2014-08-19
Madam Speaker Purick took the Chair at 10 am.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise of the presence in the gallery of Kay Tollner, mother of Deputy Chief Minister David Tollner. On behalf of honourable members, I extend a warm welcome and hope you enjoy your time and visit to Parliament House. I will ask for a report on what you have seen today once we finish Question Time.
Honourable members, I also advise of the presence in the gallery of Year 11 and 12 Legal Studies classes from O’Loughlin Catholic College accompanied by Louise Delahunty, and senior students from Casuarina Senior College on exchange from Germany, accompanied by Paula Simeone. On behalf of honourable members, I extend a warm welcome and hope you enjoy your time and visit to Parliament House.
Members: Hear, hear!
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have received Message No 18 from Her Honour the Administrator notifying assent to the bills passed during the June sittings. The message is dated 8 July 2014.
Ms LAWRIE (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I move the following changes be made to membership of the Committee of Privileges:
discharge the members for Karama and Casuarina
Motion agreed to.
Mr STYLES (Multicultural Affairs): Madam Speaker, I update the Legislative Assembly on the progress so far and the aspirations this government has in the areas of community engagement – specifically Multicultural Affairs, seniors and youth – to further enhance the confident culture we are so proud of.
Formerly, these three important areas were quite separate. They operated independent of each other despite the remarkable synergies which can be achieved when people value and utilise the diversity we have in our community. I am especially proud these three areas are now together under the leadership of the Community Engagement Unit within the Social Policy Coordination Division of the Department of the Chief Minister.
I recognise the need for a plan, and we have this plan in Framing the Future which, of course, sets out the four goals, one of which is a confident culture. Our government has made it clear under Objectives 1 and 2 that we must recognise our people and our communities are significant contributors to our prosperity. To ensure we can focus on all Territorians, we need a targeted participation framework for our youth, seniors and multicultural community.
I, therefore, take this opportunity to announce the release of the Youth Participation Framework. This is a whole-of-government focused document which outlines the effort, investment and activity occurring for young people aged between 12 and 24 years across the Northern Territory government. The youth framework articulates both the positive contribution and recognition of young people, while also acknowledging the dedicated services and policy focus required across government and the non-government sector. It has been developed to provide an overarching framework for the design and delivery of a range of strategies, services and approaches to improving options and opportunities for young Territorians in the short and long term. To ensure its currency and relevance, the document is strongly aligned to the Northern Territory government’s strategic plan Framing the Future.
The policy context enables the Youth Participation Framework to reflect key goals and objectives which detail a commitment to young Territorians and the broader community. The Youth Participation Framework has been published electronically as a living document which will be renewed and updated as other plans and strategies across government are released.
The Youth Participation Framework was developed with significant and sustained consultation with young people from across the Northern Territory through face-to-face consultations, online feedback, engagement through the youth sector and consultation with relevant NT government agencies. Thank you to the so many young people, non-government organisations, government agencies and community members who have participated in and contributed to the development of this framework.
Not dissimilar to the Youth Participation Framework, we need to provide overarching focus and direction for the design and delivery of policy, services and approaches to implementing and improving access to opportunities for the multicultural and senior members of our community. Work has commenced to develop policy frameworks for senior Territorians and multicultural affairs. I will update the Legislative Assembly in due course on the progress of these two frameworks.
In relation to community input into government policy, it is critical that we listen to our people and important our youth, seniors and multicultural community members have the voice to contribute to policy directions and developments. We have already had in place for several years the Chief Minister’s Round Table, a fantastic mechanism where our young Territorians have a direct voice to government. We also recognise a mechanism for our senior and multicultural community members to inform government is equally important.
I am pleased to announce the establishment of two key advisory councils: the Minister’s Advisory Council – Senior Territorians and the Minister’s Advisory Council – Multicultural Affairs. These two councils will provide a voice to government for Northern Territory seniors and the multicultural community on issues of importance or matters of concern, to help raise the level of community understanding on all issues impacting on senior Territorians and multicultural communities and to provide high-level and strategic advice to me as minister for these portfolios.
The Minister’s Advisory Council – Senior Territorians enables the participation of key stakeholders in the exploration and discussion of issues relevant to the social, economic and civic life of senior Territorians. The council’s membership is made up of two executive members of the Council of the Ageing NT, also known as COTA NT, and two executive members from National Seniors Australia, also known as NSA NT, observers from the Department of Health, Local Government Association of the Northern Territory and the Commonwealth Department of Social Services and, in addition, eight members of the Northern Territory seniors community.
Similarly, the Minister’s Advisory Council –Multicultural Affairs has been established to offer our multicultural community a direct voice to policy development, including socioeconomic issues on housing, employment and health. The council’s membership includes the Multicultural Council of the NT Inc, Multicultural Community Services of Central Australia Inc, Melaleuca Refugee Centre, Multicultural Youth NT, Department of Social Services, the Local Government Association of the NT and nine members of the multicultural community from across the Territory.
In March 2014 we sought expressions of interest from community members for both councils and received a large number of nominations from across the Territory. I received expressions of interest from a number of Territory seniors who are very active in the community and want to make a difference for their peers.
The response from members of the multicultural community was equally as strong, with many enthusiastic and experienced people seeking an opportunity to participate. It has been wonderful to see the positive response from across our community.
Cabinet has also endorsed membership of both councils, and I believe we have achieved the establishment of two valuable advisory bodies whose membership is balanced and representative, and reflects a range of skills and experience, and regional and cultural diversity.
There will be two face-to-face meetings for both councils per year with specific tasks directed to working groups that will be formed to address specific issues.
The Minister’s Advisory Council – Senior Territorians will meet on 12 September 2014, and the Minister’s Advisory Council – Multicultural Affairs is expected to meet in early October 2014.
As I mentioned previously, this government is committed to working with young Territorians to do things differently and ensure we build a strong foundation for their future. The Chief Minister’s Round Table of Young Territorians is a great example of our young people having an active role in informing policy development. The round table consists of 16 members aged between 15 and 25 years. Members are representative of the geographic, cultural and ethnic diversity of the Northern Territory and, further, members meet four times a year and are also encouraged to actively canvass and represent the views and issues of other young people throughout the Northern Territory.
I had the pleasure of attending the first and second meetings of the round table this year and was impressed with the enthusiasm and drive to make a positive difference for young people in the community. I understand the round table is convening in Darwin for a third meeting on 23 and 24 August this year.
One of the main functions of the round table is to liaise with young people in the community and report back to the NT government on issues and concerns raised by young people. The issues raised are discussed within the round table and appropriate action taken. The Chief Minister and I are regularly updated on what topics the round table is working on.
