributes that I said went out the window. Now, I called for the member for Daly to withdraw, but the Acting Deputy Speakers at the time were replacing each other and were not listening. So I said: ‘Well, never mind, let it go and we will not worry about that empty vessel over there’. I was then asked to withdraw the words ‘empty vessel’. I dispute that I was saying anything that is unparliamentary. The member for Sanderson …
Mr KIELY: Madam Speaker, speaking to the point of order …
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr LIM: The member for Sanderson has been called many times ‘empty vessel’ at a time when he deserved to be called that and, I have, in fact, over the last 12 months, praised him for his maturity and have ceased calling him that. These behaviours have been replaced by other members who are as immature as he was once upon a time.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, please cease.
Mr BURKE: Madam Speaker …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Brennan. Please resume your seat, member for Greatorex.
Mr BURKE: Madam Speaker, what I asked to be withdrawn was the interchange between the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greatorex, where it was alleged that I was not listening to the debate, which I thought reflected badly on me in that position. That is what I asked him to withdraw.
Madam SPEAKER: Please resume your seat. Member for Millner, do you wish to say something?
Mr BONSON: Yes, Madam Speaker. Speaking to the point of order, it was my understanding that the Acting Deputy Speaker was, in fact, raising the issue with the member for Greatorex that he was reflecting on the Chair. As we saw from his response, he was, in fact, listening, and that was the comment he asked the member for Greatorex to withdraw.
Ms CARNEY: Madam Speaker, may I make a point of clarification, I suppose. My colleague has given notice that he calls dissent from the chair. The clock is stopped. As a point of clarification: are we debating what happened notwithstanding that you, Madam Speaker, have sought a rush, or are we going to wait, in which case my colleague would presumably be entitled to pursue his adjournment debate? I am really after some help with this.
Madam SPEAKER: I believe that the clock has stopped. At least, I hope it has. Has it, Deputy Clerk?
As I was not in the Chamber, Leader of the Opposition, I am trying to find out what happened. I am hoping that the member for Daly may be able to assist in comments to which the member for Greatorex may or may not have referred. If you just resume your seat for a minute.
Ms CARNEY: But are we still getting the rush, Madam Speaker?
Madam SPEAKER: We are still seeking the rush, unless I am able to solve it in a minute. If it is a matter of order, then there is not actually a debate. If it is a ruling, there can be dissent from the Deputy Speaker.
Ms CARNEY: I guess I am suggesting, respectfully, Madam Speaker, that that is the difficulty. There are different versions even from the other side.
Madam SPEAKER: That is why I think - Leader of the Opposition, would you mind resuming your seat.
Dr LIM: Madam Speaker, if indeed, the Deputy Speaker …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, you are saying that the member for Daly made some comments which offended you. Is that correct?
Dr LIM: Yes, and I sought withdrawal. If I had …
Madam SPEAKER: And that did not happen? Is that correct?
Dr LIM: That is right. And …
Madam SPEAKER: All right. And?
Dr LIM: Had I misinterpreted the Acting Deputy Speaker when he ruled that I withdraw, I believed he meant that I withdraw ‘empty vessel’. I, in fact, repeated those words: ‘You asked me to withdraw empty vessel?’. The Deputy Speaker insisted that I withdraw. I assumed that is what he meant, ‘empty vessel’; which is why I disputed. If he had asked me to withdraw that I reflected on his decision, I withdraw.
Mr KIELY: Madam Speaker …
Madam SPEAKER: All right. No, no. I think we have a solution here. Member for Daly, I believe that what you need to do is to withdraw the comments that you made regarding the member for Greatorex which were offensive.
Mr KNIGHT: I do not remember making offensive comments …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Daly, I ask you to withdraw.
Mr KNIGHT: If that is what you would like, Madam Speaker …
Madam SPEAKER: That is what I am asking you to do, member for Daly.
Mr KNIGHT: … I withdraw the comments in relation to the member for Greatorex, which I am unaware of.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Daly.
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! That was a conditional withdrawal. He said he withdraws the comments that he is not aware of.
Mr KNIGHT: Madam Speaker, I unconditionally withdraw the comments.
Ms CARNEY: They were his …
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms CARNEY: They were his own words in …
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition! Member for Daly, just withdraw.
Mr KNIGHT: I withdraw.
Ms Carney: Thank you. It was not hard.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, it does seem to me that what has, in fact, happened here is that there has been a misunderstanding about what the Acting Deputy Speaker was asking you to withdraw, and it was that he meant that you had reflected on the Speaker. I ask you to withdraw.
Dr LIM: I gladly and unreservedly withdraw my reflection on the Chair in this instance.
Madam SPEAKER: All right. In which case, I think that solves the issue. We can start the clock again and you can get onto your adjournment speech.
Dr LIM: That is right. Thank you very much for that. Let me start again. I will continue on from where the Leader of the Opposition left off with regard to the power station in Alice Springs and matters power in Alice Springs.
I believe, with this media release from the Minister for Essential Services, out through the window went ethics, truth, honesty, integrity and all the superlatives to describe behaviour of parliamentarians. The minister said that I demanded that Power and Water has to live within its own resources. Indeed, I said that. However, it did not signal in any way the removal of the $50.4m subsidy that Northern Territory government continues to provide to Power and Water since the days of the Country Liberal Party many years ago.
That subsidy was provided by the Country Liberal Party and maintained by this government as part of the electricity uniform tariff policy, which is to provide power at equal prices all across the Territory. That will never be removed and, if anyone is going to remove it, it is this government that is slowly going broke and putting a millstone around every Territorian’s neck. That is the first loss of faith that I have with this minister.
Then, he went on further. If this was effective repetition or a minister choosing to mislead the public by misquoting and putting words out of context, this has to be it. I quote from the minister’s media release:
That is in the minister’s media release. Again, if that is not an absolute indication of lost integrity by this man, I do not what is. In a radio interview, I told a story about a developer who came to me and said if the Ron Goodin station land were turned into a private residential subdivision for development, it would be good if the government does not demolish those water tanks because they could be converted into unique and quite quaint houses for people who are prepared to pay and choose to re-fashion them. That is what I said and, again, this minister deliberately took it out of context. People in Alice Springs know and that is why this government has so little credibility in Alice Springs.
If the minister and the government choose to take away the uniform tariff policy, then let them announce it. The Brewer Estate was created by the Country Liberal Party government many years ago specifically for noxious industries such as power generation or the petroleum industry. That is why the Brewer Estate was created. Infrastructure was laid out by the Northern Territory government. Guess what! This minister says that we did not do anything about putting infrastructure at Brewer Estate. That is in his media release. If the minister has to stoop to spreading this sort of deception on people in Alice Springs, the minister has lost the debate on this matter.
It is interesting, though, when you look at what the minister said on the ABC on 24 November last year, on the ABC morning program. Katya Quigley said to the minister
That was three months ago. Now he says we have three options. We have to study them first before we decide where to go and it is not going be overnight that we make that decision. The Power and Water Board is going to meet again in a month’s time and then they might make a decision. After that, once the location is identified, they will make another decision when they are going to shift.
This minister continues to stall the decision to shift the power station and the offending equipment that is causing the neighbourhood an untold amount of strife. People are stressed to the max. The other day, I had a constituent knocking on my door in tears. She was really stressed about the noise that has impacted on her family and then, unfortunately, the night before she knocked on my front door, one of her children was severely assaulted by a gang of drunken youths down the street as he was walking home from a couple of houses further down the same street. So the noise problems at Ron Goodin are causing many issues in Alice Springs and the minister has to make a decision now, not years from now.
Last Friday, I had a telephone call from my electorate officer: ‘There is a beeping noise in the office and I am concerned’. It was in fact the UPS under the desk that was beeping. The power had gone off in Alice Springs. So I rang around and it was quite a widespread power failure across Alice Springs. My first reaction was: ‘Good God! The government is on the ball; they are shifting the power station already’. Unfortunately, it was not that. It was an unknown power failure and for some five hours across the town, especially at the Ilparpa area, people suffered power failure.
I rang one woman because I heard she was complaining, and she said that she had prepared quite a lot of food, which she had kept in the fridge on the Friday in preparation for a party she was having on Saturday night, and the food had spoiled because the power had gone off for five hours.
I have been following this matter for the last four or five days now. Even the Centralian Advocate ran it yesterday. On the front page it says: ‘Mystery over four hour blackout. Computer glitch has technicians still in the dark’. In the dark they are, and so is the rest of Alice Springs. I would have thought that the Power and Water Corporation would know pretty quickly the cause of the power failure. Computers went down across the CBD. Traffic lights all went out throughout the CBD. Homes were affected quite significantly - you have a power failure for five hours on an afternoon when Alice Springs had 40C that Friday and 41C on Saturday. There were lots of problems. The airconditioning went out - lots of problems.
I say to the government, especially this minister, who does not appear to be able to lie straight in bed: get your act together and maybe we will see some better outcomes for Alice Springs. Let’s not see you continue the same attitude that we know another minister demonstrated quite clearly a couple of Christmases ago when he and his minder at Limericks – you all know where Limericks is in Alice Springs – said to a group of business people: ‘You people did not vote for us in Alice Springs so you can suffer’. Yes! That was said! That is absolutely disgusting.
In the five minutes left that I have, I want to talk about the Baby Kangaroo Rescue Centre in Alice Springs. It came to my notice a few weeks ago that a resident of Alice Springs had been successfully providing a baby kangaroo rescue service for some 18 months. I wrote to the minister asking for her advice as to why Parks and Wildlife have resisted this activity, which appears to be doing nothing but helping injured wildlife rescued primarily from road verges. This has been done at no cost to the Northern Territory government. The rescue service is a voluntary service performed by the individual with significant zoo keeping experience.
During the 18 months of operation, significant numbers of joeys have been rescued. I was most interested to learn that many travelling tourists who come across injured joeys, birds and even an echidna at road accidents have brought them to the rescue centre.
The principal of the rescue centre has arranged with Parks and Wildlife to provide care for this injured wildlife with support from the local veterinary surgeon. Again, no funds have been provided by Parks and Wildlife for this activity. This enterprising young man has arranged with a local tourism establishment to have the rescued wildlife on display on a non-contact basis. The rescue centre is located at one place and the display is at a local tourism establishment so there are two separate places.
The service has developed significant exposure with local and international tourists lining up to see them, so much so that an Australian Disney film called Double Trouble was made featuring them. The rescue centre is also adorned with a photo gallery displaying pictures of rescued joeys showing the various stages of rescue and recovery of the animals. Like venues, such as the Alice Springs Desert Park and the Reptile Centre, are promoted at the rescue centre for no gain.
There has been much media interest in this rescue centre by Disney TV, European and American newspapers, European TV. I saw an article written in German about the rescue centre. The Discovery Channel, the ABC and CAAMA are all keen to do some sort of television feature or documentary on this facility.
I wrote a two-page letter to the minister three weeks ago and still have not had a response, apart from an acknowledgement. That is all I have. However, the information contained in this letter and the fact that I wrote to the minister has gone back to the Parks and Wildlife people in Alice Springs. Guess what they have done? They have now threatened this man. He said that following a number of conversations with a certain Parks and Wildlife officer, he was told because the Parks and Wildlife minister was informed, it was ‘the final nail in our coffin’ regarding the baby kangaroo centre.
If that is the case, then, minister, I say look into your department. That is absolute blackmail by the public service against a citizen of the Territory who is just doing what he believes is the right thing at no cost to government. It is despicable and I ask the minister to look into this closely.
Mr KIELY (Sanderson): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I am pleased to acknowledge and place on the public record the achievements of two fine individuals I have the honour to represent in this Assembly.
On Australia Day, 26 January 2007, Ms Aimee Slocombe was presented with the Citizen of the Year Under 25 Award and, at the same ceremony, Mr John Rivas received the Citizen of the Year Award for 2007. These are great accolades for two outstanding members of the Sanderson community. I know Mr Rivas for his work in the broader community, and as well as the special work he does with the Filipino community. I have met Aimee Slocombe and her family in the course of my doorknocking.
I want to go into some detail as to why these two individuals were recognised as Citizens of the Year. Aimee Slocombe was born in Darwin on 1 June 1989. She has recently completed her Year 12 studies in English, Communications, Chemistry, Biology, Physical Education and Nutrition at Casuarina Senior College, and has received the her Northern Territory Certificate of Education.
At Casuarina Senior College, Aimee was chosen as Master of Ceremonies to lead the proceedings at the Year 12 graduation dinner dance, and Year 12 graduating students’ dress-up day. Aimee has been awarded a silver medal in the final of the Australian National Chemical Analysis competition conducted by the Australian Chemical Institute. Prior to her studies at Casuarina Senior College, Aimee was named Sanderson High School’s Student Citizen of the Year in 2004.
In pursuit of personal interests outside of college, Aimee takes percussion lessons from the Northern Territory School of Music, specialising in playing the drum kit. In sport, she has represented the school in softball and soccer. She also plays hockey as a goalkeeper in the Northern Territory Under 18 representative squad, which competed in a tournament in Adelaide in 2006. She was also named A Grade Women’s Best and Fairest at Banks Hockey Club for the 2006 season. In 2005, Aimee gained a qualification as a sports trainer from Charles Darwin University, which qualifies her to treat sports injuries and refer athletes to medical professionals.
In leadership, Aimee is a Cadet Warrant Officer of 801 Squadron of the Australian Air Force Cadets where she is responsible for the welfare, discipline, standards and morale of the 50 cadets under her command. Being a cadet, she is given the opportunity to travel interstate as a representative of the Air Force Cadets in the Northern Territory. She has attended many conferences in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.
I now want to talk about the contribution of Mr John Rivas as a teacher and President of the Filipino Australian Association of the Northern Territory Incorporated. A long-term resident of Darwin, John Rivas has made a significant contribution to the education of Darwin youth from 1973 to the present. As an astute science teacher with the status of Teacher of Exemplary Practice, John has produced curriculum documents which he shared through workshop and in-service training he provided to his colleagues not only at Casuarina Senior College, but also in other Darwin primary and high schools.
With his helpful and approachable nature, John has spent countless hours sharing his resources with colleagues, particularly with neophyte and pre-service teachers, hoping that his keen interest in science education can generate much enthusiasm amongst those he has assisted.
As a member of the Science Teachers Association of the Northern Territory, John has been highly regarded by his colleagues for his expertise in science education. For more than 10 years, John readily shared his expertise when he volunteered as a resource person and presenter at the Science School in the Schools Week Science Fair at Moil Primary School.
John Rivas creates a dynamic and non-confronting teaching atmosphere for the young mind. The challenging materials he has created have produced many tangible results with the students he has taught. As a teacher of Year 11 and 12 students, John has offered many challenges for his students to hurdle in the pursuit of tertiary education. Through his nurturing ability, many of his students have achieved highly in their chosen career, and they have taken up demanding jobs in government and private firms in Darwin.
Through his imaginative mind, enthusiasm, resourcefulness and energy, John has been a role model in the wider community in promoting and advancing a multicultural and harmonious society in the Northern Territory. His empathy for the younger generation has prompted him to provide youth in the Darwin community with a golden opportunity to get actively involved in the promotion of the arts by showcasing their talents to the older and wider members of the Northern Territory community, thus providing the young generation in our community with plenty of chances of developing leadership, self-worth and a sense of belonging to the entire community. His visions have become realised through a firm commitment, excellent rapport with everyone concerned and excellent management and organisational skills.
John is a concerned and dedicated citizen who has made valuable contributions to the Northern Territory for his promotion of harmony and racial tolerance in a culturally diverse society. As a long-term resident of Darwin, John strongly advocates and is a staunch supporter of multicultural diversity within a harmonious multicultural community.
In recognition of his meritorious teaching service in one institution, the Northern Territory government, through the Department of Employment, Education and Training, acknowledged him with a plaque in 2005 in celebration of his unbroken record of 31 years of science teaching at Casuarina Senior College. The Northern Territory government, through the Office of Multicultural Affairs, has also acknowledged his service in promoting multiculturalism in the Northern Territory by awarding him with the Charles See Kee Award at the NT Multicultural Awards in 2005.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, both of these fine Australians - one embarking on life’s journey and one coming close to the end of his working career after 31 years as a teacher - have contributed significantly in their own way to the social fabric of the Northern Territory in general, and to Darwin in particular. I know of the work that Mr Rivas has done for the Filipino community and for the broader Australian community and it is marvellous. He is a very giving individual for whom no task seems too hard to tackle.
I am very proud and honoured to know these two people. There was a note in the NT News about a week ago saying that I am very proud of the people of Sanderson and that I ‘boast’ - I think was the word they used - of their accomplishments. I would happily have that story in the NT News, perhaps not boasting, perhaps recognising is a better way to go, the fine talent and commitment that makes up the fabric of our community. It is something to be proud of and to be shared. Tonight, I am honoured and pleased to be able to place on public record the achievements of these fine individuals.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
PETITION
Berry Springs Service Station Access and Parking
Berry Springs Service Station Access and Parking
Mr WOOD (Nelson)(by leave): Madam Speaker, I present a petition not conforming with standing orders from 588 petitioners relating to vehicle access through, or parking on, the front boundary of Berry Springs Service Station. I move that the petition be read.
Motion agreed to; petition read.
- We the undersigned are aware of a proposal by the NT government which would deny vehicle access through, or parking on, the section of road reserve at the front boundary of Berry Springs Service Station, 808 Cox Peninsula Road, Berry Springs.
We believe the current use of this section of the road reserve (which has been serving the same purpose at this location for more than 30 years) should be permitted to continue, and accordingly we would object to any action to close it off, unless the NT government can justify depriving the public of this safe, convenient and well used facility.
MINISTERIAL REPORTS
Renewable Remote Power Generation Program
Renewable Remote Power Generation Program
Mr NATT (Mines and Energy): Madam Speaker, I update the House on the state of the Renewable Remote Power Generation Program, or the RRPGP. As you are probably aware, the program is Commonwealth funded and it is administered through my Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines. The program provides cash rebates on a dollar-for-dollar basis to install renewable technology to reduce the use of fossil fuels and provide effective power supplies in remote areas, including pastoral properties, indigenous outstations, Northern Territory government-funded remote communities and private power grid providers.
Never in the history of this nation has there been more of a need for a program such as the RRPGP. The message about global warming from greenhouse gas emissions seems finally to be getting through and the spiralling cost of diesel is making it progressively harder for Territorians living in the remote areas. The use of the sun, wind and water for generation of power is now widely accepted and, let us face it, there is plenty of sunlight in the Territory.
The Northern Territory’s RRPGP funding allocation is $49.37m. The figure is based on excise on diesel fuel used for public electricity generation over four years from 2001-04. My department is able to provide rebates of up to $0.5m per project. Projects requiring rebates over that figure are classed as major projects and are approved by the Commonwealth’s Australian Greenhouse Office.
To date, a total of 417 renewable energy projects, of which six were major projects, have been approved in the Territory. These have been funded to the tune of $18.9m or about 49% of the available rebate funds. These renewable energy projects already approved save an estimated 2.5 million litres of diesel fuel, which represents 6500 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per annum, an endorsement, I am sure you will agree, of the highest order for the program.
Major solar power projects are up and running in Hermannsburg, Yuendumu and the Lajamanu communities using state-of-the-art solar dish concentrators, employing the world’s most efficient solar cells. Projects at Kings Canyon Tourist Resort, Bradshaw Field Training Area and the Bulman community in the Arnhem region also operate major solar projects saving significant amounts of diesel.
The program is promoted under the Make the Switch banner through my department’s web pages, direct mail, the show circuit, seminars and information gatherings. However, the recently approved solar technology demonstration facility to be constructed at the Desert Knowledge Precinct in Alice Springs is sure to give this program and the technologies it promotes a big push. This $2.55m facility will showcase emerging solar technologies and will provide a unique environment for the assessment of new and emerging systems. Also, the Centre for Appropriate Technology is developing resources funded by the RRPGP to allow the delivery of a course called Certificate II Electro-Technology Remote Area Power Supply Servicing, which will back the growing renewable energy industry.
Approximately $19.3m is still available for rebates for the renewable energy systems in remote areas. This funding is available through to 2010. Having said this, I should point out that there are a number of projects under development including the wind power generation project near Tennant Creek for which expressions of interest were called last year. It has been estimated that the rebate funding of approximately $12m will be required over the next two years if the solar power proposals already flagged are successfully developed.
With the increasing focus on the environment and the global warming effects of greenhouse gases, renewable energy seems the logical environmentally sensible source of power into the future.
The examples I have given today and the plans that are in the pipeline demonstrate that many companies and people living in the right areas appreciate the benefit, both economic and environmental, of this program. It is my belief that it will continue to operate for the betterment for people who live in the Territory’s remote regions.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for his report. Renewable energy technology is very important for us to be discussing and implementing in regional remote areas in the Northern Territory. When I visited Hermannsburg a couple of years ago, I noted that there were many discs that were not being used. I hope they are up and running now.
Training for support services for regional and remote areas in renewable energy and maintenance of the equipment is very important. It was pleasing to hear that in the minister’s report as well. I am sure over time we are going to be discussing renewable energy at great length and I look forward to that.
Mr NATT (Mines and Energy): Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Katherine for her support of this program. It is a wonderful innovation, which is moving the world forward and, obviously, away from greenhouse gas emissions. We hope in the future that $19.3m, which is available until 2010, is taken up.
Daly River – Environmental Monitoring
Ms SCRYMGOUR (Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage): Madam Speaker, it seems that every week we hear further reports of the crisis being faced by Australian river systems down south, with major systems such as the Murray-Darling on the verge of collapse. The federal government has announced a $10bn plan aimed largely at fixing the dire situation of that particular river system and dealing with other water problems nationally. In the Northern Territory, we plan to do it differently to look after our rivers.
In 2005, this government gave a commitment to protect the Daly River environment and allocated $3.5m to enable land and water monitoring systems to be implemented. We promised that only the highest standards of water and land monitoring would be applied to the Daly and that the moratorium on land clearing would remain until those monitoring systems were in place. In short, we committed to good science to better understand the environment of the Daly River before making decisions about the future of the region.
It is blindingly obvious that a rigorous approach to understanding how the environment operates was essential in order to protect the Daly - a river which contributes enormously to our lifestyle - and, at the same time, allow balanced and sustainable development. I am pleased to announce some of the results of the 12-month study into the links between land clearing and groundwater flows into the Daly.
The $333 000 study was jointly funded by the Australian government, the Northern Territory government, CSIRO and Charles Darwin University, with a contribution of $134 000 from this government. Unlike many Territory rivers, the Daly flows all year round because groundwater flows into the river from springs. Land clearing potentially alters the quality and amount of spring flows into the Daly and, as a result, could affect river health. This research came up with some very interesting and somewhat unexpected results.
The research found that following land clearing, two to four times as much water is likely to enter the aquifer where, ultimately, it will enter the river via springs. Native savannah bushland was found to use more water than native or improved pasture on cleared land. This is one explanation for more water entering the ground after clearing. This research provides some answers to an important piece of the larger, more complex puzzle: what happens to the Daly when land is cleared?
The results need to be seen in context. It could be wrong to interpret these results as saying that land clearing is good because more water will reach the river. The research shows that land clearing is not all bad for the Daly, but it is not all good either. Other issues such as how water is pulled from bores also need to be considered and the nett result for water resources following land clearing requires further work.
The breakthrough is that through this type of research we are now beginning to understand these trade-offs. Through research such as this we can understand the individual pieces of the larger land clearing puzzle, see how they relate to one another and them put them together to make overall judgments on how development can proceed in a way that keeps the Daly healthy.
In summary, Madam Speaker, this government made a commitment for better science, research and monitoring in the Daly and now our investment in that science is paying off. Government, with the assistance of the Daly River Management Advisory Committee, is building scientific understanding so that development can proceed in a way that does not turn the Daly into another River Murray. When this work is completed we will have a better understanding of our water resources and this will enable better decisions to be made about the future of this region that is important in the lives of so many Territorians.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for her report. The Daly River has been controversial in the way that the moratorium was placed on it, and it caused some heartache to some of the land owners who had already made a commitment to that area.
In saying that, I also say that the Country Liberal Party supports the sustainability of all river systems in the Northern Territory. We do not want to see happen here what has happened down south. It has been a bitter lesson for those people who are trying to make their living from the river in those southern areas and, of course, it has been a detrimental blot on Australia’s history.
To look at what has happened to the Murray-Darling and see photos of that now, it is just a shadow, basically, of its former self. We need to be responsible in the way that we approach it. I would like a copy of that report, minister, if that is possible. Some of the things you mentioned from the report are very interesting. We need to have a balance of protecting the environment and development in the Daly and other regions. I thank the minister for her report and I really would like to see a statement on the Daly in the near future.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I also welcome the minister’s statement on the Daly, which has been the centre of much discussion over many years, not just recent years. We can go back to the days when Tipperary Station had great plans to pump large volumes of water for irrigated pastures. That was in the 1970s, so it is not something that is new, but it is something on which we needed scientific information.
I noticed there is an application for clearing in the Stray Creek area before the Development Consent Authority coming up soon. I would like a copy of the report if that was possible.
You mentioned that they have found out by research that native vegetation actually takes more water out of the ground. That information had already been determined by your department, I believe. Only a couple of years ago, in the Howard Springs area, one my constituents who worked for the department, John Pidsley, did a report on how much water was being removed by native trees, and they found out that it was, in fact, better to have no native trees. I am not saying I am supporting that idea, but more water was put into the ground without the trees.
Of course, there are other things you have to take into consideration. That could mean higher water tables. If you look at the southern examples, clearing was one of the reasons that we have higher water tables down south which, unfortunately, had a high salt content. That is not necessarily the same here. Sometimes, when you do comparisons between the Murray and the Daly, you can talk fairly generally, but they are not the same systems. The dear old Murray and the Darling also have high salt content. Fortunately, we do not seem to have that problem because our water comes from a different source.
However, we do have to be careful with the way the Daly is developed because there is going to be more and more pressure for our water, as has already been indicated by the Commonwealth. You can see how even state governments are thinking with the plans that Premier Beattie is looking at in taking some of the water from his state south to help the Murray-Darling. We need that information. We need to be part of the development of Australia as well.
Ms SCRYMGOUR (Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage): Madam Speaker, I thank both members for their responses to this. It is an important issue and I agree, member for Nelson, it is not a new issue. The commitment from our government is new. We want to look at it in a more planned way to get the science, and pull it all together so that we can get a proper adaptive management plan. We are not just talking about the river; we are talking about the whole of the catchment areas and all the wetlands that feed into that.
There are some fragile biodiversity issues that have to be looked at. If we can do better than what has happened down south in terms of appropriate water allocation plans, that is desirable. Yes, it has been contentious, and there have been issues with some of the pastoralists with the land clearing moratorium. We have worked through those issues and everyone has put some goodwill towards it, and we can only make it better.
You can access the full report on the department’s website. I will also provide information sheets to members.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Tourism – Backpacker Market
Mr HENDERSON (Tourism): Madam Speaker, today I update the House on progress in developing the backpacker market in the Northern Territory.
The Northern Territory Backpacker Development Plan released in May 2006 provides a framework for the tourism industry to work cooperatively to position the Territory as a competitive backpacker destination. It provides direction on how we might turn around the declines in the backpacker market since 11 September 2001.
Favourable feedback on the plan has been received from industry partners, such as the Tourism NT Advisory Board, the Backpacker Tourism Advisory Panel and members of the local industry. Since the release of the plan, Tourism NT has been very active in this market and I will outline some key activities shortly.
Before I do that, I want to clarify some information that has been put into the public arena about the backpacker market. Information from Tourism Research Australia shows that, whilst international backpacker numbers to Australia have not yet recovered to the peak levels experienced prior to the events of 11 September 2001, there has been good growth over the last year. The latest data from the International Visitor Survey suggests international backpacker numbers to the NT improved by 12.8% for the year ending September 2006 compared with the previous 12 months, with backpacker nights rising by a massive 21.2%. Additionally, the Territory grew its share of the Australian market by over 1% to 23.5%. This is great news for the industry; not only are our numbers increasing, but we are capturing more of the backpackers who come to Australia.
Tourism NT has embarked on significant promotional activity where they have successfully orchestrated a major promotional campaign with STA Travel in the UK aimed at the working holiday maker market. This campaign positions Darwin as the gateway to Australia. It comprises a one-way lead-in airfare of ₤299 consisting of Gulf Air flights to Singapore and Tiger Airways flights from Singapore to Darwin.
It was launched via a television campaign, and the advertisement also featured on 325 London buses running 72 times a day per bus for a four-week period. The campaign will take on a major focus during January and February 2007, a key UK booking period for travel to Australia and the Territory. This cheap ₤299 fare from London to Darwin was also a key feature on the NT stand at the 12th Daily Telegraph Adventure Travel Show in London recently, a stand supported by Northern Territory operators including Chilli’s Backpackers, Youth Shack, Travellers Auto Barn, Adventure Tours Australia, Real Australia, and assisted by the Trade Support Scheme and Tourism UK staff.
Working holidaymaker initiatives have also formed part of Tourism NT’s international promotional activities, where they have partnered with the German government employment agency to promote the benefits of a working holiday in the Territory for young German job seekers. Launched in September 2006, the campaign coincided with the European summer university semester break as well as the traditional long haul travel planning market. The campaign was highly targeted using web direct communications and the give-away of 10 return Qantas tickets to Darwin from Germany, inclusive of a six-month job experience in the Territory.
To date, there have been 40 separate print and electronic media reports, with a combined estimated advertising value of more than $2.5m. The first prize winners came to the Territory in November 2006, and I met them. Their experiences were filmed by the popular television channel Sat 1. Five episodes aired before Christmas with each slot viewed by over a million people. Part of the campaign was a road show through 14 cities, where over 800 interested working holiday makers attended a two-hour presentation about touring and job opportunities in the Territory. More coverage is anticipated in Germany during the first quarter of 2007 with reporting of the arrival and stay in the Territory of the remaining job prize winners.
Confidence in the backpacker market is improving, evidenced by the recent investment of Gilligan’s Backpackers in Alice Springs. The internationally renowned Cairns-based business purchased the old Melanka Hotel Backpacker Resort in 2006, and has major plans to redevelop the site. It is proposed that the existing property be replaced with a four-storey backpacker resort and entertainment complex. The resort will also have a plaza with shops and a restaurant.
Our former Tourism Minister and Chief Minister has spearheaded active lobbying of the Australian government for further reforms to the working holiday maker visa, with particular emphasise on the eligibility for a second visa and the introduction of a work and holiday visa for US citizens. The response from DIMIA to date has been most favourable, with possible introduction in 2007.
A comprehensive update to the NT Backpacker Development Plan is available on Tourism NT’s website. Before I conclude, Madam Speaker, I commend the officers of Tourism NT, particularly for the very strategic marketing that they are doing in Europe at the moment. It is proving very valuable; they are very creative people and doing a great job for the Territory.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Madam Speaker, I thank the Minister for Tourism for his report. The backpacker market, as you know, was a very strong supporter of the Territory until world events in 2001. As a result, not only did the tourism industry suffer but so did the horticultural and agriculture industries because we relied on backpackers to pick in our market gardens. Of course, we did not have them at mango picking time. That is another side to the backpacker market.
They rely on budget accommodation and budget airfares to get here. They spend a lot of money on good tours, but they look for budget accommodation and budget airfares.
I congratulate Tiger Airways for giving backpackers the opportunity to get to Darwin. It is strong encouragement. I support all marketing in Europe, the UK and the USA to lure backpackers back to Australia. It is pleasing to see that the numbers are increasing. In addition to the marketing that is done by Tourism NT, I congratulate Tiger Airways for offering a budget airfare that encourages them to come here.
Reports noted pursuant to standing orders.
MOTOR ACCIDENTS (COMPENSATION) AMENDMENT BILL
(Serial 87)
(Serial 87)
Bill presented and read a first time.
Mr STIRLING (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I move that the Motor Accidents (Compensation) Amendment Bill be read a second time.
As most honourable members would be aware, the Motor Accidents (Compensation) Act, or MACA, establishes the Territory’s compulsory Motor Accident Compensation Scheme. The MACA scheme is underwritten by government and is funded by contributions from motorists paid at the time of registering or reregistering a motor vehicle. The Territory Insurance Office administers the scheme on behalf of the Territory government.
The MACA scheme is premised on the no-fault principle, but with some exclusions introduced over time by successive governments to contain scheme costs. In other words, compensation benefits for Territory residents injured in a motor vehicle accident or for the dependents of persons killed in a motor vehicle accident are usually provided automatically regardless of who is at fault. No-fault-based motor accident compensation avoids the need for costly and potentially stressful litigation in order to obtain compensation.
However, no-fault-based schemes also require the surrender of certain common law rights. Victoria and Tasmania also operate motor accident compensation schemes based on the no-fault principle. MACA prescribes compensation benefits for medical and rehabilitation costs, permanent impairment, loss of earning capacity, personal attendant care, and for the spouse and dependents of persons killed in a motor accident. MACA also provides equivalent statutory benefits for residents injured interstate in Northern Territory registered vehicles and indemnifies drivers of Territory registered vehicles against compensation claims by non-residents for accidents occurring outside the Territory.
Claimants are not provided compensation automatically in all cases. Benefits may be reduced or excluded if claimants are in breach of certain criminal and traffic offences at the time of the accident. This is based on the principle that claimants should not be automatically entitled to compensation where they engage in unlawful or reckless behaviour or conduct that directly contributes to their injuries. Currently, non-residents injured in an accident in the Territory and involving a Territory-registered vehicle can seek compensation through the courts if they can prove that the injuries they suffered result from the negligence of another party. Such costs are also borne by the MACA scheme. The availability of common law damages for non-residents has added significantly to MACA costs as the courts often award more for economic loss, medical and hospital costs and for personal attendant care compared with the prescribed benefits provided under MACA.
The settlement of common law claims also involves more extensive administrative and legal costs. For example, the average MACA payout size for common law damages is currently estimated at around three times greater than no-fault benefits paid to Territorians. Since 1998, there have been 18 common law claims by non-residents against MACA that have exceeded $1m in total costs. On another point, recent events have raised questions as to whether MACA benefits for personal attendant care for seriously and permanently injured claimants are fair and reasonable. Attendant care benefits provide for personal services provided in the home, such as washing, clothing, feeding and basic medical services.
In 2005, a review of options for a national attendant care scheme for persons catastrophically injured was undertaken on behalf of the Insurance Ministers’ Council. The review indicated that the introduction of proposed national attendant care standards would have involved significant costs in the Territory, potentially requiring an increase in MACA contributions of $73 per vehicle.
This indicates that MACA personal attendant care benefits are less generous than other no-fault schemes and those contemplated for the national scheme. As such, in response to increasing cost pressures from common law claims by non-residents, the findings of the review of options for a national, long-term care scheme, and in recognition of the fact that MACA has not been subject to a comprehensive review since its inception in 1979, I approved a comprehensive review of MACA benefit provisions in April 2005.
The review was conducted by a committee comprising Northern Territory Treasury, the Department of Justice and Territory Insurance Office officials, chaired by a senior private sector lawyer. Input to the review was also provided by the Deputy Insurance Commissioner of Queensland. The findings of the review committee were subsequently endorsed by the government in May 2006.
The bill before the House today will give effect to the findings of the review. The bill represents the first major reform program for compulsory motor accident compensation benefits since self-government. The substantive provisions in the bill are:
- access to common law damages for accidents in the Territory is abolished. This means that a single system of statutory benefits will apply for all motor vehicle accidents in the Territory, regardless of the residency of the claimant;
- the indemnity provided to residents against compensation claims outside the Territory is retained, but limited to Australia. This r removes the need for MACA to indemnify Territory residents for accidents they cause while overseas on the basis that Territorians, like international travellers in general, would carry travel insurance;
- short-term attendant care benefits or household assistance provided to claimants that are expected to recover are retained, but now subject to a 12-month time limit. However, provision is made for extensions to the time limit where justified on medical grounds;
- the cap on attendant care services currently set at 28 hours per week is increased to 32 hours per week;
- the minimum impairment threshold for long-term attendant care is lowered from 85% to 60%. This increases significantly the range of benefits available to permanently injured claimants, including those with brain and spinal cord injuries;
- attendant care benefits are expanded to include respite for carers and domestic services necessary for the upkeep of the claimant’s household, including repairs and maintenance and gardening services;
- a new benefit to assist family members to travel to visit a seriously injured claimant is introduced;
- the Territory Insurance Office will also have the capacity to require appropriate medical and rehabilitation plans for seriously injured claimants to promote greater transparency and accountability in claims management;
- compensation benefits will only be payable within Australia consistent with other no-fault statutory schemes. It removes the costs and difficulties associated with managing overseas claims and, in some cases, funding significantly higher medical and rehabilitation costs than apply in Australia;
- however, in recognition of the disadvantage that this could cause for some seriously injured persons, such as those with family overseas, including Territory residents with dual citizenship or overseas residents who do not hold travel insurance or do not have access to appropriate medical treatment in their home countries, the bill makes provision for benefits to be paid out in a lump sum to claimants wishing to leave Australia. Criteria and standards for the commutation of benefits would be set out in regulations under MACA;
- the bill also reinforces the principle of limiting benefits where the conduct of claimants is considered to have contributed to their injuries. For example, all benefits except medical and rehabilitation benefits will now be reduced by 25% where the driver was not wearing a seat belt or the rider not wearing a helmet at the time of accident;
- also, where the influence of alcohol or drugs is found to have contributed to a driver’s injuries in an accident, MACA benefits for economic loss and permanent impairment do not currently apply. This principle is now linked to breaches of specific traffic regulations and extended to include the owner or driver of a vehicle that has been unregistered for more than three months; and
- pedestrians, passengers and cyclists will also now not be eligible for non-medical benefits where they engage in reckless conduct and are indifferent to the risk created.
MACA is a high cost scheme due to its small size and the relatively high number of serious motor vehicle accidents occurring in the Northern Territory each year. The bill before the House today aims to balance the provision of fair and reasonable compensation for motor vehicle accident victims in a financially responsible manner. The provisions of the bill also complement the road safety measures currently being implemented.
Most significantly, the abolition of common law claims for non-residents will promote greater equity for claimants by implementing a single prescribed compensation benefits scheme for all accidents in the Northern Territory as well as removing a significant driver of MACA costs.
More importantly, the improvements to attendant care benefits will improve the standard of life for the most disadvantaged claimants – those who are seriously and permanently injured as a result of motor vehicle accidents.
Members of the public and stakeholder groups have had the opportunity to comment on the bill through an open consultation process finalised in January this year. There is, of course, the opportunity for further public comment between now and passage and debate of the bill in parliament. The bill before the House today is one of a suite of legislative reforms for the MACA scheme introduced by the government over the last 12 months.
Other significant changes include the establishment of the MACA scheme as a statutory fund administered by the Territory Insurance Office, and the introduction of legislation providing for the appointment of an independent commissioner charged with determining annual MACA contributions at arm’s length from government.
The combined effect of these initiatives is to substantially increase transparency and accountability in the administration of motor accident compensation benefits, maintain fair and reasonable compensation, improve the level of benefits provided for the most seriously injured, and enhance the capacity for compensation benefits to remain affordable for the financial contributors to the MACA scheme, the Territory motorist.
Madam Speaker, I commend the bill to honourable members.
Debate adjourned.
JUSTICE LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL
(Serial 88)
(Serial 88)
Bill presented and read a first time.
Mr STIRLING (Justice and Attorney-General): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a second time.
The purpose of this bill is to amend various acts that fall within the Justice portfolio and to make a number of other consequential amendments. Acts amended in this bill include: the Agents Licensing Act; the Anti-Discrimination Act; Business Tenancies (Fair Dealings) Act; the Criminal Code; Domestic Violence Act; Interpretation Act; Juries Act; and Vexatious Proceedings Act. The bill also contains amendments to the Victims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 to ensure certainty in interpretation and compliance with the intent of the act.
I will detail the amendments in the order in which they are contained in the bill. The Agents Licensing Act is amended to assist the Agents Licensing Board in making its assessment of the eligibility of individuals for a licence under the act. Where an individual has applied for a licence but does not have the prescribed educational qualifications, the act allows the board to accept that, by reason of other qualifications and experience, the person is competent to carry on business as a licensed agent. At present, the board will simply make the assessment of prior learning itself, spending time and resources in conducting the necessary inquiries.