Round table members undertake community-based research projects throughout the year on issues important to young people living in the Northern Territory. At the end of the year recommendations from these projects will be presented to me, the Chief Minister, and to the relevant ministers and senior government officials.
This year members are researching a range of topics through their community-based projects including: safe houses in the community with support services; youth engagement; participation and volunteering; cyber bullying; peer courts in the Northern Territory; youth suicide prevention and mental awareness; promotion of sport and health; impacts of family breakdown; establishment of an adolescent ward for young people at Royal Darwin Hospital; promotion of a sustainable environment; and personal development and mentoring.
Throughout the year round table members participate in a number of activities, attend many events and promote the interests of young Territorians. I recognise the recent collaboration between the Northern Australia Development Office, the round table and the Office of Youth Affairs in consulting with young people on their views about developing the north.
In relation to investment grants, our government recognises that to make a difference in the celebration and advancement of our diverse community we need to support our people, our seniors and our multicultural community members.
Through the Community Engagement Unit, in the 2013-14 financial year we awarded a total of $1.5m in grants to young people, seniors and our multicultural community. Multicultural grants assist new and emerging communities to come together socially in the first instance, and then build the support structures which help people assist each other in adapting to life in a new country.
As these communities grow and become confident they naturally wish to share their culture with others. I have awarded a number of grants to groups wishing to take the next steps of sharing, such as the South Pacific communities coming together for celebrations, and the Hindu Society dance night which draws together Indian, Nepalese, Sri Lankan, Tamil and other groups. Also, the Australia China Friendship Society brought together a wide range of performers at the Darwin Entertainment Centre.
A range of grants have provided support services to individuals, families and communities which need assistance. We have funded community support workers to work with the Italian, Timorese, Greek and Chinese communities. We have funded the Happy Migrant Learning Centre, which does magnificent work helping older Territorians improve their English skills in a fun environment.
We are lucky to have several larger and established communities which are passionate in their desire to share their culture with all Territorians. They are passionate about giving back to the community they now call home. I have the amazing pleasure of funding and attending these occasions.
The Latino Ball at the Darwin Convention Centre, Pesona Indonesia as part of the Darwin Festival, the Greek Glenti, India@Mindil and the Cyprus Food and Wine Festival are all more than just celebrations. They symbolise who we are as Territorians, who we want to be and demonstrate a confident culture. We are currently celebrating Territory seniors during the vibrant Seniors Month, with $50 000 in grants provided for nearly 50 activities across the Northern Territory, including some remote Indigenous communities. This has been one of the most successful Seniors Month celebrations so far, with over 100 activities on the Seniors Month calendar.
Activities on offer include come and try activities of dancing and cooking, art workshops of watercolour painting and jewellery making, cruises on the harbour, pilates and yoga, clay target shooting – one of the most popular – flight simulators and an introduction to e-dating, to name a few.
As we move forward I will be looking for new ways to enhance the celebration of seniors and to see how we can add more value to what seniors have to offer, including drawing on advice from the newly formed Minister’s Advisory Council – Senior Territorians, and developing a seniors policy framework. There is so much potential held with senior Territorians and I would like to see us make better use of it.
I am also pleased to support the Youth Engagement Grants program. This program aims to assist young Territorians to access a variety of youth-related events, personal development programs and activities. Young people are involved in the planning, staging and evaluating of activities that reflect their needs and interests. The activities are promoted through the Northern Territory government’s youth portal www.youth.nt.gov.au. There are three annual rounds of grants of up to $2000 to fund a range of activities during the December/January and June/July school holiday periods and during National Youth Week in April.
In addition, Quick Response Grants are available to enable government to respond to urgent eligible requests for funding which fall outside set funding rounds. These are up to $2000.
I take this opportunity to acknowledge the great success of National Youth Week, which was held in early April this year. Young Territorians were treated to 10 days of events and activities held across the Northern Territory. National Youth Week is the largest event for young people in Australia and is a great opportunity for young Territorians to be involved in fun and safe activities. This week provided a fantastic opportunity for young Territorians to express ideas, raise concerns and act on issues which matter to them.
I was honoured to launch National Youth Week at the Young Achiever Awards gala dinner. These awards give us a chance to recognise the achievements of some of the Northern Territory’s most innovative, dedicated and hard-working young people and thank them for their contributions. I congratulate everyone who was nominated for and received these awards and commend the passion, ambition and leadership they have shown.
Finally, I acknowledge all those involved in the annual Darwin Waterfront Harmony Soiree held on 31 May this year. The Northern Territory government proudly hosted the annual soiree in collaboration with the Darwin Waterfront, the Multicultural Council of the Northern Territory and Darwin Community Arts.
I offer special thanks and congratulations to the multicultural community groups who showcased their culture at the soiree with the aid of funding through the Harmony Grants program. This year’s event attracted a huge crowd and gives the multicultural community the stage to connect broadly with thousands of Territorians. The soiree is the epitome of what can be achieved by groups working together and is a true reflection of our interesting and diverse community.
Madam Speaker, I commend the statement to the House, and move that the Legislative Assembly take note of the statement.
Ms MANISON (Wanguri): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for bringing this statement before the House. All members in this Chamber are very passionate about the groups we are talking about – seniors, young Territorians and multicultural groups. However, we received the statement at 8 am. We had a long break between sittings and would have expected it a bit earlier to enable more preparation, but away we go.
I will go to Young Territorians first, one of the areas you spoke broadly about. The Territory is a young place and our population reflects this, and young Territorians are the future. When we are looking at policy development around young Territorians, it is important we do not just look in the urban sectors of the Northern Territory but to the bush as well.
For example, at Wadeye about 100 babies are born every year. There are very young populations on remote communities. Ngukurr, for example, has a population of about 1200 people and half are under the age of 20. It is very important, in the context of looking at the policy area of young Territorians, that we do not just look at the urban setting but also look to the bush and what is happening there.
I welcome the announcement of the Youth Participation Framework and the government’s efforts to engage with young Territorians. There is no doubt the CLP government is starting to learn from the error of its ways in the first two years of government and that it is very important to engage in meaningful dialogue with Territorians – not just sit around and have a chat but to listen, to take advice on board and make sure it feeds into what you do as a government with the programs and policies you deliver.
We will watch to see how this consultation goes as part of the youth participation program. We will be keen to see what it delivers and what the outcomes will be.
I am keen to understand why, under the CLP, some policies and programs have been put into place that have deeply impacted young Territorians. These decisions have made it a bit tougher on their future and have made it, particularly in areas such as home ownership and education, much tougher for them.