The proposed amendment to the act will allow the board to, in effect, outsource this role to an appropriately qualified registered training organisation defined under the Northern Territory Employment and Training Act. This amendment will ensure that assessments are done in a fair and more consistent manner by appropriately trained experts. This amendment relieves pressure on the board, allowing it to concentrate on matters within its expertise. The applicant will also be assured that he or she receives a professional assessment.
The industry generally will also benefit, as persons with the appropriate competency, but without formal education qualifications, will be attracted to the industry. The amendment is supported by the Real Estate Institute of the Northern Territory, the Northern Territory Division of the Australian Institute of Conveyancers and the Agents Licensing Board.
Amendments are also made to the Anti-Discrimination Act. Section 41 of the Anti-Discrimination Act prohibits discrimination against another person in the supply of goods, services or facilities and various terms and conditions associated with provision of those items. Where these are supplied by or on behalf of an association, that supply may be exempt from the requirements, provided that the association is established for social, literary, cultural, political, sporting or other similar purposes and is a not-for-profit organisation.
Section 41(2) of the act is amended so that it is abundantly clear that not only does this exemption apply to persons who provide goods, services or facilities for or on behalf of an association, but also the association itself. This amendment will facilitate the more directed provision of community services whilst allowing engagement of a wide range of community members.
The Business Tenancies (Fair Dealings) Act is amended in this bill to ensure consistency in the way it deals with Australian and foreign companies. The act balances the rights of a tenant with those of the landlord in relation to business tenancies. It aims to protect small tenants who may be disadvantaged in their dealings with landlords. It was not intended that the majority of the provisions in the act protect publicly listed companies that generally have the resources at their disposal to balance the tenant/landlord relationship. The current act exempts Australian companies and their subsidiaries from the operations of the act except in relation to Part 13.
However, that results in an anomaly. Whilst Australian companies and subsidiaries are exempt, foreign companies and subsidiaries are not. This amendment eliminates the inconsistency. Exemption from the act will now extend to all publicly listed companies and their subsidiaries, Australian or otherwise.
There are three amendments to the Criminal Code in the bill relating to: the order in which parties in a criminal trial address the jury; the separation of the jury; and problems of incapacity of judges at trial.
The first of these amendments to the Criminal Code repeals and replaces section 363 and repeals Schedule 4 of the Criminal Code. The amendment is proposed in response to concerns raised by the former Director of Public Prosecutions and other legal associations about the complicated rules that govern the order in which counsel address a jury at the end of a trial. The current provisions direct the prosecution to address the jury last, at the end of a criminal trial in most situations, except when the accused is defended by counsel who calls no witnesses to the facts except the accused.
The overly complicated and unnecessary procedural steps currently set out at Schedule 4 also arguably penalise the accused if they choose to call witnesses in their case. The proposed amendments are simple and easy to follow. They allow the accused to address the jury last, regardless of whether he or she is represented by counsel and regardless of whether or not they choose to call witnesses.
I note, however, that where an accused person or their representative raises issues, draws conclusions or introduces evidence in their final address to the jury that are not supported by the evidence before the court, the court will be able to grant leave to the prosecution to make a supplementary address dealing with any such matters. The Director of Public Prosecutions, the Bar Association, Law Society and judiciary were all consulted on this amendment and expressed support for it.
The amendment to sections 365 and 366 of the Criminal Code will give the court the discretion to allow juries to separate at any point during the course of a trial, including while they are considering their verdict. Traditionally, juries are kept together and are not allowed to separate during the trial. This position has been modified somewhat with the court now having discretion to allow the separation up until a jury retires to consider their verdict. It is still the case, however, that after the conclusion of the evidence, there is no power to allow a jury to separate under any circumstances while deliberating on their verdict.
The new amendment recognises two important issues. First, that juries today understand the importance of their role in the trial. With the aid of binding directions from the presiding judge governing their conduct while separated, juries can be trusted to be true to their oath in considering the evidence. Second, the amendment recognises that there may be practical difficulties when a jury spends a long time considering its verdict. There is no provision to even allow them to be housed in separate accommodation should there be a shortage of rooms, for example, as is often the case in Darwin in the Dry Season. The introduction of this discretion will allow the courts to deal with potential difficulties without the need to abort the trial. The Chief Justice and judges of the Supreme Court have brought this potential difficulty to my attention, and I thank them for their careful attention to such matters.
The third amendment to the Criminal Code deals with procedures to be followed when a judge in a criminal trial becomes unable, for whatever reason, to continue with the trial. At present, where this occurs the trial has to be aborted regardless of whether the evidence has just begun, been heard for several months, or even when the jury is considering its verdict. This new discretionary power will allow another judge to take over the part-heard trial and preside to its conclusion.
This take over will not be mandatory, nor will it be appropriate in all cases. The new provisions require that the parties be given the opportunity to voice their opinions on the desirability of this course of action before the trial proceeds in this manner.
Where another judge does take over the trial, he or she will be required to continue the rulings of the original judge except in cases where the original judge would themselves have re-examined those rulings. That is, the pre-existing rulings will only be re-examined where there is fresh material before the court that justifies re-examination.
Where a replacement judge is not in place within a reasonable time, the jury will be discharged and the accused remanded in custody if not previously on bail. This amendment will facilitate a more equitable, efficient and cost effective justice system.
The next amendment in the bill is a technical one concerning the Domestic Violence Act. This amendment reinserts the penalty for a first offence of Breach of a Restraining Order. There is no change to penalty previously in place prior to the enactment of amendments to this section at the end of last year.
The Juries Act will also be amended by this bill to make it clear that the act does not prohibit a juror from seeking medical treatment in relation to any issues arising from their prior service as a juror. This amendment recognises that serving as a member of a jury is one of the most responsible and important roles in our community and can be a stressful experience.
Some jurors may require assistance after completion of their service in the form or counselling or other medical care. This amendment makes clear that when jurors need help, they can receive it without breaching disclosure restrictions in the act. Disclosing information in relation to your own service on a jury to a registered practitioner or psychologist in the course of treatment for any problems arising out of that service will not constitute an offence.
Again, this was an issue raised by the Chief Justice, and I thank him for doing so. I note, however, that a new offence is introduced to ensure that information disclosed in this manner goes no further. A medical practitioner or psychologist who is consulted by the juror and becomes privy to information about jury service cannot pass it on unless it is necessary for the health or welfare of the former juror. This allows for referrals and professional consultation, but not publication in any manner unconnected with assisting the former juror.
There is a small amendment to the Vexatious Proceedings Act to allow for the removal of a person’s name from the Register of Vexatious Litigants after they have died.
This bill also makes minor technical amendments to the Victims of Crimes Assistance Act passed by the Legislative Assembly last year. The act, along with the Victims of Crimes Rights and Services Act, introduced a raft of reforms to improve victims of crime services in the Northern Territory. The reforms were long overdue and provide a fresh focus in the approach of the needs and support for victims of crime.
As the Assembly is aware, the main focus of the act is the repeal of the current financial assistance scheme under the Crimes (Victims Assistance) Act and establishment of a new administrative assessment scheme for the provision of financial and counselling assistance for victims of violent crime in the Territory. This scheme is to be administered by the new Crime Victims Services Unit, which will also have some other functions such as administration of the new Victims Register and a community education role.
During preparations for commencement of the scheme, various technical amendments have been identified to ensure that it operates effectively and in accord with the original policy intent.
The most significant amendment is the introduction of the concept of ‘compensable violent act’. This concept of ‘compensable violent act’, which will co-exist with the existing ‘compensable injury’, is introduced to clarify that financial assistance is available where a person is a victim of a prescribed sexual offence. Certain sexual offences in the Criminal Code will be included in the regulations and victims of these crimes will not need to prove actual physical or mental injury; they will simply have to prove that the offence occurred. It was always intended that this be the case to reduce, as much as possible, any further trauma experienced by the victim. This intent is clear from the then Attorney-General’s second reading speech.
However, our legislation is based on a similar New South Wales scheme and a Court of Criminal Appeal decision in that state suggests that victims of sexual assault may still need to prove actual injury to be eligible for compensation.
New South Wales introduced legislation to rectify this problem in November 2006. While New South Wales court decisions would not be binding on the Territory, on the advice of the Solicitor-General and Parliamentary Counsel, the government decided it would be prudent to avoid all doubt on the matter.
The amendment to the section 4 definition of ‘medical expenses’ by including a reference to ‘medical reports’ is aimed at ensuring that applicants can access disbursement costs up-front in cases of financial hardship. By including ‘medical reports’ in the definition of ‘medical expenses’, the Crime Victims Services Unit will be able to assist applicants, both practically and financially, obtain the necessary medical reports. The amendment will also ensure equality of access to the scheme.
Schedule 1 to the bill contains a number of other minor amendments to improve the wording and comprehension of the act. One aspect of the schedule worth noting in detail is the amendment to section 33 of the act. This deals with the service of a victim’s application on the alleged offender. The government has determined that section 33 as drafted may have the unintended consequence of putting some victims at risk. Therefore, the section will be amended to give the director of the unit a wide discretion as to whether to serve the offender with a copy of the application. The amendment is supported by the Law Society Northern Territory, Central Australia Aboriginal Family Legal Unit and Victims of Crime NT.
These amendments to the Victims of Crime Act do not in any way change the policy or intent of the legislation. They will ensure, however, that the new Financial Assistance Scheme will work as effectively, fairly and efficiently as possible for victims.
Schedule 2 makes various consequential amendments to other Territory acts and subordinate legislation. These amendments correct references to the current Crimes (Victims Assistance) Act, which is being repealed by the new act, as well as making various other minor amendments.
Madam Speaker, I commend the bill to honourable members and table a copy of the explanatory statement.
Debate adjourned.
MOTION
Alice Springs Regional Sitting 2007
Alice Springs Regional Sitting 2007
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move –
- That unless otherwise ordered, the days and times of meeting and Routine of Business in respect of the 2007 Alice Springs regional sitting of the Assembly be:
- 1. TIMES OF MEETINGS
- The Assembly meets each day at 9.30 am.
- 2. ROUTINE OF BUSINESS
- The Routine of Business shall be:
- Tuesday 17 April 2007
(ii) Petitions
(iii) Ministerial Reports
(iv) Government Business - Notices and Orders of the Day
(v) At 1.30 pm, Notices
(vi) Questions
(vii) Government Business - Notices and Orders of the Day
(viii) Papers
(ix) Ministerial Statements
(x) Any proposal pursuant to Standing Order 94 - Matter of Public Importance
(xi) Adjournment
- Wednesday 18 April 2007
(ii) Petitions
(iii) Ministerial reports
(iv) Government Business - Notices and Orders of the Day
(v) Papers
(vi) Ministerial Statements
(vii) Any proposal pursuant to Standing Order 94 - Matter of Public Importance
(viii) At 7.30 pm, Notices
(ix) Questions
(x) Adjournment
- Thursday 19 April 2007
(ii) Petitions
(iii) Ministerial Reports
(iv) Government Business - Notices and Orders of the Day
(v) At 1.30 pm, Notices
(vi) Questions
(vii) Government Business - Notices and Orders of the Day
(viii) Papers
(ix) Ministerial Statements
(x) Any proposal pursuant to Standing Order 94 - Matter of Public Importance
(xi) Adjournment
This is a procedural motion to outline the order and Routine of Business for the 2007 Alice Springs sitting. A major difference for Alice Springs is, as we have done on the two previous occasions, to have a lunch break during the sittings from 12 noon to 1.30 pm on each of the days to allow all of us as parliamentarians to engage with various community groups in Alice Springs.
It is a significant initiative from this government to take parliament to Alice Springs every couple of years and to give the people of Alice Springs an opportunity to see and understand how the parliamentary process works and to meet with members. It has been very successful. I know those of us who have participated have enjoyed it. The capacity to maximise the impact of parliament moving to Alice Springs by having a lunch break, for example, gives an opportunity for the community to interact with us as members of parliament.
Also on restructuring the sitting days, on Wednesday, we will bring Question Time on at 7.30 pm. This gives an opportunity for people in Alice Springs who are working and cannot get time off to see Question Time at 2 pm, which is the traditional time. An evening Question Time really does open up parliament to the people.
One of the key initiatives that we took to the 2001 election was to open up the parliamentary process. We introduced television cameras for Question Time and the initiative of regional parliamentary sittings in Alice Springs. These are all designed to open us up to the public to see what happens in parliament and to see their elected members conduct the business of parliament.
I hope that all members will support this motion. It is all about taking parliament to Alice Springs, conducting the normal parliamentary business and government business, but it is also an opportunity to interact with the Alice Springs community.
I thank and congratulate the good officers of the Legislative Assembly. They do a magnificent job. It is a major logistical exercise, taking parliament to Alice Springs and ensuring that everything works from IT through to Hansard and the logistics of getting all of the bits and pieces we need to run parliament to Alice Springs. So my thanks, and I am sure the thanks of all of the members of this House, to your officers in the department, Madam Speaker. They do a fabulous job. It will be the April sittings. I know we are all looking forward to it. It is going to be fantastic to be back in Alice Springs. I urge support for the motion.
Ms CARNEY (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, there are many things I could say, but I should make the point that this is the first Alice Springs sittings that has occurred since I have been leader.
Members of the last Assembly will remember the absurdities that arose from the vying for positions of pretty much everyone in relation to who could claim victory for getting the sittings to Alice Springs. Many silly things were said in the past by both sides of politics about the Alice Springs sittings. I was always greatly amused when we had the government jumping up and down saying: ‘It was our idea; it was our idea’ and …
Mr Henderson: It was.
Ms CARNEY: … my predecessor saying: ‘It would have been ours, but there was nowhere to do it, and we built the convention centre, after all, so it is really our idea’, and the previous Speaker saying: ‘No, no, no. It is my idea. It is my idea’. People do not care.
Mrs Braham: I claimed it first.
Ms CARNEY: People do not care. There is a bottom line here and that is …
Mrs Braham: Why are you talking about it if it does not matter?
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms CARNEY: … getting the parliament to Alice Springs.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Ms CARNEY: Do I think getting the parliament to Alice Springs is a great idea? Of course it is. Karl would agree with me. The other members of Central Australia …
Mrs BRAHAM: A point of order, Madam Speaker! There have been too many times people in the House have been referred to by their Christian name. We know the standing orders …
Ms CARNEY: Sorry, the member for Stuart. Sorry, Loraine.
Madam SPEAKER: Resume your seat, thank you.
Ms CARNEY: Madam Speaker, getting the parliament to Alice Springs is a really good idea. Anyone in this House who suggests that someone else takes the view that it is not needs their head read. It is great for the people of Alice Springs. I do not know what other people do, but when Alice Springs people come to Darwin, I always invite them to come to the parliament when we sit. When we are not sitting, I always try to show them around this building. It is a very impressive building. People from outside Darwin should see it. People who live in Darwin should see it. This building belongs to all of us. The parliament of the Northern Territory, wherever it sits, belongs to the people of Northern Territory.
What I would like to see is both sides of politics and the Independents rising above the traditional rubbish about whose idea it was - and aren’t we all fantastic about getting it there? - because people do not care. In fact, at the last …
Members interjecting.
Ms CARNEY: People do not care whose idea it was. People do not care. You know what people care about? They want to see better outcomes from the government.
At the last sittings, I do not know what the figures were, but there was a view that fewer visitors went to the last sittings than the one before. That was probably predictable. There was a bit of a wow factor at the first sittings. If there were more, there were certainly many school kids. I am not sure that necessarily thousands of people from Alice Springs attended. I am not sure necessarily that thousands will. However, the opportunity ...
Mr Stirling: Maybe they do not want to listen to you.
Ms CARNEY: Well, I do not know why you are all getting twitchy. How stupid are you? I am saying the parliament sitting in Alice Springs is a really good idea. I am saying: why don’t you get off your political high horse and stop rabbiting on and issuing your media releases, as you no doubt will, saying: ‘Aren’t we great for getting the parliament to Alice Springs?’
Well, bully for you! People do not care whose idea it was. People want to see good debates. I know you have difficulty with that concept - that is, debates in this place. I know you have difficulty, generally, looking after the people of Alice Springs. I hope you avail yourselves of the generous opportunities you have given yourselves of meeting with the Alice Springs people.
From what the Chief Minister was saying yesterday in Ministerial Reports, she meets with them regularly and they have many opportunities to talk to her. Well, you have given yourselves a bit more time. Good on you. We will talk to them, too. We always do, not like you lot.
The sittings are an important event for those people who are interested in politics, and we all know that not everyone is. For the people who turn up, I hope they enjoy the issues that arise. I expect to see a fair bit of political grandstanding by the government, which is indicative of the government’s approach to the people of Alice Springs. That is, they think they are not as smart as the people of Darwin. That is a view I do not share and will never share.
In any event, the parliament is sitting in Alice Springs. That is great. We are looking forward to it. The Alice Springs members are really looking forward to it, as we always have. Madam Speaker, thank you. I share with the Leader of Government Business and government members the enthusiasm for going to Alice Springs ...
Ms Scrymgour: Shocking! Hysterical. Rabid. Hurry up, Terry, and get back in as leader.
Ms CARNEY: I hear the mutterings on the other side. The member for Karama is doing her usual stuff. I do not even know what she is saying and, quite frankly, I do not care because she will have her day in Alice Springs. She is not very popular there at the moment, so has a bit of work to do before she gets there.
In any event, thank you, Madam Speaker, for your efforts. I know that you have gone to considerable effort to make the sittings more inclusive; to put your own stamp, in a sense, on them as is appropriate, and to see if we can shuffle things a bit to ensure that more people come along. It is not the case that the entire population of Alice Springs will be there. I remember in the last couple of sittings, looking around at the gallery and thinking: ‘Yes, just like Darwin, not many people turn up’. However, the opportunity is there and that is very important.
I join with the Leader of Government Business in thanking the staff of the Assembly. I, too, know that it is a logistical nightmare. All the Darwin politicians have to do is pack their bags, but for the staff of the Legislative Assembly, it is certainly a mammoth exercise. We thank them and you for your efforts, and we look forward to the sittings.
Mrs BRAHAM (Braitling): Madam Speaker, what a strange response from the Leader of the Opposition.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mrs BRAHAM: If no one cares about it, why raise it? It does not matter whose idea it was, it is a fact that we are going to Alice Springs. It is important to thank officers of the Legislative Assembly because it is a huge task. Now that we have done it a couple of times, it is a little easier, I am sure. Despite all the hoo-ha that just went on, the sittings are not just for Alice Springs people; they are for Central Australia and that is what is important.
I remember the little kid from Elliott saying: ‘It was really funny seeing white fellas yelling at each other’, which brings home to us that many people do not understand what happens in parliament. I hope there are good, crunchy things to be debated in Alice Springs. I hope some of the legislation achieves that.
There is one point I would like to raise with the Leader of Government Business. You have taken away Question Time in the morning, which was an advantage for many of the schools. It was great that there were many students there because they are the future generation and they will be the decision-makers. You have 2 pm, and I realise you will probably say that schools can attend at that time, but it is the case that some of them have to get back to school in time for kids to be released. It would have been great to maintain procedures we had before when we had one in the morning, one in the evening and one in the afternoon.
Yes, you are right. The evening Question Time is a great attraction. Perhaps it is something that we should also think about in this parliament because, let us face it, we do not get the numbers we could. Madam Speaker, you might like to think about having an evening Question Time. That would attract heaps and heaps of people.
I am looking forward to the Alice sittings. It will be the first time I will be there solely as a member, and it will put a bit of a different slant on it for me. We will probably have in the audience prospective Independent candidates. I put you all on notice. Keep your eyes open. Who are going to be taking the places of all the people? We are going to make sure we have our people there.
Mr Kiely: Are you going to resign down there?
Mrs BRAHAM: I told you I am not standing next election, so what an ideal time for people to have a good look at what they might or might not want to become involved in. Some of them might decide certainly not. It is going to be a great opportunity.
I thank you, Madam Speaker, and your department for maintaining support for the Alice Springs sittings. I am sure, regardless of all that hoo-ha we just heard, all members will enjoy it, even opposition members. I am quite sure it will be great.
Mr Mills: Of course we will enjoy it.
Mrs BRAHAM: Yes.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Braitling for her contribution and support. The member for Braitling does not, unlike the Leader of the Opposition who made a very childish contribution, continually talk down Alice Springs.
I suppose when we all finish our time in parliament, we will remember various debates and incidents that occurred in and around parliament. I will always remember - and congratulate and admire - the member for Braitling for her stand during the last Alice Springs sitting when there was a politically motivated rally organised through the member for Greatorex’s office designed to imply that Alice Springs was descending into a violent and crime-ridden society. The member for Braitling addressed the rally and said: ‘This is not the town that I live in, and we really should not be talking our town down’. Member for Braitling, I will remember that when I leave this place. That took an enormous amount of courage. You are to be commended for that.
Mrs Braham: And I got stones on my roof afterwards.
Mr HENDERSON: I hope we do not see similar politically motivated demonstrations this time. There probably will be.
We are all looking forward to going to Alice Springs. We will be debating issues with gusto as we normally do. I thank members for their support of the motion.
Motion agreed to.
MOTION
Remuneration Tribunal Determination No 1 of 2006, Ministers and Members of the Legislative Assembly – Disallow Paragraphs 7.1 to 7.11
Remuneration Tribunal Determination No 1 of 2006, Ministers and Members of the Legislative Assembly – Disallow Paragraphs 7.1 to 7.11
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I move: –
- That this Assembly disallows paragraphs 7.1 to 7.11 inclusive of Remuneration Tribunal Determination No 1 of 2006.
Madam Speaker, we flagged that this disallowance could happen in the tabling speech in November last year, saying that there needed to be further legal advice about this disallowance. I would like to take time in this motion to explain what has taken place in terms of legal advice and action since that disallowance was flagged, and why we are moving the disallowance this morning.
To give a little context, the convention that applies in regard to the payment of money or benefits to elected representatives is clear: members of parliament are not entitled to payments or benefits for undertaking their duties unless such payments are of a recognised and authorised type. The rationale behind the convention is to protect the integrity of the parliamentary process and to avoid problems that may arise if fees for services were allowed.
In the Northern Territory, these principles are put into effect by way of a number of different acts. Section 21(2)(e) of the Northern Territory (Self-Government) Act provides that a person is disqualified from membership of the Legislative Assembly if they take any remuneration or allowance for services rendered in the Assembly otherwise than in accordance with a statutory provision. In the Territory, the primary legislation that makes such a statutory provision is the Assembly Members and Statutory Officers (Remuneration and Other Entitlements) Act 2006. The scheme of this act, as members will be aware, is to set the basic salary at a level indexed to the annual rate of pay for members of the federal House of Representatives, and to provide a mechanism for establishing other entitlements for members and statutory office holders.
The process for determining entitlements under the remuneration act is as follows. At the Administrator’s request, the Remuneration Tribunal inquires into and determines entitlements for members and other office holders. The Remuneration Tribunal’s determination must be both circulated to each person whose entitlements are affected by the determination, and tabled in the Assembly within six sitting days of receipt. Section 21(3) of the remuneration act provides that the Assembly may pass a resolution disallowing all or part of the determination within 10 sitting days of the determination being tabled.
If no disallowance motion is passed within this time frame, the determination will then become effective, or if a partial disallowance resolution has been passed, the remaining balance of the determination will then become effective. If no determination has been made through the tribunal process, the Chief Minister may make a determination in regard to an entitlement. Like other determinations, these must also be tabled, and they cease to have effect once there is a Remuneration Tribunal determination on that particular subject. I note that there have been no ministerial determinations under the current legislation.
In regard to these steps, I note that on 6 September 2006, the Administrator issued a request to the Tribunal under the remuneration act asking it to inquire into and determine the entitlements, other than basic salary, of Assembly members in their various capacities. The Remuneration Tribunal’s Report and Determination No 1 of 2006 were forwarded to me as the responsible minister on 30 October 2006. The documents were circulated to members on 20 November, and the determination was tabled on 28 November 2006. Accordingly, the 10 sitting days for bringing a disallowance resolution runs until 10 April 2007.
This is the first determination that the Legislative Assembly has had to consider under the new remuneration act, which came into effect on 26 April last year. During the course of last year, the Tribunal sought legal advice and clarification as to the extent of its responsibilities under the new act, and the meaning of some of the terms used in it. In particular, the Remuneration Tribunal sought clarification as to what the term ‘entitlements’ covered. The clarification of the Tribunal’s functions with supplementary issues and misunderstandings took a while to resolve. Unfortunately, the time taken for this task coincided with the timetable for making the determination.
As a consequence, after forwarding the determination to me, the tribunal wrote again advising that on the basis of legal advice it had received, it had reservations as to the validity of Part 7 of its determination. Definitive legal advice on the matters raised has now been received from the Solicitor-General. It is unambiguous, clear and covers all the issues. The primary issue revolves around the question of what ‘entitlement’ covers within the meaning of the remuneration act. This issue goes to the heart of parliamentary conventions and the legislative scheme whereby members are only entitled to payments and benefits for which there are legislative provisions.
In particular, the question revolves around whether the provision of office space, staff and equipment for members, the matters covered by Part 7 of the determination, are ‘entitlements’ within the meaning of the act and matters for which the Remuneration Tribunal has responsibility. The Solicitor-General’s advice is that Part 7 of Determination No 1 of 2006 is of no legal effect as the Tribunal has no jurisdiction to determine these types of matters and, consequently, the part should be formally disallowed.
I draw members’ attention to the following key parts of that advice from the Solicitor-General. The ‘entitlement’ as used in the remuneration act carries with it:
- … the notion of a payment of money to or on behalf of the member.
He went on to say:
- The provision of an office to carry out functions in the electorate and of necessary staff and equipment does not comfortably fit with salary, allowance or any other remuneration. The provision of the office/staff is to enable the member to carry out electoral duties; it is not for the good of the member.
He went on say that the entitlement referred to in the act:
… is payment for performing the functions of a member etc, not the provision of facilities to perform the functions of a member.
Finally, that:
… when the Administrator requested the Tribunal to inquire into and report on ‘entitlements’ that request did not extend to electorate office/staff/equipment and the Tribunal had no jurisdiction to determine those matters.
They are the key highlights from the Solicitor-General’s advice to us.
The remainder of the determination seems workable at this stage. It primarily deals with allowances payable, travel allowances and conditions, provision of motor vehicles and communications equipment. While there may be aspects of some of these allowances that are arguably partly provided to enable members to perform their functions, they also contain some aspects of being ‘benefits’ with a monetary value.
As a consequence of the legal advice, it will be necessary for the government to make alternative arrangements to provide clarity in regard to what office space, staff and equipment is to be made available to members to carry out their functions. Today, I intend to table a schedule which will deal with that to clarify any uncertainty. That will deal with office space, staff and equipment, the things that we all know are currently in the Tribunal’s determination.
As I said, the government proposes to prepare and circulate a schedule of those entitlements. In the first instance, this schedule will simply replicate Part 7 of the Remuneration Tribunal’s determination. The process will be transparent and the same standard will apply to all members. There will be a process whereby members can apply to the Treasurer or Chief Minister if they are of the view that special circumstances warrant some additional arrangement. Where such provision is made, and it is very much an ‘if’ such provisions would be made, all members would be advised.
On a different although related issue, I note that the tribunal has written to me pointing out that it had unintentionally omitted to provide a rate of travelling allowance for Perth in Schedule 1 of the determination. The consequence of this omission is that the slightly lesser ‘elsewhere in Australia rate of allowance’ is payable for travel to that particular capital city. Arrangements are under way to make a request to the Remuneration Tribunal to make a new determination on this specific issue. It is not anticipated that this will be a very complex or time consuming process, and the matter should be rectified shortly.
Madam Speaker, in light of what I have said, I commend the disallowance motion in respect of Part 7 of the Remuneration Tribunal Determination to honourable members.
Ms CARNEY (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I thank the Chief Minister for that explanation. I will be brief.
I have a couple of comments by way of observation. My hunch was that, in talking to a member from your office who attended the briefing this morning, a couple of things were to be taken on board by him. While that was an informal discussion, can I put a couple of things on the record for the future?
I will do it in this way: yesterday, you gave notice of what you were going to do today. I then spoke with the Leader of Government Business. He knew nothing about it; neither did we. I know that you flagged this in November last year, but I would like to think that in future, because this affects all of us and it is certainly not a political issue, if the government had its time over again, perhaps we would have had earlier notice. We asked for the legal advice because it seemed the obvious thing to do, given that the change was brought about on the basis of legal advice. We asked for that this morning. We got it, but if the situation were to arise again, at least the day before might be helpful.
In addition, an urgent briefing was thrown together. Perhaps nothing swings on it, but in hindsight, certainly courtesy and good manners suggest that you should do it differently next time around. I thank those individuals who attended the briefing in any event, including the representative from your office.
One difficulty that arises, and nothing really swings on it, but there is something of a hiatus given that the disallowance motion will pass today, which we support. Administrative arrangements need to be put into place to ensure that the things that are being disallowed today will appear somewhere rather than just floating. We were advised that the administrative arrangements are not in place, that they were working on them, but it might be a week or so. Given this gap, one cannot help but form the view that this was thrown together pretty quickly. In the event that something like this happens again, would it not be better, to use that great Australian expression, ‘all of the ducks lined up’ before we deal with the proposed motion.
They are the points that I make. We understand why this is occurring. Certainly now, knowing the background and having read Tom Pauling’s legal advice, there are other legal advices but we were advised that they were not really relevant because the very question that sought to be answered was not really asked in the first place. That can happen. On the basis of Mr Pauling’s advice, there is certainly no reason for anyone to oppose the motion today, and for the reasons that I have outlined, we support it.
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I take the point from the Opposition Leader that these briefings were late, but I also make the point that we flagged this in November and a briefing could have been requested by anyone in that time. I take the point made by the Opposition Leader, but the fact is that, very often, the opposition does not ask for a briefing on any of the bills we present ...
Ms Carney interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, with these determinations, there is a time limit and we had to have this in the parliament during this sittings. We are constrained in getting those advices in and making alternative arrangements because you cannot simply say: ‘We will do it next sitting’. It has to be done in these sittings. I take the point of the Opposition Leader, but I also say that sometimes it is difficult and you have to do these things running in a tight time frame.
I thank the opposition and the Independents for their support. I flagged during my statement that I would table alternative arrangements, and I table them now.
Ms Carney: Oh, you have them?
Ms MARTIN: Yes, I flagged it in the speech. That is something that is in place now, and I table them.
These are the entitlements to perform the duties of a member that are currently in Part 7.1 to 7.11, and these will now be established through this parliament by these arrangements. As I flagged, this will happen. I could go through all of these, but I will table them. They are really replicating what you would see in Part 7. As I indicated the legal advice - and it is good legal advice from the Solicitor-General. I know that the Opposition Leader, being a lawyer, often questions the wisdom of our Solicitor-General. I happen to think he is pretty terrific. As a QC, he does a wonderful job for the Territory in giving very measured and accurate advice. I am pretty happy with that. I am confident in saying that his advice on Part 7 is accurate. We will accept it as a parliament, and we will put these alternative administrative arrangements in place.
Madam Speaker, rather than read through them all, we will have them circulated as soon as possible.
Motion agreed to.
MOTION
Note Paper - Remuneration Tribunal Determination No 1 of 2006, Members of the Legislative Assembly,
Members of the Executive Council and Ministers of the Territory
Note Paper - Remuneration Tribunal Determination No 1 of 2006, Members of the Legislative Assembly,
Members of the Executive Council and Ministers of the Territory
Continued from 28 November 2006.
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I realise that I had some in-continuation rights in this debate. We have just dealt with disallowance of the RTD and put alternative arrangements in place, and we have dealt with the issue of travel allowance to Perth arising from an oversight by the tribunal.
Those issues aside, it is a fairly straightforward determination. The salary increases for members, for office holders, has been restricted to 3%, which is in line with offers across the public sector. There is provision, and this has been discussed for quite a while, for members to take their annual business trip by car, to do it in their fleet vehicle and have the fuel costs met by government, but it means it extinguishes their airfare entitlement. That was an issue for the member for Nelson, and it has been clarified in this Remuneration Tribunal determination.
Another item put to the tribunal was that inoculations and travel insurance be allowable components for authorised overseas travel. They will now be picked up as part of the tribunal determination, so next time you want a jab or to take travel insurance on your official overseas trip, that will be picked up - although, I am yet to know where you need a jab for these days.
Mr Henderson: Some parts of Indonesia.
Ms MARTIN: Maybe some parts there. It has been a long time since I have had to have a jab to travel overseas.
There are also CPI adjustments to electorate allowances, which we all welcome with the pressure of costs, including the postal allowance.
I thank the tribunal for their determination. I know there has been this legal toing-and-froing about Part 7 and now the disallowance motion. Given that, and we will sort out the Perth travel allowance, thanks for all the work in this determination.
Ms CARNEY (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, if I may, I indicated by shaking my head that I was not going to speak on this, but of course that is never reflected on the Parliamentary Record.
It is appropriate that I speak, albeit briefly, to join with the Chief Minister in thanking those involved in the RTD. This is pretty much a standard determination. It is, to the extent that it needs support, supported by the opposition. We agree with what the Chief Minister has said, and I do not need to make any other comments.
Motion agreed to; report noted.
MOTION
Note Statement – Sessional Committee on Sport and Youth – Interim Progress Statement on Benefits of School Sport NT Programs
Note Statement – Sessional Committee on Sport and Youth – Interim Progress Statement on Benefits of School Sport NT Programs
Continued from 28 November 2006.
Mr KIELY (Sanderson): Madam Speaker, I support the chairman’s statement presented in the November sittings last year. I am the newest member of the sessional committee. I wish that I had been on it much earlier. It is a very exciting committee.
When I had a look back at some of the minutes, I could see the direction they are heading. They have very good terms of reference, which I will go over because it has been a while since we have spoken about the terms of reference in the House. The committee is charged with inquiring into: the ability and effectiveness of existing structures and programs from grassroots to elite delivered in urban, regional and remote areas and recommendations for improvement; the role and benefit of School Sport NT programs and links to participation; and demonstrated links between participation in sport and reduced antisocial behaviour.
When the committee is being briefed on an issue, I find questions from members to be very insightful and bipartisan in their approach, which is quite heartening. It is easy to see that all members have an interest in sport and kids and where it leads to and how it can be a great benefit to the community.
When I think of my own family and kids and the sports that we get along to, you can see the impact that sport has in the Territory. I know that NT Hockey has a great junior program and does a wonderful job. On Saturday mornings, you should see all the kids. They range from Under 8s, Under 10s, Under 13s, boys and girls, right up to the senior grades. They have parent participation, coaches doing skills training and acquisition. The kids learn teamwork and discipline and they derive the physical benefits of being fit and active. Yes, it is it is a sport that actually drags your kids away from their Play Station 1 and 2, and now the Play Station 3, which I might say I am having trouble coming to grips with.
It is a fact that in this day and age, children have greater access to all forms of electronic amusement. These are good things; they are educational. We live in an information technology society so it is important that kids acquire these skills, but there is, and there has to be, a balance.
Unfortunately, the largest criticism I have about electronic games is that they are singular in their approach. They are not a shared activity. You can have two players, I suppose, but you cannot really say that there is a team spirit in them. It is something to amuse the child and much of the time, I feel children are left with an electronic babysitter.
I am a great advocate of team sports and what goes on of a Saturday. My young fellow goes to football or soccer. As many people know, he runs with Marrara Dragons. Let me also say, just in passing, that I am the patron of the Marrara Dragons. They are a fantastic club. The parent volunteer input is fantastic and it helps our kids get fitter. It teaches them community spirit, which goes to the terms of reference about demonstrated links between participation in sport and reduced antisocial behaviour.
I cannot say that I have spotted in deliberative meetings anything from a criminologist about the local scene. I have seen material nationally, which does make this link, so I am looking forward to unpacking that out of some of our meetings and seeing how that goes.
There is also tennis. Young Matilda Hurst was featured on the back page of the paper the other day. I have known Matilda’s parents since before she came along. I have watched her develop, and I know the effort that her mother puts in getting her to training. I know the effort that Pat has put into Matilda. She has responded quite well. There is a kid who has a great future in tennis; we as a community and we as a government should get behind her.
People have accused me of having a go at the history of the CLP. Let me say that the CLP has a good record of pumping money into sport. Go down to Marrara. That all happened under CLP governments. That is the spirit of sport in the NT; it transcends political boundaries, and I am proud of that. I am proud to be a Territorian. In my electorate of Sanderson, we have probably the best sporting facilities …
Dr Burns: And we are building more. We are building a great big soccer stadium.
Mr KIELY: Yes, as I was saying about soccer and its participation rates. We have had a bit of criticism about going ahead and fulfilling that election commitment, but it is great. The soccer stadium is coming along. I want to do an article in my newsletter about when it is going to be completed. Not only is it a great venue for all those who participate in football, and for those who want to go and watch football, the stadium is actually aesthetically pleasing.
Dr Burns: We hear lots of comments about it.
Mr KIELY: Yes, I receive a lot of comments. When we have a look at the Marrara precinct and talk about participation rates, we have had issues involving teams undertaking fitness training around the ring-road. It was a bit dangerous, particularly at sunset. It was also dangerous after major sporting events. I am very pleased to see the footpath-cum-fitness track is going in. It is half-completed. That was a commitment that I made and this government supported last election. I am proud and pleased. These are benefits to our sporting community.
Mr Mills: Look at me, look at me!
Mr KIELY: The member for Blain …
Dr Burns: You have the Magpies home ground.
Mr KIELY: That is right. What has happened with the Magpies home ground?
The NT government supports sport in the Territory; both sides of politics support sport. I am not going to denigrate the efforts of the Country Liberal Party on sport. I am pretty surprised that the member for Blain should denigrate that because he has spoken in this House about how his passion for sport …
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! There is a point of clarification for the honourable member. I did not denigrate. I was drawing reference to the fact that he was drawing attention to his own achievements, and I thought that was a little churlish.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Mr KIELY: I withdraw that comment, Madam Speaker. I misunderstood and I am happy to put it on the record that I misunderstood.
Mr Mills: Gracious of you.
Mr KIELY: Thank you, member for Blain. Sport and kids in the Territory are synonymous. They go together. I am very pleased to be on the committee. We are working hard towards finalising this review and the effectiveness of the structures.
We have a few bush trips coming up. The chairman is working very hard with the secretariat to get us out bush. It is very hard getting six members’ diaries all juggled together, and then to get to a range of communities in the Wet Season, so there are issues of transportation. They are being worked through now, but we will be going, as I understand it, across the Top End. We will be visiting communities in the Centre. We will be talking to them about how sport is delivered in communities and how it works into participation rates at the Territory, state and national titles, and international. These are very important things. It is important that people have access to our sporting facilities and opportunities that the people in the major centres of Alice Springs and Darwin have.
I look forward to the recommendations coming out of this committee, which will help guide our government on formulating new and innovative policies which, in the end, will be of benefit to kids, parents and the community. A healthier community will have an impact on our health system through decreases in lifestyle illnesses, which we see, sadly, all too often. I do not have the statistics and I certainly do not practice medicine, but I know a person in the medical field, and she tells quite often about the lifestyle diseases that beset our community. These are lifestyle diseases that if we tackle now, we can reduce.
Do not underestimate the value of what this committee is doing. It was a very forward thinking notion to set up this committee. Like the 1993 Moneghetti Report on Victorian schools, I am confident l that, under the past chairmanship of the member for Drysdale, and now the chairmanship of the member for Port Darwin, we are going to come down with a great report. I am sure it will be a unanimous report and well supported.
It is like everything else around this place, you can have a huge wish list. On the committee, everyone is fairly pragmatic about what can be achieved. I look forward to realistic recommendations being made by this committee; recommendations that we can all support. They will not be just recommendations for the minister for Sport to take up. There will probably be recommendations for Health and for Family and Community Services. It will be a whole-of-government approach and, I am hopeful, will be supported by the opposition and Independents.
With those comments, I thank my fellow committee members. I thank the secretariat. They are doing a fantastic job in researching, pulling the stuff together and getting the people in. They have a wealth of experience and provide great support. I give my undertaking to work hard on this committee, to deliberate with them, to look for the best outcomes for all Territorians. I look forward to the opportunity speaking more voluminously when the report is delivered.