I am particularly keen to see what the government will do, moving forward, around home ownership. We all grew up aspiring to own our home one day. It is something we all wish for and, generally, something all people see in their future. However, under this government, we have seen a few home ownership dreams smashed. We have seen the massive reductions in stamp duty concessions or the First Home Owner Grant. Many young Territorians want to buy an established home with a First Home Owner Grant. They are earning an income, are quite young and want to get a foot in the market but cannot afford to buy a shiny brand new property. They look for something a bit older, a bit more affordable they can get into, do a bit of work, paint, renovate, and make their start, get some equity and, eventually, sell and go on to the more ideal home. Generally, most people will not be getting the dream home as their first home so it is important we have the right measures in place to help people get a foot in the door.
However, this year alone, there have been dramatic changes to the First Home Owner Grant which will mean about 300 fewer first home owners can access it this year. That is a real shame because most of those people are young Territorians.
We also saw the shared equity component of the HOMESTART NT scheme scrapped. This was an extremely effective program helping people buy a home at an affordable rate and something which was, for many people, comparable to rent. It was a great program scrapped by this government. I hope, as part of this new wave of engagement with young Territorians and advocates of those groups, you talk to them about established properties not just new properties, which you are trying to push people into, and what it will take to make it more affordable for them to live here and get into the property market. As we know, saving for a deposit is not easy if you are renting because rents are so high here. That makes it even harder for them.
Education is also an area where we have seen big changes under this government. Education, clearly, is critical to the future of every young Territorian. There have been dramatic changes in teacher ratios with 135 teachers gone. That is not the direction we need to take. We know the Territory has the lowest education outcomes in the nation. However, the answer under the CLP so far has been to cut funding, teacher numbers and resources.
NAPLAN results came out this week and do not paint a very good picture. Quite frankly, I was disappointed in the response from the Education minister to say it is a result of the whole system failing, is all doom and gloom and everything needs to be changed. In reality, previous NAPLAN testing will show the Territory was moving in the right direction. They may not have been huge percentage points, but there was incremental change in a positive direction under NAPLAN testing.
What we have seen since then, and what we are seeing now in the results, are dramatic education policy changes under this government. There have been big cuts and they wonder why things are coming to a standstill. It is pretty obvious.
There have also been cuts, for example in Alice Springs, to youth services which have raised a few concerns. For example, we saw funding cuts for youth drop-in services, the closure of the Youth Hub and the Youth Street Outreach Service. We know Alice Springs has had some trying issues with disengaged youth over time, so cutting funding for programs did not go down too positively.
An issue near and dear to my heart – we see wonderful results year and year again from the Clontarf academies across the Territory and the great work they are doing with young Indigenous men. We wanted to see that replicated for girls in our schools and had the GEMS program help young girls at critical ages through their middle years schooling in particular. To see that scrapped is a great shame and something I hope the government looks at again because it is not just about the boys, it is also about girls.
I would like young girls who need extra support and mentoring through their schools years to get through receive it because if they are able to finish Year 12 they have many opportunities in their adult life. If they are unable to do that so much is taken away from them. It is a real shame that was scrapped by this government.
We have some terrific young leaders in the Territory community. I pay tribute to Multicultural Youth NT. They are an amazing group of young people working very hard in the area of youth affairs to mentor future young leaders and they are incredible.
Each year we also recognise and celebrate the wonderful achievements of young Territorians in the Young Achiever Awards. This year it was great to see some terrific youngsters and it shows what a bright future there is ahead for some of the young leaders we have in the community. Hopefully, many will be in this Chamber in the future helping lead the way.
We have an extremely dedicated team in the Department of the Chief Minister working in the area of youth affairs. I have had the good fortune over the years to know some people personally and their passion is immense. They strive towards making a difference and inspiring young people. It is great to see that continue.
There are other initiatives I would like to talk about briefly where I think, ‘Okay, it is great. I would like to see that’, but it is a necessity; the government has had to do it. For example, sports vouchers for young Territorians. I love sport and everybody knows that. I love seeing young people participate in the arts and in recreation. It is a wonderful thing which enriches their lives, helps in their personal development and develops great skills such as team work, independence, commitment, training, dedication and all that. I love the sports voucher, there is no problem, but that was a necessity because you have made it so much harder for families to live here. You have given with one hand and taken so much more away with the other. For example, power and water bills for families. A sports voucher does not cover what they have lost having to fill that gap.
I turn to senior Territorians. They are vital to the social and economic fabric of the Northern Territory going forward.
It is wonderful to be talking about seniors in Seniors Month where we celebrate how important they are to us and embrace the contribution they make to our society. It is vital to the future of the Territory that we keep as many seniors here as possible. We want them to stay because what they can bring to their families in love, care, wisdom, experience – it is a beautiful thing being able to keep families together. For too long in the Territory, many people, once they hit retirement, were leaving town.
That is not the case anymore, and it is great to see more and more seniors choosing to stay in the Territory. It is becoming even more important that they stay in the Territory, not just for the love, care and emotional support they give to families, but the brutal, harsh financial reality of it is many families need them to be here to support them, because they have to pay the bills, put food on the table and keep a roof over their head. Most mums and dads are working these days, so the grandparents are playing an even greater role in supporting them and helping with their children in the Territory. That is another reason we need them to stay.
There is also the impact of where they can fill jobs in the market, where they can contribute by volunteering and so forth. Seniors bring a huge wealth of experience and we must embrace that and ensure we are able to keep as many people here as possible. It also goes back to the heart of decency. How a society treats its seniors says a lot about it. Our seniors have worked hard all their lives. They have raised us, supported us, nurtured us and paid their taxes, and we should be supporting them in their senior years. It is something I believe in, yet we seem to be going down some very strange pathways in this nation at the moment, locally and federally.
There is no doubt I was surprised to that they have been squared up in the federal budget. They have put seniors in their sights and are targeting them, which I find bizarre. They are trying to make their lives much more difficult. In the Territory, looking at the local context, seniors are not sheltered from the high cost of living. They have to pay their rent; they have seen the Power and Water bills go up under the government. We have had some great schemes in place for a long time, targeted at seniors and keeping them in the Territory, yet we have made some fairly dramatic changes to them, and they have not been welcomed by seniors.
Within the Northern Territory Pensioner and Carer Concession Scheme this year in the budget, we have seen the introduction of means testing. I want to read out a few lines of a letter sent to the minister and I – a bit of sentiment from somebody who was looking forward to getting onto that scheme:
There are people who want to stay and keep contributing, but this has changed their decision about whether or not they will stay or go.
We saw in the budget the year before that the airfare entitlements for seniors were reduced. They were furious about that. It is not that cheap to get down south from the Territory if you want to take a daytime flight, if you need to have a full fare option because you have health conditions and need that flexibility. People were very disappointed with those changes and are thinking, ‘What is next?’