Mr BONSON (Millner): Madam Speaker, I wish to speak about the interim report. As the longest-serving government member on the committee, I have seen it develop over the last few months, with the change of chair from the former member for Drysdale, who has become the Minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries. I too, like the chair and other members on the committee, congratulate him and thank him for the work that he did during his time as the Chair of the Sessional Committee on Sport and Youth.
It is appropriate for me to reflect on why we are interested in the Sessional Committee on Sport and Youth. It is this government’s identification of the relationship between sport and young people’s health, not only physically, but mentally, and the link between activities and participation in sport, and the role it plays in minimising the harm caused by antisocial behaviour and general health issues that surround individuals who are not, unfortunately, participating in some form of physical activity.
Sport obviously played a very important role in my life, and that of my family. There are other members in this House who have participated in sporting activities at whatever capacity and level they could reach all around Australia. I know that the member for Goyder played Rugby League in his earlier days and knows some characters around the place. The member for Arafura’s family is connected with Aussie Rules, softball and other sports. The member for Stuart is a very accomplished Aussie Rules player at the CAFL level. I understand he played in a number of premierships there for Souths – only joking! – Pioneers. That was a bit of a stir-up; he played for Pioneers, and he captained that football club, which has produced some of the most famous footballers who have played AFL. No doubt there are many others, but I do not have time to go through the achievements of each member of the House.
The member for Nelson, who serves on the committee, is committed to the benefits of participation in sport. To this day, to his credit, he participates at some level as well as being an umpire and volunteer in the Litchfield area. The member for Blain has a history in sport as well. He is a great believer in the benefits of sport. In a recent committee meeting we heard about his interest in swimming and we know about his interest in Aussie Rules. Through growing up with sport, he is aware of the benefits it has had for him.
Through my background and the way I look at sport after generations of family participation, it has not only helped in the health of my family, but also for family friends and others throughout the Northern Territory. It also creates great opportunities to meet people from different walks of life. There are many different people from all parts of their world who have a common interest in sport. They can come from backgrounds of English as a second language in the most remote areas of the Northern Territory to people in this Chamber, and everyone in between.
Sport has been demonstrated to be a great community event, and it has an ability to bring people together for the best of skills, things like team work, loyalty, friendship and networks. My first real job was obtained through my participation in Rugby League in Darwin. It was through the former member for Arnhem, Jack Ah Kit, who was wearing a different hat at that time, who saw me at the Rugby League. I was only a young person and he said to me: ‘Are you still interested in work?’ I said: ‘Yes’, and rang him on the Monday. Sure enough, he had organised a job for me. Through our connections with sport, what we see is that, as a community, the Northern Territory, in particular, places a great emphasis on participation and the benefits of the social interaction.
The terms of reference of the Sport and Youth Committee are focused on three areas:
- The ability and effectiveness of existing structures and programs from grassroots to elite, to deliver in urban, regional and remote areas, and recommendations for improvement.
- The role and benefit of School Sport NT programs and links to participation.
We had an open and honest brief for them. No doubt, members understand the workings of School Sport NT and that will come out in the final report.
Then there is:
- Demonstrated links between participation and sport and reduced antisocial behaviour.
In my time as an Aussie Rules player, committee person, supporter, basketball player, Rugby League player, touch player, I came into contact with team mates or people who, unfortunately, were involved in antisocial behaviour, but sport was their connection back to the real world and with people who are living what we class as a productive life. This often gave them opportunities to come back into the fold. There is no doubt that for people who become ostracised in their community, the hardest task is to return to the community and feel part of it. If they do not, often it leads to antisocial behaviour of a criminal nature or self-harm by way of abuse. That is very important.
In the new chair’s contribution, she talked about the need to improve the way sporting programs are delivered across the Northern Territory so that more young people are able to access and, more importantly, are motivated to do so, a range of sporting activities. This is very important. Every member in this House would agree that competition for young people’s attention is very high. Kids are faced with the electronic age, the use of computers and other entertainment which is time consuming in a way that does not allow for any physical activity that leads to a fitter and healthier life.
Palmerston has a young population, yet a local sport like Aussie Rules over the last few years - and there might be a number of different factors why – has struggled to field junior teams. That is a reflection on how the world has changed. It is also a reflection on the way sports are delivering their sport to attract people. For example, you would have the major body plus the local footy club, maybe the high school and the family nucleus. With such a young population in that area, there needs to be a realisation by not only this committee but all sporting groups that we need to get these kids attracted to and participating in sports of whatever kind – Aussie Rules, basketball, netball, softball, tennis, it does not really matter.
The chair also talked about the need to understand that sport delivers healthier outcomes and is in the best interest and welfare of young people. As she said:
- It is central to the reasons for establishing this committee and the health and welfare of young people is a subject which is very important to me.
- Members would be aware of the continuing debate Australia-wide on child obesity and how this is threatening the health and outcomes of young people.
Most people would know that when they have been at their fittest is when they have been at their most active, watching their diet and looking after themselves. In this House, we can take stock of that. We have to look after our own health, and it is very important that we remain active – walking, jogging; it does not matter what activities we do.
I am going to say the word, Madam Speaker: it is all about our lifestyle, which is very important to all of us. This government takes our lifestyle very seriously. Our lifestyle is based around our family values. In truth, I do not think there is a member in this House, or people listening to or reading this transcript, who would disagree with the fact that growing up in Australia, it is the family nucleus that has driven the great lifestyle we take for granted. Based around that has been participation, historically, in the church, sport, local schools and the general importance of what family values are all about.
With this committee, there is a great opportunity for this government to implement some of wide-ranging recommendations that we will come up with, to take on-board the committee’s opinions. I agree with the member for Sanderson, and the member for Blain will probably agree, if we can come up with a joint report, without pre-empting anything, that really attacks some of the issues that we are concerned about, that will be a fantastic way forward.
Some of the most interesting evidence so far as been from remote areas. It is interesting that the groups to whom we have spoken have said that sport may be a vehicle for improving people’s lives out bush. I am interested in investigating that and seeing what we can deliver.
The longer serving members of the committee, and no doubt the new members will become familiar with this, have read the Moneghetti Report. This resulted from a committee set up in Victoria and chaired by the famous Olympian to look at sport within that state. It made some interesting recommendations which influenced how people approached physical education and sport in schools.
If we can come up with a report that galvanises what people believe as important to our physical and mental health plus delivers something in partnership with a number of different departments with a fundamental premise that we want people to participate in sport, so we want to lift the participation rate, because it will reduce antisocial behaviour, but it will also give us healthy outcomes, both mentally and physically for younger people and, therefore, improve the general community’s lifestyle.
I have probably spoken for a lot longer than I should, but I am looking forward to working with the Sessional Committee on Sport and Youth. I am looking forward to working with the opposition and Independents because they have made valuable contributions so far. No doubt, when we come up with our recommendations, they will continue to work hard.
I thank the new chair for coming on board. She will work hard to put her stamp on it, and to ensure she gets the best result as the chair for the general public. I thank the member for Sanderson for his contribution. I look forward to working with the committee staff behind the scenes who, as we all know, do most of the groundwork and help bring together the recommendations. I commend the statement to the House.
Mr MILLS (Blain): Madam Speaker, I will not speak for very long. I add my comments in support of the important work of this committee. The interesting aspect of this committee is that it works closely with the objectives of the substance abuse committee. It is important that we ensure that we allow the activities of those two committees to work very closely because they are pointing towards the same objective.
Whilst I can become irritated, and I trust others will become increasingly irritated by issues that are really of a political nature and point scoring, one of the merits, the benefits, the virtues of these committees is that we are able to work together and to agree on objectives. The objectives in this case should be simple and moving. Any visit to any remote community, or to families in our own communities who have young people having some difficulty engaging in a healthy lifestyle or any sort of hope for the future, really should be the ones who direct and govern all of our deliberations. That is why I enjoy being a part of this committee, and a part of the substance abuse committee. I can see the two are so closely related.
When I am in these committees, cases of kids, families in places across the Territory come to mind. I only hope that these reports and these debates will make a difference at some point in a clear way that is measurable. I have clearly in my mind a group of young lads – I have mentioned them in parliament before – whom I took away two years ago. I was shocked to see that their level of fitness was so low, their excessive and obscene interest in electronic games and mobile phones, and their diet being largely sugar and caffeine. When I was young, a cup of coffee or a cup of tea was something that was reserved for special occasions for a kid who wanted to sit at the adult table, and it was an adult drink. They contain stimulants. The levels of caffeine flowing through our young are extraordinary. The effects are significant and well documented. Kids with a diet combining sugar, fat and caffeine, as well as many other additives, coupled with no real interest in physical activities are the ones we must reach because they are the burdens that future systems and future administrations will have to find ways of accommodating. We think we have a health problem now. It is nothing compared to what is lying before us.
These sorts of activities and reports that we have the opportunity of assessing, the discussions that we have, must result in some kind of action. I commend the work of this committee. I welcome the new chair. I look forward to working with honourable members in addressing the objective of making a difference to the lives of our young so that, at some stage in the future, we will be able to say: ‘That resulted in this kind of change’. Not one of us would be of any other view than just how difficult this is. It is very difficult to go to committee meetings and have a talk, get another folder full of paper and another couple of reports, and an interesting interview and that sort of stuff, and file it away and off you go. I can tell you, from opposition, it is very difficult being on so many committees and trying to bring them together. We will need government backbenchers to put that little extra in so that we can do something. We will do the best we can in opposition, but it is a difficult proposition.
There are papers by people who specialise in this area. They all talk about how difficult it is. We are the decision-makers; we are the ones who make the decisions based upon this wonderful stream of research from specialists that come our way. It is difficult, but it is even made more difficult if we resort to shallow responses fuelled by political short-term interests. I just hope that that continues to fade away and that the good sense of honourable members to work in a cooperative way to try to make some sort of difference prevails. If there is a difference, we should be able to have mature discussions and come to some kind of agreement and put forward some sound recommendations which will make a difference.
I support the work of the committee. It is very important. I wish the new chair all the best and, from opposition, we pledge our support to this important process for the sake of our young people.
Debate suspended.
MOTION
Proposed Censure of Chief Minister, Leader of Government Business and Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services –
Police Numbers and Resources
Proposed Censure of Chief Minister, Leader of Government Business and Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services –
Police Numbers and Resources
Ms CARNEY (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I move that so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent this House from censuring the Chief Minister, the Leader of Government Business, and the current minister for Police for lying to Territorians about police numbers and resources dedicated to keeping our streets safe.
Madam Speaker, this government is …
Ms Martin: You need to be advised by a more contemporary police officer.
Ms CARNEY: You do not like any criticism, you lot, do you? Take your seat. If you are going to talk, you should know standing orders by now. You have been around for long enough.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms CARNEY: Madam Speaker, the facts speak for themselves. This government promised constantly, persistently, using Territorians’ money in the brochures by saying: ‘We will deliver 200 extra police on the beat. We are on target to deliver 200 extra police on the beat’. This one: ‘120 extra police on the beat with 80 more to come’, I reckon that adds up to 200. Media releases - what do we have? - Chief Minister, 27 February 2005: ‘200 extra police on the beat by the end of 2006’.
Mr Henderson: I am glad you keep repeating it and reminding everyone.
Ms CARNEY: What else do we have? The list goes on and on. Let us have a look. The noisy one over there is the one who was demoted and he was probably demoted because they knew they could not deliver the promise. I reckon that is a very good reason for getting rid of a government minister. If they tell whoppers all the time, if they knowingly deceive Territorians, then they should be moved aside.
I know that the Leader of Government Business was pretty unhappy about that, because he has had a bit to say to people. He was unhappy, so be it. Territorians are unhappier because they know that the government has told whoppers. Let us have a look. The former and demoted Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services’ media release - and there are truck loads of them: 2 May 2006, ‘200 extra police on the beat by the end of 2006’. The list goes on. Here is another one: 11 August 2005, ‘200 extra police on the beat by the end of 2006’. Another one: 30 March 2005, ‘200 extra police on the beat’. This perpetration of …
Mr Henderson: There are quite a few more; keep going.
Ms CARNEY: If you are going to talk, you know where to do it from.
The lie has been perpetrated consistently, and the Leader of Government Business, if you were keeping count of the lies and deceit, is a long way in front. There is media release after media release: 12 June 2006, ‘200 extra police on the beat by the end of 2006’; another one, 2 May 2006, ‘Delivering 200 extra police on the beat by the end of 2006’. The list goes on.
However, it is not just confined to media releases. All of them on the other side, or most of them at least, have talked about police on the beat. In fact, the former minister, the demoted one, made numerous references to it. If you were to take, for instance, a ministerial statement on 18 August 2004, he said:
- You need police on the beat to enforce the law and keep a strong presence in the community.
He also referred to increasing the numbers of police on the beat. He then said:
- This means more police on the beat patrolling our streets and suburbs.
Yes, people took him at his word. Elsewhere in his speech, he said:
- As a result we are on track to meet the target of 200 extra police on the beat by 2006.
The list goes on. There was a concession late last year that the government was not going to meet its target. It was around about the same time that the former minister for police was demoted. The new minister for police started to use the mantra, but then the weasel words started to come into play, and what weasel words they have been! I will come to that a little later.
The member for Millner has come up with a cracker. He should not contribute too much because he tends not to be terribly good at it, but he writes a good memo. I will give him that much. In the ministerial statement of 18 August 2004, the member for Millner, somewhat unusually on that occasion following his lines, talked about the delivery of 200 extra police on the beat. He made numerous references to it. He even quoted his minister, his friend, the former minister for police, when he said:
- You need police on the beat to enforce the law and keep a strong presence in the community.
The member for Millner goes on and parrots the government mantra. He refers to 200 more police on the beat by the end of 2006. If anyone was looking for references made by ministers of the Crown and their little backbenchers about delivering 200 extra police on the beat, they do not need to look very far. They need only look at the Parliamentary Record. They need only look at the truck loads of media releases issued by their $10m spin doctors upstairs. Of course, some of them do not even have a choice. They need only look at the glossies. I say it by way of digression that the Northern Territory branch of the Australian Labor Party promised they would never get into glossies. They would never do glossies; they said that in opposition.
Here are just some because I could not carry them all downstairs, Madam Speaker. First, did the government promise to deliver 200 extra police on the beat? It is incontrovertible. The answer to that question is: yes, they did. They promised it. Up hill and down dale, they promised it.
They knew late last year that they could not deliver, which is why the new minister for police started to use rubbery language. We think it is among the reasons the former minister for police was demoted. We all know that another reason was he is a threat to the Chief Minister so she sidelined him. In any event, there have been lies perpetrated knowingly, wilfully and ruthlessly by this government in all of the paraphernalia and I have just referred to some of it.
When members of the public hear the expression ‘police on the beat’, they are not thinking about police auxiliaries and ACPOs. They are not thinking about police personnel doing desk work. They are thinking ‘police on the beat’ means out and about. In fact, even government members know that. The member for Millner and some of his colleagues talked about ‘police presence’. The government knows how strong the expression ‘police on the beat’ is, which is exactly why you used it in your campaign propaganda, which is exactly why you have continued to use it on almost every occasion and in every publication about police and police numbers. The government knows how powerful an expression ‘police on the beat’ is. They know that Territorians and other Australians take it to mean police on patrols and police on the streets.
It is a disgraceful perpetration of the ongoing lie when the government knew that they were not going to deliver it. Even last week in this place, in answer to questions asked which were specific questions about how many police on the beat there were, tell us about the ACPOs, tell us about the auxiliaries, the yes-but-no-but-yes-but-no-but-yes minister said: ‘No, no, no. Do not worry about that because we have provided 200 extra police officers’. The language has clearly changed, and the language has changed in a disgraceful way. It is a perpetration of a lie; it is misleading and it is deceit of Territorians for whom they are meant to govern.
Why do we want police on the beat? For the same reason the government does: to ensure that our streets are safer than they are now. The government can extract and be selective about crime statistics, but nett crime across the Territory has gone up. In any event, even if that were not the case, you have numerous incidents where our fellow Territorians are becoming upset and, in some cases, at risk because there are not enough police on the beat.
Do we want to see the government achieve the outcome? Of course we do. Do Territorians want to see government deliver its promise? Of course they do. Probably that is one of the reasons why Territorians voted for them. Deliver your own promise. It is not as though we are quoting our party’s election material; it is not as though I am quoting my party’s media release. I am quoting your own.
How disrespectful and offensive it is to promise one thing and not deliver, and how gutless not to have the courage to say: ‘Yes, we did promise 200 extra police on the beat. We didn’t get there, but this is what we are going to do to ensure that we deliver our promise’. Surely this government has not become so arrogant and so out of touch that they can just flippantly put to one side a whole mantra of election promises, a whole category of election promises. They are not even going red; they seem not to even be embarrassed. They are in government. Everyone knew that this was going to happen, and they knew it, but how quickly they have forgotten about it.
They are a government that has become drunk on their own power. I look at the numbers: 19-4. Of course that is what you would expect from a bunch of arrogant liars, and that is the sort of person who is sitting on the other side, all rallying around the police minister. Some of them are rallying around the former police minister, wanting him to go for the leadership. Some of the others are rallying around the existing Chief Minister, saying: ‘Do not let him anywhere near it’, but they are all, nevertheless, rallying around. What is really worrying is that they actually believe it. They are rallying around and saying: ‘We didn’t promise that’, or ‘We have achieved our goal’. No, you have not. You have nowhere to go on this issue.
I say to the police minister, who I used to think took the word ‘integrity’ seriously: why doesn’t he put his hand up? He does not need to take the blame because it was the other bloke’s fault so he can do it in good conscience. Why doesn’t he say: ‘Yes, we have done all sorts of things, but we did not deliver on that promise’? That would be a good first step. A good second step is to tell us what you are going to do in order to deliver that promise and when it is going to be delivered.
There are so many instances, but in November in your own electorate, Madam Speaker, the Nightcliff Shopping Centre, people will remember that one night it took police 35 to 45 minutes to respond to a potentially violent situation on a Friday night. We all know the one I am talking about. There were acts of violence and vandalism before then. A trader was taunted by a gang of youths. It took, according to his reports, more than an hour-and-a-half before police assistance arrived. If there are 200 extra police on the beat, that bloke and others would not have had to wait the sort of times that they did.
‘Police on the beat’ is a term well understood by everyone, even the minister. It is well understood because they used it in their own advertising. If you look, for instance, at Karama, there have been ongoing difficulties, and I need not list them because there are so many. I quote the member for Karama on 9 October 2003, when she was talking about the O’Sullivan review, and I doubt very much whether she read it, but she said:
- On behalf of residents and traders, we expressed that there was a desire for regular patrols of police; people wanted to see police back out on the beat …
… and improved response times to incidents.
That is not the domain of ACPOs and auxiliaries; that is the domain of general duties police officers. That is the domain of police on the beat. Even the member for Karama, who is now a minister of the Crown, should be at least behind the scenes saying to her band of – well they are not very merry these days – miserable little men and women: ‘For my constituents’, let us put the politics to one side, ‘at least for the constituents – can you deliver?’ But, no, she will not and, of course, although she harbours leadership ambitions, she has thus far at least failed to demonstrate any leadership of her own.
There have been various quotes from the former Police minister, the demoted one, when he used the term ‘on the beat’. He said in his statement in August 2004:
- A year ago, I advised the Assembly that an absolute key ingredient in delivering a new era in Territory policing would be to see a significant increase in the number of police on the beat. A government can have all the best intentions and pass all the laws it likes, but the effectiveness of these laws largely comes down to the capacity to properly resource them in terms of police strength. Passing a law is the easy part. You need police on the beat to enforce the law and keep a strong presence in the community.
This means more police on the beat patrolling our streets and suburbs, more assistance for the victims of crime …
- As a result, we are on track to meet the target of 200 extra police on the beat by the end of 2006.
Importantly, the new call centre also keeps uniformed police on the beat longer, relieving them of paperwork duties during shifts, and keeping them out on patrol longer.
That is what the police minister said and that is, you would expect, how he felt a couple of years ago. My, things have changed! Any suggestion that the government has failed to deliver its own promise is rejected in the most aggressive and hostile terms imaginable. I do not know what has caused this sort of attitude. If you are sprung, you should ‘fess up and you should say: ‘Yes, in relation to our election promise we failed to deliver, but this is what we are going to do. This is how we are going to deliver it’. But, no, Madam Speaker, that is not what we see from this government.
I had a look on the police website last night, and I invite anyone listening to have a look. They will see, as I saw, breakdowns of areas in which police can work. There is a section there on Aboriginal Community Police Officers, and I will come back to that. There is another section on constables. There is a section on auxiliaries, and it says in relation to auxiliaries:
- Police auxiliaries are sworn members of the police force, carrying out a number of specialised roles, including communications, front counter duties, security and police support functions.
In relation to ACPOs, the mystery becomes even more interesting. I appreciate the minister probably will not know this because he did not bother looking at his ministerial brief yesterday for Question Time which is why he did the yes-but-no-but-yes response. On the website last night it said, under the heading of ACPOs:
- There are 91 ACPO positions (presently 73 filled) …
This government, in the absence of being able to bombard Territorians with glossies, now wants to bombard both the opposition and Territorians with numbers. If one looks at the Police Commissioner’s memo, he referred to 170 police officers; there are 148 constables, 28 ACPOs, two police auxiliaries, and gets to a figure of 199. Then, there is another figure of 29 ACPOs, another one of 21 police auxiliaries, and he gets to a figure of 215. One wonders whether that is why the minister is so confused because wherever he goes, he is seeing numbers left, right and centre, but the number he is not seeing is 200 extra police on the beat.
Referring to the website under the heading of Constables is a very helpful breakdown. Anyone around the world can log on to the police website. It is intended for recruitment purposes, I guess, and this is an overview of the police force. Under the heading of Constables, it says:
- Policing in the Northern Territory offers a huge range of duties, which officers may undertake during their career. These duties fall into the major groups of Community Safety and Protection …
Group one:
- … Investigations …
Group two:
- … Road Safety …
Group three:
- … and Human Resources …
Group four. According to the police website, there are four categories.
I challenge the minister to provide a breakdown in table form, come to the parliament tomorrow and table it, using that categorisation: Community Safety and Protection, I believe we are all square on what that means; Investigations, we understand that; Road Safety, got that one; and Human Resources. I invite the minister to come here tomorrow, or write to me, and say: ‘This is how many police officers we have under the police website heading of Community Safety and Protection’. I also invite the minister to include in that table whether there were 200 extra police on the beat who can fall under that category. I know the answer; there will not be 200 extra police on the beat. However, I challenge him to come up with the same sort of categorisation that is contained on the police website.
The minister has made much of the Police Commissioner’s memorandum. It is surprising that he has because, understandably, the police minister makes no reference to police on the beat. The police minister provides him with a number of figures which do not support the government’s claim in any way that there are, using government’s language, 200 extra police on the beat. It does not. By all means, minister, come into the parliament and use something that supports your case. This does not. What this says is that there are an extra 215, of whom 29 are ACPOs, and the website lists some of the functions of Aboriginal Community Police Officers. They liaise between police and their communities; they are not police on the beat as is commonly understood.
The police memo also refers to Police Auxiliaries. Let us go back to them. Their main functions include:
- … communications, front counter duties, security and police support functions.
Not police on the beat as is commonly understood, as you promised. If the commissioner’s memo is the best shot that the minister has, then it is not a very good one because it clearly does not support his argument.
As a former lawyer who has gone into politics, I am often asked whether I miss the law. Generally, I do not. However, I do miss getting a fair go in a courtroom. I know that if you have a good case, good evidence, good witnesses and you run it well, you have a 50:50 chance of getting up on your argument. In this place, it is quite different because I know that with the best evidence in the world such as government glossies, Police Commissioner memos, what everyone said in parliament and all of the media releases, all of the best evidence in the world well put and well argued because it is just so easy to do, the minister is going to say: ‘No, no, no, the Leader of the Opposition does not know what she is talking about rah, rah rah, stop talking down the police,’ a line that is often used.
It is an offensive line and it is outrageous. Not that I should even need to do so, but for the record, this reference to ‘if I have been interested enough to turn up to the graduation’, well I put this challenge to the minister: give me a ring beforehand, let’s check each others diaries, and if my diary is free I will be there. You know that I was at the one before that. I think there are only four of us, yes, but anyway, we digress.
Unlike the law where you can have all the evidence on your side and succeed, I know that the censure motion is going to be defeated. I know what the minister is going to say. I know what the former minister is going to say. What is it? $5000 an hour we cost Territorians. Because I know what you blokes are going to say, by all means, participate in the censure because you should. One wonders whether you are able to fill up the time because your responses are so predictable you have nowhere to go. You have been caught out. I know that you know that we know you have been caught out.
Police officers are giving us information because they are furious, too. Normal average Territorians are ringing us up, as Harry Osborne did. What did he do? Ring Alice Springs about five or six times, 10.30 on a Thursday night. The phone went through to Darwin. It rang out in Alice Springs. Is that the fault of the police officers? No. Is it your fault minister? Yes. Is it the Chief Minister’s fault? Yes, because you said to Territorians you would deliver, you would provide the resources. Do you know what they expected because they voted for you? They expected that you would ensure that at all times there would be enough people to answer the phones. You, minister, cannot do that, and that is not, nor should it ever be, considered an attack on police.
In relation to the mobile police van, it is parked in areas when you do see it around the place, and I cited the example the other day of knocking on the door and there was no one there. You are deceiving Territorians. You are lying to Territorians. You continue to do so. I challenge the minister to ‘fess up and come clean.
Getting back to the Police Commissioner’s memo, on 18 December, the minister for police on the public record confirmed that the government is on target to add an extra 200 officers to the force by the end of the financial year. There are a couple of points to make. First, ‘on target to deliver 250 officers to the force’ is quite different from ‘will deliver 200 extra police on the beat’. That is the first point.
The second point is the minister’s reference to another memo from the Police Commissioner. I applaud the Police Commissioner for writing memos to his minister. There is nothing wrong with that. He should. I wonder if the minister would be good enough to table that memo. I think he should. I note that you have tabled the memo, which does not get you very far, but in the spirit of tabling memos, in December you referred to receiving a memo from the Territory Police Commissioner confirming that you are on track. I invite you, minister, to table that memo because we would like to see it.
That begs the question: how many memos do you get and how forthcoming are you with them? We all know that you table the ones that are the best. If the one you tabled is the best, some of the others must be shockers. I ask the minister: was there a memo that said: ‘There is no way known we are going to deliver 200 extra police on the beat’? Is there? The minister will not tell me and I doubt that I would be able to get under what are called freedom of information laws but are more accurate described as freedom from information laws.
If that is your best shot, it is a mystery. How many memos do you get? I think you need a lot because you are the yes-but-no-but-yes-but-no sort of a minister. I invite you to table them. Do not do what you do with the crime statistics, which is to extract a little and say all is fine and dandy. It is not. There are incidences occurring the length and breadth of the Territory that might not occur if you delivered on your promise. What is the rationale of delivering 200 extra police on the beat? Like your own mob said, police presence, people want to see it. It is what politicians in modern politics spend a lot of time crafting, like you guys did with all of your election and non-election propaganda. You know how important police on the beat are; you know how important that expression is. The voters in my electorate absolutely know how important it is. There is not a politician worth his or her salt in the country who does not know the value of the expression ‘police on the beat’ and when you say ‘200 extra police on the beat’ no wonder people are unhappy. No wonder they are disappointed. Some of them are outraged. Some of them believe their safety is in jeopardy. Some of them want to see this minister, unlike his predecessor who so obviously failed, take the lead.
He is probably capable of it if his colleagues would just let him get on with the job. I will give him the benefit of the doubt. I think he is committed to it, but, minister, you have to do better than yes-but-no-but-yes and you have to do better than parroting the mantra of the guy whose job you took. You have lied. Your government has lied to Territorians about police numbers and resources dedicated to keep these street safe, and you should be ashamed of yourselves.
Dr BURNS (Police, Fire and Emergency Services): Madam Speaker, I have been in this House going on for five years now, and this censure motion would have to be one of the weakest that I have seen. It petered out about halfway through Question Time and became very repetitive.
If that is the best the Opposition Leader has to offer, I suggest she move aside and let either the member for Blain or the member for Greatorex take over her job because I thought it was a pretty pathetic effort today. No doubt Peter Murphy is listening. Old Pete’s at the end of the telephone and tapping into Hansard. He would be most disappointed with your effort today.
We went around in circles. The assertion was because there were Aboriginal Community Police Officers and police auxiliaries included in the numbers, included in the Police Commissioner’s memo, somehow we were standing back or changing our commitment to the O’Sullivan Report. I pointed out very clearly through my responses to the very repetitive questions of the Leader of the Opposition that in terms of the recommendations of the O’Sullivan Report, the police auxiliaries and ACPOs were part of the recommendations.
I will read an extract of the O’Sullivan Report. I know that the Leader of the Opposition is very sensitive when I assert or suggest that maybe she has not read the O’Sullivan Report. Maybe she has not read it in detail. Looking at page vi in the executive summary:
- Civilianising police positions in specialist roles by appointing public servants so that experienced officers can return to core policing duties, eg officers involved in welfare, domestic violence advocacy work on behalf of victims, the structure and overseeing of diversionary programs and summary prosecutions;
- To fully maintain the establishment of Police Auxiliaries so that Constables are not required for front counter, watch-house or communications roles.
What was the root cause of all of this? I quote again from O’Sullivan. This is page iv. He said:
- Between 1991 and 1994, the Northern Territory Police Force experienced a recruitment freeze caused by funding constraints and a decision by the police force to freeze recruit intakes rather than reduce the number of established police positions.
What does that sentence mean? The former CLP government froze funds for recruitment. The police had no other option but to freeze. What did it result in? He talked about property crime clear-up rates of 14% to 17% as being less than acceptable. It is not acceptable. He said General Duties uniformed police resources were depleted in all urban centres. On average, only 25% to 55% of the approved establishment was available for more than 50% of the 28 day rosters to perform policing tasks.
It is evident what happened, and this mob opposite were responsible. For example, he said, at Casuarina Police Station for the January-February 2003 roster, only 25 of the established 58 police personnel were available for more than half of the roster period. So here we have a depletion of police resources, with a result that the shifts were depleted.
In relation to what I alluded to during Question Time about no follow-up on crime, one of the things that genuinely upset and disturbed Jim O’Sullivan from my conversation with him, and I refer members to page vii:
- The lack of supervision, mentoring and accountability is causing poor tasking to jobs with slow response times. On occasions police reportedly tried to talk complainants out of making complaints.
That is what Jim O’Sullivan said!
- Police complain of having insufficient time to investigate a broad range of reported incidents.
Here is what I was alluding to in Question Time, Madam Speaker:
- There is a developing culture of writing off jobs prematurely, of being unable to follow up many jobs, and almost a total failure to advise victims of any outcomes.
That is what Jim O’Sullivan said, and it is just absolutely unbelievable that the Opposition Leader would go to a censure motion on police resources when there is this highly critical report – and, of course, Jim O’Sullivan does not mention the CLP, he is too much of a gentleman – but they are the ones that at the bottom of all of this. They are the ones the caused the depletion of police resources.
Our government came along and addressed the situation, got O’Sullivan in, and said: ‘Go everywhere in the Northern Territory, have a look and make recommendations to us,’ which he did. We funded it with $75m over three years! His recommendations included sworn police officers, increasing constables; Aboriginal Community Police Officers and police auxiliaries. O’Sullivan recommended that, yet the Leader of the Opposition tried to say that this was somehow less than useful. I know she does not like me saying it, but I do not believe she has read this report carefully because she would not say such a thing if she had.
The Leader of the Opposition waved a lot of brochures around, accusing the government of welshing on its promise of 200 extra police on the beat. As I explained earlier today, we have a modern police force and part of modern policing is having specialist units. They might not walk the streets as such. For example, Domestic Violence Units, targeted policing, targeting repeat offenders and repeat victims. Now, there may be some instances where General Duties police encounter domestic violence, but often this is a hidden problem, and officers need to attend certain places and target offenders. This is the very example that the Police Commissioner used at the last graduation ceremony to illustrate that these officers, such as the Domestic Violence Unit, are actually police on the beat.
Similarly in relation to property crime; we have specialist units that certainly have been beefed up, intelligence-led policing that has led to a 50% reduction in property crime since 2001. I acknowledge that there is always an upward pressure in terms of property crime. I acknowledge that, and we need to be vigilant in terms of property crime. We need to target those offenders, as the Police Commissioner has, who are responsible for the majority of the crime. These people come and go. They might come from interstate into the Territory. They might come out of prison and start up again. We need to be vigilant, and I know our Police Commissioner is extremely vigilant in terms of that.
The Leader of the Opposition used phrases like ‘telling whoppers’ and ‘deceit’. I suggest that the CLP was guilty of telling whoppers and of deceit because they presented themselves as the tough on crime party, but their weakened police force was a paper tiger. O’Sullivan very eloquently pointed to that in the report. Where are the whoppers and deceit? It existed in the CLP because they talked tough, but they did not have the police resources to actually back up their assertions.
Ms Carney interjecting.
Dr BURNS: You have had your say, member for Araluen. Please give me the courtesy of having my say.
If we are going to talk about whoppers and deceit, here is a beauty. This comes from the November sittings of this parliament. This is the memo that was tabled ‘Copy of leaked document’.
Ms Carney interjecting.
Dr BURNS: I know the Leader of the Opposition is sensitive about this, because Madam Speaker, you told her that she had misled this House. She had misled this House. Accusing ministers on this side of misleading the House, she has a lot of gall and she is on dangerous ground, but …
Mr Mills: Exactly where you are, comrade; exactly where you are.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: If you total up the numbers here, and I alluded to this in Question Time, right across the Territory, they are trying to say that there has been a nett increase in police of approximately 40. You know, there are minus one and minus two. Whatever happened within the Leader of the Opposition’s office tabulating this document, I do not know; this is the minus one, minus two.
As I said in Question Time, we have moved along from there. I think the opposition generally is accepting - I hope they accept - the memo written to me by our Police Commissioner about numbers. I hope that they accept that.
We now seem to be getting down to an argument of resource allocation within the police force, which is the purview of the Commissioner for Police. He is the one who deploys his police officers in line with government policy. If you are criticising government about the number of General Duties police, where they are and what they are doing, you are criticising our Police Commissioner, Mr Paul White, a very experienced police officer. He is a senior police officer who we are lucky to have. He proved himself in South Australia and is proving himself here.
You need to be very careful, Leader of the Opposition, in your criticism because you are criticising the police.
Ms Carney: We are not.
Dr BURNS: Well, you do criticise police. Your latest television advertisement criticises police …
Ms Carney: It does not.
Dr BURNS: It does criticise police. You visited the website. You have alluded to the gentleman in Alice Springs who rang, as I understand it, the police station number in Alice Springs and could not get through. He rang several times. Previously, I have explained what happened; after hours, the number used to be manually switched over by office people. They had forgotten to switch it over. My advice from police is that a problem arose with the manual switching of phones from the day time receptionist to the Communications Section. This problem has now been resolved. The Alice Springs communication area is to be upgraded with an integrated computer-aided system which should be in place by early 2007 and will include an automated call distributor system. There was a problem there, member for Araluen; I acknowledge that. However, the advice that I have had from police is that it has been rectified.
Getting back to the advertisement and phones ringing out that the member for Araluen has alluded to, I have been informed that a gentleman saw her ad on television one night, around news time, around 6.30, dialled the number - and what happened? It rang out!
Members interjecting.
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The phone rang once and then you hung up, because we answered it. We answered it! You lie! You continue to lie.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Members interjecting.
Ms Carney: Wrong!
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr Henderson: Was it a Darwin number or an Alice Springs number?
Dr BURNS: No, it was …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Minister, please continue.
Dr BURNS: It is great to see the Opposition Leader getting animated. I hope Peter Murphy is listening to this because it is firming up, the chances of the member for Blain and the member for Greatorex in the leadership stakes. ‘I want to hear what you say: police are not responding; ring this number’. Ring, ring, ring, ring, ring, ring out. So there you go. You know what they say about people in glass houses, Leader of the Opposition.
In terms of police answering calls, the advice that I have is that police aim to answer 90% of 000 calls within 10 seconds. Last year in 2005-06, they achieved 86%. So far this year, they are achieving 85%. Police aim to answer 80% of 131 444 calls within 20 seconds. Last year, they achieved 79%, and this year they are achieving 72%. They are below par there, but these are the targets and I am very focused on meeting them. I do not think the Leader of the Opposition can say the same about her number - and her number could be up!
The Leader of the Opposition was prophetic to some degree when she talked about knocking on the door and no one there. That is the essence of the opposition’s performance today. There has not been a lot of substance. There has been this big supposed attack mounted and it has gone nowhere. It has rebounded on the Leader of the Opposition.
Madam Speaker, we have invested $75m in our police force based on the O’Sullivan Report and it is bearing fruit. I repeat once again the crime statistics for Alice Springs. The Leader of the Opposition said last night: ‘The crime statistics in Alice Springs tell their own story’. So in a comparison to the latest crime statistics for the September quarter of 2006 and a comparison with the September quarter 2001, in Alice Springs we see assault down 11%, sexual assault down 33%, total offences against the person down 12%, unlawful entry with intent down 37%, motor vehicle theft down 7%, other theft down 22%, property damage down 14%, and total property offences down 20%. These are very important figures.
The other statistic I am looking for relates to the alcohol trials in Alice Springs. I just do not seem to be able to find it in amongst my papers, but essentially, the point I want to make is that police resources are extremely important and this government is attending to that. We will continue to focus on it. We have done a lot and there is much more to do. There is more to crime than policing. We all acknowledge that. We all know, as we discussed during the statement last week about alcohol and alcohol-related crime within the Northern Territory. It is important for us to look at some of the causes of crime along with our policing to take some of the load off our police.
In Alice Springs, Nhulunbuy and on Groote Eylandt, moving forward with alcohol management plans to reduce the adverse effects of excessive alcohol consumption in our communities is a very important strategy by this government. There has been a significant reduction. I cannot find the papers, Madam Speaker, but I know there has been a significant reduction in assaults in Alice Springs because of those alcohol restrictions. That is also very important.
What this government has done is to seriously address drug-related crime, something that the previous government was in denial about. Certainly, the link between property crime and drugs is well known right across Australia and the world, but it was something that the CLP were in denial about. This is a government that got tough on drugs. We have introduced drug house legislation.
Here is a story for you, Madam Speaker. In my own electorate of Johnston was the famous Foils at Moil. When I moved into my electorate office soon after the election, I knew about Foils at Moil. I asked police what was going on and they said they did not really have the laws to address the issue. What did this government do? We introduced drug house legislation. It was cleared up.
I had complaints when I was doorknocking prior to the 2001 election from people living across the road who said it was like a supermarket. People pulled up any time of the day or night, went in, got their drugs and left. They asked why the police were not doing something about it. There were a number of reasons why police were unable to act, not least because they did not have the laws or the resources to do it.
I had people living proximate to Foils at Moil who told stories about kids breaking into their cars, stealing fishing gear and heading straight to Foils at Moil to swap it for drugs, for cannabis. They actually followed the kids to Foils at Moil. It was a nightmare for residents. This is a government that was serious and did something about it.
We also had problems with serious drug dealers accumulating proceeds of crime, so we introduced laws to confiscate the proceeds of crime. It is not in my portfolio area so I am not sure of the precise amount that has been confiscated, but I think it is now close to $1m in confiscated property and proceeds of crime.
This is a government that looks at all facets of crime reduction. We take advice from professional people like Jim O’Sullivan and professional people in Justice, and we try to implement strategies to address issues. We do have outstanding issues, and I acknowledge that, but we are focused on solving them for the people of the Northern Territory.
All the opposition seems capable of doing is whingeing and carping and trying to pull apart numbers, asking for memos and trying to check that against this, introducing bogus documents. Talking about people on television, the CLP bogus document that they produced in here, ‘copy of leaked document’, it was completely wrong, asserting that there have only been 40 extra police across the Territory when the Police Commissioner has said there are 200. The opposition needs to get real in its efforts on law and order and police, accept what the government has done and try to work cooperatively to address issues that affect the Northern Territory.
Madam Speaker, I reject this censure. It has no basis at all. It has bounced back very badly on the Leader of the Opposition, and I think she is going to pay a bit of a price for it.
Mr MILLS (Blain): Madam Speaker, the central nub of this censure is the question of the police, 200, on the beat. It is a very clever use of words that were very deliberately chosen. There would be expensive focus groups to generate a confirmed position that if one says: ‘200 extra police’ there will be a sense of relief in the community, but you will add to it by saying: ‘They will be on the beat’. Then you maintain that perception in the community by glossy brochures, by smiling photographs and bombarding letter boxes to perpetuate the impression.
We are saying that it is not true. It is untrue. That is the central aspect of this censure. Minister, you may say whatever you wish, but you have not addressed that central issue. There are not 200 on the beat. You have convoluted explanations. You would never commit to an explanation that would go into a letter box to explain this convoluted business about intelligence-led policing, another slogan to try to create the impression that something has changed when nothing has.
You waved a document around and laughed and mocked a man of integrity and said: ‘This is the bogus document’. Have you had an opportunity to apprise yourself of the quality of that document? Have you? Have you checked what was in that document? Have you wondered whether there could well be some evidence to support those documents, or is it just convenient for you and those who love to preserve a perception and play the game, the theatre of politics? You cast slogans around the place and then hide behind something you have not investigated to your own satisfaction. That document has far greater substance, and I will stand behind. I know where it came from.
If the minister had taken the time to look at it and can stand here and play that kind of game, I am ashamed of him. It might be easy to play a game, and some on that side there love just playing the game. They will say: ‘I think we got them, I think we got them on the ropes. We can say whatever we choose to maintain a position of political advantage’, when, in fact, the truth is a completely different matter.
I urge honourable members in their own quiet time – you can still play the game if you wish – to check that document out. Check that document out and see whether there is some substance to it. You may be surprised. What I would be very surprised about is if, after checking that document out, you changed your rhetoric. I would be surprised. I believe there would be some great relief in our wider community because there is growing cynicism about what goes on in this parliament supposedly in the way of robust and sensible debate.
Parliament seems to be a place of sloganeering. At the heart of your response, minister, and I can hear it happening on this side, the cogs are turning and you are thinking: ‘We are on the ropes a bit here so, all 19 of us, let us create the impression that there is a problem with the four’. Oh, come on! You have the resources of departments behind you, you have the fifth floor full of advisors crawling all over the place, and you have backbenchers sitting down there. One of those backbenchers could have taken that document that you so conveniently whack a slogan on, and have your chorus laughing along behind and thinking: ‘Oh, yes, is he not a funny bloke? I’d better laugh, because one day I might want his support to be in Cabinet’, or something like that, but, why don’t you get one of the backbenchers to check that document out?
You have vast resources there. You have a very clear issue in front of you. Do you have an extra 200 on the beat? That is the contract you made with Territorians: police men and women actually on the beat, out there working on the front line. You have not substantiated that at all. You have hidden behind slogans. You have created false impressions.
Let us use another argument. Let us say everyone is concerned about what is going on in the classrooms because classrooms are overcrowded. You do a few focus groups, and people think: ‘Oh, I would like to share something that I am really concerned about’, in this case it is education, and they will say: ‘We are worried about the size of classrooms’. Then you have a lot of little focus groups all around the northern suburbs where you need to win your seats, and you get this same message coming again and again. The little think tank that is up there says: ‘I know what we will say! We will have an extra 200 teachers in the classroom’. Aha! So you go out with this crafted message as a result of very deep market research, and you launch it with glossy brochures the likes of which you never supported when you were in opposition. You …
Members interjecting.
Mr MILLS: You were offended by them. The Chief Minister used to stand here with outrage at the expenditure of this sort of stuff. Well, the expenditure by this government, now that they have moved from this place over to there, way exceeds anything the CLP ever did. It is a government by media release, by slogan, by self-promotion way in excess of anything that once appalled you.
You tell the community: ‘We are going to have 200 extra teachers in classrooms’. And the public says: ‘Oh, what a relief! We have people who know what we feel and think’. Now, you will be able to go through all the schools and see whether there actually were 200 teachers in classrooms in addition to what you currently have because you could do an audit. You could do a roll call and find out how many. Now, what we have here is: ‘Yes, we have now done that; we have achieved that great plan’. The community says: ‘Yah! You have achieved the plan; you have delivered exactly what we wanted’. We have trained an extra 200 teachers, to use the different story. We have trained 200 extra teachers. The person in charge of the uni or wherever says: ‘Yes, we have now trained 200 extra teachers’. ‘But you told us that they were going to be in the classroom’. ‘Yes, that is exactly right. We have trained an additional 200’.
You might have put another 200 in the system, but whilst that was going on, there were others leaving the system. That is exactly what you have here. Yes, the Commissioner, and all credit to him, has said to government: ‘We now have achieved the objective of 200 extra trained’. At the same time as that training, there is attrition; there are those who are leaving. The impression maintained - not the truth, but the impression - is that there are now 200 extra police out there on the front line delivering on the concerns of the wider community. However, that is not true. There are 200 who have come in, been reconfigured in all sorts of different ways and they are not actually on the beat. If you do an analysis of that, you have raised an expectation, a deliberately crafted expectation, and quibbled on it. You have not delivered the expectation that you deliberately cultivated within the community, and targeted with glossies. You have not done that, nor have you taken the time to check some of the information that has been provided to you by the opposition. You would much prefer to stand behind a slogan and laugh, scoff and mock. Shame upon you.
For those over there who chorus ‘shame’ about the memories of the past, ‘shame, shame’ as though you really believe it, and perhaps you do, which is really quite sad, because there are other aspects of the past that could well be illuminating. It helps you to look back. It is all right to read your own selective history books that have been written up there for you on the fifth floor so you can see this terrible dark past. I know the member for Goyder is already developing the war crimes tribunal to deal with the terrible crimes committed in the past. They will have the whole slate clean and probably start the clock again so that we will have a whole new era. Like the Khmer Rouge, we will have a whole new era and change the clocks and the calendars, and have time that started in 2001 as Year 1, because we cannot bear to look at those horrible things that happened before the golden age of the Australian Labor Party.
That is just nonsense, absolute nonsense. It is the stuff that distresses members. You hear stories about the great freeze that occurred in 1990 to 1991. I wonder how many members have had a look at what happened in that time and the context in which it occurred. It might be of assistance to help you to stand comfortably as a member. You need to have a look to see what happened then.
At that time, you may recall, there was a recession. It was a recession that, you may recall, we were told we had to have. There was a Treasurer whose name was Paul Keating and who managed some economic reforms that resulted in recession across the Australian economy and affected the states. The state with the most fragile economy, the Northern Territory, was particularly affected. Central to some of those reforms was one omission and that was a consumption tax. The then federal Labor Treasurer was personally supportive of a consumption tax, but was rolled, and that was not permitted to be included in those reforms. Then he cleverly changed position, as Labor politicians are able to do just to play the game and to advance the political agenda, and he opposed the GST when it was spoken about by Hewson. He found ways of pecking it when, in fact, he supported it. Nonetheless, that taxation system, which is now the GST, was missing from these reforms. As a result, the Northern Territory starved. It was unlike these times; there was a recession. I wonder how this government would have managed in those difficult times.
Let us move to today. There is a conservative government in Canberra and a Labor government in the Territory, quite the reverse. Rather than starvation, this government is being loaded up with cash beyond its expectations time and time again, year in and year out. It is completely the reverse situation. It might be convenient for you to put this aside because it does not assist you with your sloganeering, but that is the fact. If you listen to this government criticise decisions that were made 15 years ago in a completely different financial environment, it is fascinating. The budget for the Territory back in 1990-91 was less than $1.6bn. What is it today? Well, you know your slogans. It is over $3bn. Back then it was $1.6bn, now it is over $3bn; a completely different economic environment, totally different.
Consequently, the budget at that time for police was $62m. This year, the police budget is $192m. These are very different economic times. It makes it much easier to ignore these facts and these issues of context in history and the ebb and flow of economic fortunes for the sake of whacking slogans around and getting the cheer squad behind you. It is not true. You need to be a little more sensitive with the truth.
We have a government of the sincere belief that they have managed to steer the economy in the direction that it has gone. I take my hat off to the member for Drysdale who was refreshingly honest in admitting that there is a small amount that the Territory government has in fact done with regard to the resources boom. We all know the truth: there are factors way outside the control of this parliament, or even the Treasurer, that have impacted upon the Territory. That is the fact. Now this government is going along with the flow and these things are occurring. There were different cycles, there were different times that resulted in very difficult circumstances for the then Treasurer, who was a member of the CLP.
Even a cabbage could achieve what has been achieved by this government with the GST funds that have flown through. It is not difficult to do when the money is flowing in, but maybe he will not stick around that long.
If this government had stuck with the same spending arrangement on the former system’s income, we really would have a banana republic here. You see, this government says how much it spends and how they are the biggest spenders ever while keeping the budget in surplus, but where does the money come from to allow that luxury? The GST; it comes from another source ...
Dr Lim: And borrowing.
Mr MILLS: And borrowing, but the capacity to spend seems to be the highlight of their day, to be able to say we have spent this and we have spent that. Good at spending, but you are managing in times of plenty and I fear for the times when there is less. These are very different circumstances. The only reason this government can promise to provide more spending is because of a tax system that they resisted and opposed at all costs and that is the GST. You are a bunch of hypocrites.
The government of the early 1990s then turned to the Commissioner for Police and asked him what they could do: ‘We have difficult economic times. The money is not flowing in the quantum that it once did. We have a recession. We are reassured by the Labor federal Treasurer this is the recession that we had to have’. Many of us had a lot of difficult times then. Think of Palmerston at that time. Interest rates were 17% or more. They were difficult times. Government, at that time, managed in difficult times and they turned to the Commissioner for Police. He had to come up with an effective plan. It required leadership.
Let me remind members of Mr Palmer’s book about police management, Police Leadership in Australia. In that book, he discussed the need for strategic management of police forces. That includes fiscal management. As Commissioner, he was forced to live within his means by circumstance of the time. The ALP in Canberra was presiding over an economy that was, in fact, a recession that we had to have, a correction of the market, and anyone here who had a mortgage at that time on any loan knows the difficult times that we went through, no less the Territory Treasury.
This is part of a strategic planning process which includes planning in lean times. The department shed some of its non-core functions and moved into other areas so that police numbers were not immediately needed. Was it perfect? No, it certainly was not. Considering the poverty of ability in Canberra to manage the national economy it was necessary, it was required. The capacity to manage in difficult times is the issue here, not the convenience of slogans which suit a short-term political agenda that is, in fact, dishonest.
Let us now consider the person who the government of the day turned to so that they could get through these miserable and difficult times, and they were difficult. Mick Palmer gave the government the advice it needed to get through those tough times. He went on to be the Federal Commissioner for Police, the top national cop. How well is he regarded? Well enough for the Chief Minister to solicit to head up her inquiry into Aboriginal violence. He was a legend, according to her, because of his capacity and skills. So which is it? Is he useless or is he a legend? The fact is that he is a great Territorian who has served the people of the Territory well and bravely for many years. At least he saw through the tissue of politics that the Aboriginal inquiry is, and decided to extract himself from it, but this is the man who gave advice on which the government of the day relied in particular circumstances. If the situation were the same for this government, would they make the same decisions now? That is the question.
No, they would probably borrow, borrow and borrow because that is the ALP way. It is not difficult to run perceptions based on focus group polling to create your own political future. It is much more difficult to provide visionary and courageous leadership. No, they do not because the national government has done the right thing by the states and by this Territory. Going back to the censure, you have deliberately created an impression, you have deliberately crafted that and you have not been able to refute the charge that has been laid against you that you have not lived up to the expectation, the contract in fact, that you have with the Territory for 200 additional police on the beat. That is not what we have.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I condemn this motion from members opposite because they have not prosecuted their case at all. The Leader of the Opposition’s motion attempts to censure the Chief Minister, the Leader of Government Business, and the current minister for Police for lying to Territorians about police numbers.
They have had the best part of an hour of parliamentary time to prove that this side of the House, including the Chief Minister, has lied to Territorians about police numbers, and they have not done that. There has been no systematic prosecution of the centrepiece of the motion that we have lied about police numbers. There has been no documentation provided, there has been analysis of the numbers provided, there has not even been any attempted credible explanation of the fabricated documents that were tabled during the November sittings, which purportedly tried to prove in a very convoluted way that numbers were fewer than what the commissioner was stating publicly at the time. There has been no systematic prosecution that we have lied about police numbers.
Let us go back to some basics. The member for Blain talked a lot about numbers, budgets, GST and recessions. I have gone back to the last budget that the CLP handed down, the famous 2000-01 Budget, which was deceptive and fraudulent and released eight weeks prior to the lead-up to the 2001 election. We have had that debate many times. For the 2000-01 Budget for Police, Fire and Emergency Services, Mike Reed was the Treasurer and the relevant minister. That budget was $121m. It was down on the estimated outcome for the previous year of $126m. They actually allocated the police in that budget $5.6m less than the police were going to spend the previous year. If we look at the budget today, it is $192m.
That is money that has been committed to our police force every year. I think it is an extra $71m. If an additional $71m allocated to the police budget every year is not employing an additional 215 police officers plus a significant increase in budget capacity to fund operational facilities and equipment for those police, where is it going? If it is not going into wages and salaries of additional police officers, where is it going? It is a huge commitment from this government, a 55% increase in the police budget.
The fundamental principle that the Opposition Leader is trying to prosecute is that we have not met our target of an additional 200 police on the beat across the Northern Territory. She has not a shred of evidence. She is a lawyer who thinks that she is still at the bar. Courts are supposed to determine the cases, guilt and innocence, based on evidence. There was nothing introduced into this debate today to prove that this government has not met its target. We have a 55% increase in the budget, an extra $71m going in a year. That money has gone to meet our targets of an additional 200 police, extra equipment, and extra facilities for police across the Northern Territory.
If you do not believe me and the current Police minister, one would have to believe the Commissioner of Police. I had the honour and privilege of working with the commissioner for nearly four years. He is a man of the utmost integrity. Whatever people might say about our commissioner, he is a man of the utmost integrity and leads the force impeccably. The commissioner stated in his memo:
- The NT Police Force has undertaken significant recruitment in recent years and since 1 July 2003, 165 positions at Constable and above were filled, 29 ACPOs, 21 Police Auxiliaries. The total number of additional police … (up until 12 February 2007) stands at 215.
So, if you do not believe us, you have to believe the Police Commissioner. If you do not believe the Police Commissioner, you stand condemned because he is a man of enormous integrity.
The member for Blain said: ‘You do not talk about attrition’. I attended many recruit squads and always enjoyed them, but very rarely did I see anyone from the opposition at those recruit squads, even when they did have 11 members on the other side of the House. Once O’Sullivan was committed and those squads were going through, on most graduation parades there would be three recruit squads on parade. That is 70 officers on parade: a recruit squad of around 25 or 26 graduating, plus another 50 in two separate recruit squads coming through, and a very impressive sight that was.
The commissioner went on to say that:
- 70 recruits are currently undertaking training at the Police College and will cater for additional police (N-8) for the Road Safety Taskforce initiative, airport policing (N-39) and anticipated attrition to 30 June 2007.
The police now have the financial capacity to recruit ahead of attrition, and that is certainly something that they did not have the capacity to do under the CLP government.
The police have met their commitments. I am happy that the Leader of the Opposition was reminding us of our brochures to explain to Territorians how police are being allocated. I will go to O’Sullivan and the issue of additional resources going in for administrative and professional people to allow those police officers to go back to the beat.
Quoting from Update No 1, February 2004:
- The Building our Police Force plan is delivering 200 more police on the street by the end of 2006, and about 150 of those will be constables.
Of police on the street, 150 will be constables:
- Since August 2003, 60 constables have finished training, 14 new ACPOs and five new police auxiliaries have started duties. In 2004, 120 constables in five recruit squads will join the police force.
The government, very clearly, articulated 200 more police on the street, plus additional ACPOs and police auxiliaries. There is no hiding the fact that we were recruiting auxiliaries and ACPOs who are sworn police officers. The first brochure that we released said:
More resources for NT Police
- 150 constables, 25 experienced sergeants, 30 ACPOs and Police Auxiliaries, more than 80 civilian support staff, upgraded policing equipment.
There was no hiding of recruitment facts in those brochures, and I know that there were many more of them. I bet London to a brick that the Leader of the Opposition has not read the O’Sullivan Report word for word because had she, she would understand that on top of the 150 extra police personnel, 148 constables and police auxiliaries and doubling the ACPOs funded under O’Sullivan, an additional 37 professional and technical positions and 50 administrative support positions that will directly support or take over roles currently performed by police to ensure more police are available for delivering core policing services.
There are an additional 87 civilian positions whose duties were previously being carried out by sworn uniformed police officers in those roles that have freed up the vast majority of police officers to go back to the beat. That is where the 200 comes from. It is pretty simple.
In respect of the definition of ‘the beat’, it is police who are protecting and serving the community by clearing up crime.
The member for Blain said that intelligence-led policing is nothing but a slogan, and he said it time and time again. That was the core operational strategy that our Police Commissioner introduced into the police force when he became commissioner in 2002. For the member for Blain to say it is nothing but a slogan is offensive because it is not a government slogan. It is the core organisational policing strategy the Police Commissioner has introduced into the force. To move the force from an old-fashioned 1950s reactive-style police and model, which is what we have inherited, such was the paucity of funding, and we will go to what O’Sullivan said about the funding, to a modern, proactive intelligence-led police force that is reducing crime across the Northern Territory will be the great legacy of our current Police Commissioner. He has just accepted another five-year term. That will be his legacy when he retires: to have transformed this police force into a modern, intelligence-based police force, a legacy the member for Blain condemns as a slogan.
If we look at what O’Sullivan had to say, and go through the reason why we had a reactive police force up until the funding arising from O’Sullivan kicked in, General Duties uniformed police resources were depleted in all urban centres. On average, only 25% to 55% of the approved establishment was available for more than 50% of the 28-day rosters to perform policing tasks. For example, at Casuarina Police Station January-February 2003 roster, only 25 of the established 58 police personnel were available for more than half of the roster period. Is it any wonder they were chasing their tail? Is it any wonder that we had clean-up rates for crimes that were less than acceptable? They were flat out attending the most serious of assaults and offences. That is the reason, which has nothing to do with Mick Palmer and Peter McAulay. They can only deal with the resources that were allocated to them by a government that had totally taken its eyes off the ball …
Dr Lim: You twist your words whenever it suits you.
Mr HENDERSON: They are not my words, member for Greatorex; they are Jim O’Sullivan’s words:
- The lack of supervision, mentoring and accountability is causing poor tasking to jobs and slow response times. On occasions police reportedly tried to talk complainants out of making complaints. There is a developing culture of writing off jobs prematurely, of being unable to follow up jobs, and almost a total failure to advise victims of any outcomes.
Almost a total failure! That is what we inherited when we came to government. In terms of the rising crime rates, the property crime that was going through the roof, drug-related crime that was going through the roof when we came to government, what was the CLP’s response? What was the CLP’s response to crime going through the roof in the Northern Territory? Mandatory sentencing! That does not cost a cent. That does not cost a cent: we are going to put a Mickey Mouse law into the parliament, look tough, round up all these kids up, lock them up. You steal one banana, you are going to gaol. That was Shane Stone’s mistake. One banana, one biscuit, you are going to gaol.
I have tabled documents here from previous Commissioners to Mike Reed at the time. In terms of a policy response to crime that was going through the roof, they might have had a mandatory sentencing policy, but they did not have police on the ground to undertake the investigations, make the arrests, get the briefs into the courtroom and get a conviction because they did not have the coppers out there. It was a policy response that was never going to go anywhere near leading to a reduction to crime. Very proudly, it was nothing other than a political stunt to try to get the community’s eye off the ball when the main game was a government deliberately under funding our police force.
We repealed mandatory sentencing, very proudly, as the first act of the new Labor government in the Northern Territory. We increased the funding to police and now we are seeing crime being reduced across the Territory, which is what we should all want. If we look at those figures, these reductions in crime are being achieved by a well-resourced, modern police force with an additional 200 police on the beat across the Northern Territory, and intelligence-led policing that is not a slogan, but a very accomplished crime fighting strategy.
The facts speak for themselves. House break-ins across the Territory are down by 50% over the last six years, a 50% reduction to property crime. How was that achieved without extra police out there? Break-ins to commercial and other premises are down by 31% over the last six years. Motor vehicle and related offences decreased by over 51% over the last six years. Other theft is down by over 25% over the last six years. Property damage is down by 29% over the last six years. Here is an extraordinary figure: in total, there were 10 272 fewer property offences in the Northern Territory than six years ago. So when the CLP were in government, there was more crime and fewer police officers in the Northern Territory: 10 272 more victims of property crime in the Northern Territory than there are in 2007 under a Labor government. Sexual assaults across the Territory have decreased by 21% over the last six years.
This is a government that is proud of its record in supporting our police force. We are not going to be distracted by red herrings, fabricated documents trying to purport a fact. There is no basis in fact for this. We have a police force that is achieving significant results. We have much more to do. One crime is one crime too many, but there are far fewer victims under this government then there were under the CLP. Any objective assessment and comparison of the crime scene in the last year of the CLP government across the Northern Territory, what was happening out in our streets, communities and suburbs as opposed to what is happening now, will show a significant decrease. We have more to do.
This is an opposition that is struggling for issues. We all love Wicking cartoons. I got my second today in six years. I am looking for a few more, but the Opposition Leader’s political strategy is based on Wicking cartoons and Peter Murphy, a ghost from the past, rattling away. It is a political strategy that will take them nowhere because they do nothing but talk down the Territory. They talk down the Territory at every turn. This is a government that is getting on with the job. We have much more to do.
Madam Speaker, I move that the motion be put.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! There are two motions before the Chair, the first from the Leader of Government Business that the question be put, and the second from the Leader of the Opposition. The first question is that the motion be put.
Motion agreed to.
Madam SPEAKER: The question now is that the Leader of the Opposition’s motion be agreed to.
Motion negatived.
MOTION
Note Statement – Sessional Committee on Sport and Youth – Interim Progress Statement on Benefits of School Sport NT Programs
Note Statement – Sessional Committee on Sport and Youth – Interim Progress Statement on Benefits of School Sport NT Programs
Continued from earlier this day.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Madam Speaker, I add a little to the debate of the interim report delivered by the Chairman of the Youth and Sport Committee.
This has been an interesting committee. Those people who are on it are naturally very concerned about what we have available for our youth with the Northern Territory. It is good that we can work in a bipartisan manner. It seems strange that I can stand here now after we just had that censure motion when everyone was spewing forth at each other, but it is nice to be able to talk about something in bipartisan manner to calm things down a little.
There is genuine cooperation from all members of the committee to look at what we have in the Northern Territory that does address youth and sport. I am also on the substance abuse committee, and I see a lot of interaction and overlapping of the issues between the two committees, which is good because some of us who are involved in both of those committees can see where it is obvious that sports introduced in communities in the Territory, especially remote communities, will be advantageous to our youth.
Obesity is a huge problem in children nationally and internationally, and sport plays a very important part in address that serious problem.
I have had the opportunity to look through some of the reports that have been handed to us and I know we have a long way to go in addressing the infrastructure that we have in those communities to be able to encourage the young people to take part in sporting activities. In turn, that should assist in their development in the communities. I am speaking specifically about communities at this point because that is an important issue for us to be addressing as a committee. In regional towns and in Darwin there are a lot of opportunities and facilities available for young people to utilise, but it is pretty obvious that we do have a fair way to go in some of the remote communities.
I have no idea of what we are going to end up with in our recommendations because, naturally, we will have to spend a lot of time deliberating our recommendations from that committee. I am sure that we will look at it in a way that will benefit most of the young people throughout the Northern Territory.
As I said, the Youth and Sport committee does overlap with Substance Abuse, and it has become really obvious that that has had a detrimental effect on a lot of our youth. I welcome the chairman’s interim report. I know that we have a long way to go, and I know that the information that has been collated to date has taken a lot of time. I congratulate Pat Hancock and the secretariat for doing such a sterling job. Of course, because we are busy doing other things, Pat and her staff spend a lot of time collating this information to make it easier for us as a committee to make a decision. I thank her for that and the other members of secretariat.
I look forward to working over the next few months on this committee, especially coming up with some recommendations for government. I know that government has serious concerns about youth and sport, and substance abuse. Hopefully the committees can work together to see if we can come up with something that will be advantageous for our young people in the Northern Territory. I thank the chairman for her interim report.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I joined this committee because I felt it was a very timely move by the government to look at sport throughout the Territory. I know there are people - and I know some of them quite well - who cannot stand sport but, for me sport is an integral part of our life as Australians and Territorians. There are champions from the Northern Territory in many sporting activities, but it is about more than champions. It has a lot to do with our culture and it crosses other cultures.
Whether you are Aboriginal, Greek, Dutch, German, Anglo-Saxon, Irish or whatever, sport does not have any boundaries. That is one of the good things about it. It has a unifying – well, it is not always unifying. At certain football matches I have attend, it is quite the opposite, but generally speaking, it is a unifying occupation. We all barrack for the Aussies, and we all barrack for the Territory when we are pitched against interstate teams. It is about more than champions; it is a lifestyle. I mentioned the ‘L’ word – I am sorry.
Mr Kiely: It is, Gerry. You are allowed to use it.
Mr WOOD: Thank you, member for Sanderson. It is part of our lifestyle. This committee is looking at the total picture of how sport fits in with the whole community. In this case, we have been looking at how it fits into schools, remote communities, urban communities and developing elite sporting stars. We have the Northern Territory Institute of Sport, which is helping develop Northern Territory champions who can stand up not only for the Territory, but for Australia on the world sport scene.
The other issue is that sport is expensive in many cases. You need sporting facilities for champions or to promote good quality sporting activities. That is the other thing this committee needs to look at. The government puts money into sport. How well is that money being spent? Is it being spent as efficiently as possible? Is it going out to as many people in the Northern Territory as possible?
Sport covers people from a very young age to a very old age, and we should remember that it does cover people of all ages. At the Master’s Games in Alice Springs, I saw a lady running the 400 m and she took 20 minutes off the previous record. We are talking 400 m, by the way ...
Mrs Miller: 20 seconds.
Mr WOOD: 20 seconds was it?
Mrs Miller: You said 20 minutes.
Mr WOOD: I said 20 minutes? It might be 20 seconds. Forget all that. She took an enormous amount off the record. The previous record holder basically walked around. That was between, I think, the 80 and 85 age group. I went to see the lady who won it because she went round like a steam train. She was from Tasmania. I asked if she had always run. She said: ‘Yes, I was always a marathon runner, but my legs got a bit sore so now I am only doing the sprints’. It shows you that people of all ages can continue enjoying sport.
We have to recognise that when we are spending our money, we do not focus just purely on the younger people. We need to broaden it out, especially for older people. The baby boomers are just about finished their boom, and the overweight and sagging knees are starting to take over. In this society, we need to remember that sport is a good way of exercising. It is about health as well. I made a note: what is the role of sport? In many cases it is fitness; simply keeping you fit.
I am organising a public meeting about prostate in March. I know that one of the ways of reducing the risk of prostate is to keep fit and not to be obese. I can tell you that I have to work continually on keeping at least my weight to a reasonable level. One of the reasons for that is that by keeping fit, you can keep healthy, which is an important thing for the whole of the Territory.
Diabetes and morbidity, people sitting down doing nothing, is a terrible mix. Unfortunately, two of my brothers-in-law have died from that combination. They had diabetes and basically sat down, did not do much more work, and their life just passed away. There were other reasons as well, but basically they were not doing anything; they were not active. That just did not help their cause. It is sad when I see older people who obviously have let themselves go, and you know they are at risk from heart attack or diabetes or other chronic disease caused by not keeping yourself in reasonably good nick.
Sport can help that. Sometimes it is hard to exercise by yourself, but if there is Super Rules E grade cricket or a group of people who are of a certain age who get together and play sport, it is much easier to exercise as a group because you encourage one another, which is good.
Another area we do not emphasise as much as we should is community pride, which helps in a lot of our smaller communities. The Minister for Local Government and others would know better than I the pride in winning the football in Central Australia when community football groups get together. It is bad enough on Bathurst Island. Someone was telling me the other day Elliott, for instance, has three football teams and they all did pretty well. They all go down to Tennant Creek, and I bet if they beat Tennant Creek teams, they think it is great.
Mr McAdam: Barkly plays Katherine next week.
Mr WOOD: Yes, I umpired a game between Beswick and Elliott.
Mr McAdam: Back the Barkly.
Mrs Miller: I hope Beswick won.
Mr WOOD: No, Elliott won. It was their home ground and they did a count of the number of players with five minutes to go. The Elliott umpire was running around with me and, of course, Beswick had to lose their score with five minutes to go, but I digress.
What I am saying is that sport gives us an opportunity to put pride into some of these places. We have been talking about local government recently and some little councils and towns being dysfunctional, but there are good sides in those communities. I bet people love to say: ‘I come from that community even if it is a bit of a dump’. If they have a footy, basketball, netball team or softball teams in the case of many of Central Australian places, they are proud of their team and their community. You can instil pride and we should use that as part of lifting some of these communities. There is a lot of talk about that through the changes to the local government, but there are other avenues as well which go hand-in-hand.
Sport has a great role to play in trying to help reduce crime. That is one of the terms of reference. There is still the old adage about if you have nothing to do, bored kids get into crime and trouble. Sport not only makes sure that they are not bored, it builds up team work and responsibility, especially team sports. It is drilled into them: ‘You have to play over here; you are not playing as an individual, you are playing as part of a team, and if we all play that way we can win’. It is part of life’s experience and developing responsibility and discipline, which is more important than ever. You can discipline in kids that you might not get at home. If you put them into a football team, they learn discipline because they love their footy. They realise if they do the right thing, they have a fair chance of winning.
For some young people it is a good way for them to learn to communicate with other people. You get shy kids who are reluctant to move into these team sports, but once they have some encouragement and start to enjoy the game, many of these kids come of our of themselves. I see kids every Sunday because I umpire junior footy and you always ask for the captains to come out. These kids are Under 13. A captain of one team comes out and shakes your hand and says: ‘I am Tom,’ as confident as could be. There was no shyness. He knew that he was the captain and he showed that he was in charge. Sport can have that effect on young people.
I always remember John Kennedy because I was, and still am, a Hawthorn supporter. John Kennedy was the coach.
Members: Oh, boo!
Mr WOOD: Thank you very much. There is a story why I barrack for Hawthorn. I am not sure if Madam Speaker will allow me but I will have a go. My mother made sure I barracked for Hawthorn because she looked at my nappies and said: ‘You will be a Hawthorn supporter’.
I lived very close to Hawthorn football ground. John Kennedy was the coach. He was the first coach to get them to a premiership.
Mr Bonson: Kennedy’s commandos.
Mr WOOD: He was a man who believed that sport enabled boys to become men. That is what sport is about. It is about changing people, changing attitudes. I am sure that the member for Drysdale would - I got the electorate right this time - would say the same thing. Look at a lot of our leaders in society who have come from sport, and sport has that ability. Look at what opportunities Aboriginal people have to lead, to be role models. That is the one big, shining light in our communities, especially with Aboriginal people in the Territory. We have some real champions and they are starting to blossom. They are starting to speak up and show that they are not second rate; they are up there with the best.
I know not every Aboriginal footballer can be an AFL footballer and we have be careful that we do not say to everyone that they will be champions. Some of them are not going to be champions, but it gives people something to aspire to, especially to Aboriginal people. Even that is something great about sport.
I know some people are driven mad with sport; they can’t stand the cricket on the telly all the time, but I’d suggest they change the channel. Sport is a good recreation for people. We shouldn’t forget that people go to watch sport. It can be a family activity. I know Daly River people who always come up to watch some of their people who play for Southern Districts. The Daly family comes up and sits under the trees to encourage their young fellows who have driven up to play football and then they go home. There are plenty of other families doing the same thing.
Organised sport also encourages volunteers who help out on the day. I don’t think this person would mind me mentioning it. In Under 14 Wanderers, we need volunteers as goal umpires. One of those is David Bates, the jockey. His son plays in Under 14, and he comes every Sunday when Wanderers are playing and promptly does the goal umpiring. There is never a word; he just comes out and does it. He encourages his son to play football. You see, it is not just a matter of the people who play; it is family and supporters, so it is about community.
A member: He’s a rover?
Mr WOOD: He is a rover. Well, he’s not as small as his father. He has a very strong left-foot kick. You know how you get the natural left-foot kickers and you wish you could tie a brick to it so they can kick right-footed when they need to?
That serves to highlight the fact that it is an important area in the Northern Territory. It does lift people up when conditions aren’t as good as they might be. I think of Richard Tambling. He came from Jabiru; he also came from the 15 Mile community or Palmerston Indigenous Village. As much as people work hard to make it a good place, it is fairly depressing. It is not the sort of place from which you think a champion will emerge, but he has. Richard Tambling has come out of a community that is not the best, but he has had good support from his grandma and he has done well. It shows that you can achieve, even when things aren’t as good as they might be.
I am enjoying being on the committee. The member for Millner mentioned that each member has a bit of a relationship with sport in their life. I should thank the member for Drysdale, who was previously the chairman until they downgraded him to a minister. I was sorry to hear that; he was doing a great job, and I mean no disrespect to our present chair. He was doing a great job, and he was keen to get out into the communities and he did go to some of them.
We have some big issues to consider, especially when it comes to remote communities: the facilities and the people we employ to carry out sport and recreation work. We have to make sure there is sufficient funding and equipment to do it properly because sport and employment go hand in hand. You cannot play basketball all day and you cannot work all day. What is the old adage? All work, no play makes Jack a dull boy. It is a good adage and we need it in many of our communities, but we must give them the funding to carry it out properly.
I also thank the staff – Pat and all those people who put up with us. I know they have to do a lot of work organising trips and getting it all written down in reports and then wonder why we haven’t read our reports, but they are very patient people and I thank them for that. I thank members of the committee, too.
We have a long way to go. The thing that worries me with committees is that we can come up with recommendations and they are all very nice, but in the end, the recommendations have to go to government. I hope government takes them seriously and implements them and that we do achieve real change. It is no good having these committees if they are just filling in time. We need committees that provide practical recommendations and for government to show that it supports the committee and the community by putting money and effort into making sure those recommendations come into being.
Ms SACILOTTO (Port Darwin): Madam Speaker, I thank all honourable members for their contributions. Our committee, as is obvious from contributions from both sides of the Chamber, works in a bipartisan manner. All of our members have a true and passionate commitment to our youth, and it is fair to say that we all consider sport to be the glue that can bind communities together.
Several members on this committee also sit on the Select Committee on Substance Abuse. It is true that there appear to be serious links between sport impacting on self-esteem, health and psychological wellbeing. Low self-esteem, poor health and lack of psychological wellbeing can all be linked to future substance abuse. Substance abuse and poor health are in epidemic numbers in many of our communities.
I will once again go over the terms of reference for the committee, which give the committee three focal areas upon which to concentrate:
- the ability and effectiveness of existing structures and programs, from grassroots to elite, to deliver in urban, regional remote areas and recommendations for improvement;
the role and benefit of School Sport NT programs and links to participation; and,
most importantly:
- demonstrated links between participation in sport and reduced antisocial behaviour.
As the member for Sanderson mentioned, we will be travelling to not only urban areas, but with particular focus, to remote communities in the bush, to hear direct from youth and those who support youth and sport. The contribution from the member for Millner showed his true personal commitment to identify what links there may be between participation in sport and the possible reduction in substance abuse and antisocial behaviour. I know the member for Millner, even with the heavy work commitments as a member of the Legislative Assembly, is a keen participator and mentor in the local sporting world.
Members: Hear, hear!
Ms SACILOTTO: It is commitment like this that is so valuable to this important committee. The member for Millner also mentioned the national debate on childhood obesity. As was reported in today’s Northern Territory News, 25% of Australian children are obese.
I appreciate the member for Blain’s support, and I, too, hope, as chair of this committee, that the effects of the recommendations made in our final report will flow through to help young whom we have met personally on our committee travel and young people of the future.
The member for Katherine has spoken about many things today and in the past about how important sport is to the youth of the Katherine region. I certainly agree that we have a long way to go, particularly in the sense of remote communities’ encouragement and participation.
I commend the member for Nelson for his passion in relation to participating in this committee. It is certainly not only a look at elite sport, more of a grassroots look, and it includes urban, remote, schools, regions and looking at access for many young people. We all agree that pride and sporting achievement is an empowering asset.
As committee chair, on behalf of all members, I thank the wonderful and dedicated members of the secretariat: Pat Hancock, Brian Lloyd, Kim Cowcher and Kellie Trout for their hard work and commitment to this Committee.
Madam Speaker, I conclude with a quote from Thomas Carlyle:
- Youth is to all the glad season of life; but often only by what it hopes, not by what it attains, or what it escapes
Motion agreed to; statement noted.
TABLED PAPER
Auditor-General’s February 2007 Report to the Legislative Assembly
Auditor-General’s February 2007 Report to the Legislative Assembly
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I table the Auditor-General’s February 2007 Report to the Legislative Assembly.
MOTION
Print Paper - Auditor-General’s February 2007 Report to the Legislative Assembly
Print Paper - Auditor-General’s February 2007 Report to the Legislative Assembly
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I move that report be printed.
Motion agreed to; report printed.
MOTION
Note Paper - Auditor-General’s February 2007 Report to the Legislative Assembly
Note Paper - Auditor-General’s February 2007 Report to the Legislative Assembly
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly take note of the report and that I have leave to continue my remarks at a later hour.
Leave granted.
TABLED PAPER
Report to Legislative Assembly Pursuant to Paragraphs 5.20 and 8.8(c) of Remuneration Tribunal Determination No 1 of 2006
Annual Schedule Containing Government Payments for Each Member for Satellite and Mobile Telephones, and
Annual Schedule of Member Travel at Government Expense
Report to Legislative Assembly Pursuant to Paragraphs 5.20 and 8.8(c) of Remuneration Tribunal Determination No 1 of 2006
Annual Schedule Containing Government Payments for Each Member for Satellite and Mobile Telephones, and
Annual Schedule of Member Travel at Government Expense
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I table a report by the Department of the Legislative Assembly pursuant to paragraphs 5.20 and 8.8(c) of Remuneration Tribunal Determination No 1 of 2006, which contains an annual schedule of member travel at government expense and an annual schedule containing the respective totals of government payments for each member for satellite and mobile telephones.
Honourable members, I also table a letter from the Chief Minister with a schedule of mobile phone bills, including download charges from the Department of the Chief Minister.
MOTION
Print Paper - Report to Legislative Assembly Pursuant to Paragraphs 5.20 and 8.8(c) of Remuneration Tribunal Determination No 1 of 2006 - Annual Schedule Containing Government Payments for Each Member for Satellite and Mobile Telephones, and
Annual Schedule of Member Travel at Government Expense
Print Paper - Report to Legislative Assembly Pursuant to Paragraphs 5.20 and 8.8(c) of Remuneration Tribunal Determination No 1 of 2006 - Annual Schedule Containing Government Payments for Each Member for Satellite and Mobile Telephones, and
Annual Schedule of Member Travel at Government Expense
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move that the report be printed.
Motion agreed to.
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT
Supporting Business Research and Innovation in the Northern Territory
Supporting Business Research and Innovation in the Northern Territory
Mr VATSKALIS (Business and Economic Development): Madam Speaker, it is important for Northern Territory businesses to become involved and embrace research and development and innovation initiatives to stay competitive in our global economy.
I would like to outline to the House the programs this government is undertaking to assist our businesses and the outcomes they are achieving.
The Northern Territory Research and Innovation Board was established in 2004 and is a valuable resource for government in levering external research funding, encouraging and supporting research and innovation, and making recommendations for the expenditure of the Northern Territory Research and Innovation Fund. Last year saw the retirement of three members from the board: Veronica Arbon, Mike Burgess and Penny van Oosterzee. I take this opportunity to thank these members for the valuable contribution they made to the inaugural board. The government greatly appreciates the contributions of these retiring members, not only for the dedication and hard work that they have put into the board, but also their impressive achievements. They have given their time, energy and considerable intellect to put the board on a stable, sustainable footing, and to lifting the board’s public profile.