Another area where I would like to hear more about what the government is doing with regard to seniors – I bring this issue up again – is housing. For young Territorians it is about getting in there. For senior Territorians it is about security and knowing they will have a place for a long time to live out their years. However, I have seen some horrendous, sad situations when something goes wrong in a person’s life in their senior years, which means they no longer have accommodation and are subjected to the brutal forces of market rent. That makes it very difficult if you are on a very low income or a pension.
All the crisis accommodation provided by the non-government sector, short- and medium-term, is full. You call and try to get somebody in when they come into your electorate office in despair with nowhere to go, and it is tough to find them somewhere to stay. That is a real concern. I have heard of more people who are now living with their children because they cannot afford to be on their own; they cannot buy, but they also cannot afford the market rent. That is another issue.
In public housing, specifically around seniors, there have been huge blowouts in the waiting list. We also have not seen plans to build any additional seniors’ public housing. We have heard some horror stories about priority waiting lists. Under Labor it was not ideal, but someone would sit on the priority housing wait list for 12 to 18 months. The last count I had was about three years, and we are talking about people who have been diagnosed with cancer, are homeless, aged and frail. Three years to get a roof over their head is tough going.
Wait times for public housing for pensioners have increased. The last time I checked, the wait time for a one-bedroom dwelling in Alice Springs, from Labor’s time to the CLP’s time, increased by 21 months. In Darwin and Casuarina the wait time has increased by 20 months for a one-bedroom dwelling for a pensioner; by 12 months, to 72 months, in Palmerston; and in Katherine it had increased to 38 months, up 14.
I am also keen to find out more about what the government is doing for senior Territorians in aged and disability care, as well as in new seniors’ housing. Aged care is a provision of the federal government, but the Territory has a responsibility to fight for as many aged-care packages and beds as it can get. As we know, we have an ageing population here.
There are some opportunities coming up. We will see the development of 2CARU, or Lee Point, near Royal Darwin Hospital, and Muirhead north will be developed. Around Palmerston and the regional hospital, something you should be looking at as part of that development is appropriate aged care provision and seniors’ housing. If you will have hospital infrastructure there, you must look at the needs of seniors as well; there is an opportunity there.
Health is a big area that concerns our seniors, and we are seeing $605m cut from hospitals in the Territory by the federal government. That is a great concern in how we will ensure we can still target programs. We must ensure we have programs appropriate to dealing with chronic diseases, for example, when we have an ageing population. We must ensure we have the right care for people in the bush. Aged care and seniors’ housing, it is not only about urban, it is about the bush as well, looking at the remote centres, particularly the big remote centres, and saying, ‘People are living longer. How do we ensure we have appropriate housing in the future which takes in the needs of seniors?’ We also have to look at aged care that is not only practical and appropriate, but culturally appropriate as well. That is an area I would like the government to explore further.
I was very happy that the minister announced the Minister’s Advisory Council – Senior Territorians will be established. That was another commitment you made in March, and it is good to see you are delivering it.
The question I come back to is listening to the advice and guidance you will receive from those committee representatives and how we will see practical action on that – that is something we will be looking out for. With this advisory council, as well as the multicultural advisory council, will the minutes be published so we can see what is raised with government? That way we can see how much of that advice is taken on board.
Again, we are very fortunate with our seniors in the Territory. We have some very hard-working advocates. The calendar of events put together by the Department of the Chief Minister has seen a fantastic month of activities with great variety. It is nice to see that seniors are being celebrated.
It has also been wonderful to see the hard work of COTA and its calendar of events; it was amazing. It has been an extremely sad time for COTA with the passing of Robyn Lesley. I went to one of its events a few weeks ago, and they were very much of the spirit that, ‘Robyn would have wanted us to keeping pushing forward with all of this and all of our events’. We have lost a great, passionate seniors’ advocate in the community in Robyn Lesley. It is a very sad time and a sad way to start Seniors Month. All my best wishes and respect to her family.
It is also great to see National Seniors Australia and the work it is doing. I recently met with some of the members and had a discussion about a few policy items. It is very clear they have some strong views they will be communicating to the minister. I am looking forward to how he takes that advice on board and to the Cabinet table.
Our seniors make up a vital group of the Territory community. They deserve our support. In future policy development and programs, I hope the engagement of the minister with these groups will ensure they are listened to, their views are taken on board, and we try to make it as easy as possible to keep them in the Territory. The more seniors the better, because they bring so much to our society.
I turn to Multicultural Affairs. The multiculturalism of the Territory is one of our greatest beauties and strengths. We are all incredibly proud of the diversity and multiculturalism here. As a kid growing up in the Territory and having friends with parents and families from all over the world, it is wonderful to learn firsthand about their culture as their families share it with you. It is also good for the Territory because so many of these people work hard within the multicultural community, helping to build strong ties between the Territory and other nations. We see it particularly with our Asian neighbours and, of course, with the nations far away which we have very strong ties with. Our multicultural groups do a great job, not just socially but economically, for the Territory. They are very important and need to be supported.
I was very happy and relieved recently to see the Abbott government back down from the removal of section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act. I was so incredibly proud of all the Australians who united to stand up against racists and bigots, and who went to the government and said, ‘This is not on and these changes are not what this nation needs’. I was extremely relieved the Abbott government backed down and realised that people do not want the bar lowered on racism, and stepped away from that. I could not believe we had to go there in the first place.
After a wait, I am glad the Ministerial Advisory Council – Multicultural Affairs will be set up. I look forward to seeing what advice they give you, minister, and what issues are important to them. The government’s continued support of multicultural community events, in particular, is essential, and I am happy to see that support continue and the grants you give out to make those events happen. Everybody loves the multicultural events. What an amazing array of events we have: the Glenti; the Cyprus Food and Wine Festival, a favourite of mine, and I had a thoroughly good time on Saturday, thank you. Barrio Fiesta is coming up, India@Mindil, and, member for Drysdale, the Italian Festival, which is a fabulous event.
Mrs Finocchiaro: Thank you.
Ms MANISON: Events have been held by the Sri Lanka-Australia Friendship Society, and I love going to the Malayalee Association’s events, but, minister, Persona Indonesia was a great event and I thought your dancing was outstanding. I take my hat off to you. It is a bit tough when they pull you up on stage, but you did a great job. Well done! It showed the spirit and celebration of it.
Harmony Day – in my own electorate I love seeing local events that the whole community supports like the food bazaar at the Islamic Centre, and, of course, the International Food Fair the Buddhist Society holds. It is wonderful to see everybody sharing and embracing the strength of our multicultural community in the Territory.