From 1 January 2007, three new members joined the board:
- Dr Jeannie Herbert, Director of the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education since February 2006. Prior to taking up this position, Dr Herbert worked in the university sector as Chair of Indigenous Australian Studies. Dr Herbert has a strong background in the fields of education and training, and is currently a member of the Desert Peoples Centre Management Board and the National Indigenous Higher Education Advisory Council;
- Dr Graham Mitchell is an advisor on innovation to the Victorian government. He is a Professorial Associate of the University of Melbourne, and is recognised as one of Australia’s leading biological scientists. Dr Mitchell’s expertise extends over a wide range of science and technology, and he has received numerous awards for scientific achievements. He is an Officer in the Order of Australia for services to science; and
- Richard Galton, the Chief Executive of the Department of Business, Economic and Regional Development. Mr Galton has worked in the Northern Territory since 1982. Prior to his current appointment as head of DBERD, he was Chief Executive of the Department of Corporate and Information Services, and he has academic degrees in civil engineering and business.
The aim of the Research and Innovation Grants is to encourage and support research and innovation that meets the needs of the Territory, and to build and retain the Territory’s capacity for quality research and innovation. The government allocates $300 000 per year for this program. The most recent round of grants, the fourth, was completed late last year. This round is notable for its shift in emphasis because for the first time, a new category of grants, the Innovation Grants, was offered.
In previous rounds, the majority of applications for Research and Innovation Grants have come from the public sector or institution-based researchers. The creation of the new category of grants, combined with an increased effort to market the grants through briefing sessions targeting the private sector, resulted in 19 of 24 applications for innovation grants coming from small and medium enterprises. Small and medium enterprises were also offered support from my department to assist interested businesses in preparation of their applications, including final checks before submission.
Examples of successful grant recipients in the Innovation category include:
- Mr Steve Tiley of Universal Engineering and Associate Professor Friso De Boer of Charles Darwin University, who received support to prepare an application to the Commonwealth’s AusIndustry program to purchase robotic welding machinery. The purchase of this equipment will increase manufacturing efficiency and allow engineering students to gain practical experience with this technology prior to graduation; and
- Mr Geoff Goodrich of Waste Oil Solutions is working with the Local Government Association to tackle the serious challenge of safely managing the vast amount of waste oil in remote communities. Mr Goodrich’s project will test the potential of recycling waste oil for use as a fuel substitute for generators and other machinery.
Of particular note has been the success of the Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge project, or TRACK for short. The board provided an initial seed grant of $50 000. From this, the parties have sourced just over half of their $40m budget. The Territory government is providing $4.8m in kind over four years with CDU coordinating the project across northern Australia. They will examine the river catchments and estuarine systems of tropical rivers across northern Australia together with enterprise opportunities for indigenous coastal communities associated with these river systems.
Between early 2005 and late 2006, the board has allocated about half a million dollars in grants. From this allocation the program has successfully levered, conservatively, $4.8m in external funding into the Territory’s research economy. The board is looking to maintain this successful track record while diversifying grant funding to include both research and the small and medium enterprises sector of the economy.
A core objective for the immediate future is to help Territory’s small and medium enterprises achieve a similar level of success at levering substantial Commonwealth and industry funding for research development and innovation in the Territory. The government is developing mechanisms to facilitate this by improving access of SMEs to information on what kind of grants are available, and offering assistance in the preparation of submissions. Since research has shown that SMEs that are actively engage in research and development and innovation tend to be more sustainable than those that do not, increasing the investment the smaller companies make in research innovation is a government policy priority.
Innovation for small business includes such factors as management and organisational practices, restructuring, process adaptation, logistic management, workplace re-organisation, and applications of new technology and capital investment in new plant and equipment.
Whilst the track record of small and medium enterprise engagement in research and development and innovation has been below national standards until recently, it is pleasing to note a significant increase in the level of engagement when comparing data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2004-05 innovation survey with the earlier 2002-03 survey. While the sample size of the Territory is small, the trends emerging are interesting.
The proportion of Territory businesses innovating jumped from 25% in 2002-03 when the national average was 30%, to 32% in 2004-05 when the national average was 33%. That was a significant improvement for the Territory. The proportion of Territory businesses which introduced or implemented new significantly improved operational processes jumped from 14% in 2002-03 to 23% in 2004-05. Even better for Territory business, the portion of business which introduced or implemented new significant improved organisation managerial processes jumped from 16% to 29%, which is above the national average of 25%.
Research undertaken by my department has demonstrated the importance of productivity if we in the Territory are to sustain economic growth and therefore wealth creation, job creation and population growth. The innovation grants are aimed at encouraging increased investment in machinery equipment and intangible assets, boosting investment in plant and equipment and technology.
Productivity is one measure; workforce participation is another. Research innovation policies have a role to play here through the related area of education of a highly skilled workforce in our urban and regional communities. Such a highly skilled workforce will in turn feed into high workforce participation.
Charles Darwin University plays a critical role in its contribution to the research economy. The importance of Charles Darwin University to the regional economy of northern and central Australia cannot be understated. This importance is reflected by the government entering into a new partnership agreement with the university. The new agreement runs for five years until 2012 and was signed by the Chief Minister and Vice-Chancellor last November.
On a related matter, I am pleased to note that the government is moving to conclude a partnership agreement with the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education. To complete the collaborative arrangements, there is also a Memorandum of Understanding between Charles Darwin University and the Batchelor Institute. The collective efforts of CDU and BIITE and agencies like the Centre of Appropriate Technology are particularly important in lifting the work skills of indigenous people, vitally important for lifting the workforce participation rate of this group, which is unacceptably low.
My department is currently developing and coordinating policy on the development of research priorities for the Territory under six headings: enabling technologies; environmentally sustainable Territory; achieving and maintaining good health; safeguarding the Territory; the learning environment; and tropical and desert futures.
The Territory is blessed with considerable depth in its research expertise. To take just one example, health is without doubt an area where we excel. Success is being built in the Graduate School for Health Practice in the Institute of Advanced Studies at CDU, established in late 2005 under the leadership of Professor Lesley Barclay. It is a unique partnership between CDU and the Northern Territory government, with a particular focus on developing the capacity of the Northern Territory health workforce, particularly indigenous health workers and researchers. I was delighted to see the appointment of Dr Jonathan Carapetis to head up the world-class Menzies School of Health Research at CDU. I am also pleased to note the recent appointment of Dr David Cooper and Professor Frank Plani as Co-chairs of the $65m National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre.
Recognition of the role of research has to pay in service delivery, particularly vital institutions like hospitals and universities, is important. It would not be possible to attract and retain professionals of the calibre of Barclay, Carapetis, Plani and Cooper without an active research program. These people make up the foundation of the knowledge economy in the Territory, attracting other researchers, postgraduate students, clinicians and millions of dollars in funding into the local research sector.
The Commonwealth’s Cooperative Research Centre, CRC, program has provided valuable support in building the Territory’s research economy. The three CRCs headquartered in the Territory with government involvement include Desert Knowledge CRC, CRC for Aboriginal Health, and CRC for Tropical Savannah Management. Over the period 1999 to 2012, the Territory government is committed to investing $3.5m in cash and $33.3m in kind to the CRC program, with the main commitments coming from the Departments of Health and Community Services, Natural Resources, Environment and the Arts and Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines. Engagement in the CRC program is consistent with the Territory government priority of building the research capacity of the Territory through collaborations across the sectors and research agencies.
In the case of the Tropical Savannah CRC, additional benefits have flowed through an agreement with ConocoPhillips on an important project for greenhouse gas mitigation. ConocoPhillips will fund central and western Arnhem Land indigenous communities at $1.1m per year to restore customary burning regimes that limit the number of large fires, so reducing the amount of carbon dioxide liberated from the woody vegetation that finds its way into the atmosphere.
While there are challenges ahead as to how the Territory government might best engage in the CRC programs, these should not eclipse the opportunities. The Northern Territory has significant research strength in fields such as sustainable natural resource management, regional development and promoting and maintaining good health on which it can capitalise through the CRC problem. An inter-departmental committee chaired by my department is coordinating policy in these matters.
Bioindustries are currently underdeveloped in the Territory. There is scope for expansion in the field of bioprospecting or the search for novel compounds from biological resources. The Biological Resources Act 2006 Biological Resource Regulations 2006, in conjunction with the Policy for Access To and Use of Biological Resources in the Northern Territory, ratified in 2005, provide a transparent governance framework for the use of Northern Territory’s biological resources for the purpose of bioprospecting. This provides legal certainty to individuals or organisations wishing to undertake bioprospecting in the Northern Territory.
The Japanese Bioindustry Association, JBA, a peak industry body, has demonstrated their support for our regime by sending a delegation to the Northern Territory late last year. As a result of this visit, two Japanese groups are now in discussion with a view to entering into commercial arrangements involving Northern Territory biological resources. It is notable that JBA has previously refused to do business with jurisdictions without a regulatory framework.
The governance framework requires the negotiation of the benefit sharing agreement, which will see the Northern Territory seeking to increase the level of complexity and quality of research undertaken in the Territory. This will lead to an increase in the number of researchers coming here, contribute to the economy and help to develop bioindustries.
Much of what has been said covers all of the Territory, but I wanted to also speak about the Desert Knowledge initiative of the government. The government was very pleased to have the full board of Desert Knowledge Australia become operational in 2006, with distinguished Australians, Hon Fred Chaney AO, chairing the statutory corporation, and Harold Furber as the deputy chair. John Huigen was appointed late last year as the chief executive.
The Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre also went through some restructuring over the last year or so, including the appointment of Noel Bridge to the position of deputy chair and Jan Ferguson as chief executive. The Desert Knowledge CRC is a very important research institution in Central rural and remote Australia. It has the support of many collaborative partners, including the Territory government, Charles Darwin University, The Desert Peoples Centre, the Batchelor Institute, the Centre for Appropriate Technology and the Central Land Council.
The Desert Knowledge precinct is our principal capital works item in Central Australia’s research economy. Early stage headworks are now complete. The business and innovation centre housing Desert Knowledge Australia and the Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre is scheduled for occupation in April. Stage 1 of the Desert Peoples Centre is scheduled for completion at the end of 2007, in time for commencement of education and training for people in remote and indigenous communities in early 2008. Stage 1 works for the entire precinct are estimated to cost $30m, with completion in 2008.
I remind honourable members about the 2007 Northern Territory Research and Innovation Awards. These will be the third awards we have held, and I had the pleasure of launching the call for nominations on 10 February 2007, with a closing date of 16 March. The awards will be presented on the night of Thursday, 10 May 2007. They will provide recognition to the men and women who make such a great contribution to the quality of life in the Northern Territory. Last year, 51 nominations were received for five awards in the categories of: the Minister for Business Economic Development Innovation Award; Indigenous Innovation Award; New Generation Research and Innovation Award; Tropical Knowledge Research Award; and Desert Knowledge Research Award. The Chief Minister’s Research and Innovation Award is selected from one of these five winners. Around 200 people attend the dinner, and I encourage each of you and your constituents to participate in what is rapidly becoming a highlight of the Territory calendar.
Key issues for 2007 facing the Territory’s research economy include:
- working collaboratively with CDU to position that institution to compete effectively for funding under the new Research Quality Framework which is about to be implemented;
- building and maintaining a highly skilled research workforce in the Northern Territory – training, recruitment, retention, development;
- development of collaborative research into health, education, employment and other social factors for the advancement of indigenous people, including in this the need to develop senior indigenous research leadership; and
- need for more investment, including levering Commonwealth funding, philanthropic funding and other non-government sources of research funding, keeping in mind that for every dollar the Territory government invests in the research economy, there is a return in external investment funding of around $5 or more.
Benefits also go beyond the strictly financial because, by working in collaboration, Territory researchers have sought out those benefits in ways that promote sustainability and protection of important environmental values. They have also given special emphasis to participation by the Aboriginal people of the regions and building regional economies.
The importance of the knowledge economy and the value of innovation are easily overlooked, but the benefits of good science applied in relevant ways for all the people of the Northern Territory are real and quantifiable.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the Assembly take note of the statement.
Ms CARNEY (Opposition Leader): Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the minister for his statement. There are a couple of things he did not include, and I will take him to those. Where the minister saw fit to single people out and to congratulate them on the work that they are doing, I join with him in thanking them on behalf of Territorians.
This area is not what you would call the classic barbecue-stopping discussion, but we are all, and should be, very grateful to those who work in it because there are great dividends to be reaped by all of us in the Northern Territory. So thank you to those people for their efforts and perhaps, most importantly, for their commitment. Some of the people working in this area are seriously committed and very enthusiastic about the work they do.
Northern Territory government spending on research and development decreased from $29m in 2002-03 to $24m in 2004-05. In 2002-03, the Territory had the second-lowest proportion of gross expenditure on research and development at 1.36%, but then in 2004-05, the figures are not published. It is a bit cute, with respect to the minister, to come into this Chamber and sprout about the amount of government funding towards research and development after decreasing spending from $29m to $24m and having the second lowest gross expenditure on research and development in the country in 2002-03. That those figures are not to be published in 2004-05 does rather reek of a degree of government spin. Western Australia, the lowest in gross expenditure in 2003-04, reported the largest growth in gross expenditure on research and development, up from 1.29% to 1.72% in 2004-05. Perhaps the Northern Territory government just wanted to keep its investment in R&D to itself so as not to be embarrassed. No doubt, the minister will respond to that in his reply.
On page 6 of the minister’s statement, he made mention of the $4.8m that government is funding towards the Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge project, called TRACK. However, in your department’s report at page 44, under the heading ‘Cooperative framework’ on tropical science, knowledge and innovation when discussing the TRACK program, it states:
- The Northern Territory government has further committed $5m of in-kind support to this program over the next four years.
What we know, minister, from the ABS records is that under your government, you have cut money used in R&D and, six months ago, you were lauding the fact that $5m was to be invested by government in the TRACK program, yet today, it is now down to $4.8m. The obvious question is: what has happened to the remaining $200 000? If there is a rational explanation, so be it, but it is curious that the minister did not raise that in his statement. $200 000 is a lot of money, especially in an area like this. It is not easily swept to one side.
On page 44 of the department’s annual report 2005-06 under the heading NT Research and Innovation Board and Fund it states:
- In April 2005 and up to 30 June 2006, there has been an outlay of $480 000 by the Northern Territory government which, in turn, has leveraged $2.75m from a range of Commonwealth programs.
Minister, through you, Mr Deputy Speaker, this afternoon you announced the figure that you have allocated in grants to late 2006 to be about $500 000. This means, presumably, that from July to December, the grand total of $20 000 was funded by your government in grants towards innovation research in the Territory. I will put that again. Your annual report says, under the heading ‘NT Research and Innovation Board and Fund’:
- In April 2005 and up to 30 June 2006, there has been outlay of $480 000 by the Northern Territory government which, in turn, has leveraged $2.75m from a range of Commonwealth programs.
Yet, this afternoon you announced the figure you have allocated in grants up to late 2006 to be, as I understand it, $500 000 or thereabouts. Following that logic, minister, it tends to suggest that between July and December, the grand total of only $20 000 was funded by your government in grants towards innovation research in the Territory. I could be mistaken, but I hope that the minister might have something to say something about that in his reply.
Also, minister, the total amount of funding levered since 30 June last year has increased from $2.75m to now, conservatively, $4.8m. As we know, it is unlike that government to miss any opportunity to blow its own trumpet, but we know approximately $1m is to be spent on the burning project in western Arnhem Land, yet I have not heard the minister mention where the other $1m in levered external funding is being directed. I assume it is being directed somewhere. Perhaps he can tell us where that is being directed. I would have thought those details might have been in his statement.
I am glad that the minister mentioned small business as a policy priority for government or more particularly, for his department. We all know, and if you do not, you should, that home-based business is the fastest growing sector in the Northern Territory economy. There is a real need to develop this specific category of business. I am sure the minister knows this. There is a need to develop new and innovative practices for developing these businesses in order to allow them to grow and reach their full potential, which of course all of us want.
The following statistics, Innovation in Australian Business, were released by the ABS in early December 2006. In the area of barriers to innovation, the ABS found that the most commonly reported barrier to innovation for both innovating and non-innovating businesses related to costs. Over half of innovating business, 58.4%, and over one-third of non-innovating businesses, 36.5%, cited cost-related barriers as an impediment to innovation. Of those cost-related barriers, direct costs were too high at 3l.6% for innovating businesses, and 21.1% for non-innovating businesses was the most significant. That illustrates that there is a real need to get the direct costs of R&D down to business. It is something clearly your department, minister, needs to work on. Of course, that would not just be confined to the Territory. The need to make it more attractive to business by reducing the cost of R&D fostered through government incentives is a basic carrot for business to continue to invest and to attract interstate and indeed, international, business to develop the research capabilities that we all know we have in the Territory.
My view is that the sky is the limit. As we, the Northern Territory population, have developed over the years, there is a sense now that the sky is the limit. I am not sure in this particular sector that there was that level of confidence years ago. I guess we all get better as we get older in a community in particular. So that is clearly an area that not only this government, but all governments need to work on.
Interestingly, minister, in the ABS figures released in December 2006 lack of skilled staff was reported as a barrier by 27.2% of innovating businesses and 20.6% of non-innovating businesses. That figure, I guess, we would expect. Again, it is not a problem that is Territory specific; it is Australia-wide.
That leads us to the ideological opposition that the Australian Labor Party has to bringing in skilled labour. The government is continually hammering on about its investment in the skills base of the Northern Territory, but I do not hear much on whether the government would be minded to give it an extra boost, for the want of a better expression, by assisting with bringing in a skilled workforce or more skilled workers.
The sky is the limit, and the skills base and the impediment perceived by those in this sector should not be underestimated. Clearly, the government needs to continue its efforts. I concede that efforts are there, but it should continue and probably ramp up over time its efforts to further facilitate and harness this sector. Innovation is something that not only the sector needs, but something government and government departments across the country need.
Staying in the ABS statistics, in the area of drivers to innovation, profit-related drivers were the most frequently cited reasons driving innovation reported by 94.2% of innovating businesses. That is probably no surprise. Within the broad grouping of profit-related drivers, the highest individual drivers were increased revenue, 71.5%, and improved productivity, 70.9%.
The old chestnut of profit and revenue is the biggest driving force in the development of innovation in Australian business and unless there is a payoff, those in the industry could be forgiven for saying: ‘Why bother in any commercial operation?’ I do not need to be very clever to work out that as a business person, and I have been one myself, unless there is money in it, you just do not do it.
The ABS figures and the information contained in the study, I am sure, will have been considered by the department and, of course, getting the right information is always a good basis for any government policy.
I hope, minister, to hear you say that both you and your department are across the figures. I assume that is the case, and perhaps it might be wise to come back to this area in 12 months time to see what good work the department has done in order to address some of these difficulties and problems as contained in the ABS figures. I am sure your interstate counterparts will have done some work as well.
That leads to government needing to deliver social benefits to attract investors and partners in various projects. My own view is that the government could probably be doing more on that score, but I digress. The minister will have observed that the tenor and tone of my delivery in this debate is a measured one because I do not think this could ever be called a political issue. It is a long way from being a political football, so I make these comments in a measured way and in an attempt to constructively participate in the debate.
As the minister would be aware, other drivers of innovation include increasing responsiveness to consumer needs. That was assessed at 65.3%, no surprises there, and increasing market share, 46.6%. Once again, all of those factors are commercial necessities for any successful business looking to further expand its market share and influence.
That leads to the need to strengthen research and development links with regional economies, something that traditionally we, over 30-odd years, have done reasonably well in the Territory. It does not matter to a large extent what political side is in office, there is recognition that we need, across a diverse range of areas, to pitch, engage, harness and foster our relationships with people in our regional economies. The spin-offs are endless and I do not need to list them here.
Links with regional economies such as Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, China and India have always been, and continue to be, and probably given globalisation, are becoming even more important to the Territory than perhaps it was even 10 years ago. I wish the minister well in fostering those relationships, that is, the strengthening of research and development links.
Still on the ABS, in the area of ideas, knowledge and abilities, the most reported source of ideas or information for innovative activity was internal sources, 75.8%, and Australian business is looking inward for inspiration in the next step of its development. That includes ideas and/or information sourced from within the business or other parts of the wider enterprise group to which the business belongs, and that can come back to fostering relationships in our region.
A telling statistic from the ABS Innovation in Australian Business publication was that institutional sources, 7.7%, were least used by innovating businesses as a source of ideas or information. Institutional sources included universities or other higher educational institutions, government agencies, private and non-private research institutions and commercial laboratories.
From what I have just said, you could form the view that the private sector does not have the confidence or the relationships with the various institutional sources that they perhaps should. The private sector and those institutional sources should utilise one another’s services, drive, enthusiasm, passion and innovation as much as possible. Clearly, based on the ABS statistics, it really was not happening much. I suspect there are many reasons for that, and the sorts of attitudes that underlie the lack of engagement, I suppose. Those attitudes have not really changed overnight and, to a large extent, have to be a generational change, but the fostering of better links between the private sector and institutional sources should be a motivating factor towards the top of the list for any government setting policy in this area.
I was surprised when I saw that figure: 7.7% is pretty low, given the potential of these two sectors working together. I do, however, understand why it is that low in the sense that this could be considered a relatively young area, but it is an area to which all of us need to devote some attention. I note in the statement the references to CDU, the CRCs and so on. I believe we are actually doing it pretty well in the Northern Territory, however, the ABS figures should not be forgotten.
Just under 73% of innovative businesses reported that they had no formal methods in use to protect their intellectual property. Now, intellectual property is always interesting, but the fact that so many innovative businesses reported that they had no formal methods in use to protect their intellectual property is also surprising. It is of real consequence for all innovative commercial projects and partnerships undertaken in the Northern Territory and elsewhere for very obvious reasons. I ask the minister to, as I am sure he will, actively encourage the protection of intellectual property through whatever means available for the safety and prosperity of the projects and the potential economic and social benefits of those projects in the Northern Territory.
Minister, there are various ways I could have approached your statement, but, as I said, I wanted to be constructive. Providing the figures in the course of this debate was probably the most interesting way of participating in it. Research and development does need to be encouraged and supported by governments at every level. Facilitating bringing the relevant parties together is something that all of us should aspire to achieve. There is just so much talent, so much to do, and we are blessed in the Northern Territory because we have a lot of clever people. When you have clever and passionate people, as I said, the sky is the limit.
Good luck in your efforts, minister. Maybe we can talk about this again, either formally or informally. I share with your good wishes to all involved. There are obviously other issues in the statement, but it is not critical for me to address them. So much of it is not political. The outcomes that all of us seek do not come down to partisan politics, so we are all in this together. It might be that in the future we will see some more high profile government programs or support, because it is not exactly what you would call a high profile sector, although it is for those involved.
As politicians, we appreciate its importance; however, I am not sure that it is as high profile as it could be. It should be because any high profile industry or sector can attract people. For instance, it would be great if high school kids knew about the potential of this sector. Maybe there are some education programs that can be run. I guess it comes back to being a bit more high profile. With those comments, I conclude. Thank you for presenting the statement.
Mr McADAM (Local Government): Mr Deputy Speaker, in supporting the minister’s statement, I intend to concentrate on three of my portfolio areas: Communications; Housing and Local Government; and Central Australia. Some might consider these to be disparate policy areas; however, they all illustrate some of the unique challenges that face the Territory.
First, to the information technology sector, the Martin government understands that information and communications technology has become a critical infrastructure cornerstone for business, education, health and the community. A strong, highly-skilled and competitive local ICT industry must be capable of providing innovative solutions that respond to the many diverse challenges facing Territory business in today’s highly competitive global economy.
As the Minister for Communications, it is important to me that the local ICT industry continues to lead in the areas of skills development. It is equally important that we have strong, viable and highly capable ICT companies in the Northern Territory.
The Northern Territory government’s ICT contracts have a major effect on the NT ICT industry. Government ICT procurement accounts for more than 50% of the Northern Territory’s information and communication technologies market. As minister, I believe we need to take a very responsible approach to this government’s ICT procurement. There is an obligation to obtain the best value for money at the same time as continuing the development of local industry participation and building capability. The procurement guidelines ensure that this balanced approach continues through the ‘Buy Local’ assessment criteria. The government’s ICT contracts are a good example of how this balanced approach can work effectively.
Multinational and national companies are encouraged to partner and collaborate with local businesses when bidding for government ICT contracts. These companies bring the latest global technologies and tool sets. They provide advanced skills and capabilities. Most importantly, these technologies and skills are passed on to their local partners, thereby enhancing local industry capability. Through these partnership arrangements, the contracts also ensure a substantial share of the revenue flow to local NT ICT companies and businesses.
Retention of employment within the Northern Territory is also an important feature of the information and communications technology contracts. This government also seeks to lever additional benefits from these contracts. In recent contracts, additional benefits have included over 200 extra jobs for Territorians. The employment aspect is an objective in itself, however, these jobs represent a skills set that would otherwise be lost to the Northern Territory.
These policies are in line with the NT’s ICT industry’s five-year strategic plan. In November last year, I was invited to the Australian Information Industry Association’s NT Branch AGM, where I was pleased to officially launch the NT ICT Industry Strategic Plan. The strategic plan covers the next five years and provides a sound basis on which industry and government will continue to build the capabilities of the local ICT industry and deliver benefits to all Territorians. The AIIA Strategic Plan provides a framework for coordinated future actions to enhance the NT industry’s capabilities and, as mentioned previously, capitalise on industry strengths.
The level of capability and innovation within the NT ICT industry is highlighted by the success of local ICT businesses and local, national and international ICT industry awards. Darwin-based ICT company, SRA Information Technology, won two national awards at the 2006 Australian Awards with their environmental monitoring system, EnviroEasy. The same company went on to win the Recognition Award at the International Asia-Pacific ICT Awards in Macau. Further, an additional two NT companies have made it through to the finals of the Secrets of Australian ICT Innovation Competition. Winnellie-based Syntonic Technologies are a strong contender in the communication applications category with their smart microprocessor-based antenna technology. After having won the NT ICT Award in Darwin, Darwin-based M&S Consultants are through to the e-learning category with their educational system, REACT.
These three companies are great examples of how innovative ideas can be nurtured and developed into valuable commercial products. Each of these companies is chasing significant export opportunities. SRA Technologies are presently considering expanding their operations into Asia and later this year hope to open an office in Singapore.
It is clear to me that innovation, especially in the ICT industry, is a catalyst to industry growth, creating new employment opportunities and benefits for the community as a whole. To ensure the continuing development of this innovation, it is essential that we have a strong ICT infrastructure. The key to these infrastructure requirements are the communication tools available to industry. Broadband is the latest technology to have a significant effect on how businesses from all sectors operate more efficiently. There is now substantial documentation linking the uptake of broadband to improved economic outcomes at both national and regional levels. We have seen substantial improvements over the past five years in both the types of services available and the reach of those services.
Most areas in Darwin and the regional centres have access to broadband services. Telstra, as the major provider of infrastructure in the Territory, continues to expand the reach of these services, with on-going installation of the necessary infrastructure. This expansion program is set to continue and we, as a government, will also continue to work with the Commonwealth government and the key telecommunication providers to deliver improved telecommunications services.
It is my ambition to see all Territorians have every opportunity to participate in the broadest possible economy in the most efficient manner. Similarities can be drawn between the challenges facing our infrastructure needs in ICT and housing. The tyranny of distance and our extreme climatic conditions provide similar challenges for both types of infrastructure.
Before I go on to housing, I want to highlight how important it is in respect to information communication technology, infrastructure in bush communities. The member for Stuart would be aware of this, but recently broadband was turned on in Yuendumu. There would be some questions about why Telstra chose to invest in Yuendumu. It is indicative of companies like Telstra which, quite apart from recognising the need to provide these essential services not only in places like Yuendumu, but into other places around the Northern Territory and indeed regional parts of Australia, the important thing is that Telstra has recognised the importance of information communication being available in such places. As previous speakers have mentioned, we live in a global village and we know that there are going to be limited jobs in the short- to medium-term within some parts of the Northern Territory.
It opens up a real opportunity of allowing indigenous people to engage in the broader economy, and to be exposed to some global applications for economic outcomes. We know that there is great capacity in the sale of arts and crafts. More importantly, ICT capacity provides people with a real opportunity to engage with the broader community on their own terms. That is the good thing about information and communication technology; it is one of the few innovations for regional Australia that allows people to do things on their own terms. We do not have government agencies ramming down the throats of people the advantages or disadvantages of the technology. The important thing is that the technology is there and people will use it if they choose to do so. That is important, and I always try to get the message across that upgrades of communication and information technology in the regions of the Territory are critical so that people can engage in a meaningful way from an economic and social perspective.
I have a bit of time for Telstra because they take risks. Companies like that normally do not take risks, but they have seen the opportunities that can and will be accessed by people in the regions in the future. I pay tribute to Telstra for that reason.
Another of my areas is housing. Territorians have always been innovative in their approach to building and construction. It is innovation borne out of necessity. Our extreme climates and weather conditions together with the challenges associated with remoteness have driven innovation across the building and construction industry for many years. The extra wear and tear on a home from overcrowding in remote communities and the need to get more housing for the indigenous housing dollar are driving innovations across the housing sector today.
The conditions that exist in remote communities are the primary impetus for the government’s 20-year plan for indigenous affairs. I would like to highlight today that our housing initiatives are supporting business and driving innovation in the Territory. In terms of the government’s direct financial involvement in the housing sector, Territory businesses have benefited from $88m allocated for housing under the 2006-07 budget. Our investment in public community and government employee housing means more jobs on the ground. We will invest a further $100m in remote housing over the next five years. This funding has been committed over and above the scheduled program for housing in the regions.
Employment and training outcomes and regional economic development are key planks of our 20-year plan. Our investment in remote housing will underpin these imperatives. On 8 February, the Territory government called for expressions of interest to pilot low cost innovative housing options in remote communities and, indeed, across regional NT. The Martin government has invested $2m in the innovative housing pilot project, which is geared to attract builders, designers and manufacturers who can deliver cost-effective and durable housing. I have seen great potential in the varied construction techniques, alternative building materials and pre-fabricated housing options that the housing sector is developing and working with.
Government will put these housing solutions to the test. In doing so, we will enhance the opportunities for business and innovation across the Territory. It is generally recognised that for a long time in the NT and probably other parts of Australia, the cost of constructing houses has risen substantially because of material costs and labour costs. The question we have to ask is: can we continue to fund the same model of housing at an escalated price that is not providing the outcomes? That is the stage we reached and it is for that reason that we engaged the private sector. We said to them: ‘Join the indigenous housing industry’, because in the past, indigenous housing was isolated and was not part of the broader construction industry market. We had a workshop in August last year where we brought together a whole host of people from the private sector and some of the existing providers.
As I said, this is a pretty exciting innovative development in housing because not only will it provide competition, but it will also be innovative in the context of the use of new materials.
An important point here is that there are going to be some real spin-offs in the Northern Territory. I do not necessarily see this as a specific industry response to indigenous housing because most of our kit homes and materials come from interstate or from overseas. There is great capacity to link the indigenous housing innovations into the broader economy, and I am referring to a manufacturing base somewhere in the regions. I do not know whether it is viable or feasible, but the point is that we have to, at the very least, allow these sorts of things to develop. That would be my vision and ambition: to try to get some sort of manufacturing base in the Northern Territory not only to provide housing for indigenous people, but to provide to the broader market within the Territory, and to look at options in Western Australia and Queensland and exporting to Asia.
There are some real benefits in that approach. More importantly, it also provides a real opportunity to get proper training and employment outcomes through this sort of model. At the moment, we have lots of dollars out there, small pockets in each community for training, housing management and a host of other areas, but we are not getting value for dollar. I do hope that this initiative will have some significant spin-offs into the future.
My other portfolio area is local government. It is probably not in the context of this statement, but it is important to understand that a form of local government is critical. It is important in terms of where the Territory sits today and where we might sit in the future. Yesterday, we had many speakers talk about the need to provide certainty and opportunity, and the need to ensure that equity applies across the Territory.
I return to the point that the broader community, the private sector and a variety of other organisations, see this as a real developmental opportunity. Other government agencies can have a look at this as being a real social economic development opportunity. On the issue of indigenous housing, it was always viewed an indigenous problem. Local government in indigenous communities was an indigenous problem. That is not the case any more.
It is important that we put in place, with the local government reforms, proper economic and social outcomes. It is early days yet, but I can see immense potential down the track, and I ask all agencies to engage in this process to see what opportunities there might be, and for some of our ministers to have a look at it and see how we can value add to local government in the bush. Believe me, if you sit down and go through some of the opportunities, they are immense and, again, that is something we can talk about later. I do not have that much time to go into it, but it is critically important.
I am also Minister for Central Australia. Since the Martin government came to power in 2001, we have invested millions into research and development initiatives to better service the business sector across the Northern Territory. Central Australia faces unique challenges, being an arid zone environment and geographically isolated from major cities. Government investment in this part of the Territory has not only aided established businesses, but has also helped to create business opportunities that are as unique as the country itself.
With continued investment by this government, business confidence in the Territory is amongst the highest in the country. This is evidence of the success of the government’s strategies such as Economic Development Framework. Projects that have arisen from government strategies in Central Australia include Desert Knowledge Australia, the solar demonstration facility, and Water Reuse in the Alice project. The Desert Knowledge Project is poised to provide huge benefits to the Territory and to local business. The establishment of the Desert Knowledge Precinct will see the Northern Territory government invest over $30m into the Central Australian economy, while MBY Constructions, an Alice Springs-based company, has successfully secured a $2.1m contract to build a business and innovation centre, which is seeing up to 60 local subcontractors employed to work on this state-of-the art structure.
Mr WARREN: Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the minister be granted an extension of time pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr McADAM: Thank you, member for Goyder. I was talking about employing up to about 60 local subcontractors on the project being undertaken by MBY Constructions.
Desert Knowledge Australia is enjoying great success in bringing together businesses and tourist networks across state borders. The capacity to join groups of common interest and expertise and create a collective voice is the key strength of the Desert Knowledge approach. As I previously mentioned, the Central Australia industry has the opportunity to capitalise in leading-edge research.
Part of the Desert Knowledge calendar for 2006 was the Desert Knowledge Symposium held in November. The symposium attracted more than 330 registrations from all over Australia and overseas, and consisted of a conference and trade exhibition by desert businesses and support organisations. The symposium addressed issues facing desert communities, including skills shortages, technological innovations, pastoral practices and research into more effective ways for the tourism industry to attract and monitor four-wheel drive visitors. This government’s investment in Desert Knowledge Australia shows our commitment to see desert businesses continue to grow and prosper in our unique environment.
Research and development work is helping to create economic opportunities for people in that region. Some current projects include bush products in the desert, 21st century pastoralism, desert businesses and thriving desert regions. The information collected as a result of these projects will see benefits flowing to the Central Australian business community, as well as providing useful knowledge to communities throughout the world.
Living in a community in an arid zone necessitates the best use of scarce resources, and one such resource is water. Water recycling in Alice Springs has taken a giant step with government committing $10.4m to Water Reuse in Alice Springs. The project will stop dry weather overflows from the Alice Springs waste stabilisation ponds into the Ilparpa Swamp. Rather than letting precious water go to waste, the effluent will be recycled so that it can be used.
Initially, the project will treat and recycle 600 mL of water a year. Treated water will be pumped to the Arid Zone Research Institute where it will be stored in an underground aquifer before being used to irrigate horticultural projects, helping create employment and economic opportunities. While there are other similar water reuse projects around the world, this project is unique as it involves the soil aquifer treatment process, using as storage an aquifer associated with the former path of the Todd River for the storage treatment of the recycled water.
Another scarce resource in this sort of environment is energy. Harnessing renewable energy sources is an important part of maintaining communities. The $2.55m solar technology demonstration facility will be established at the Desert Knowledge Precinct in Alice Springs. The facility will showcase emerging solar technologies and provide an ideal testing ground for future solar projects. Infrastructure work to support the demonstration facility will commence shortly. It will include a control building, transformer and switch gear, conduits and cabling for connections to the precinct’s internal grid, and a performance monitoring system, interpretive displays and amenities for visitors.
The Commonwealth government’s renewable remote power generation program also provides cash rebates to remote power users to switch to cleaner and cheaper renewable energy. Rebates totalling $18m have already been offered to Territorians.
Already in existence is a solar power station at the community of Hermannsburg, not far from Alice. This power station, built by Solar Systems Pty Ltd, consists of eight mirror dishes with a diameter of 14 m, rated as the highest performance commercial solar power technology in the world. The dishes will supply approximately half of the community’s power needs, meaning less diesel consumption, reduced greenhouse emissions and lower noise levels. I congratulate Solar Systems Pty Ltd on their close working relationship with the community and the council of Hermannsburg, Ntaria, to get this project off the ground.
The government has also fostered relationships with the land councils and Aboriginal land holder organisations such as Centrefarm to achieve a greater yield and more productive use of indigenous-owned lands. These relationships have led to greater employment and training opportunities for indigenous people. Centrefarm is currently planning over 20 horticulture developments across Central Australia, including the Barkly. Projections indicate that in the first five years alone, there is capacity to develop over 500 ha of new horticultural enterprises on Aboriginal land, with the potential to generate a gross income of nearly $30m. In addition, there is potential for around 250 new, permanent full-time jobs, the majority being available to local indigenous people.
In November 2003, the NT government released the Anmatjere Regional Development Plan as part of the Building Stronger Regions Stronger Future initiative. In May 2005, the Indigenous Economic Strategy was released. The horticultural industry has been identified as a way of fostering indigenous employment and training. There have been a number of exciting developments over recent years. The investigations into the viability of mango crops are being undertaken at the Centrefarm project in Ali Curung in my electorate, and that is important to dwell on for a moment. The Barkly has traditionally relied upon the pastoral industry and, of course, the mining industry. The pastoral industry remains a very viable economic driver in terms of jobs and engaging the community. Pastoralists in the Barkly are very innovative.
Together with the mining industry, we are going through a bit of a downturn at the moment, but the point I want to make is that horticulture has the potential and capacity for better economic and social outcomes than both of those industries, although the pastoralists will not agree with me. This project at Ali Curung has the potential to change the whole economic focus in the Barkly. We know we have tonnes of water, sufficient to be able to responsibly service a horticulture industry. That is one of the biggest challenges for the government. When we talk about research and development opportunities, not just in the Barkly, but in places such as the Borroloolas and Lajamanus of this world, the potential is there. It is a matter of how we do it. The project at Ali Curung is critical, and I applaud everyone involved.
A 200 ha citrus development has been entered into at Utopia between the Angarapa Aboriginal Land Trust and the Central Land Council. Another example is a six hectare trial under way at Aputula south of Alice Springs. They are growing table grapes, citrus, melons and dates. I have been there about three times in the last 12 months for various reasons, but on each occasion, I have seen substantial differences in the development of that site. I congratulate the community. Geoff Myers, from Alice Springs, is doing a lot of work with the community. There is good water. Apparently it is a micro-climate in that region that is unique. It is special, hence the trialling of these different crops. It is that sort innovation and development that will provide real focus for communities in the bush, and hence local government reform.
On the mining side, in August 2006, $0.5m was invested through the Northern Territory Geological Survey, replacing outdated data covering the Arrernte region north-east of Alice Springs. In conjunction with the $15m Building the Territory’s Resource Base campaign, the NT Geological Survey has assisted in marketing the Territory as a prime exploration and mining destination. DPIFM has basically opened two new mines in the Central Australian region in the last 12 months. Three more are expected in the next 12 months and a further seven in the next three years.
The other interesting development is oil exploration. In 2007, there will be six wells drilled in the Central Australian region, which are in the eastern Amadeus and western Pedirka zone. That is six in 2007 compared with two in the last 15 years. Oil and petroleum exploration is booming in Central Australia. Quite apart from traditional oil exploration country to which I referred in relation to exploration permits within the eastern Amadeus and western Pedirka zone, Centralian Petroleum will shortly commence seismic work on 473 km of the Amadeus Basin to potentially investigate two large gas projects.
The Beetaloo Basin, which is also in my electorate, is also an exciting project. Sweetpea Petroleum is involved in that. They are currently undertaking investigations of the basin, covering an area of 686 km. Through the drilling of wells, substantial exploration potential has been found in rocks up to 4.4 billion years old. My understanding is that subject to the company’s decisions, there could potentially be 12 exploration wells plus around about $80m. That is what I have been advised.
The other one, which is important, is the geo-thermal potential in the Dunmarra Basin and in the Borroloola region. This is research and development that we should encourage, which we are. There are great opportunities in the Borroloola area.