One thing I am sad to see gone, due to a decision of the government, is the Arafura Games. It was a wonderful event, not just for sporting development, but for multicultural affairs and building relationships and ties with our neighbours. It was also something our multicultural communities really enjoyed because people come over from their countries and they saw sports we do not play at a high level in Darwin. They are played in other nations, particularly in Asia, and coming here and being shown – I hope one day we are able to get something like the Arafura Games back up and running because it was a great part of our community, something everyone looked forward to every couple of years. It added to our multicultural celebrations and fabric in the Northern Territory.
Minister, seniors and young Territorians are groups and policy areas that should not be underestimated. As minister, your job is to advocate for those groups at the Cabinet table when delivering your housing and health initiatives. It is really important they have a strong voice. I look forward to seeing what feedback you get from your consultation. I hope we see more work to reduce cost-of-living pressures on those groups because it is particularly tough on them. I also hope we see the continued support of the government in multicultural affairs.
Ms PURICK (Goyder): Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the minister for bringing this statement to the House. I want my comments put on the record, mostly in regard to the multicultural side of the statement, and perhaps a little about seniors.
It is an interesting statement and it goes to the heart of what the Northern Territory is all about, and that is a mix in the community of people from across the globe. That is a good thing because it makes the Northern Territory, and the Top End in particular, a unique place to live.
Many in this House have come from mixed multicultural backgrounds, and I am one. My father came from Europe after World War II …
Mr Wood: That is the problem.
Ms PURICK: The member for Nelson says that is the problem; it could be. Whilst my father was born in the Netherlands, his family came from the border of Croatia and Italy. There are still many of my relatives, I have been told, who live in that country. My mother’s family all came from the southern part of England, and I believe they are still there as well. It is what you call a real hybrid, or a mixed person of mixed breeds, and that is fine. Sadly, none in our family speak the language any more, but when my father came to this country he spoke a couple of languages. Multiculturalism brings people together and develops a sense of community. It also gives Territorians tolerance because we have all grown up with different people. Growing up in Darwin and going to St Mary’s Primary School there was a mixture of people. That is the way you accepted it and that is what it is. We swapped stories and foods, and it was a very enjoyable time.
In the rural area there is a mix of cultures. People mostly know of the farming communities of the Vietnamese, Chinese, Indonesians and Cambodians, but there are other people from different backgrounds. They are tucked away doing what rural people do best, that is, living rurally on five-acre blocks and above. There is a large Scottish community in the rural area. There are Germans, many Vietnamese farmers, Chinese and, of course, a large Italian community, albeit smaller than some of the others across the rural area.
Many people are very quiet. They just get on with their business; they do not make a fuss about what country they have come from, or what country their parents come from. Many parents of students at Humpty Doo Primary School and Taminmin High School were born overseas.
The Vietnamese community is interesting because it stems from the time the Vietnamese people came to Darwin following the refugee situation and the need to leave their country. One of the things that should be remembered about these people is that they came here as boat people; they were probably the first boat people to come to our shores.
They had no money, no access to finance, most likely no English – if they did it would have been very limited – they probably spoke French, but not English. They had no government support, no growing experience in the Territory at all, and they went on to grow crops that had not been grown here before. They had to experiment a lot and have a lot of patience because what they would have grown in their homeland is not what we grow here. They developed production systems with some help from the primary industries people and the commercial resellers, and have gone on to do great things for the Northern Territory community, the economy and the markets.
They produce around $50m to $60m worth of produce, and they have done their business how I think a lot of business people should do their business, that is, to develop the countryside to get good linkages with their markets and grow crops that make money. There is no point growing things if it will not make you any money, so the economics are very important to the Vietnamese and Cambodian communities, as I know them, and they persisted. They showed great persistence, because, as I said, they came here with limited knowledge of the landscape and what crops we grew, yet they have gone on to do great things, and some are very successful in the industry.
Yes, some did fail. Some left town and went somewhere else, but if you start with only one big farmer, you are in a very risky position to develop an industry. They have developed an industry, and the year before last they formed their own Vietnamese Horticultural Association to improve their position with the markets interstate, given there were some language issues – and there continues to be – and to understand that you need good knowledge of your markets and getting your product there so you can make money for yourself and your family. I have been to a couple of their functions – so have the members for Nelson and Daly – and they are a very friendly group of people.
The other group farming there is the Cambodians; that community is not quite as big. Early this year I had the opportunity and privilege of attending their New Year function and festivities on Wanderrie Road. I had some interaction with the elderly monk there, and I am working with the Cambodian community and the minister’s office to find a parcel of land, because the Cambodian community wants to establish its own temple there. They are predominantly Buddhist, and many of them visit the temple in the northern suburbs, but they would prefer to have one in the rural area, given there are Cambodians, Vietnamese and Thai people who are Buddhists.
The member for Wanguri mentioned Harmony Day. Harmony Day is held at many of the schools in the rural area. I have been to special days at Humpty Doo and Taminmin College, and they are great, fun days.
There are different cultures on display, different cooking from the groups I have mentioned, and from other groups that come and demonstrate the different foods. It is an enjoyable time. The children enjoy it, and they also learn about other people’s cultures and some of their practices, whether it be basket weaving, painting or something of that nature.
Multiculturalism is not as high profile as it is in the northern suburbs, but there are definitely multicultural groups in the rural area, contributing to the community and the schools. They are a little shy, but I have come to know the different community groups reasonably well, and they are very enjoyable.
We are trying to help the Cambodians bring a second monk here, but dealing with the Department of Immigration and Border Protection is not one of the easiest tasks I have ever come across. But we will persist, and hopefully he will have some company in his elderly years.
In regard to seniors, it is good to see two councils set up, one for senior Territorians and one for multicultural affairs. There are some people from the rural area on the senior Territorians council, such as Eean Thorne. That is good to see; he will put forward the views of seniors and what the challenges are. One of the key challenges in the rural area for senior people is the lack of any aged-care facilities. I am not talking about aged-care for health reasons; I am talking about people who still wish to live in the rural area, but who are elderly. Whether we need to attract Masonic Homes or other people who build retirement villages similar to Pearl and the Tiwi – we need something in the rural area. It is an ageing population, and while the average age of a Territorian is only about 30, there is a large elderly contingent across the rural area.
We must start planning now. Perhaps the government could start to consider how to best use some of the parcels of land it owns – there are a few – to benefit and put back into the community. I will hold further discussions with government on that.
I cannot overlook Seniors poetry day at Taminmin Library, which is coordinated by the Friends of Taminmin Library. It is coming up, I think, in another week or so. It is part of Seniors Week and is a really good day where seniors write and read poetry and we have refreshments. The member for Nelson, Mr Wood, is the emcee, and we have music and an enjoyable time. If anyone is interested in that I am happy to provide details, because it is a good, fun time.