There are some really exciting times ahead for the Northern Territory. The sky is the limit. The most important thing is for government to provide the direction and support in terms of economic and social outcomes. It is for that reason that I am particularly proud, in the context of the information and technology and the housing areas. We have said: ‘We are prepared to support and facilitate, but we want you to drive it. We want you to come to us about how it should be done’.
I thank all those industries that I referred to in the statement for their innovative responses and their capacity for research and development, which is going to bring some real outcomes, particularly in the regional communities of the Northern Territory. That is what we want to do because we want jobs and economic growth, the result of which will be social outcomes in bush communities.
Mr WARREN (Goyder): Mr Deputy Speaker, today I support the Minister for Business and Economic Development on his important statement in which he proudly outlined how the Martin Labor government is strongly supporting Territory business to be competitive in a global economy.
As a professional engineer, geologist and economist who has worked for many years as a consultant in the private business sector before entering parliament in 2005, I can truly assure the House that relevant and meaningful research and development underpins business sustainability.
The Martin Labor government has consistently shown a strong commitment to research and development, and I firmly believe that research and development is, and will continue to be, a major vein pumping blood to the heart of our strong and sustainable economic growth. I am truly and unashamedly proud to be part of such a visionary government.
In 2001, when, thankfully, the Martin Labor government was mandated to govern the Northern Territory, it had to take on the responsibility of dealing with the infamous financial black hole. Equally as important, it had to deal with the huge task of turning the Territory economy around. I am proud that now, in 2007, this government has transformed the Territory. We are now leading the nation in economic prosperity. Business activity is at an all-time record, and our economy is strong, robust, growing and sustainable. This has all come about because of a combination of major project promotion and responsible fiscal management.
The Martin Labor government is now at the helm of sustainable economic development. We now have an economic environment in which Territory businesses are prospering. Our gross state production has seen an incredible growth rate of 7.5%, driven by investment, which I am proud to say has been attracted by the Martin Labor government’s responsible management of our economy. While investments so far have been the principal driver behind GSP growth, our strong and robust economy is being increasingly driven by business outputs and is forecast to grow at 6.25% in 2007-08. This economic forecasting strongly shows that future GSP growth will be on the back of long-term, sustainable production growth.
We are entering exciting times which will benefit all Territorians, but this government is not content to rest on its laurels. There is no better way for this government to ensure that Territorians participate in this burgeoning, responsible and sustainable growth than to devote attention to promoting and encouraging research and development in our important and emerging business sectors. This research and development does not stand alone. It is an integral part of our overall business support initiatives, which clearly show how the Martin Labor government is in tune with the needs of Territory businesses to ensure their prosperous future.
This government is again rising to a challenge. The minister proudly outlined the depth of research and development that is currently occurring in the business sector throughout the Northern Territory. Contrast this to the scant regard that previous CLP governments had given to the importance of research and development in creating a prosperous Territory economy.
In supporting the minister’s statement, I wish to re-emphasise this government’s view, as stated by the Minister for Business and Economic Development, when he said it is important for Northern Territory business to become involved and embrace research and development and innovation initiatives to stay competitive in our global economy.
This government clearly put its words into action. I congratulate the government on the establishment of the highly successful NT Research and Innovation Board. As the minister stated, since its formation in 2004, this board has provided an invaluable resource for government to not only lever external research funding, but to support research and innovation, and to make recommendations for expenditure for the NT Research and Innovation Fund grants.
The Martin Labor government allocates some $300 000 per year to build and maintain the Territory’s capacity for quality research and innovation. It was especially pleasing to hear the minister advise the House that 19 of the 24 applications for innovation grants came from emerging, small- and medium-sized Territory enterprises.
In the Research and Development category, I note the success of the Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge project, or TRACK as it is known. The TRACK project is an ambitious program to research the tropical rivers of Northern Australia, their catchments and estuarine areas. The TRACK research program aims to:
- 1. increase our knowledge of the important natural assets and ecosystems which are an integral part of our tropical rivers and coast;
I took particular interest when the minister outlined how Territory businesses have actively embraced research and development and business innovations under the Martin Labor government. We have leapt from well below national averages in 2002-03 to at or better than national averages by 2004-05. I would now like to touch upon a couple of examples of research and development that Territory businesses have embraced, and the considerable outcomes they are achieving as a result.
I would like to start with the Darwin Aquaculture Centre. The centre is located at Channel Island in Darwin Harbour and is in my electorate. Last week, I outlined to parliament the extent of the world-class research being undertaken at the Darwin Aquaculture Centre, particularly the previously unheralded production of baby crabs or crablets. The considerable expertise at the Darwin Aquaculture Centre is being used to benefit the NT’s growing aquaculture industry. At its facilities, the DAC has developed the technology to provide a reliable supply of filtered seawater and wastewater treatment. Furthermore, tropical aquaculture techniques being developed there are being used to foster and benefit this emerging and important industry.
The DAC is also assisting the local arm of Tasmanian Seafood. Tasmanian Seafood is a company that is investing its resources locally into research and development and innovation industries in order to stay competitive. In particular, it is examining the captive breeding of trepang, otherwise known as sea cucumber, at the Darwin Aquaculture Centre. I understand that the company’s access to the DAC facilities has allowed them to fast-track the establishment of a pilot hatchery for sea cucumbers in the Northern Territory. To date, the pilot trials for sea cucumber production have been very encouraging for the company.
The lease agreement also provided for the company to construct a covered roof structure at the rear of the DAC facility in which they will do some of their research. This structure is to be left at the DAC once the lease expires, so it is a win-win situation for both industry and government. Most importantly, on the back of this assistance given to Tasmanian Seafood by the DAC, I understand that they are now in a process of assessing major investment decisions within the Territory.
The DAC story does not end there. The DAC has been instrumental in the development of our barramundi aquaculture industry in the Top End. The DAC supplies fingerlings for our barramundi farming industry, which, incidentally, is undertaken at Adelaide River, Middle Arm and the Blackmore River, all in my electorate. One of these operations is the Humpty Doo Barramundi Aquaculture Farm, which is a small company established in 1993 and owned by six local families. It operates a barramundi fish farm on the floodplain of the Adelaide River near Middle Point. Bob Richards, the Managing Director, and his partners have been developing the farm principally to supply larger size whole fish to interstate markets for the fillet trade.
Humpty Doo Barramundi is a true success story. It has adapted its operations and tidal exchange flow through to minimal water exchange. At the same time, it has successfully made the transition from supplying plate-size barramundi for Top End restaurateurs to producing three tonnes per week of filleted fish for the interstate market. Humpty Doo Barramundi has not only survived, but has continued to grow and develop while many other barramundi farms have failed. This has been due, in no small part, to improving its niche through innovative research and development.
In December 2005, Humpty Doo Barramundi successfully obtained a Commonwealth government grant for $160 000 under the Food Processing in Regional Australia program. Humpty Doo Barramundi is using this funding to implement improved husbandry and harvesting progresses.
The company also secured almost $600 000 with an AusIndustry Industry Cooperative Innovation Program grant. This grant is approved on a merit basis and encourages business to business cooperation on innovation projects that enhance productivity, growth and international competitiveness of Australian industries. When I visited the farm late last year with the then minister, the member for Wanguri, the Managing Director, Bob Richards, proudly told us of how his company had formed a consortium with Tasmanian-based AQ1 Fish Food Technologies and Queensland-based Readily Aqua Products. Bob showed us how the consortium is working to increase the efficiency and effectiveness for the feeding process by implementing appropriate automated feeding strategies using an innovative feed sensing technology controlled centrally with a computerised delivery system.
The system has apparently been a tremendous success, judging by the fact that they are currently having the enviable problem of unexpected overproduction and they are madly sorting and packaging their harvest and reaping greater benefits from their considerable efforts.
As we all know, the mango industry is a key contributor to our horticulture and is valued at more than $90m at the first point of sale. It is the key horticultural product in my electorate.
I would like to tell the House about an export trial for a group of Katherine mango growers who were invited to join forces with Kununurra growers to undertake a sea freight trial of mangoes to Europe. Trials sought to test an innovation approach developing export mango markets using a low cost sea freight system rather than expensive air freighting. A total of 25 tonnes of Katherine mangoes were exported by sea through this trial. The consignment was transported in three separate containers in which atmospheric conditions were modified by significantly raising the level of carbon dioxide. Two containers were sent through the port of Darwin and the other through Fremantle.
Several Territory growers took part in the trial and some of these growers travelled to Europe to see the quality of the fruit on arrival. The growers reported the first shipment of mangoes from Katherine was soft at first but firmed up within 24 hours; otherwise they were in excellent condition. The two subsequent containers showed signs of sap burn and there were some quality issues. While the commercial returns were not as high as initially expected, the trial did show that mangoes can be successfully shipped over extended periods to overseas markets. I must advise the House that this government did assist the trial through the Trade Support Scheme. What came out of this trial is the need to ensure that our mangoes arrive at overseas markets in top grade condition.
On that point, the Territory is again taking the lead in this area of research and development. An important initiative to develop export markets for mangoes is the vapour heat treatment facility at Berry Springs which has been established by Jabiru Tropical Orchards - and, yes, this is another great initiative in my electorate. The importance of this project cannot be underestimated because Australian mangoes for export to Japan are required to comply with the mandatory vapour heat treatment. Vapour heat treatment technology eliminates fruit fly larvae by rapidly heating the freshly picked mangoes, but the process needs to be precise for each batch processed.
The Berry Springs operation has put a considerable amount of effort into modifying the process and honing their skills to ensure that our top grade fruit is not unduly damaged by the process itself. I must stress that only the best of the best fruit is selected for the process as even minor blemishes are highlighted by the heat treatment. The great benefit of embracing vapour heat treatment technology is that it allows our top quality mangoes to comply with strict Japanese import regulations as well as helping our Territory growers to access other lucrative offshore markets such as China.
As I said during last week’s sittings, the Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines’ involvement in the mango crop forecasting project is a great asset to Territory mango growers. The DPIFM-Horticulture Australia Limited Mango Crop Forecasting Project has made a very significant contribution to the success of the 2006 mango season. This leading edge forecasting project has allowed the mango industry to be provided with invaluable assistance in labour hire planning and transport needs for growers, packers and transportation logistic companies.
I also commend the Northern Territory Horticultural Association for getting together with Charles Darwin University last mango season to jointly run a training program for pickers and packers, which apparently was a great assistance in preparing harvest labour for the Top End’s mango industry.
Another exciting innovative research and development program is currently under way in the pastoral industry, on which my colleague, the member for Barkly, touched during his speech. This is the 21st Century Pastoralism Project, which is a Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines and a Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre collaborative effort. It aims to improve the economic viability of our desert pastoral enterprises. This collaborative effort aims to facilitate opportunities for desert pastoral enterprises to significantly reduce production costs and, hence, improve their overall profitability.
By concentrating on the development of remote controlled technology that allows managers to remotely control pastoral infrastructure such as water tanks, pumps and troughs, these marginal pasture projects have a greater potential to be sustainable. Using telemetry, as it is known, a station manager can check his tank levels, turn bore pumps on and monitor water flows in troughs, all from a computer in the homestead.
The Utilising Technology Telemetry subproject within the 21st Century Pastoralism Project emerged from pastoral industry workshops held in April 2006. That subproject identified telemetry as a high priority research issue. More particularly, pastoralists wanted an independent evaluation of the current commercially available telemetry systems, or remote control systems as they are called, in terms of their reliability and cost benefits so that they could inform their decisions about installing telemetry.
Pastoral industry members strongly believe that if telemetry systems could be independently proven to be reliable, it would significantly increase their adoption. The Utilising Technology Telemetry subproject will address this industry need by assessing the reliability and cost efficiency of commercially available telemetry systems within desert pastoral enterprises. There is a range of commercially available telemetry systems and one system developed in the Territory, showcased on a Territory pastoral station recently, allows the manager to use HF radio at the homestead to remotely turn on and off bore pumps and, in turn, to receive an image of the watering points to confirm that adequate water is available for livestock.
Development of new telemetry systems and devices such as remote cattle walkover weighing and drafting systems, if successful, will enable pastoralists to daily monitor animal weight gain, enabling them to draft and manage stock from their homestead. This research seeks to build on the National Livestock Identification System in which a unique electronic tag is attached to trace livestock movements.
While the National Livestock Identification System was implemented to provide confidence to the market place, the industry is well placed to deal with any biosecurity concerns. It also offers an opportunity for further industry-based research. The theory sounds straightforward. Cattle visiting a water source will pass over a weighing station. The individual National Livestock Industry Scheme tag will be read at the same time and pastoralists will receive a daily update of cattle weights. The use of this innovative research and development is bound only by the limits of one’s imagination. It may even lead to remote controlled drafting of cattle.
The Utilising Technology Telemetry subproject is a partnership between the Northern Territory DPIFM, DKCRC, Sheep Co-operative Research Centre, Observant Pty Ltd Australia and the University of Wollongong. The research has been conducted at four pastoral properties across desert Australia, namely: Napperby Station in the Northern Territory, Quinyambie and De Rose Hill Stations in northern South Australia, and Monkira Station in south-western Queensland. Station staff collect the monitoring data and are therefore conscripted as formal researchers within this project. Initial results are certainly very interesting. The use of telemetry systems on Quinyambie Station has saved $103 000 annually in decreasing the costs associated with bore runs, which involves station staff travelling from bore to bore to check water availability. This trial is particularly important given the labour skill shortage being experienced throughout rural industries. The research will continue until the end of 2008.
In conclusion, I would like to briefly mention a great little innovative project in which the Humpty Doo Primary School in my electorate played an integral part. Recently, the EnviroNorth website was launched at Humpty Doo School. This great initiative came about because there was a lack of accessible information for schools about tropical savannahs. The education department and the Tropical Savannah Research Centre jointly developed the website so that teachers and students could learn about our own tropical savannahs. Viki Kane and Jenni Webber from the school provided educational advice, and the students tested the prototype. The EnviroNorth website has already been accepted as a leader in tropical savannahs for northern schools.
Mr Deputy Speaker, this government is committed to delivering for all Territorians into the future. As I said at the outset, our vibrant research and development effort in the business sector is a major vein pumping blood to the heart of our strong and sustainable economic growth. I thank the Minister for Business and Economic Development for his most important statement, and I look forward to further updates.
Mrs BRAHAM (Braitling): Mr Deputy Speaker, this must be one of the most exciting areas that any minister could ever have, and I can understand why he must really enjoy this portfolio because, let us face it, it is futuristic. It is developing the Territory in many ways, and I thank him for his statement.
I want to make some comments about Desert Knowledge. It is a fantastic concept. The fact both the federal and Northern Territory governments are behind it is important. It is a little disappointing that, from the road as you drive by, many people will say: ‘What is happening? We cannot see anything yet’. It is pleasing to know that the first stage will be opened in about May this year. That will at least cement for the people of Alice Springs that something is happening there. There is a lot of interest in the concept. This is not just for the Centre; this is for Australia and there are so many important issues with our environment at the moment, I am hoping good things will come out of it.
The solar demonstration facility will, hopefully, be opened at the end of next year. That has great potential for the Centre, as for other parts of Australia. Already in remote communities we have solar lights. Most of us have solar hot water systems, and I heard tell, minister, that there are going to be solar panels put on the hospital roof to generate power. I am not sure whether it is a local rumour, but that is the sort of thing we should be looking at. We should be making more use of solar energy, particularly for our larger centres. As time has gone by, the solar panels have reduced in size. I am not sure of the correct terminology, but when they first came out, they were fairly big and bulky panels. Technology has facilitated reducing their size. Why shouldn’t we be capturing all that sunshine in Central Australia and around the Territory, and why not use it in many of our remote communities, as well as for big buildings in towns?
This is an opportunity for this government to subsidise the use of solar all over the place, on pastoral properties and remote communities. They can be used for water pumps and generators. Wind technology is a great experiment in Tennant Creek. In this day and age when we are all so conscious about our environment and the damage we do to it with greenhouse gas emissions, this is great.
What did the Desert Knowledge people say? Over 100 tonnes of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide will be saved each year when the $2.55m solar technology demonstration facility is built at the Desert Knowledge Precinct. This is the equivalent of taking around 25 cars permanently off the road. What a great concept. I would also like to push the hybrid car so you can plug it in at night and charge the battery or use the solar charge on it. We do not do enough of that. Eventually, that is the type of car that would suit me rather than having to rely totally on fuel, the price of which seems to be going up and up. It seems to be a much more attractive deal.
There are many ways we can use this solar technology, and many ways we can help our environment. Minister, anything you can do to promote this centre around Australia when you visit other states, you should be doing it. It is something, eventually, of which we are going to be very proud. It is so innovative. Programs like The New Inventors should be invited to the precinct to show exactly what Australians can do, and what Territorians can do. We are the clever country and we do not tell people enough how clever we are. Here is an opportunity to do that, minister.
Electricity sourced other than by way of generators must be a good thing, especially if it comes from the sun. People in Alice Springs do not think much is happening out there, so it will be good when we get pictures of buildings and people are invited to the opening so they can see what is happening. As I said, most people, as they drive past say: ‘It is just a road going in to nowhere; there is nothing there’. Obviously, this visual impact will help considerably to cement the fact that this is happening; this is a good thing and government is behind it.
All I can say is you are a lucky minister. I would not mind having a portfolio like this because it is really interesting and exciting. You are going to come across all sorts of things that many of us will never understand or get to see. Good luck with it, minister, and thank you for your statement.
Ms SACILOTTO (Port Darwin): Mr Deputy Speaker, today in supporting the minister’s statement on research and innovation in the Northern Territory, I would like to acknowledge some of the brilliant people in the Territory.
First, I mirror the minister’s delight in the appointment of Dr Jonathan Carapetis to head up the outstanding Menzies School of Health Research. Dr Carapetis moved here with his wife, Dr Susan Skull, and family and is a constituent of mine.
The Northern Territory Research and Innovation Board and the Northern Territory government bring us the fantastic Northern Territory Research and Innovation Awards. These awards are funded through the NT Research and Innovation Fund. In 2006, we were fortunate to have 51 nominations across the five categories. The categories are: New Generation Research and Innovation Award; Desert Knowledge Research Award; Tropical Knowledge Research Award; Indigenous Innovation Award; and Minster for Business and Economic Development’s Innovation Award. The finalists in each category in 2006 were:
- the New Generation Research and Innovation Award: Matt Brearley for Thermal Strain in Athletes in the Tropics; Rachel Meldrum for Rapid Identification of Panama Disease in Bananas; and Anna Straton for Water Management Reform in the Northern Territory. The winner of this category was Matt Brearley. Since 2001, Matt has worked with the Institute of Sport. He has also been studying a PhD through Charles Darwin University in thermal physiology. His study is a collaborative effort and includes the Northern Territory Institute of Sport and the Acclimatisation Centre. Matt’s research outcomes have local, national and international applications, and have been widely featured in the media; for example, The 7.30 Report, Best of Australian Science on Radio CD, and Catalyst.
- in the Desert Knowledge Research Award, the finalists were Mike Crow for Linked Business Networks Project; Glenn Marshall for Sustainable Urban Living; Power and Water Corporation, NRETA, DPIFM and CSIRO for Water Reuse in the Alice Project. The winner of this category was Glenn Marshall. Glenn is a geologist working in Alice Springs and has been there for around eight years. Glenn has founded various sustainability initiatives and brought the notion of sustainable urban living into our everyday lives.
- the Tropical Knowledge Research Award finalists were Renee Bartolo and Bruce Ryan for the Bush Food Knowledge Management System; Alaric Fisher for Pastoral Land Use and Biodiversity; Renkang Peng, Keith Christian and Karen Gibb for Green Ants in Pest Control. The winners were Renkang Peng, Keith Christian and Karen Gibb. The research team has developed techniques that have used green ants to control pests of mangoes and cashews. This will allow lower costs of production, higher profits and the ability to produce organic products.
- for the Indigenous Innovation Award, the finalists were: Lindsay Bookie, Lincartan 4WD Bush Tucker Tours; Lofty Bardayal Nadjamerrek for Caring for Country; Mudla Farm, NT Fisheries and Tropical Aquaculture Australia for the indigenous owned and operated Mud Crab Farm at Kulaluk. Lofty Nadjamerrek is 80 years old and has lived mainly a traditional life on his own country on the upper Liverpool River on the Arnhem Land plateau. He has made an outstanding contribution in bringing parties together, including indigenous and non-indigenous land managers and scientists, to develop improved techniques for broad scale fire management. He shows a fantastic blend of indigenous knowledge and modern science and technology.
- finalists in the Minister for Business and Economic Development’s Innovation Award were: Hew Macdonald for a Mechanics Adjustable Pit Platform; Harry Rowe for Tire-link Floating Jetties; Wayne Saunders for Mango Harvest Aid; Mark Smith for Syntonic Technologies Rapid Tracking Antenna; Steve Tiley for Hercules Offshore Lifting Gear Exoskeletal Lifting Frame. Mark Smith has invested a lot of time into the development of the 4148 Rapid Tracking Antenna. Mark has invested considerable personal time and money, and now holds a USA patent for his technology.
The Northern Territory Research and Innovation Board and Fund aim to:
- lever external research funding into the Northern Territory;
- build and retain the Northern Territory’s research capacity;
- develop the Northern Territory’s competitive advantage in Tropical and Desert Knowledge;
- lift the profile of Northern Territory researchers and innovators; and
- encourage and support research and innovation that meets the needs of the Northern Territory.
In closing, I wish the Northern Territory Research and Innovation Board all the best for the coming year and look forward to the 2007 Innovation Awards, which close on 16 March. Nomination forms are available online. The prizes are fantastic this year and are funded through the Northern Territory Research and Innovation Fund and supported by AusIndustry. The awards are open to all eligible Territorians. This year’s awards will cover the same five categories as last year. The Minister for Business and Economic Development Innovation Award carries a $5000 prize, as does the Desert Knowledge Research Award, Tropical Knowledge Research Award, and Indigenous Innovation Award. The new Generation Research and Innovation Award carries a $2000 prize. The overall winner will receive the prestigious Chief Minister’s Award for Research and Innovation. Let us encourage those people we know are brilliant and innovative to enter these awards. I commend the minister’s statement to the House.
Mr VATSKALIS (Business and Economic Development): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I thank members for their contributions. I really appreciate their comments. As you can see, the Territory is in can-do country. We have ideas and we translate them into reality. I know it is very difficult sometimes because small business in the Territory cannot have the skills, ability and money to invest in research and development innovation, but every so often we have some brilliant examples.
Steve Tiley with his Hercules lift is a typical example. You see some of these ideas and you think: ‘Why didn’t I think of it first?’ But someone did think about it and he made it a reality. It certainly is not a barbecue-stopper and nobody talks about research and development, but it is an exciting area. People working in research and development are really worth weight in gold.
Members mentioned some of the people mentioned working for CDU, Menzies or for the hospital and the research they are doing in health areas is exciting. Some of the innovations and techniques in the mining area are absolutely fantastic. If you look at Tennant Creek, the rehabilitation of the Peko site, they are utilising bacteria to process waste and recover gold and other precious metals ...
Mr McAdam: Cobalt, copper.
Mr VATSKALIS: And copper. In addition to that, if you look at what is happening with primary industry, the way they utilise computers and technology to measure, at a distance, the weight of cattle, how many cattle pass a watering point, if there is any problem with the cattle and water levels, it is absolutely fantastic.
I agree that we have a long way to go. There are problems. The cost of research and development is a prohibitive factor. The lack of skilled workers is another, but we seem to overcome these problems. We have the ideas, we translate the ideas and our government, through the awards and grants, assists these companies to translate the ideas into reality. We have done that in the past and we will continue to do it. We work with companies to get them over the hurdles, to assist them with how to write submissions for further funding, and how to incorporate and patent their intellectual property. We will continue to do that.
I thank the Leader of the Opposition for her cooperative approach. I do not have information about the figures she mentioned. I will go back and have a look and, at a future date, bring back this information to advise her about any variations.
As for skilled labour, the Labor Party does not have a fundamental opposition to skilled labour. What we say is that we should invest for our future; we should invest now for our workers of tomorrow. What we totally object to is the exploitation of people coming from overseas and working in Australia for very low wages or utilising these people on the low wages to bring the wages down for Australian workers. What I abhor especially is the importation of apprentices. If we are going to provide jobs for apprentices, let us do it with Australian kids. There are hundreds of Australian kids out there who want to become an apprentice. Let us put our money there.
I thank the Minister for Local Government. I agree with him that local government can be a vehicle for research, development and innovation. We have seen it in other areas. I recall that a council in Western Australia developed a very innovative approach on how to rate people by their rubbish. The rubbish bin had a chip incorporated in it. When the machine went past and lifted the bin, it would weigh the bin and identify the chip and immediately enter into a computer how much rubbish it took for property A, how much for property B, and people would be rated according to that. Not everyone had a flat rate. That is a very good example of an innovative approach.
I thank the member for Goyder for his comments. I encourage all members: if you have a project taking place in your electorate, promote the awards and suggest to these innovators or problem solvers that they put their hand up for nomination for the awards.
To the member for Braitling, thank you for your response. Desert Knowledge Australia will have an open day so people will have the opportunity to have a look at what is happening. You asked about subsidies or support by the government. Power and Water already provide a subsidy if you install a solar hot water system in your house. It will not be long, I believe, until we will see subsidies in other areas. We have seen some innovative approaches on how to cut the greenhouse gases. Recently, the federal government announced banning all incandescent globes, and it will be very interesting to see how that works. The big trick is how we are going to address the consumption of power by split system airconditioners. They are power hungry, yet everyone seems to turn them on at about 5.30 pm. You arrive home, and all the lights in the city seem to dim. Thank you very much for your comments.
As the member for Braitling said, I am excited. I am a technology freak. The day after Microsoft Vista was released, I was in the shop buying it and installing it on my computer. I look forward to the future and I am very pleased to be the minister for DBERD because I have carriage of research and development and innovation.
The Territory is a can-do place. We have a can-do approach and because we are faced with so many difficulties in our everyday life, climatic conditions and distance, we seem to be able to identify problems, provide solutions and solve problems that, for other people, would be totally insolvable. I thank Larry Bannister and his team for the fantastic work they have done. Larry, I am right behind you because innovation, development and problem solving in the Territory is for us a cash crop for the future. We can develop things here that we can sell to other places and we can make money out of it. I thank all members for their supportive comments.
Motion agreed to; statement noted.
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT
Constructing a Better Territory
Constructing a Better Territory
Ms LAWRIE (Infrastructure and Transport): Madam Speaker, it is certainly no secret that the Territory’s construction sector is one of the key drivers of our economy. This is especially true in the Northern Territory where we are a developing economy. In the Northern Territory, without a healthy construction industry, you simply will not have a healthy economy. This was the case when we came to government in 2001. The construction industry was on its knees, as was the Northern Territory economy.
However, with sound financial management, we have turned things around and the construction industry in the Territory is now experiencing an all time high. Our economy and our construction industry are bucking national trends. There are significant facts and figures that demonstrate this, and I will cover some of these later. At the moment, all you need to do is look around to see how much construction is occurring.
To name just a few, in the northern suburbs we have the soccer stadium and the fire station. As you head into town, there is the Darwin middle school construction, and there are construction projects right throughout the CBD. Our magnificent waterfront precinct is cultivating as the pearl of our harbour side.
In Palmerston, there is the recreation centre, Palmerston High School and impressive residential projects. In Alice Springs, there is the Desert Knowledge Project, the Yeperenye Shopping Centre redevelopment, the Imparja building and, soon to start, the Alice Springs Aquatic Centre. All of these follow the magnificent Traeger Park grandstand. Katherine and Tennant Creek both have urban enhancement projects and, last week in Wadeye, I inspected the recently completed first ever secondary school in that community.
It is timely to reflect on how far our construction sector has moved ahead under the Martin Labor government, and the drivers that have helped place our construction sector as one of the most solid in the nation. It is also timely to look at what needs to occur to ensure we are doing everything we can to never go back to the doldrums of five years ago.
On coming to office in 2001, the government was faced with a very sick construction sector. Building approvals were at rock bottom and private sector investment was declining. The infrastructure budget had been starved of cash, and the government inherited a huge black hole.
A major focus of our Economic Development Summit was getting the construction sector back up and running. We listened to our construction sector and acted on their concerns. We spread our capital works and repairs and maintenance program across the year to help reduce the Dry Season boom and the Wet Season bust cycles. We injected a high level of cash for capital works and infrastructure. We also spread our capital works program across the Territory and focused our dollars on projects that would form the building blocks for further economic development. Most importantly, we delivered cash to the Territory’s infrastructure budget, a budget that includes capital works, minor new works, and repairs and maintenance. This has always been the way.
Record amounts have been spent on infrastructure programs. Since 2001, the government has spent more than $2.7bn in cash on infrastructure. Since 2001-02, we have delivered an extra $523m in cash allocations to our program. We have increased our capital works spend every budget. In 2001-02, $364m cash was allocated to infrastructure. In the 2006-07 budget, the cash allocation for infrastructure is $482m, a 32.5% jump from when we came to government.
The Martin government has been the most tax reforming government in the Territory’s history. We have cut business taxes. We have delivered the lowest tax rate in the nation for businesses with up to 100 staff. We cut payroll tax to back Territory business. In a real shot in the arm for the construction sector, we gave significant tax breaks for first home buyers and reformed the HomeNorth scheme. Every person I meet in the construction industry counts these initiatives among the key drivers of growth in the housing market.
A $2500 stamp duty debate for all Territorians buying their principal place of residence, significantly increasing the tax-free threshold for stamp duty for first home buyers from $80 000 to $225 000, and increasing the number of Territorians accessing the HomeNorth scheme has resulted in a booming housing market. The growth in home loan applications and house prices has exceeded national growth, and the number of residential approvals continues to be at historically high levels.
Our land release strategies have resulted in a balance that benefits everyone. We have been able to ensure Territorians are getting an extremely healthy return on their property investment but, at the same time, we have a higher percentage of first home buyers in the property market than anywhere else in the country, and our housing affordability is second behind Canberra.
I am very glad to say that these initiatives have worked. As the housing industry association says:
- … The Northern Territory economy received the gong for the stand out performer of 2006.
In 2001, when we came to government, about 250 dwellings were being constructed annually, a very low figure. In contrast, our strong financial management, tax cuts and land release policies mean that this figure has now quadrupled to about 1000 dwellings constructed annually. A fourfold increase in five years is a remarkable achievement. In 2001, annual construction work was about $500m. Now it is at $2.3bn, approaching a fivefold increase.
We are experiencing unparalleled private sector investment in the Territory. This investment has not happened by accident. The Martin government initiatives have made the Territory a more attractive place to do business and to make your home. This is money in the pockets of Territorians. It benefits Territory families and it enables people to get out and enjoy our great lifestyle.
Our government is in active dialogue with the Housing Industry of Australia’s Northern Territory Branch, the Real Estate Institute, the TCA, Chamber of Commerce and the Property Council, to work together on maintaining the momentum in housing construction. This dialogue is both about hearing ideas firsthand from the industry groups, and an opportunity for government to inform industry on land release strategies. We recognise land release must be managed carefully and be balanced. While it is a component of providing affordable housing, we must also ensure that land release does not undermine the value of people’s investment in property. While property prices have risen sharply in recent years, Darwin is still the second most affordable capital city in Australia behind Canberra.
The December Quarter 2006 National Survey of Building and Construction, as recorded in the Business Review Weekly, found that while residential construction activity was strong in Western Australia, Queensland and the Territory, only Territory builders held a perception of continuing expansion in the sector. I can assure members of the House that the Martin government is doing all it can to keep our construction industry charging ahead. We recognised that the time was right to reform our construction industry to help attract and retain construction workers.
The Building Act was amended to incorporate a range of measures to increase consumer protection and assist in developing a more professional and robust building industry. These measures included registration of residential builders through the Building Practitioners Board, changes to the building certification process, mandatory dispute resolution mechanisms in building contracts, and the next phase, a home warranty insurance regime. These measures, with the exception of the home warranty insurance, commenced on 3 July 2006. These changes provide for a more sound building control regime that will better deliver the protections and outcomes that the community and industry expect.
The Martin Labor government also introduced the Construction Industry Long Service Leave and Benefits Act of 2005, delivering portable long service leave provisions for a highly mobile industry. The act established NT Build to administer a portable long service leave scheme on behalf of workers in the construction industry funded by a levy on project developers. The NT Build Board comprises members of relevant industry associations and construction industry unions. The scheme is to ensure that workers in the industry are able to accrue long service leave entitlements as they can in other jurisdictions. This reform is an important plank in the Territory’s drive to both develop and maintain a skilled worker base.
An active construction sector means jobs. The Martin government has helped create 6000 new jobs in the last year. More than 2000 of these are new apprentices or trainees. It is estimated that the Territory government’s construction program alone directly sustains about 5000 jobs per year. There are thousands more flow-on jobs in small business and retail sectors. As an example, last year there was a 37% increase in the purchase of machinery and equipment in the Northern Territory. This is an enormous annual increase and demonstrates the ripple effect of a healthy construction industry.
I will now turn to some of the key projects under way across the Territory. The 15-year $1.1bn waterfront project is an iconic development which will continue to build construction and business confidence over the next decade as well as bring longer term economic benefit. Stage 1 of the development, including the Darwin Convention and Exhibition Centre, public infrastructure and residential, commercial and retail spaces, will open in 2008. This project is an example of the Martin government’s strategic approach to infrastructure spending. While Stage 1 alone will see a $300m injection into the local economy and the creation of 1000 jobs, the construction of the convention and exhibition centre will deliver longer term benefits to the tourism and retail sectors and flow right through our economy.
While construction of the $1.5bn Darwin LNG plant is complete, with exports of liquefied natural gas commencing last year, targeted ongoing exploration in the Timor Sea indicates significant growth in future LNG production and export. Darwin is developing as the hub of an exploration and development push, driven by the global demand for liquefied natural gas. ConocoPhillips and Santos have embarked on drilling across two permits in the Timor Sea, aimed at proving up gas reserves needed to fulfil the expansion of the Darwin LNG plant with a second train. Recently, the Commonwealth released two further permits in the Bonaparte Basin where the Blacktip field is now under development to supply gas via the Bonaparte gas pipeline to Darwin’s Channel Island Power Station.
Additionally, final investment decisions are expected in the near future that will see the construction of the first helium extraction plant in the southern hemisphere valued at $33m and obtaining its product from the vent gases of the LNG plant. The planning application for this major value-adding project is now in the system.
The $70m Natural Fuels Ltd biodiesel manufacturing facility in the East Arm development area commenced its commissioning program in October of last year. This plant is integrated with the $60m state of the art Darwin Industry Fuel Terminal developed by Vopak NV which has now been operating for more than a year. Also under investigation in this location is a proposed $450m condensate processing facility which is also likely to be integrated with the fuel terminal. With the Bonaparte gas pipeline, the associated onshore gas processing plant at Wadeye, and the construction of the helium extraction plant at Wickham Point still to come, the Territory will continue to experience significant levels of engineering construction.
Early this year, the $24m East Arm bulk export facility will be completed and will allow for the efficient transfer of material, using rail, road and the port infrastructure. The Darwin Port Corporation has already established agreement with OM Manganese for the export of manganese ore at the rate of 500 000 tonnes per annum over the next 10 years, with the first export of ore sent in June last year.
The corporation is also negotiating with Territory Iron Limited for the potential export of up to 1.5 million tonnes of ore per annum from Frances Creek to start this year. This kind of strategic government investment is strengthening the Australasia Trade Route as a viable alternative for traders to both our north and south. Darwin has established itself as Australia’s gateway to Asia and, increasingly, Asia’s gateway to Australia’s southern states.
The Martin government is delivering the biggest capital education investment in the Territory’s history. This will deliver new and improved school facilities targeted at improving educational outcomes. Of the $46m allocated, the single largest project due for completion in 2008 is the $19.5m Darwin Middle School facility adjacent to Darwin High School at Bullocky Point. Stage 1 will accommodate 400 Years 7 and 8 students and Stage 2 will accommodate 200 Year 9 students as well as a performing arts centre. The new facility will complement existing infrastructure at the school.
Meanwhile, construction is well under way for the new $6.5m soccer stadium at the Marrara sporting precinct in Darwin due for completion by March this year in time for the Arafura Games. This will be the identifiable headquarters of the world game in the Territory and will cater for the sport’s increasing popularity. The project involves the construction of a fully roofed stadium with two full-sized soccer pitches to international standard. The main grandstand will have immediate seating capacity of 500 and a future capacity of 1000. It incorporates four player change rooms, referee change rooms, public toilets, kiosk, storerooms and parking facilities.
Construction is well under way on Darwin’s new Marrara Fire Station, valued at $4.9m, to enable improved response times and modern occupational health and safety facilities for fire officers as compared to the existing pre-Cyclone Tracy facility. The new station has an appliance bay that caters for four fire engines and includes officer accommodation, a large training room, gymnasium, workshop, office space and indoor and outdoor amenities areas.
In Alice Springs, the Desert Knowledge precinct is moving ahead. The Business and Innovation Centre and Stage 2 headworks are under construction and due for completion in the first half of this year. It is expected work on the Desert Peoples Centre will start this year following the close of tenders early this month.
The government also funds strategic infrastructure and supports private investment that will boost our tourism sector. The Little Mindil development will see a resort constructed in Darwin that will become a destination in its own right. The SKYCITY Entertainment Group is the preferred developer, and they recently announced an interim $30m upgrade and renovation program to their existing entertainment facility.
The Martin Labor government is now spending $50m more per annum on roads, the most per taxpayer in the country. In budget 2006, $134.9m was allocated to our roads and highways. We are also driving strategic roads investments. Construction has commenced to seal part of Namatjira Drive, making a big impact on the upgrade of the Red Centre Way, previously known as the Mereenie Loop, an important tourism link in the Centre. The works, costing $13.3m, will link by sealed road a number of major tourist attractions including Glen Helen, Ormiston Gorge and Redbank Gorge.
Members will agree that these constitute a great variety of projects. There are economic development projects, tourism projects, sporting and lifestyle projects, education projects and roads projects. They are projects that are building the Territory and keep the Territory moving ahead.
The biggest threat to the advancement of our construction industry is the skills shortage. Contractors and subcontractors local to the Darwin area all have full order books resulting in tendering being selective and favouring the best designed and documented projects. Demand for construction services and products remains strong, with the forecast stabilisation yet to materialise. This situation seems to be affecting other Territory centres as well as Darwin, with indications that contractors are reluctant to tender on smaller projects and those in the rural and remote areas.
In the near future, private sector construction demand will compete strongly with public sector demand. Against this background, the government commissioned a review of the delivery of the government infrastructure program. ACIL Tasman carried out the review under the direction of a joint public and private sector steering committee. The preliminary findings are now with the committee and the report is under consideration. The terms of reference for the study included a review of private sector capacity to deliver the government’s infrastructure program in a timely and cost-effective manner, given the shortage of skills and resources and limited competition in some sectors of the industry. The report is required to make recommendations in connection with the following issues:
- the capacity of local industry to deliver on projected trends;
- addressing skills shortages in the short, medium and long term;
- options to recognise and address future cost increases; and
- improvements to Northern Territory government procurement processes to achieve greater competition.
In November last year, in line with the government-wide reform, we cut red tape and introduced the new arrangements for Tier 3 purchasing; that is, for projects in the $10 000 to $50 000 range. There is no longer a requirement to advertise tenders and procurement is able to proceed based on three quotations. Firms must be registered with the Northern Territory Industry Capability Network, ensuring that local businesses get the first opportunity. The government consulted widely, and put in place procedures to assist more businesses, particularly those in the regions, to have their bids considered quickly and without red tape.
While growth in private sector construction expenditure is forecast to continue to outpace public sector investment, this places some challenges on government. Additionally, with skills and labour shortages in the construction industry across the nation, we have an increased opportunity to boost indigenous employment and participation. The Australian Technical College, currently under development in Darwin, will have a role to play and its appropriate targeting of technical and trades areas will be critical.
A low tender response across all regions and all tender sizes has become more pronounced over the past four years, a factor that, again, drives up costs, particularly for the government’s infrastructure program. While total contractor supply to the overall construction sector in Darwin is adequate, there is evidence of a decline in capacity in our regions.
Supporting a competitive local construction industry is one of the most significant outcomes and objectives for the government. The design and construction industry bodies meet with senior departmental officers on a regular quarterly basis, supported by various ad hoc groups. The government seeks to closely involve industry in the development of annual program schedules, contract packaging and product and design standards.
Developing partnerships with Aboriginal Territorians drives economic growth in the bush. The construction industry has potential for increased indigenous participation. Indeed, the construction industry offers perhaps the greatest opportunities for indigenous employment and business development. The government has as an objective the greater sustainable employment of remote community indigenous people in our construction industry. In 2005-06, the department awarded contracts to the value of $11.3m to remote indigenous organisations for work such as road construction and maintenance, aerodrome maintenance, building construction, and house construction and training. This includes a $4m contract with Larapinta Constructions, a joint venture between Ntaria Council of Hermannsburg and a private construction company to provide crushed pavement material for Namatjira Drive upgrade works.
Eleven indigenous trainees were employed under the contract, with four completing the eight core and optional competency units offered; eight attaining competency in front-end loader operation; five attaining competency in roller operation; five attaining competency in excavator operation; and five attaining competency in backhoe operation. Another contract valued at $2.4m was awarded to the Thamarrurr Regional Council for the servicing of housing lots at the new Wadeye subdivision of Nilinh. The contract is being managed as a joint venture with a private partner and includes a training program for local indigenous employees.
In the course of this financial year, contracts to the value of $13.4m have been awarded to indigenous organisations. They include: $3.9m with Tangentyere Constructions for the construction of houses at Yuendumu, Mosquito Bore and the Alice Springs Town Camps of Larapinta Valley and Trucking Yards; $1.5m with the Nganmarriyanga Community and the Nauiyu Nambiyu Community Government Council for upgrade of the Port Keats Road; $3.3m with Nyirranggulung Mardrulk Ngadberre Regional Council for Indigenous Housing Construction, Training and Employment Projects at Wugularr and Barunga; and $2.6m with Tiwi Islands Local Government for Indigenous Housing, Training and Construction Employment Projects at Nguiu and Milikapiti.
In 2006-07, the Power and Water Corporation awarded a contract valued at $500 000 to a private contractor to improve Yuelamu Dam water storage. Five local indigenous trainees were employed under the contract, with all successfully completing a module in plant operations as part of a Certificate III in Civil Construction. These trainees are normally employed through CDEP as part of the community road crew.
On behalf of the Department of Local Government, Housing and Sport, the department of Planning and Infrastructure manages the indigenous housing construction training as part of the Northern Territory Indigenous Housing Construction Program.
The Indigenous Housing Construction Training Program provides community-based organisations and indigenous people with opportunities and the necessary support to achieve the following outcomes: construction and repairs and maintenance capacity for intended or established indigenous building teams through Certificate II General Construction courses which include units of work to provide trainees with repairs and maintenance skills; and construction trades capacity for interested indigenous people through the Certificate III in General Construction.
Eleven apprentices are currently undertaking training for Certificate II in General Construction. A further 16 apprentices have completed Certificate II, and 10 of these are continuing in Certificate III. Three former apprentices have recently been employed by Ntaria Council to undertake housing and civil works tasks.
In 2006-07, a revised training program is being implemented to provide two-year Indigenous Housing Construction Training and Employment Projects to 40 trainees in nine communities, with an emphasis on achievable outcomes and progression to paid employment. New training project agreements have been signed by Ltyentye Apurte Community Government Council, Nyirranggulung Mardrulk Ngadberre Regional Council, Galiwinku Community, Yirrkala Dhanbul Community Association and Tiwi Island Local Government. Existing training programs at Amoonguna and Wadeye are continuing.
Increasing the level of indigenous employment in remote construction and repairs and maintenance can be achieved through the Northern Territory government procurement process. Procurement may involve direct contracting of indigenous community organisations, using certificates of exemption for all or part of the works; specification of requirements to engage local capacity in cases where the project is subject to competitive tendering; or other procurement methods such as joint venturing.
Where competitive tendering is determined to be the appropriate procurement method for an identified project, tenderers can be required to complete and Indigenous Development Plan or to comply with contract-prescribed indigenous participation requirements. The procurement method selected for delivery of works in remote communities is dependent on the capability of the local workforce or enterprises to undertake specific works.
As the main builder of government infrastructure in the Territory, the department provides numerous opportunities for a skilled workforce to continue building in the Territory. At present, the private construction sector is performing strongly, with some adverse impact on the government’s infrastructure program. Both the public and private sectors face similar challenges, especially with labour and skills shortages and low levels of indigenous participation. In part, some of these challenges arise from the unprecedented high and very healthy levels of construction activity. In other words, they are good problems.
The economic forecast for the Territory is very positive, and the government is working with the private sector to maintain our busy and productive construction sector with continued investment in infrastructure. We will continue to focus our capital investment in a strategic way: to build a wider economic base for the future, to reduce our economic volatility and create new and sustainable opportunities and jobs for all Territorians. We will continue to maintain our dialogue with the sector to ensure that their needs are understood. Under the Martin government, the Territory now has a lifestyle and an economy that is the best in Australia. The work we have undertaken to successfully rebuild our construction industry underpins this. We are constructing a better Territory.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the Assembly take note of this statement.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Mr Deputy Speaker, since I have been a member of this House, I have found it interesting that whenever the minister speaks about anything, she puts as much rubbish on the CLP as she possibly can. According to her, only this government knows what to do in the Territory. Every time she opens her mouth, the deception she pours forth is quite irritating to listen to. This minister will take every opportunity to rewrite history, and this statement is no exception.
Whilst she talks consistently about the evil which was the CLP, I remind her that in the period between 1978 and 2001, the CLP took the Territory from being an utter backwater - a Siberia to describe it bluntly - of the federal public service to the vibrant and vastly enlarged place it was when the ALP won power in 2001.
I concede things have gone well for the ALP government, but it needs to be remembered that some of the tough times, such as the early 1990s for the CLP, was during the recession we had to have when the Prime Minister, Keating, whom I could only describe Placido Domingo of global Treasurers in Canberra, was nailing the Territory to the wall.
Did the CLP have good times? Yes, of course, and you can bet your bottom dollar we had bad times. However, the Territory has a history of boom-bust cycles and nothing appears to have changed at all. The difference between the CLP and the ALP in government is that this ALP government has never known a bad time. The GST can only be described as rivers of gold which have delivered so much for the Territory government, and have enabled it to achieve so much more.
The fact is that the Territory’s income is so dependent on Canberra we do not have much say in our fortunes. If this government were good financial managers, they would never have opposed the GST. The truth of the matter is that they are merely along for the ride; this government is in the passenger seat and not the driver’s seat.
Let us talk about the economic capacity of the government for a moment. Last year, the government announced an unexpected surplus after budgeting for a deficit. That was based on a court case which may now produce a negative result because some of that money will have to be returned due to a recent Supreme Court decision. It is noteworthy that in these times of plenty, the government was still prepared to run a deficit budget. Surely the aim of good fiscal management is a balanced budget or better, especially when your income outstrips your expectations.
It is worth noting that four years ago the projected income for the Northern Territory in the year 2005-06 was $2.5bn. Surely all planning at that time for future expenditure must have been reliant on those projections. I refer you to Budget Paper No 2 for 2002-03 at page 62. The actual income for the year 2005-06 was $3bn. This is $500m more than the government dared to dream it would receive only four years ago. The income for the Territory has been vastly in excess of that, and yet the nett debt plus employee liability situation continues to deteriorate. Nevertheless, the GST, as I said, remains a river of gold that continues to flow into the Territory coffers.
The Treasurer resisted the GST when he was in opposition. He had an awful lot to say about it. Do you now, Treasurer, have the courage at least to admit you were wrong, or is it the case that to acknowledge that would blow your cover as a good money manager? I suggest it probably would.
Every year, income for the Territory has gone up over $100m more than the government budgeted for. Last year was no exception. Then, the total revenue for the general government operating statement was $2.75bn. What was received was $3bn. The government made $250m more than it expected last year and returned a surplus of $108m. Wow! That is a damn lot of money. The Treasurer made an extra $250m and saved $108m and now he will have to give some back. I wonder where that is coming from. I certainly hope it is not from the infrastructure budget. This is not fiscal management; it is simply good luck. Once again, wages were not kept under control in the last financial year despite the warnings given by the Auditor-General in February 2006. Mind you, the number that you are pulling on the nurses tells me that Treasury has had a little whisper in your ear.
Another aspect of the government’s spending policy is that it has had the effect of pushing up demand, not so much demand for valuable outcomes, but for consumer spending and service consumption. The Treasurer said the other day in this House that there is a lot more money around for recreation. That means gambling, alcohol and tobacco. Increased demand has the effect of pushing up inflation and the Territory’s inflation rate now is 5%. That is way over the national economy.
What it means is that if you were earning $50 000 a year 12 months ago, buying power of that $50 000 has been reduced to $47 500. In effect, $2500 has been scraped from the income of many average workers in the space of a year. About one-third of the Territory’s workforce is supported by public money, that is the public service. That means the extra several hundred million being spent by government every year is going into the pockets of average Territorians. This should be good news for public servants, and it is, but the bad news aspect for public servants and everyone else is that if that money is spent on consumer items or service consumption, the demand that creates adds to the inflationary effect, which means that the buying power of the wage increase is diminished.
The problem is that those in the private sector who have not enjoyed the same increases are hit by the same devaluation of their incomes. There is evidence to support my proposition. Year in and year out, we have seen the budget papers demonstrate rapid wages growth in the public sector and there is no doubt the money is largely going into expenditure rather than savings in the Territory community.
I draw members’ attention to the CPI figures issued by the ABS in September 2006. On page 9 of those figures, the ABS reported:
- The higher result for Darwin was driven by higher than average rises in recreation, housing and alcohol and tobacco.
It is good that money is being spent on bricks and mortar because that bodes well for the future. However, the other components driving inflation are recreation, alcohol and tobacco. Conspicuous consumption of this nature will drive demand, but once spent, the money is gone. It is an inflationary pressure, but what is left after the money is spent is a sore head, a dirty ashtray and an IOU.
The Territory has had a profound opportunity to save and to put money into infrastructure. Considering the amount of extra money that the Northern Territory has received, the increases in infrastructure spending is really disappointing, minister. The fiscal policy embarked upon five years ago has been abandoned in favour of a mis-timed spend, spend, spend philosophy and so little of it is targeted at the right areas such as roads, hospitals and the like. The Territory economy is hot in Darwin, but I am afraid it is not so hot in other places. The minister is telling us how terrific it is that the government is pouring money into infrastructure programs, most of which are in Darwin. It has a downturn at some point in the future.
As part of the rewrite of the Territory’s history, it is interesting that the government occasionally lapses. Commodity prices that are driving our mining sector because of the Chinese boom time have nothing to do with this government. That is a fact acknowledged by the mining minister when he admitted that the Territory government does not have that much to do with mining in the Territory. To use an analogy, success has a thousand fathers and a failure is an orphan. When things do slow down, as they invariably will, we will see the Territory government pass the buck to others.
If there has ever been an example of a simple lie, and I do not know if I am going to be picked up for using that word but I am not quite sure what other to use - I could say deception. I have checked in the dictionary on quite a few words, but they all mean the same thing. This one really is a bald-faced untruth from page 4 of her statement:
- We have increased our capital works spend every budget.
That is what the minister said. No, Mr Deputy Speaker, that is simply not true. I direct members to Budget Paper No 4, page 7, of the 2006-07 Budget, which says that the capital works budget for 2005-06 was $505m. The capital works budget for 2006-07 is $482m. Whoever wrote the speech looked at the figure for five years ago, looked at the figure for this year and assumed that it was an increase every year. It is very lazy and not very efficient of the person who wrote the speech. It is a bit lazy for the minister not to, first, check to see that it was right and, second, not to check her speech more carefully.
For the minister to stand here and say today that capital works has been increased in every budget, by clarification through these budget papers, is simply a lie. Sorry, I cannot use the word ‘lie’, but I really do struggle to find a more appropriate adjective ...
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Katherine, would you please withdraw the word ‘lie’?
Mrs MILLER: Yes, I withdraw that, Mr Deputy Speaker. It is just a bald-faced untruth.
The point is that this government is in the business of rewriting the history of the Territory. I am reminded of an almost Stalinist attempt to write the CLP out of the history of the Territory. Every day in this parliament, I hear from this government how much the CLP did to stuff up the Territory. I remember the difference in the NT between 1978 and 2001, and I can tell you, the CLP was good for the Territory and if there was a shred of capacity to be honest amongst the people in this room, and especially this minister, that would be acknowledged.
The minister tries to claim the LNG plant as the ALP’s. No, Mr Deputy Speaker, it is a product of the CLP Stone government, and the railway a product of the CLP Burke government. Yulara exists because the CLP built it. I ask members to look around. The building in which we sit, member for Nelson, was opened in 1994 and was passionately attacked as an unwarranted extravagance by the ALP in opposition, but it did so much to protect local businesses at a critical time in our economy, again at a time when it was very lean. The funding for the Territory was very limited and came from an ALP-dominated Canberra from funds raised by a redundant and anti-growth taxation scheme.
An alternative taxation scheme was proposed in 1983 and it was called a VAT, a GST by any other name, by the then new federal Treasurer, Paul Keating. He could not get the idea past Hawke’s economic summit of that year. When he was Prime Minister, smelling a fear campaign, he reversed his position on that issue completely, and ran an anti-GST campaign against John Hewson. It was a very successful campaign and it assured Prime Minister Keating an extra term. Isn’t it a pity that the victory for the true believers of GST was orchestrated by a man who did not believe it at all? That fear campaign was repeated by the Territory branch of the ALP when John Howard went to the polls on the issue. It failed, and thank goodness for the Northern Territory’s sake that it did, because a broad-based consumption tax has proved to be a boon to growth in this country. That growth has meant a growth in revenue nationally, and this little old jurisdiction gets a nice shot in the arm every single year from both predicted and unpredicted GST revenue. The Commonwealth Grants Commission pours manna onto the path of the ALP, yet they do not and will not acknowledge it. It just sticks in your throat.
The minister claims HomeNorth as an ALP brain child. No. HomeNorth was started by the CLP. It was a great scheme and the ALP has allowed it to evolve as it would have done anyhow. I heard the Treasurer say earlier how the ALP’s HomeNorth scheme has provided $11m more than the CLP’s scheme would have. True, if you use all the old parameters of measurement. However, there have been changes to house prices, big changes. The Treasurer understands that HomeNorth would have evolved in a similar fashion under the CLP. Perish the thought; it may have even been more generous. The shift in stamp duty claimed by the minister makes sense because of the shift in house prices.
This government needs to very seriously address the shortage of land for first home buyers. It is disappointing that this Labor government has left first home buyers out in the cold when it comes to being able to enter the housing market purely because of the cost of land and the shortage of affordable land for first home buyers. The CLP used to offer discounted blocks through a ballot process for first home buyers. This has gone. A CLP government will reintroduce this. There is a way to provide first home buyers with a way into the housing market, and it can be done without risking the equity that current home owners have. Government can do this without a significant effect on their budget bottom line. Government has no excuse and can offer support for first home buyers.
A process of providing a number of blocks from each land release for a first home buyer’s ballot can be done. This process, if implemented by government, will at least give first home buyers the opportunity to enter the very expensive Territory housing market. My colleague, the member for Nelson, has also been working on this. Here is, yet again, an opportunity for the minister to take out her earplugs and forget about her politics, and listen to what the opposition and Independents have to say in respect of dealing with some of these very serious matters ...
Mr Wood: In Alice Springs.
Mrs MILLER: Yes. Mr Deputy Speaker, I know that the minister and government really do not like hearing this sort of news either but, conceptually, the waterfront dates back to the CLP. Admittedly, there was no wave pool in the CLP proposal, but there was a free access town beach in the concept.
Cullen Bay is a place where many ministers love to enjoy a relaxing time, and why not? They do a bit of their spending on their gold cards. That was a CLP driven initiative, and resisted passionately by the ALP whose reasons were because sand would be taking from the sandbar nearby. I bet every single one of them uses Cullen Bay and so they should, it is a lovely area, but give credit where credit is due. I know you hate it; it sticks in your throat.
The tax breaks claimed by the minister are products of arrangements which have been announced in budgets years before the ALP came to office. The lowering of payroll tax by increments can be found in the Treasurer’s comments well before 2001.
Times are good, but it has much to do with external forces including the inheritance the government received from the former government. Claiming it all as the ALP’s own work is just not truthful. One of the best rewrites of them all is for you to sing the praises of ConocoPhillips and talking about the Channel Island Power Station in the same breath. That is a bit of a joke, too, because no matter what spin is put on it, the fact remains that because of this government’s inability to respond effectively to the gas environment it inherited from the CLP, you have been stuck with having to pipe gas hundreds of kilometres at huge expense when there is one of the country’s biggest gas suppliers not two kilometres from the power station, which is just plain dumb.
The ENI result is not a good result for the Territory. It is merely a necessary result. Because this government took its eye of the ball, they lost what should have been an easy deal and they have not been able to secure the gas supply from the obvious source since. It was a dumb move, and very short-sighted.
The rest of the minister’s statement is a rehash of the statement the Chief Minister delivered last week. It is a 40-minute self-glorifying advert for what a great job the ALP is doing for the Territory. If this government governs well during a downturn, then I will be impressed, but until they manage to do that, I can only describe them to be a bunch of amateur sailors. This is a very good analogy, saying what a great crew they are for sailing across a still duck pond. They have yet to show their mettle as seafarers and when the storm comes in, I want to see who is left on the deck.
I want to now address the minister’s trip to Canberra to put the case for Territory road funding. The minister knows full well that the Country Liberal Party has always fully supported a partnership. There is no argument from the Country Liberal Party about support for government for additional funding for the Territory. We are well aware …
Ms Lawrie: That is not what you said the other day.
Mrs MILLER: Yes, it is, and I am going to remind you of what you did not do. You should be ashamed. I do not think you could convince your Cabinet colleagues of the importance of the rural roads because for you not to meet an obligation of dollar-for-dollar from the federal government is extremely disappointing. That has resulted in the equivalent of $1.5m less for that outback road. It does not matter which spin you put on it, the facts are there. That is the agreement with the federal government, dollar-for-dollar, and you knocked it back so Western Australia was the lucky one to get the additional funding.
That aside, you need to convince Canberra that you are serious in the argument you put to them. You have the support of the Country Liberal Party in your attempts to gain as much funding as you can for Territory roads because there is a substantial amount of money needed. The next time you put a case to your Cabinet, when you have the opportunity to match $1-for-$1, I certainly hope that they listen to you and you put your case loudly enough. I hope they realise just important our road systems are. When you go to Canberra, I wish you every success in being able to negotiate a deal for a substantially increased funding for Territory roads and that is meant in sincerity. I support your attempts to do it.
I must admit, yesterday when Madam Speaker talked about tone, I hope that you make sure your tone is a little more reduced and conducive when you go to Canberra. I do not know that it would be in the best interests of the Territory if you use the tone that you use here at times when speaking to the federal Minister for Transport and Infrastructure.
I thank the minister for her statement. I am looking forward to listening to her reply because I have no doubt that she will be absolutely choking to acknowledge that there was some success before 2001 in the Northern Territory.
Debate adjourned.
ADJOURNMENT
Mr STIRLING (Treasurer): Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the Assembly do now adjourn.
I was very pleased to hear that seven students from the Yirrkala Community Education Centre graduated following completion of the Northern Territory Certificate of Education 2006. My congratulations go to Ngalkarbuy Mununggurr, Gathapura Mununggurr, Birrala Yunupingu, Gapuynga Gurruwiwi, Ganybu Mununggurr, Yikatjpirr Wunungmurra and Nuwaniny Burarrwanga.
I also acknowledge the consistent effort and support of Andrea Kingston who has worked tirelessly over the past 10 years on the secondary education program at Yirrkala. Andrea has supported and encouraged these students through the process. I thank her for her efforts and determination in assisting these students to reach their potential at secondary level.
The Australia Day awards ceremony was held at the town hall organised by the Nhulunbuy Corporation. Citizen of the Year, Peter Cox, was chosen for his continuous selfless contribution to the community. He is the incumbent President of Nhulunbuy Regional Sports Fishing Club and instrumental in many projects which benefit the community and other organisations. Among Peter’s initiatives was providing logistics and event coordination to the Darwin Symphony Orchestra’s trip to Nhulunbuy; and the Gove Yacht Club lighting where he instigated the implementation of new heavy duty security lighting to enable safe access to the yacht club’s car park and boat ramp. He also organised funding for grant applications, design, engineering, construction and installation of the club’s signage. He was the force behind organising several auctions from which proceeds were used to purchase much needed equipment for the Gove Hospital. He organised fishing clinics to promote family-oriented activities for the community. He is the Secretary of the Northern Territory Game Fishing Association. I congratulate Peter and thank him for his contribution to our community.
Scott Whelan and Mitchell Putland were both awarded Young Citizens of the Year following their brave and selfless action in assisting to save lives last year. A local family with relatives from Canada were swimming at Turtle Beach when the grandmother and grandson got into difficulty. Mitchell and Scott grabbed their surfboards and raced into the surf to help them. Their skills, initiative and courage saved Kevin Belair and his grandmother’s lives by bringing them to shore without hesitation or thought that they may also have been at risk. These young men are both junior lifesavers who have come through the Nipper Skills Development Program and have represented the Northern Territory in surf lifesaving. These boys are a credit to their families and are very worthy recipients of the award. I might add that it underlines the value of surf lifesaving because without the skills that gave those two young guys the courage to enter what was heavy surf on the day on their boards, two people would no longer be with us, a grandmother and a grandson. Certainly the surf club celebrated their achievement, and it was fantastic to see it further recognised with them being awarded Young Citizens of the Year.
The award for Community Event of the Year went to the Garma Festival. Mandawuy Yunupingu accepted the award on behalf of the Yothu Yindi Foundation. The Garma Festival signifies various aspects of Yolngu culture, indigenous knowledge of land and sea, craft, dancing and sharing of ideas and values through various forums and is now in its ninth year.
The Group Training NT and Alcan Gove Training Awards were held last month in Nhulunbuy Town Hall and I congratulate the following recipients: the Group Training NT Apprentice of the Year, Luke Tabone; Trainee of the Year, Nick Bevington; Alcan Apprentice of the Year Stage 1, Diana Lade; Alcan Apprentice of the Year Stage 2, Aaron Daff; Stage 3 Apprentice of the Year, James Watters; Stage 4 Apprentice of the Year, Jaimus Easter; and Trainee of the Year, Shirley Cooper.
Congratulations also to Robert Yeo and his team at Group Training Nhulunbuy for organising the evening.
I was pleased to attend the 2007 Australian Defence Force Academy Appointment ceremony at Parliament House in January, and to congratulate Nhulunbuy student, Cameron Felice, who was successful in joining the Royal Australian Air Force. Cameron was an outstanding student at Nhulunbuy High School. This was a great result for the school and a very proud moment for Cameron’s parents as they shared the moment of sending their son off on his career path. Cameron has an enormously proud father who did his time with the Navy and has now seen his son off into the commissioned ranks of the Air Force.
I commend the Yirrkala Community for a very vocal and passionate ‘no’ to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mal Brough’s proposal to remove the permit system from Aboriginal communities. The meeting on Monday was well represented by many leaders and community members from East Arnhem who demonstrated their vehement opposition to any removal of the current permit system to the minister’s representatives in attendance as part of the consultative process.
I picked up my sister from Victoria at the airport last night. She handed me a package which had a note from my brother that said:
- I found this little gem in a box I picked up at a garage sale in Bendigo. It is a carving from a piece of alloy that says: ‘Piece of Jap bomber shot down in Australia, Darwin 25 April 1942’. It certainly looks old enough to be the real thing. It would be interesting to check the records around 25 April 1942 for that for verification. I polished it up a bit, but the marks did not come off. I got a bit emotional about it. I wondered who made it, and what he or she went through at the time. It was just a year before I was born. I was wondering if it would be of interest to the museum up there or the RSL to display.
It certainly will be, Mr Deputy Speaker, and I intend to pass it on to the minister with responsibility for Heritage to see the most appropriate place for it and perhaps some checking of records for Japanese bombers shot down over Darwin on 25 April 1942 or around that date. It is a rather unique little piece and it just shows the sorts of things you can pick up in the bottom of a bric-a-brac bag of junk at a garage sale. I thank my brother for sending that up. I am sure the minister will find the right locale for that piece and that it will be perhaps tested for authenticity, but most importantly preserved and held.
Ms MARTIN (Fannie Bay): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, a number of Territorians were honoured with Australia Day Awards this year. One in particular I would like to acknowledge is John Baskerville. John was awarded the Public Service Medal for his outstanding public service to the Central Australian community.
As many of you know, John is the Director of the Southern Region of my Department of the Chief Minister. He is responsible for the smooth running of the many projects we undertake in Central Australia, and he does a tremendous and enormous job. One of John’s most notable achievements has been taking a lead role in the creation of the Desert Knowledge Project. Desert Knowledge is a project we believe in and one in which we will continue to invest. The commitment and vision of John and the Desert Knowledge team are making this project a reality and it is set to bring long-lasting benefits to Alice Springs and the entire Central Australian region. I hope everyone here joins me in congratulating John Baskerville on his award. It is one that is thoroughly deserved.
The Territory’s unique environment and diverse wildlife is well known around the world. There are many volunteer organisations right across the Territory that help protect and preserve our precious environment. Wildcare Alice Springs is one of those organisations and it recently celebrated 10 years of community service in Central Australia.
With a pool of around 30 volunteers, Wildcare rescues abandoned and injured animals and nurses them back to health for up to six months. In all, Wildcare Alice Springs has saved over 4500 animals in the past decade. They have done this with the help of Emergency Services and other organisations that donate their goods and services to assist the great work of these volunteers. Wildcare Alice Springs plays a vital role in protecting and preserving our environment. I congratulate them on their decade of service to the community and hope they continue long into the future.
The Telstra Road to Tamworth competition is a chance for undiscovered talent to make their mark on the country music stage, no matter where in Australia they live. Michelle Murphy is from Idracowra Station, 270 km south of Alice Springs, and was one of the eight finalists in the competition which was held at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. After travelling to Darwin for the heats and winning, Michelle travelled to Tamworth to compete in front of a sell-out crowd. Our own Jessica Mauboy was there to spur on the contestants and lend some Territory support to Michelle. Jess also wowed the crowd with a special guest performance. Despite her best efforts, Michelle did not win, but she certainly did us proud. To be one of eight finalists out of more than 700 entrants is an extraordinary achievement. Congratulations, Michelle. I am sure you will do great things and become a regular face at Tamworth for many years to come.
The Territory Branch of the Royal Life Saving Society Australia is an important organisation and one that helps prevent loss of life and injury in our aquatic environments. They are dedicated to turning everyday people into everyday community life savers through education and training, health promotion, advocacy, sport and participation, risk management and research. This evening, I recognise their work and the great team at Sports House in my electorate of Fannie Bay. The NT Branch offers a variety of swimming and water safety programs across the NT, including infant aquatics, Swim and Survive, Junior Lifeguard Club, Bronze Rescue, Sunday Lifesaving and Lifesaving as a sport. Last financial year, they administered 154 courses throughout the Territory, with the bronze medallion and senior first aid courses in high demand.
In early 2005, the NT branch implemented a remote pools project, which involves a Darwin-based officer working with remote communities to help them maintain and manage their pools. The project was extended last year with a two-year Building Healthy Communities project starting at Daly River. Betty Sullivan is the Daly River Project Officer and I wish her all the best in this important role. The program will work towards increasing physical activity, recreation and use of the swimming pools. It will also look at improving the delivery of training courses to people with English as a second language. By the end of 2007, the society aims to have a Swim and Survive program running in all remote communities, and all remote pool staff trained in water safety.
I take this opportunity to acknowledge the dedicated staff at the NT branch: the Executive Director, Floss Roberts; Business Manager, Michael Lloyd; Leah Cullen, Training and Development Officer; Rebecca Pierce, the Project Officer; Swim and Survive Schools Officer, Jacqui Dobson; and Administration and Finance Officer, Aroha Jennings.
Several staff have moved on from the branch in recent months, and I acknowledge their contribution to water safety in the Territory. Many thanks to Mark Fitzsimons, Rachel Butt and Fiona Smith. In addition, many thanks to the NT Branch Executive Committee including Randall Cook, Kim Clark and Jacqueline Nichols. Thank you, too, to all the trainers who conduct swimming and lifesaving programs across Darwin and in our regional centres. They provide people with vital knowledge and skills necessary for aquatic rescues and emergency care.
The NT Pool Lifesaving Championships team competed at the national championships in Perth last month. Congratulations to team members Amanda Riley, Sarah Dowd, Denise Clark, Zoe Clark, and Alice Cotton, as well as team manager, Kim Clark and coach, Alister Lear.
Darwin High School’s 2006 Year 12 graduation ceremony was held at the end of last year, on 28 November, at the Darwin Entertainment Centre, and it was a memorable event. The graduating students were all dressed to the nines and looked incredibly glamorous. They were also clearly very excited to have completed Year 12. The teachers and families who attended, while very proud, were no doubt very relieved that the final challenging year of school was over. I acknowledge all the staff and students who participated in the graduation program: Janine Matheson who delivered the welcome; Rachel Elphick who assisted with the presentation of graduation scrolls; and principal, Marion Guppy, who gave the farewell.
Student Dominic Moc Saint-Clare did a great job introducing the guest speaker, Markus Meier, a former Darwin High School student who has now achieved success with his music and works for Customs. Markus spoke about the importance of following your dreams and pursuing the things you are passionate about in life.
Gemma Nourse delivered a clever and thoughtful valedictory address, and it was clear to see why Gemma has done so well in debating and in her role with the model United Nations. I wish Gemma luck at university in Canberra.
I also recognise the evening’s artistic performances. Joseph Yuen played a Chopin piano etude. As someone who plays the odd piano etude by Chopin, I can say he played it beautifully and much better than I could ever do it. The dance performance, He it Vaihi by the Years 10, 11 and 12 Dance Class was very moving, and I know my electorate officer was very taken with it. Well done to choreographer, Julia Quinn and dancers, Karajayne Handberg, Vera Tabuzo, Elle Chandler, Carmen Jay, Kathryn Lawrence, Katrina Firth, Sosefina Fuamoli, Kate Ryan, Rochelle Chin, Jessica Gollow and Laura McIntyre.
As much as I would like to name every student of the Darwin High School Class of 2006, unfortunately it is not possible to do here but I congratulate each of them on completing Year 12 and I wish them all the best in the future. My warmest congratulations, too, to all teachers and staff of Darwin High for their commitment to the education of our young people. I wish them all very well for this coming year.
Darwin High, with its graduating Year 12s, did the best they had ever done and have lifted, quite extraordinarily, the percentage of their Year 12 students achieving an 80 TER and above. We have seen a doubling of that in the last two years in terms of that success. So I add a personal note to the teachers at Darwin High and the students for a most successful 2007 year; may we repeat the success of 2006.
Finally, Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, back in 2005 sisters, Stephanie and Christina Brown established their business, Salivate! Creative Catering for Food Lovers. Since then, they have gone from strength to strength. In September last year, they opened their first retail outlet, The Food Lovers Store, at Stuart Park in my electorate. Stephanie and Christina are true locals, having been here since before Cyclone Tracy. Their mother, Kay, was closely involved with both the Darwin Theatre Company and the Cavenagh Theatre and is now one of the Grey Panthers. Their father, Colin, was a long-running union president in the 1970s and 1980s.
Salivate! is a high quality gourmet catering business specialising in fresh, imaginative food. It also caters to those with special dietary requirements. Christina and Stephanie are very passionate about food and love to create a memorable one-off experience for their customers, whether it is an elegant dinner party or a simple picnic. They can cater for just about any event, including cocktail and dinner parties, business breakfasts and lunches, outdoor events, photo shoots and weddings and their reputation is growing. While they have won some high profile jobs, like catering for 800 at the premiere of Ten Canoes last year, the job they like is to go into peoples’ homes, set and decorate the dining area and cook a three or four course meal on-site.
The Food Lovers Store is a caf and retail store. It sells great coffee and cakes. It serves breakfast and lunch and has fresh pasta and sauces to take home. They also stock a select range of gourmet items from the Territory and interstate, including organic, gluten-free and dairy-free products. An example is Salivate!’s own brand of organic mango chutney, lime pickle and preserved lemons, which are based on their parents’ recipes. The aim is export them in the not-too-distant future.
More and more people are getting to know about this dynamic duo. Christina has a radio segment on Territory FM every Friday, talking food with Gino, and has also taken over the food section of the Sunday Territorian, where she presents Salivate! recipes using local produce and foods. The Food Lovers Store then serves that recipe at Sunday brunch so people can try it out. The recipe is also posted on the website for anyone to download. I recognise the efforts of Stephanie and Christina Brown and their staff, Clare Cairns and Lonny Ruddick. I am proud they have set up shop in my electorate and I wish them all the best for the future.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I wish to speak about two men from the rural area who recently passed away. One was in the prime of his life and one, I suppose, was more senior and lived a fairly full life.
The first is Mark McCasker, a young man, only 19 years old, who passed away on 18 February. Mark was the much-loved son of Ray and Jo Anne McCasker and brother to Daniel, Ben, Rebecca and Jessica from Virginia. Mark was diagnosed with cancer during the June long weekend last year. He lived most of his young life in the NT and was passionate about playing Australian Rules. He wanted to be an AFL player. He was the NT Primary School captain and was part of the team that won the NT National Under 18 title under coach Darren Bewick.
He joined the NT Institute of Sport and played with the NT Thunder team. He went to Melbourne last year to work as an apprentice builder and played for the Werribee Football Club, having finished Year 12 at Marcellin College in 2005. He loved his footy, and I was reminded the other day of how he booted the football straight into my head when I was umpiring a junior game at Freds Pass. We all had a laugh at my expense, and then got on with the game.
Everyone hoped Mark would beat the cancer, and I know his mother and father hoped that, too. They would have spent every cent they could to save him. Alas, that was not the case. Mark had many friends who knew him through his footy and they, along with his family, will sorely miss him. He also had many friends from Marcellin College where he had studied Years 8 and 9. He was known by his classmates as ‘Darwin’.
His home team, the Southern Districts Crocs, showed how much they missed him by dedicating a win against St. Mary’s not long before he died. As the captain, Shannon Rusca, said: ‘When I got a phone call from his dad at half time asking me to play my best footy and try to win it for Mark, there was only going to be one winner. The boys took it real hard and made sure we’d do the right thing by Mark’. It was one of the club’s finest wins. Alas, Mark died not long after, surrounded by family and friends.
Father John Carnie from Marcellin College told me about how many of Mark’s young friends kept him company during his illness, and right up to his death. Some of those young people will be flying up on Friday for a memorial service at Freds Pass. The funeral in Melbourne was held at the Chapel at Marcellin College. It was a tribute to Mark, with his Marcellin comrades there in great number. There were many from Darwin, and his club from Werribee also attended. His two brothers and two sisters, Daniel and Ben, and Rebecca and Jessica, paid tribute to him and their love for Mark truly shone through their sadness. Large numbers of people travelled to beautiful Phillip Island where Mark was buried.
I want to finish with the words that Father John spoke at the funeral:
- I thank you, Mark, for your personal friendship to me, and your acceptance of me right from the beginning of your Year 12. There was always a greeting, a friendly word in passing, and sometimes at length. A smiling wave from across the quadrangle.
I was deeply touched by the affirmation you afforded me, a 17-year-old to one quite a deal older. Did you realise how much the boys respected and appreciated you? And that is the case for me, too. It was indeed a privilege to be a small part of your life, to be with you in the good days and when you had to shoulder the cross.
I look forward to meeting you again - and for me that might not be too far off! You have left us physically, but your spirit and presence will always be felt, and a source of strength to your family, your young friends and to all of us. Rest in peace, dear Mark. God bless.
Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Nelson, I would like the Parliamentary Record to record my support for the tribute you just paid to Mark. Thank you on behalf of Goyder constituents, as well.
Mr WOOD: Thank you Mr Acting Deputy Speaker. My second eulogy is for the older person, someone I knew as well. This eulogy was written by the brother of the wife of Garnie Thomson, Colin Kirby.
- Garnie was born in Mudgee in New South Wales to Garnett and Ivy. Garnie was the first born, and over the following eight years he was joined by brother Brian, sister Judith, and younger brother Ian. Garnie spent his childhood in Tocumwal, Chullora, Lithgow and then Chester Hill in a railway house, which remained the family home until Ivy passed away in 2003.
He attended Bankstown High School and then went on to do a four year carpentry apprenticeship with the New South Wales public works. His first love was fishing and when he was at high school, he had a bet with his mate, Tom McPhee, to see who could wag school the longest, but he was beaten by one day after three months, much to his disappointment. But that was incidental because he went fishing for three months, and bagged many.
His second love was soccer. He achieved at this and played first grade for Cumberland United Auburn.
He met and married Judy, his greatest love, in 1961 and, after six years, they moved to the lower Blue Mountains in Sydney. Three children were born, Julie, Andrew and James. Every two weeks, he loaded up the family and headed back to the family home in Chester Hill so he could go fishing with his dad and brothers.
He worked for the Public Works for 20 years, attaining the position of Charge Hand, building many public schools in the Penrith-Blue Mountains area. His annual leave was spent at South-West Rocks with his family catching blackfish.
He got itchy feet after 20 years at the same job and decided to see Australia. When Garnie and Judy told me of their plans, I discussed this with my wife, Anne, and we decided, with our daughter, Joanne, to accompany them on their adventure. We bought a caravan and a four-wheel-drive and set off with all the family. We travelled up the coast of Queensland and stopped at many good fishing spots on the way to Cooktown, eventually arriving in Alice Springs in the middle of winter.
Whilst in Alice Springs, we took a job with Sitzler Bros. Whilst employed with them, Garnie and I worked as a team, and a damn good one, and built schools and housing on Aboriginal communities in Central Australia. During this time, Garnie spent a lot of his free time enjoying the natural surroundings and the flora and fauna of each place we stayed. Garnie had a great respect for all living creatures and imparted his knowledge and beliefs to his children. Garnie did not believe in indiscriminate killing and always told his children if they did this, they had to eat whatever they killed. This was a great deterrent.
In 1974, Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin and Sitzler Bros were involved in the reconstruction of the city, so we set off for the Top End. This was when our little team was separated and Garnie, Judy and children went to live at Kamfari Park with Peter and Wendy Thomsen to build the Naval Transmission Base at Beatrice Hill, while Anne, Joanne and myself were stationed in the city.
Eventually leaving Sitzler Bros, he worked for a short time for Primary Production at Middle Point. He then returned to the Naval Transmission Base as the gardener and established the grounds there from scratch, planting many native trees. During this time, he attended the Northern Territory University to study and was awarded Certificate II in Horticulture. His passion was native rainforest and vine forest trees. He would venture out on seed collecting trips to many areas all over the Top End. On many occasions when he was out fishing, he would pull the boat up to the bank and jump out because he had seen a particular tree fruiting and he would collect the seeds. It was not a surprise when he would open his tackle box and there were all these little bags with different seeds in them with their botanical names and where he had collected them.
When his position was contracted out privately, he took the position with Boeing as security at the base. He was quite proud that he had an ASIO clearance. He was heard many a time to say: ‘I would tell you about it, but then I would have to shoot you’.
During the first Wet Season in the Top End, Garnie discovered barra. He spent most of his free time, and some not so free time, chasing the big ones, which he caught plenty of, but always only the allowed quota. He loved fishing the Mary and spent many hours sitting in his boat at the mouth of the McKinlay. Corroboree was also one of his favourite spots. Over the years, he got so familiar with his fishing spots that he made special lures for each waterway.
It did not take Garnie long to realise that the Top End had always been calling him, and he and Judy bought a block in Humpty Doo. Over the next few years they built the family home. He began to plant his beloved rainforest down the front.
Sport was always part of his life. If he was not playing it he was watching it on Austar. He became a Foundation Member of the Humpty Doo Golf Club where he was a regular player. He then discovered lawn bowls. After he retired, he spent many hours tending and playing on the green at the Litchfield Bowls Club. Garnie and Judy made many friends and travelled to Katherine for their birthday carnival four years in a row. During this time, he met Ivan and they became a partnership and they set out to conquer the Northern Territory bowls circuit.