Thank you, minister, for bringing forward this statement. Youth is obviously an important issue in the rural area, but I will leave that for another time. I hope you take my comments on board about some of the needs and challenges in the rural area.
Debate suspended.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, it is with deep regret that I advise of the death, on 17 July 2014, of three Territorians, Mr Wayne Baker, Mrs Theresa Baker and Ms Emma Bell, aboard Malaysia Airlines flight 17, along with 295 other passengers from around the world and crew.
Honourable members, I advise of the presence in the gallery of family members Ms Barbara Bell, mother of Emma; Mr Bob Turnbull and Mrs Angela Turnbull, parents of Theresa Baker; Mr Steve Baker, son of Theresa and Wayne Baker; Ms Jodeen Carney, head of the Department of Families and Children; Mr Ken Davies, head of the Department of Education; Mr Stuart Dwyer, principal; Ms Miranda Watt, assistant principal; Mr Charlie Brian, traditional owner; and Mr Shane Dexter. To the many friends, colleagues and others who are here today to pay their respects, welcome. Thank you to members in the gallery wearing orange ribbons as that was Theresa’s favourite colour.
Mr GILES (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I move that this Assembly expresses its deep regret at the death of Mr Wayne Baker, Mrs Theresa Baker and Ms Emma Bell.
It is with great sadness that I stand here today to I remember the 298 people whose lives were tragically cut short on 17 July 2014 when Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over the Ukraine.
The scale of this horrific act is difficult for many of us to comprehend. There are 298 people dead, 298 people from all over the world killed in an instant and senseless act, killed in a war they were taking no part in. It is a long list of names, and I urge everyone to read them. It is heartbreaking.
The sudden loss of a loved one is always a shock, but to lose someone on the other side of the world in the skies above a foreign war must be almost an unbearable trauma. To watch it all played out on national television must make it much harder.
The international community has done a magnificent job of recovering the remains of the loved ones from the crash site. But it must be a long time before the identification process can be completed, and that makes it harder still. The Australian government is doing all it can to have the bodies of Australians returned home. We stand ready to support the authorities in any way we can to assist return of the loved ones for a proper farewell.
It is a terrible tragedy which will be relived time and time again over the coming months as those killed come home and are laid to rest with their loving families and friends. Our thoughts and condolences go to all the families and friends of those 298 people in this disaster, especially the families and friends of the 38 Australians and permanent residents who died in this tragedy.
Some days become permanently etched in our memories. Unfortunately, for all the wrong reasons, Friday 17 July 2014 is one of those days.
I was in Katherine when news of the crash first broke. Like the rest of the world, I found myself asking, ‘How could this happen to innocent civilians?’ Who could justify shooting down a passenger jet plane out of the sky? What did those responsible hope to achieve? To those questions we still do not have answers, and maybe we never will.
Rightly or wrongly, my most pressing concern, and immediate in my mind, was whether Territorians had been caught up in the disaster. By late afternoon my worst fears were realised. Three of our own were confirmed as being amongst the dead. Three of our own were victims of a civil war thousands of kilometres away from home. All three local victims worked for the Territory government, and I would like to take a moment to talk about the type of work they did in the service of the Northern Territory.
Wayne and Theresa Baker were both public servants to their core. Wayne had retired after a long career with Treasury, and Theresa was planning to do the same after many years in the Department of Children and Families.
Theresa was enjoying being on long service leave and was counting down the days until her retirement early next year. The couple had planned a new life travelling the world. Friends described Wayne as a fun-loving person who enjoyed the outdoors, and Theresa as funny, witty and generous with her time. Work colleagues say Theresa stayed connected to the people she met throughout her career and always took the opportunity to catch up with past colleagues. She was an absolute inspiration with an open personality and a ‘can do’ attitude.
Theresa and Wayne were both members of the Trailer Boat Club community, and shared their love of fishing and boating with friends there. They used to laugh about life in the tropics and told a story about how they were caught in a nasty tropical storm in Darwin Harbour one day, and decided to run for cover in the mangroves. Theresa looked down and saw a crocodile while Wayne looked up and spotted a snake, and so they bolted out back to sea to take their chances with the lightning.
They loved the Territory lifestyle, and enjoyed raising their two sons, Jeff and Steven, with a love for the same interests in a relaxed and easygoing community. Our thoughts are with Jeff and Steven as they grapple with this grief.
Emma Bell was a highly respected teacher who chose to work in some of our remote communities. It is difficult work, but Emma was in her element. She was well known and loved by former students at Shepherdson College in Galiwinku on Elcho Island, Numbulwar in East Arnhem and at Maningrida School. Maningrida principal, Stuart Dwyer, said:
She was adopted into a local family who speak highly of the contribution she made to education. She was known for her love of hats, and they show up in many images of Emma that have been posted on the Internet since we received the dreadful news about MH17.
Emma even wore hats to class, as part of her daily personality. Colleagues remember Emma fondly, as someone with a true zest for life, a keen traveller with a happy and positive nature, who left a real impression on the community. Emma was on her way home from a holiday to start the new school semester when she boarded that fateful flight.
Emma had just turned 30 and had her whole life ahead of her. A young woman with a generous and sensitive nature, Emma will be sadly missed by all her knew her. The Education minister, Peter Chandler, and I had the honour of meeting Emma’s mother, Barbara and her father, Peter and brother, Shaun earlier this month when they flew to the Territory to see where their daughter and sister had spent much of her adult life.
They travelled to Maningrida, met school staff, students, community leaders and community members. The whole town joined the family in a memorial service for Emma and a traditional smoking ceremony, before visiting the surrounding homelands where Emma taught. It was a fitting tribute to a fine young lady and her family.
There have been many tears shed for these three Territorians since the tragedy, especially among colleagues in the public service. In some way we have all been touched by this terrible tragedy, and we are now united in grief over 298 innocent lives lost.
The downing of flight MH17 is a reminder to all of us that the world can be a very dangerous place. It is the worst loss of Australian life overseas since the 2002 Bali bombing, when 88 Australians were killed. In the past 41 years, nine airliners have been shot down around the world, killing almost 1200 innocent people. It is a ridiculous loss of life, but at our core we remain a nation of travellers and a Territory of adventurers.
Theresa, Wayne and Emma were no exception. They all died doing something they loved – exploring the world. Those responsible for this crash cannot be allowed to rob Territorians, Australians and people from around the world of the great pleasure of travel and making wonderful new friends across the world. That is not what any of the three adventurers would have wanted.
Hundreds of Territorians have left messages of support for the families of the three travellers in condolence books over the past month. I hope the outpouring of support from Territorians goes some way to easing the burden of the terrible tragedy.
We will keep Barbara, Peter, Shaun, Jeff and Steven in our thoughts, along with everyone lost on MH17. Rest in peace Emma, Theresa and Wayne.
Madam Speaker, it is now my great honour to present these condolence books to the family members on behalf of all Territorians.
Ms LAWRIE (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I endorse the words of the Chief Minister and add the opposition’s sincere condolences to the family and friends of Emma Bell, and Theresa and Wayne Baker.
This disaster is an immense tragedy felt, as we know, around the world. There were 298 innocent people killed in a war that is not theirs. The shock of this tragedy has been felt in our own back yard in the Territory.
Emma had just turned 30 and, as we heard, was returning to Australia from a holiday in Europe to begin the school term. She was not born in the Territory; she was from the New South Wales town of Lithgow, but her community here had embraced her with open arms, just as she had done them. Emma had been a homelands teacher for the previous 18 months. She would travel from the Maningrida college along bush tracks to the smaller outstations in Arnhem Land, teaching students aged from one to eight.
Maningrida college principal, Stuart Dwyer, told the ABC that at the time of her death Emma had been learning the local language and had been adopted by an Indigenous family. They had given her a skin name, such was the esteem in which she was held. Mr Dwyer said the community held a smoking ceremony, which was led by the family and included Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and staff from other agencies. Mr Dwyer described Emma as a special person and an educator who had made powerful inroads in the community. He described the ceremony as extremely emotional, with Indigenous leaders, traditional owners, saying words which were extremely special.
Emma Bell had an amazing relationship with the students who are now deeply saddened by her loss. The local Maningrida footy club paid tribute to her on its Facebook page, which was flooded with tributes. David Young wrote:
Hallie Hodder wrote:
From Josh Maloney this:
On behalf of the opposition I extend our sincerest condolences to Emma’s family and friends, and thank you for allowing our community to have experienced her compassion and her special skill as a fine educator.
Long-time Territorians, Wayne and Theresa Baker, were at the end of a six-week European holiday. As we have heard, Wayne was retired after a long career in the Northern Territory government Treasury and as a consultant to the Commonwealth government. Theresa was in semi-retirement, planning to retire after many years in the Northern Territory public service at the Health department and the Department of Children and Families.
Wayne was well-respected and highly regarded, well-known for giving his time to mentoring colleagues at Treasury. He had worked in the revenue office and played a key role in establishing the original revenue administration ICT system. He was also instrumental in the first outsourcing of the government’s ICT services in the Territory. After leaving the Territory public service in 2001, he moved in to the Commonwealth public service and, later, worked as a consultant. He worked with a number of Territory government agencies, and in his down time, as we have heard, he was a very keen angler.
Theresa also worked closely with the Territory Treasury. As a business manager working in the Health department and, later, in Families and Children, she worked with Treasury to frame and manage the budgets in these agencies. She is very warmly remembered by Treasury budget officers. Developing the budget is an arduous process, it takes considerable effort from the officers at Treasury and their counterparts in the agencies. Theresa was well-respected by Treasury officers for her professionalism during this process. In her own agency, Theresa was warmly regarded by her colleagues as a genuine and lovely person. She was also held in warm regard by the non-government organisations she worked closely with in managing Commonwealth grants and funding agreements.
Wayne and Theresa Baker were both good people, residents of Palmerston – raising their sons, they had given so many years of service to the people of the Territory. Devoted, they had been married for more than 30 years and had invested so much love into their sons Jeff and Steven. In semi-retirement, they shared their time between the Territory and the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. They loved to travel and were in the process of planning a year-long road trip around Australia, and had already bought a camper trailer and four-wheel drive. In March, Theresa took long service leave and the insatiable travellers embarked on their latest adventure, spending six weeks in Bali and Thailand, before heading to Europe.
Theresa’s mother Angela described her daughter as a very outgoing and strong person. Friends describe a devoted couple, avid travellers who were planning a retirement filled with adventure. They also speak of a couple with a strong generosity of spirit. In the Queensland city of Bundaberg during last year’s floods, Wayne was one of the first people in to the CBD to help businesses take stock to higher ground. That is just the sort of people they were.
We mourn these fine people, so savagely and pointlessly torn from our lives, from our community, from their families and their friends. Their loves ones with learn to live with their absence, but not yet. Quite rightly, there is still grief and anger. We trust the international community will not rest until those who perpetrated this atrocity are brought to justice - the sooner the better.
What has happened is not fair. On behalf of the opposition, I say to Theresa and Wayne’s family and friends, and to Emma Bell’s family and friends, we share your grief. Once again, thank you for allowing these very fine people to enhance the lives of so many Territorians. Our deepest condolences.
Mr CHANDLER (Education): Madam Speaker, I echo the Chief Minister and the Leader of the Opposition’s remarks and thank them for their heartfelt words.
Any loss of life is always heartbreaking, but when you learn that 298 innocent civilians have become victims of a foreign war, one they had no role in, it is hard to understand. It was senseless, and I hope, especially for the families of the 35 victims who called Australia home, that justice prevails in this case.
I know Prime Minister Abbott and Foreign Minister Bishop are doing all they can to ensure that happens. This is undoubtedly one of the worst tragedies in Australia’s recent history. It is the biggest loss of Australian lives, as the Chief Minister said, since the Bali bombings in 2002, something we all hoped we would never have to deal with again.
On first hearing the news through the Department of Education and the Chief Minister’s office, I was soon to learn I had a connection with all three, one a teacher, and I was the local member for the other two; they lived in the suburb of Bakewell.
Emma was a teacher at Maningrida School, and Wayne and Theresa Baker lived in the seat of Brennan, my electorate. When you learn that all three have been tragically killed in a plane, so many thousands of miles away, it soon dawns on you how small the world is sometimes.
I had the honour and pleasure of meeting Emma’s parents, Barbara and Peter, and her brother Shaun. We discussed, amongst other things, Emma’s passion for education and travel. Not long after the tragedy I learned there were already plans for a smoking ceremony in Maningrida, and I knew straight away in what high regard that community held Emma.
The family was invited to Maningrida, where the community held a memorial for Emma, someone who had become a valued member of the community in a very short period of time. Maningrida elders took Emma’s family to the surrounding homelands where Emma taught. They took part in traditional smoking ceremonies, and I am glad to know Emma’s family had the opportunity to meet the people whose lives she certainly touched.
I thank school principal, Stuart Dwyer, and the Maningrida community for allowing that to happen. I also pay tribute to the Education department, which worked tirelessly to ensure Emma’s parents had the support they needed when they came to the Northern Territory. It is something very special, and Emma had that connection with Maningrida, as people have spoken about.