In October 2006, he travelled to Alice Springs with Judy, Ivan and his wife, Jenny, to play men’s singles at the Masters Games. You could have blown him over with a feather when he ended up taking the bronze medal, and this was a wonderful and proud achievement.
- Garnie also had a passion for fixing anything that was broken, and many friends would drop off their goods to him for repair, which he did happily, never asking for anything in return. However, Judy would be sitting waiting for her repairs to be done. He would tell her: ‘Don’t worry, love, I will do it tomorrow’.
- Garnie was a very humble man, the ultimate quiet achiever who touched many people’s lives, and he will be sorely missed …
- Garnie was a very humble man, the ultimate quiet achiever who touched many people’s lives and he will be sorely missed by those who were lucky enough to have met him.
That was reflected by the very large number of people who turned up at the Living Water Uniting Church in Humpty Doo for his funeral.
- Garn, you may have left us, but you are forever in our hearts. Keep a tight line, mate.
The same applies to Ray and Jo Anne McCasker. I also extend my personal sympathy to them. This must be a terrible time to lose their son at such a young age. Again, I know that people in the rural area will be there to support them. The Southern Districts Football Club certainly will support them. Our prayers and thoughts are with them for both Mark and Garnie.
Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Nelson, I, too, extend my condolences to Garnie’s family. That was a very fine tribute. Thank you very much.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I also know Mark’s parents very well, Jo Anne and Ray McCasker. It is a tragedy that they have lost their son. They are a very close knit family, and they have instilled some wonderful work ethics in their family right from a young age. It is such a tragedy to see them lose their son.
I spoke in adjournment the other night of an incident and our experiences with Jo Anne and Ray and the McCasker family. I extend my deepest sympathy to all of the family. Unfortunately, Mike and I will be unable to attend the memorial service on Friday as I will be on a plane at that time going to Adelaide. I am very sorry that we will not be there to support them. I know they will have a lot of family and friends, and especially Mark’s sporting mates will be there. It will be wonderful. My deepest sympathy to them and I will catch up with Jo Anne and Ray when we get back.
Tonight, I take the opportunity to place on the Parliamentary Record my respects for a lady who died, Rosie Darwood. Rosie lived at Leanyer. I did not know Rosie personally, but I do know that her death at a fairly young age has had a significant effect on quite a few people. The reason I know so much about Rosie, my connection with her is that, for the last six months of 2006, she was the family day care provider for my granddaughter, Jorja Wachtel, and another little boy I know, Luke Twartz.
Rosie was also a Coordinator for Darwin City Council Fun in the Parks, which organised school holiday programs and there would have been many parents and young people who would know Rosie through her involvement in these programs.
All members in this Assembly appreciate how very important it is for our very young children to have a positive early start in life and make all experiences as enjoyable as possible in their development. It is always a challenge for mums to leave the children in hands of others to care for and it is only natural that mums hope that they have chosen a carer with whom their child bonds. In the case of Rosie Darwood, my daughter, Trisha, was very fortunate that Jorja had such a wonderful carer. She absolutely loved going to Rosie’s place three days a week, as did her little friend, Luke. Jorja, who was only 18 months old when she started going to day care, would have gone there every day, she loved Rosie so much. She would ask her mum, Trisha: ‘Go to Rosie’s, mum?’
People like Rosie are treasures as carers for young children, so it was with great sadness that Rosie advised Trisha and Deb just before this last Christmas that she was unable to continue Family Day Care due to illness. Rosie had breast cancer several years ago and was hopeful that she was fully recovered. Unfortunately, she was recently diagnosed with cancer of the liver and, due to her illness, and to be with her family, Rosie had to close her Day Care and travel to Perth for treatment. It is with great regret and deep sadness that I report that Rosie died in Perth on 15 February. Rosie leaves a son, Hayden, and a daughter, Teagan, to mourn her passing as well as the parents of Jorja and Luke, who will always appreciate the love and care that Rosie gave their children while in her care.
On behalf of two very appreciative parents, Jorja’s mum, Trisha Wachtel, and Luke’s mum, Deb Twartz, deepest sympathy to Hayden and Teagan, who have lost a loving and a very caring mother.
Dr BURNS (Johnston): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I am sure that all members of the Assembly will join me in extending our condolences to the family and friends of Dr Peter Thatcher, the Director of the Forensic Services Branch of the Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services.
Dr Thatcher passed away on 7 February after an 18 month battle with cancer. He was a highly respected figure in the field of forensic science and made a significant and sustained contribution to the Northern Territory community over the past 10 years.
Dr Thatcher’s forensic science career began at the Victorian Forensic Science Centre in 1971 after completing a Masters Degree at Melbourne University. He became an Assistant Director in the Victorian State Forensic Laboratory responsible for pharmacology, clandestine laboratory investigations, audio analysis, document examination, drug analysis, fire and explosion analysis, and gun shot residue analysis. He was responsible for initiating the first fire scene examination section in an Australian jurisdiction. In 1986, he was awarded a scholarship to visit Sweden and undertake collaborative research into fire investigations.
Dr Thatcher presented papers on fire investigation to the Australian and New Zealand Forensic Science Symposium on no less than five occasions. He authored or co-authored four papers for the Encyclopaedia of Forensic Science and published various scientific articles in forensic science and forensic medicine journals. Dr Thatcher worked on several major overseas cases in Fiji, New Zealand and Vanuatu, and reviewed cases from Indonesia to the Christmas Islands. He was President of the Australian and New Zealand Science Society from 1983 to 1989.
During the 1980s, Dr Thatcher was seconded for several years to an AusAid project in Papua New Guinea where he established a forensic science lab in Port Moresby. In 1992, he became Assistant Director for Special Projects with the Victorian Forensic Laboratory. He helped the laboratory achieve accreditation under the American Senior Crime Lab directions and the National Association Testing Authority.
In 1997, Dr Thatcher was seconded to the Northern Territory Police Forensic Services section to review the Northern Territory’s forensic operations. I do not know if it was something to do with his love of fishing, but he stayed on, and in 1998 was appointed Director of what is now the Forensic Services Branch.
Dr Thatcher was passionate about the Northern Territory, and in particular the Northern Territory Police Force, and his passion was infectious to those around him. Dr Thatcher’s last major case was the trial of Bradley John Murdoch for the murder of Peter Falconio. Among his major achievements were obtaining national accreditation for the Northern Territory Forensic Science Centre, one of only three integrated forensics facilities in Australia. He was the driving force behind the Northern Territory’s DNA laws, which are considered to be the best in Australia. As part of this process, he adapted many of the best facets of UK legislation and improved upon them. The UK has adopted many of these improvements, and a number of Australian jurisdictions are now following suit.
Dr Thatcher’s energy, enthusiasm and clarity of vision in this area were a major catalyst in facilitating the operation of the National Criminal Investigation DNA database. Dr Thatcher will be greatly missed by members of the Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services who have asked me to extend their sympathies to his wife, Sue and daughter, Annaliese. On behalf of all members here this evening, I extend my sincere sympathy to Dr Thatcher’s family and friends. Our thoughts are with you at this difficult time.
On a happy note, I had great pleasure earlier this month in attending the graduation of Police Recruit Squad 87 and welcoming another 22 constables into the Northern Territory Police Force. This is the second recruit squad graduation I have had the honour to attend since taking over the portfolio last September.
All members of Recruit Squad 87 deserve congratulations for passing the extremely rigorous 31-week training course. They and their fellow graduates are a credit to themselves, their families and the staff of the Police Training College. I would like to particularly acknowledge Constable Galia Fomin from Darwin, who was awarded the Rod Evans Memorial Trophy for the highest academic achievement; Constable Mark Clemmens, who won the Commissioner’s Trophy for Best Overall Performance; Constable Timothy Kingston from Darwin, who was awarded the Glen Huitson Trophy for the Most Consistent Application in all areas of training throughout the recruit training course; and Constable David Witham, who won the Physical Training Trophy.
I was very pleased to see some 50 trainees from Recruit Squad 88 and Recruit Squad 89 taking part in the graduation ceremony, and I look forward to attending their graduations in the coming months. In all, there are currently 70 recruits at various stages of their training. I take this opportunity to acknowledge the work of the staff and officers of the Police College, in particular Acting Sergeant Dave Skelton and Acting Senior Constable Luke Kingsbury who are the coordinators of Recruit Squad 87. To the Director of the College, Commander Max Pope and all your staff, I know you have been very busy over the past few years with the huge increase in the number of police recruits, and I thank you for all your hard work. You have given our new police the foundation on which they can build successful careers as Northern Territory police officers.
I would now like to turn to some of the goings-on in the fantastic electorate of Johnston, which I am privileged to serve as the local member.
Chantel Holloway is one of my younger constituents. Late last year, Chantel travelled to the 2006 Callisthenics National Championships. I was able to make a contribution to her travel costs and was recently rewarded with a letter from Chantel telling me about her experience. Chantel reported that while the Territory team members did not get any placings at the nationals, they were very proud of what they achieved and how they performed at the competition. They also received numerous compliments from people from other states. I have no doubt that Chantel’s dedication to her sport will see her go a long way as she gains experience in interstate competitions and spends time perfecting her routines and developing her skills. Chantel has been selected to represent the Northern Territory again this year, and I wish her and the whole callisthenics junior and intermediate teams all the best of luck when they travel down to Adelaide.
I will also take a moment to mention Chantel’s big brother, John, who has been a great help to me over the years, especially at Christmas when he volunteers his time to help me around the electorate and, in particular, with my Christmas party. John and Chantel are worthy young people, and I look forward to following their progress over years to come.
Last year, I kept members up to date with the Jingili Primary School’s support for the Leu Lau School in East Timor. I am happy to inform the house that Jingili Primary’s bid to collect 400 exercise books during the last half of 2006 was achieved. This was a fantastic effort by the students who managed to cover the floor of the assembly hall with the books. With the help of East Timor Sunrise, the books will soon be with the children of Leu Lau School in East Timor.
Tonight, I acknowledge the recipients in my electorate of the inaugural Chief Minister’s Literacy Achievement Awards. These awards recognise the literacy improvement and success of students from Transition to Year 7 in Northern Territory government schools. From the Wagaman Primary School, the following students were recognised: Nickolas Dakis, Transition; Oliver Markey, Transition/Year 1; Ben Jackson and Sheena Fitzsimmons, Year 1/2; Izabella Silva-Cendo, Year 2/3; Peta Bonnell, Year 3/4; John Mulbah, Year 4/5; Joel O’Brien, Year 5/6; Emma Jackson, Year 4/5/6; and Vincent Silva, Year 6/7.
At Jingili Primary School, the recipients of the literacy awards were: Dylan Mustey, Transition, Most Improved; Alexandra Smith and Isabela Charles, Year 1/2, Most Improved; Claudia Lee, Year 2/3, Personal Best; Breanna Haase, Year 3/4, Personal Best; William Anstey, Year 4/5, Personal Best; Robyn Turner, Year 5/6/7, Most Improved; and Megane Marques, Year 6/7, Most Improved.
Moil Primary School awarded Chief Minister’s Literacy Awards for 2006 to: Isaac Verity and Andreas Kalamboks of Transition/Year 1; Caleb McIntyre, Year 1; Netanya Lai, Year 1/2; Hayden Verity, Year 2/3; Chad Dickens, Year 3; Helena Frewen-Lord, Year 4; Dean Lyons, Year 4; Eliza Morse, Year 4/5; Michael Pilling, Year 5; Stacey Gould, Year 5/6/7; and Mathew Petterson, Lucy Anderson and Nathan Lai of Year 6/7.
I presented awards at the Alawa Primary School and took great pleasure in shaking the hands of Amy Chin, Hannah Roche, Nader Powling, Michael Lynch, Mayamoon Latham, Nathan Wilde, Peter Von Stieglitz, Jackson Wolfe, Taylor Walker and Annaleigh Issacs-Greenwood. These awards were presented to the students in four categories: Personal Best; Most Outstanding; Most Improved; and Most Imaginative.
Well done to all those students for their achievements.
Following the recent citizenship ceremony held on Australia Day, I was delighted to welcome the following new citizens to my electorate: Praveen, Jayalaxmi and Pranjal Thodupunuri of Wagaman; Mr Heng Dieng Ting of Jingili; Mr Fong Ting Jong and Ms Siau Ping Li of Wagaman; and Egas, Filomena, Decideria and Vario Alves of Alawa.
The Student Citizens of 2007 were also announced, and I extend my sincere congratulations to: Tiara Ladju of Wagaman Primary School; Margaret Harrison of Moil Primary; Kevin Kadirgamar of Casuarina Senior College; and Shannen Pugh of Jingili Primary School. Well done! They are leaders of the future in our community, and I am sure we will be hearing more about these young people in years to come.
Finally, I want to publicly acknowledge a letter I received from a constituent in Jingili who wrote to me and to the Minister for Family and Community Services to acknowledge her gratitude to the staff of Jingili Kindergarten Childcare Centre and Preschool. This constituent is a full-time working mother to whom the provision of quality childcare and preschool education is of the utmost importance. Having had the experience of several childcare centres, my constituent wrote that the Jingili Kindergarten stands out for its child-centred approach and for its friendly and professional staff.
It is fantastic to receive such a glowing acknowledge of the great work that the people are doing at Jingili kindergarten. It is an outstanding centre and has some very caring and wonderful people working there. I am always glad to attend functions and read to the children. I have had the great pleasure in reading to the kiddies there and I have attended some very enjoyable functions.
Jingili is a fantastic place in which to live and go to school, and the kindergarten contributes to the sense of community by creating the perfect atmosphere for our youngest children as they begin their journey through the school system.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, they were some highlights from the Johnston electorate.
Ms CARNEY (Araluen): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I talk about a serious issue in Alice Springs; one that, in particular, the government has not done well in, pretty much from start to finish, although the matter is probably a long way from being finished. This is about the Titan and Taurus generators from the Ron Goodin Power Station.
Even the most casual backbencher observer on the government side will have heard of the Ron Goodin Power Station. This is the power station in Alice Springs that supplies the power for town. The Titan and Taurus generators have created some difficulties. The minister, in the past, has been well aware of the noise coming from the power station after the installation of the Titan generator. It has been going on for about 18 months, perhaps a little longer.
As an occasional golfer, if you are on the second hole at the Alice Springs Golf Course, you can hear it. It is okay for me because I am just getting through my shot and moving on to the next hole. This is not in my electorate; it is in the electorate of my colleague, the member for Greatorex. I know, because Alice Springs is still a small town, that people have been speaking all over the place about the anger that has been caused by the noise of the generator. It has formed the basis of discussion on talkback radio, it has had media reports and people are talking about it pretty much all over town. Everyone who does not live near the golf course or near the Ron Goodin Power Station knows about this issue.
Why it is that it took the Minister for Essential Services so long to demonstrate even a thin veil of leadership on this issue will remain a mystery to the people of Alice Springs and, particularly, those who have been affected by it. There was a story in the Centralian Advocate some time ago that dealt with some people who were affected by this noisy generator and who were actually living in a motel. Other people have talked about having to be administered with medication so that they could sleep at night. Others have shed tears in frustration about the noisy generator.
Even though it has been far too long to see any action from the government, it was somewhat heartening to see the Minister for Essential Services act in the last few weeks. However, he has not acted to resolve the problem in an immediate sense; he has simply said that the Titan and Taurus generators will be relocated. He has nominated three sites and then, in his usual way, slipped away and said where these generators actually go is a matter for Power and Water. If the minister is able to tell Power and Water to move the generators then, equally, he is able to participate and lead in the decision as to their relocation.
There are three sites that have been suggested by the minister. One is the most appropriate by a country mile. The suggestion that the generators be relocated to the Ilparpa area, which is in my electorate, has angered residents. My phone rang hot, and I received faxes and e-mails from constituents. If memory serves me correctly, they also rang talkback radio to express their horror that a noisy generator is being moved to placate, at long last, some people, but will be moved to another area close to a residential area. Of course, it is perfectly understandable that people are very concerned. The actual location that is proposed in Ilparpa is in a former valley, so the noisy generator probably has the potential to be worse by bouncing off the ranges in Alice Springs. I can well understand the concern of my constituents on that matter.
Another proposed site is near the airport. That is, again, not ideal and, whilst not in the heart of a residential area, very close to it. Noting the geography of the area, one needs to be receptive to the reverberation effects of a noisy generator.
A third area is the Brewer Estate. The minister has said that all three sites are under consideration. Given that it took him 18 months to announce the relocation, and we do not know when that will be, but I do not hold any hope that he will demonstrate similar albeit very thin leadership when it comes to saying exactly where it should go. I have written to my constituents and I have written to the minister. I have urged him to ensure that the generators are moved to the Brewer Estate. That is an area well known to the people of Alice Springs and that is where the generator should go. Blind Freddy can see that the generators should go there. My colleague, the member for Greatorex, has been speaking to many of his constituents as well as people generally in Alice Springs. Neither of us have met anyone who says that Ilparpa or near the airport is a good spot. It is the Brewer Estate; that is where it should go. I am asking the minister now in the parliament to ensure that that is where these generators end up.
What has been even more disappointing than the minister’s long failure to act, but I suppose it is the norm when it comes to all things Alice Springs because of the general contempt that government ministers have for the people of Alice Springs. The minister wrote to people and said words to the effect of: ‘Hello, I have decided to act and I am suggesting the movement of these generators’. He has disappointed everyone for two reasons. One is he attached to his letter a scandalous and disgraceful media release in which perpetration of an untruth continues notwithstanding the fact that my colleague, the member for Greatorex, has made his position abundantly clear.
Now, I understand political spin but when this government slithers in the most disgusting ways imaginable and says in a media release, and sends it to the people of Alice Springs, and I quote the media release dated 7 February 2007:
- Richard Lim last month demanded that Power and Water has to live within its own resources signalling a scrapping of the $50m subsidy the Martin government provides Power and Water.
That is wrong, wrong, wrong. Government knows it. I do not mind the adversarial nature of Territory politics under the reign of the regime of the Martin government, but I strongly object to the spreading of untruths like this. They know it is an untruth and it should be retracted, but such is the contempt for the people of Alice Springs, they perpetuate it. They do think, as I said last night in this place, the people of Alice Springs are stupid. That is why they treat them so badly. Well, the people of Alice Springs do not buy this for a moment. My colleague, the member for Greatorex, and I have, as a result of this scandalous allegation, dealt with a number of constituents and have said in very clear terms, and I have written to many of them, that:
- The government claimed that my colleague, Dr Richard Lim, had ‘signalled the scrapping of a $50m subsidy the Martin government provides PowerWater’, and that I wanted to double your power bills. Why would anyone want to double power bills? We already pay too much for electricity.
That is what the people of Alice Springs will accept. It beggars belief that anyone would suggest the doubling of people’s power bills. It beggars belief that even this government would stoop to the depths of perpetrating the untruths which comprises the minister’s media release of 7 February.
The minister wrote to everyone in Alice Springs based on our information, certainly my electorate, Dr Lim’s electorate, and the member for Braitling’s electorate. Not only did they spread this garbage – and it is garbage; it is untrue – what they did is sent not one copy to everyone, not two, not three. Some people got four, some five, some six, some seven, some eight letters. The record is 10 letters, 10 of the same letter. Not a copy of the minister’s letter with the scandalous media release copied on the back, not using one bit of paper, recycling-type lefties that you are. They come in here and talk about all of the green credentials that this government has and they do not follow through on their own mantra; they do not have the wit to put the minister’s media release on the back of a letter to people. No, two pages.
Some people received 20 bits of paper courtesy of the Northern Territory government. I received a call on Friday. It was an absolute scream. I wish I could bring my mobile phone in here and play it. This was a person in Alice Springs who said: ‘Jodeen, I don’t believe this. Yesterday we got six letters from that …’ - and I will not say exactly how he described the Minister for Essential Services because it is very unparliamentary, ‘Yesterday we got six letters from that minister and, one by one, they went into the bin’. Then he said: ‘We could not believe it! We went home for lunch and we picked up another two’. Six letters. True story! Then he said: ‘What is that bloke doing? What is that bloke doing up there? Who does he think he is?’. It has become a laughing stock that the minister has sent up to 10 letters to people in Alice Springs.
The people of Alice Springs think that is a disgraceful waste of their money, and it is. They note the irony that they received two bits of paper – not, as they might have expected, the copy of a media release on the other side. They are also aware of the scandalous and disgusting allegation made in relation to my colleague, the member for Greatorex. They also do not buy for a minute that the so described ‘Carney Opposition’ wants to charge people the real cost of power, doubling their power bills. What arrant nonsense!
This government is prepared to do whatever it takes to stay in government, create mischief and to tell what can only be described as whopper upon whopper upon whopper. My colleague, the member for Greatorex, and I know the people of Alice Springs much better than the government ministers who fly in and fly out as quickly as they possibly can. The government, as I have said, is contemptuous of the people of Alice Springs, and this is yet another example. There are so many.
The minister should hang his head in shame. He has failed even the most basic requirements of being a decent government minister. He cannot even organise one letter to each person in Alice Springs. He cannot organise a media release attached thereto or copied thereon to be accurate. He has to resort to absolute garbage like the contents of the media release of 7 February. This is yet another demonstration of the incompetence and arrogance of this government and the despicable way they treat the people of Alice Springs.
They will go to Alice Springs in a little over a month and they will say to the people of Alice Springs that they love them very much and that they care for them and that they are going into bat. Well, I do not think so. These people should be ashamed of themselves and the Minister for Essential Services should be thoroughly ashamed and not a little embarrassed by what he has done. It will catch up with him in the end.
Dr LIM (Greatorex): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I will continue where the Leader of the Opposition left off …
Ms Scrymgour: Oh, you are not, are you?
Dr LIM: … with regard to the power station in Alice Springs. And I do not particularly care what the minister says or tries to interject.
Members interjecting.
Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Dr LIM: The honesty, truth and ethics, all that went out the window.
Mr Knight: You would not know what that was.
Dr LIM: I seek the withdrawal of that from the ignorant member for whatever it is – Victoria River or Daly. Obviously, the Deputy Speakers are not listening to the debate at all. Oh well, never mind.
Members interjecting.
Dr LIM: The empty vessel over there is not worth listening to anyway. Let me just say this …
Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, I ask you to withdraw that. You are calling into question the Chair’s …
Dr LIM: What? Empty vessel? What is wrong with empty vessel? Is not empty vessel allowed?
Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: You are calling into question the integrity of the Chair. I asked you to withdraw the comment, member for Greatorex.
Dr LIM: I dissent from your ruling, Mr Acting Deputy Speaker.
Members interjecting.
Dr LIM: And the clock should be stopped while I do this.
Mr Kiely: I am prepared to speak if you have finished …
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr LIM: The words are: I dissent from the Acting Deputy Speaker’s ruling, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, in rising to my feet …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, I was not in the House. I will ask for rushes before I make any …
Dr LIM: I am happy to explain what I said and for you to rule on that. As I was rising to speak and referring to the Leader of the Opposition’s contribution in adjournment, I picked up this media release from the Minister for Essential Services, and I said: ‘Honesty, truth and ethics went out the window’. Then the member for Daly reflected on me, saying that …
Mr KIELY: Speaking to the point of order …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr LIM: … saying that …
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The member for Greatorex is speaking at the moment.
Dr LIM: … I have none of the attributes that I said went out the window. Now, I called for the member for Daly to withdraw, but the Acting Deputy Speakers at the time were replacing each other and were not listening. So I said: ‘Well, never mind, let it go and we will not worry about that empty vessel over there’. I was then asked to withdraw the words ‘empty vessel’. I dispute that I was saying anything that is unparliamentary. The member for Sanderson …
Mr KIELY: Madam Speaker, speaking to the point of order …
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr LIM: The member for Sanderson has been called many times ‘empty vessel’ at a time when he deserved to be called that and, I have, in fact, over the last 12 months, praised him for his maturity and have ceased calling him that. These behaviours have been replaced by other members who are as immature as he was once upon a time.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, please cease.
Mr BURKE: Madam Speaker …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Brennan. Please resume your seat, member for Greatorex.
Mr BURKE: Madam Speaker, what I asked to be withdrawn was the interchange between the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greatorex, where it was alleged that I was not listening to the debate, which I thought reflected badly on me in that position. That is what I asked him to withdraw.
Madam SPEAKER: Please resume your seat. Member for Millner, do you wish to say something?
Mr BONSON: Yes, Madam Speaker. Speaking to the point of order, it was my understanding that the Acting Deputy Speaker was, in fact, raising the issue with the member for Greatorex that he was reflecting on the Chair. As we saw from his response, he was, in fact, listening, and that was the comment he asked the member for Greatorex to withdraw.
Ms CARNEY: Madam Speaker, may I make a point of clarification, I suppose. My colleague has given notice that he calls dissent from the chair. The clock is stopped. As a point of clarification: are we debating what happened notwithstanding that you, Madam Speaker, have sought a rush, or are we going to wait, in which case my colleague would presumably be entitled to pursue his adjournment debate? I am really after some help with this.
Madam SPEAKER: I believe that the clock has stopped. At least, I hope it has. Has it, Deputy Clerk?
As I was not in the Chamber, Leader of the Opposition, I am trying to find out what happened. I am hoping that the member for Daly may be able to assist in comments to which the member for Greatorex may or may not have referred. If you just resume your seat for a minute.
Ms CARNEY: But are we still getting the rush, Madam Speaker?
Madam SPEAKER: We are still seeking the rush, unless I am able to solve it in a minute. If it is a matter of order, then there is not actually a debate. If it is a ruling, there can be dissent from the Deputy Speaker.
Ms CARNEY: I guess I am suggesting, respectfully, Madam Speaker, that that is the difficulty. There are different versions even from the other side.
Madam SPEAKER: That is why I think - Leader of the Opposition, would you mind resuming your seat.
Dr LIM: Madam Speaker, if indeed, the Deputy Speaker …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, you are saying that the member for Daly made some comments which offended you. Is that correct?
Dr LIM: Yes, and I sought withdrawal. If I had …
Madam SPEAKER: And that did not happen? Is that correct?
Dr LIM: That is right. And …
Madam SPEAKER: All right. And?
Dr LIM: Had I misinterpreted the Acting Deputy Speaker when he ruled that I withdraw, I believed he meant that I withdraw ‘empty vessel’. I, in fact, repeated those words: ‘You asked me to withdraw empty vessel?’. The Deputy Speaker insisted that I withdraw. I assumed that is what he meant, ‘empty vessel’; which is why I disputed. If he had asked me to withdraw that I reflected on his decision, I withdraw.
Mr KIELY: Madam Speaker …
Madam SPEAKER: All right. No, no. I think we have a solution here. Member for Daly, I believe that what you need to do is to withdraw the comments that you made regarding the member for Greatorex which were offensive.
Mr KNIGHT: I do not remember making offensive comments …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Daly, I ask you to withdraw.
Mr KNIGHT: If that is what you would like, Madam Speaker …
Madam SPEAKER: That is what I am asking you to do, member for Daly.
Mr KNIGHT: … I withdraw the comments in relation to the member for Greatorex, which I am unaware of.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Daly.
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! That was a conditional withdrawal. He said he withdraws the comments that he is not aware of.
Mr KNIGHT: Madam Speaker, I unconditionally withdraw the comments.
Ms CARNEY: They were his …
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms CARNEY: They were his own words in …
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition! Member for Daly, just withdraw.
Mr KNIGHT: I withdraw.
Ms Carney: Thank you. It was not hard.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, it does seem to me that what has, in fact, happened here is that there has been a misunderstanding about what the Acting Deputy Speaker was asking you to withdraw, and it was that he meant that you had reflected on the Speaker. I ask you to withdraw.
Dr LIM: I gladly and unreservedly withdraw my reflection on the Chair in this instance.
Madam SPEAKER: All right. In which case, I think that solves the issue. We can start the clock again and you can get onto your adjournment speech.
Dr LIM: That is right. Thank you very much for that. Let me start again. I will continue on from where the Leader of the Opposition left off with regard to the power station in Alice Springs and matters power in Alice Springs.
I believe, with this media release from the Minister for Essential Services, out through the window went ethics, truth, honesty, integrity and all the superlatives to describe behaviour of parliamentarians. The minister said that I demanded that Power and Water has to live within its own resources. Indeed, I said that. However, it did not signal in any way the removal of the $50.4m subsidy that Northern Territory government continues to provide to Power and Water since the days of the Country Liberal Party many years ago.
That subsidy was provided by the Country Liberal Party and maintained by this government as part of the electricity uniform tariff policy, which is to provide power at equal prices all across the Territory. That will never be removed and, if anyone is going to remove it, it is this government that is slowly going broke and putting a millstone around every Territorian’s neck. That is the first loss of faith that I have with this minister.
Then, he went on further. If this was effective repetition or a minister choosing to mislead the public by misquoting and putting words out of context, this has to be it. I quote from the minister’s media release:
- Further, Richard Lim wants people to live in the Alice Springs water tanks. Then, in the same interview, said it was not expensive for government to spend $50m to shut down the Ron Goodin Power Station.
That is in the minister’s media release. Again, if that is not an absolute indication of lost integrity by this man, I do not what is. In a radio interview, I told a story about a developer who came to me and said if the Ron Goodin station land were turned into a private residential subdivision for development, it would be good if the government does not demolish those water tanks because they could be converted into unique and quite quaint houses for people who are prepared to pay and choose to re-fashion them. That is what I said and, again, this minister deliberately took it out of context. People in Alice Springs know and that is why this government has so little credibility in Alice Springs.
If the minister and the government choose to take away the uniform tariff policy, then let them announce it. The Brewer Estate was created by the Country Liberal Party government many years ago specifically for noxious industries such as power generation or the petroleum industry. That is why the Brewer Estate was created. Infrastructure was laid out by the Northern Territory government. Guess what! This minister says that we did not do anything about putting infrastructure at Brewer Estate. That is in his media release. If the minister has to stoop to spreading this sort of deception on people in Alice Springs, the minister has lost the debate on this matter.
It is interesting, though, when you look at what the minister said on the ABC on 24 November last year, on the ABC morning program. Katya Quigley said to the minister
- You have heard the discussions that have taken place this morning
Mr Vatskalis: It is clear that residents are not happy with the noise levels.
Will you listen to them?
Vatskalis: I did listen. I actually visited the area. I went up to different houses and had a listen and I have to tell you, I was not very happy with the noise.
That was three months ago. Now he says we have three options. We have to study them first before we decide where to go and it is not going be overnight that we make that decision. The Power and Water Board is going to meet again in a month’s time and then they might make a decision. After that, once the location is identified, they will make another decision when they are going to shift.
This minister continues to stall the decision to shift the power station and the offending equipment that is causing the neighbourhood an untold amount of strife. People are stressed to the max. The other day, I had a constituent knocking on my door in tears. She was really stressed about the noise that has impacted on her family and then, unfortunately, the night before she knocked on my front door, one of her children was severely assaulted by a gang of drunken youths down the street as he was walking home from a couple of houses further down the same street. So the noise problems at Ron Goodin are causing many issues in Alice Springs and the minister has to make a decision now, not years from now.
Last Friday, I had a telephone call from my electorate officer: ‘There is a beeping noise in the office and I am concerned’. It was in fact the UPS under the desk that was beeping. The power had gone off in Alice Springs. So I rang around and it was quite a widespread power failure across Alice Springs. My first reaction was: ‘Good God! The government is on the ball; they are shifting the power station already’. Unfortunately, it was not that. It was an unknown power failure and for some five hours across the town, especially at the Ilparpa area, people suffered power failure.
I rang one woman because I heard she was complaining, and she said that she had prepared quite a lot of food, which she had kept in the fridge on the Friday in preparation for a party she was having on Saturday night, and the food had spoiled because the power had gone off for five hours.
I have been following this matter for the last four or five days now. Even the Centralian Advocate ran it yesterday. On the front page it says: ‘Mystery over four hour blackout. Computer glitch has technicians still in the dark’. In the dark they are, and so is the rest of Alice Springs. I would have thought that the Power and Water Corporation would know pretty quickly the cause of the power failure. Computers went down across the CBD. Traffic lights all went out throughout the CBD. Homes were affected quite significantly - you have a power failure for five hours on an afternoon when Alice Springs had 40C that Friday and 41C on Saturday. There were lots of problems. The airconditioning went out - lots of problems.
I say to the government, especially this minister, who does not appear to be able to lie straight in bed: get your act together and maybe we will see some better outcomes for Alice Springs. Let’s not see you continue the same attitude that we know another minister demonstrated quite clearly a couple of Christmases ago when he and his minder at Limericks – you all know where Limericks is in Alice Springs – said to a group of business people: ‘You people did not vote for us in Alice Springs so you can suffer’. Yes! That was said! That is absolutely disgusting.
In the five minutes left that I have, I want to talk about the Baby Kangaroo Rescue Centre in Alice Springs. It came to my notice a few weeks ago that a resident of Alice Springs had been successfully providing a baby kangaroo rescue service for some 18 months. I wrote to the minister asking for her advice as to why Parks and Wildlife have resisted this activity, which appears to be doing nothing but helping injured wildlife rescued primarily from road verges. This has been done at no cost to the Northern Territory government. The rescue service is a voluntary service performed by the individual with significant zoo keeping experience.
During the 18 months of operation, significant numbers of joeys have been rescued. I was most interested to learn that many travelling tourists who come across injured joeys, birds and even an echidna at road accidents have brought them to the rescue centre.
The principal of the rescue centre has arranged with Parks and Wildlife to provide care for this injured wildlife with support from the local veterinary surgeon. Again, no funds have been provided by Parks and Wildlife for this activity. This enterprising young man has arranged with a local tourism establishment to have the rescued wildlife on display on a non-contact basis. The rescue centre is located at one place and the display is at a local tourism establishment so there are two separate places.
The service has developed significant exposure with local and international tourists lining up to see them, so much so that an Australian Disney film called Double Trouble was made featuring them. The rescue centre is also adorned with a photo gallery displaying pictures of rescued joeys showing the various stages of rescue and recovery of the animals. Like venues, such as the Alice Springs Desert Park and the Reptile Centre, are promoted at the rescue centre for no gain.
There has been much media interest in this rescue centre by Disney TV, European and American newspapers, European TV. I saw an article written in German about the rescue centre. The Discovery Channel, the ABC and CAAMA are all keen to do some sort of television feature or documentary on this facility.
I wrote a two-page letter to the minister three weeks ago and still have not had a response, apart from an acknowledgement. That is all I have. However, the information contained in this letter and the fact that I wrote to the minister has gone back to the Parks and Wildlife people in Alice Springs. Guess what they have done? They have now threatened this man. He said that following a number of conversations with a certain Parks and Wildlife officer, he was told because the Parks and Wildlife minister was informed, it was ‘the final nail in our coffin’ regarding the baby kangaroo centre.
If that is the case, then, minister, I say look into your department. That is absolute blackmail by the public service against a citizen of the Territory who is just doing what he believes is the right thing at no cost to government. It is despicable and I ask the minister to look into this closely.
Mr KIELY (Sanderson): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I am pleased to acknowledge and place on the public record the achievements of two fine individuals I have the honour to represent in this Assembly.
On Australia Day, 26 January 2007, Ms Aimee Slocombe was presented with the Citizen of the Year Under 25 Award and, at the same ceremony, Mr John Rivas received the Citizen of the Year Award for 2007. These are great accolades for two outstanding members of the Sanderson community. I know Mr Rivas for his work in the broader community, and as well as the special work he does with the Filipino community. I have met Aimee Slocombe and her family in the course of my doorknocking.
I want to go into some detail as to why these two individuals were recognised as Citizens of the Year. Aimee Slocombe was born in Darwin on 1 June 1989. She has recently completed her Year 12 studies in English, Communications, Chemistry, Biology, Physical Education and Nutrition at Casuarina Senior College, and has received the her Northern Territory Certificate of Education.
At Casuarina Senior College, Aimee was chosen as Master of Ceremonies to lead the proceedings at the Year 12 graduation dinner dance, and Year 12 graduating students’ dress-up day. Aimee has been awarded a silver medal in the final of the Australian National Chemical Analysis competition conducted by the Australian Chemical Institute. Prior to her studies at Casuarina Senior College, Aimee was named Sanderson High School’s Student Citizen of the Year in 2004.
In pursuit of personal interests outside of college, Aimee takes percussion lessons from the Northern Territory School of Music, specialising in playing the drum kit. In sport, she has represented the school in softball and soccer. She also plays hockey as a goalkeeper in the Northern Territory Under 18 representative squad, which competed in a tournament in Adelaide in 2006. She was also named A Grade Women’s Best and Fairest at Banks Hockey Club for the 2006 season. In 2005, Aimee gained a qualification as a sports trainer from Charles Darwin University, which qualifies her to treat sports injuries and refer athletes to medical professionals.
In leadership, Aimee is a Cadet Warrant Officer of 801 Squadron of the Australian Air Force Cadets where she is responsible for the welfare, discipline, standards and morale of the 50 cadets under her command. Being a cadet, she is given the opportunity to travel interstate as a representative of the Air Force Cadets in the Northern Territory. She has attended many conferences in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.
I now want to talk about the contribution of Mr John Rivas as a teacher and President of the Filipino Australian Association of the Northern Territory Incorporated. A long-term resident of Darwin, John Rivas has made a significant contribution to the education of Darwin youth from 1973 to the present. As an astute science teacher with the status of Teacher of Exemplary Practice, John has produced curriculum documents which he shared through workshop and in-service training he provided to his colleagues not only at Casuarina Senior College, but also in other Darwin primary and high schools.
With his helpful and approachable nature, John has spent countless hours sharing his resources with colleagues, particularly with neophyte and pre-service teachers, hoping that his keen interest in science education can generate much enthusiasm amongst those he has assisted.
As a member of the Science Teachers Association of the Northern Territory, John has been highly regarded by his colleagues for his expertise in science education. For more than 10 years, John readily shared his expertise when he volunteered as a resource person and presenter at the Science School in the Schools Week Science Fair at Moil Primary School.
John Rivas creates a dynamic and non-confronting teaching atmosphere for the young mind. The challenging materials he has created have produced many tangible results with the students he has taught. As a teacher of Year 11 and 12 students, John has offered many challenges for his students to hurdle in the pursuit of tertiary education. Through his nurturing ability, many of his students have achieved highly in their chosen career, and they have taken up demanding jobs in government and private firms in Darwin.
Through his imaginative mind, enthusiasm, resourcefulness and energy, John has been a role model in the wider community in promoting and advancing a multicultural and harmonious society in the Northern Territory. His empathy for the younger generation has prompted him to provide youth in the Darwin community with a golden opportunity to get actively involved in the promotion of the arts by showcasing their talents to the older and wider members of the Northern Territory community, thus providing the young generation in our community with plenty of chances of developing leadership, self-worth and a sense of belonging to the entire community. His visions have become realised through a firm commitment, excellent rapport with everyone concerned and excellent management and organisational skills.
John is a concerned and dedicated citizen who has made valuable contributions to the Northern Territory for his promotion of harmony and racial tolerance in a culturally diverse society. As a long-term resident of Darwin, John strongly advocates and is a staunch supporter of multicultural diversity within a harmonious multicultural community.
In recognition of his meritorious teaching service in one institution, the Northern Territory government, through the Department of Employment, Education and Training, acknowledged him with a plaque in 2005 in celebration of his unbroken record of 31 years of science teaching at Casuarina Senior College. The Northern Territory government, through the Office of Multicultural Affairs, has also acknowledged his service in promoting multiculturalism in the Northern Territory by awarding him with the Charles See Kee Award at the NT Multicultural Awards in 2005.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, both of these fine Australians - one embarking on life’s journey and one coming close to the end of his working career after 31 years as a teacher - have contributed significantly in their own way to the social fabric of the Northern Territory in general, and to Darwin in particular. I know of the work that Mr Rivas has done for the Filipino community and for the broader Australian community and it is marvellous. He is a very giving individual for whom no task seems too hard to tackle.
I am very proud and honoured to know these two people. There was a note in the NT News about a week ago saying that I am very proud of the people of Sanderson and that I ‘boast’ - I think was the word they used - of their accomplishments. I would happily have that story in the NT News, perhaps not boasting, perhaps recognising is a better way to go, the fine talent and commitment that makes up the fabric of our community. It is something to be proud of and to be shared. Tonight, I am honoured and pleased to be able to place on public record the achievements of these fine individuals.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
Last updated: 04 Aug 2016