Wayne and Theresa had a long and dedicated career in the Northern Territory public service, Wayne with Treasury and Theresa with the Department of Children and Families. They are survived by their sons Jeff and Steven, and, like many Territorians, Wayne and Theresa were avid fishos and liked nothing more than wetting a line.
Wayne had recently retired and the couple was looking toward a well-earned retirement, travelling the world, enjoying each other’s company. Sadly, they did not get the chance to do that.
I remember listening at the MH17 memorial service held by Bishop Eugene Hurley a number of weeks ago. In his speech he said there is good and bad in everybody in this world. From time to time, as a society, we seem to focus or even whinge about the smallest of things – to hear how something so many thousands of kilometres away had affected the Northern Territory and Australia.
With the craziness that goes on in the world from time to time, and with all the bitterness and infighting we have, even in this room, I would rather live in Australia than any other place in the world. People in this Chamber or sitting outside will do their utmost to uphold the standards we should, and that we will fight to ensure we have the life we have today, without fear, and without bending to the people who want to bring this rot onto the wonderful world we have.
From the bottom of my heart, and on behalf of this parliament, the Northern Territory public service and the education fraternity, my thoughts go out to the families who have lost someone close to them in this tragic incident. I hope there will be justice soon; however, I know nothing will ever replace what has been taken from you.
Mr KURRUPUWU (Arafura): Madam Speaker, on behalf of the electorate of Arafura and members of the Palmer United Party, I wish to express my heartfelt sorrow to those families who lost their loved ones in the MH17 tragedy, particularly the very sad passing of Miss Emma Bell, who was a highly respected person in my electorate.
Miss Bell had been a homelands teacher based at Maningrida college. She would visit this homeland along bush tracks to pass on her skills and knowledge to students aged one to eight. She was an exceptional person who was in this world to make a difference. As part of her dedication, she was learning the local language and she had been adopted by an Aboriginal family. Ms Bell was a special, wonderful person who was a highly-respected educator in the community.
I would especially like to express my condolences to the family, co-workers and students of Ms Bell. From this tragedy, we will feel her loss greatly.
Mr ELFERINK (Child Protection): Madam Speaker, as the Minister for Child Protection in this jurisdiction, it is incumbent on me to add my voice to the condolence motion that will be supported, I presume, by all members of this House.
We live in an age of miracles and wonder. If you think about what an aeroplane is – I think this was a 767 – it is a small slither of aluminium held aloft by pieces of moving metal and fuel, producing thousands and thousands of pounds of thrust, held aloft on air so thin that you and I could not successfully breathe it.
I travel because of my work quite regularly, and when I sit in aeroplanes, I am often thinking about the machine we are sitting in, and how frail and fragile it is, 10 000 m – 10 km – above the earth. When we look out the windows we are looking down a very long way, and yet we do not even think about those things any more.
The miracle and the wonder has become the everyday and the mundane, and so I can well imagine what that aircraft was like on 17 July, and what was going on inside the aircraft. What was going on was nothing spectacular. I imagine there were probably a couple of kids running up and down the aisles, people sitting next to each other, sleeping, slightly irritated about the length of the flight, possibly food coming out from the galley, the normal processes of an aircraft, and then suddenly ‘snap’. The universe changed, because somebody 10 km away, sitting with a piece of equipment supplied, probably by Russia, a BUK surface-to-air missile system, was not capable of using this missile properly and not capable of identifying their target. It was an aircraft, ‘We’ll have a shot at it’. The lives of 289 people, in an instant, changed.
We talk about Wayne, Theresa and Emma, but I often think about the person who pulled the trigger. I will remember that person in prayers. If that person was a person of good conscience, presumably a man, then I will pray for that person to discover some peace, because they will know none in their life. However, if the person who pulled that trigger was a brute, who did not really care about what he was doing, then I will pray that he will develop a conscience over his life, that he may know the enormity of his crime, even when he is brought to justice for it.
I listened to this condolence motion and I recalled the day that I saw it appear on television. I was in Katherine at the time. I thought to myself, ‘Damn it, another plane full of strangers struck down in a war that most people would never understand, let alone have heard of’. It did not occur to me that the proximity of that tragedy would be what it ultimately was. I confess, I was more deeply touched by it, because of its proximity, but every time one of these heinous crimes is committed, somebody is proximal to the victims, somebody loses wives, husbands, fathers, sisters, daughters, cousins, aunties, and the tragedy is played out again and again.
So what can we do about it here in the Territory parliament?
While I was listening to the other speakers it occurred to me that we can only respond in one way, and that is to express ourselves as the society we are and continue to live free and unafraid of a world which is full of the most magnificent wonders, as well as the most terrible crimes.
Sitting here I was thinking of my own daughters, now nine and seven years old, who in 10 years will doubtlessly be flitting off around the world, and I will tell them not to be afraid. I will say to them, ‘Explore that world and be brave’. Yes, there is a risk that something horrible can happen, but something far more horrible is that we become afraid and lose our freedom in the process. When I tell my daughters that, I will remember Wayne, Theresa and Emma. I will say to them that in a country where the citizens are free we should express that freedom in how we live. When some of us are taken away prematurely because we express that freedom, we should be freer and exercise that freedom ever more passionately, and assert our belief in ourselves as a free society.
Ms WALKER (Nhulunbuy): Madam Speaker, I join in thanking the Chief Minister for bringing this motion before the House today so we can pay tribute to innocent lives lost, give some comfort to those who have lost precious loved ones and to assure, in particular, the families of Emma Bell, and Wayne and Theresa Baker, that their loved ones have left the Territory a better and richer place for their service and contribution to Territorians.
In acknowledging the loss we also send a message to Territorians and the world that we condemn the actions of renegades in a war far from our shores and our lives, which has, nonetheless, claimed the lives of innocent victims who had nothing to do with the hostilities of foreign nations whose airspace they were simply passing through.
The Malaysia Airlines crash, an unmitigated and unprecedented disaster, a tragedy, a little over a month ago on 17 July, has rocked communities and families around the world.
The loss of 283 innocent passengers, and 15 members who made up the crew of MH17, has affronted our sense of what is right and our sense of decency on a number of levels.
Newspapers and news bulletins have brought into our living rooms the multitude of stories of that ill-fated flight on 17 July, the stories of nearly 300 citizens of our global village who were on that flight that day for many of reasons – people’s mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons and daughters, people from all walks of life.
We have heard in the Chamber this afternoon many of the memories of the three Territorians lost. I too would like to share, in particular, some of the memories of Emma Bell. She was a talented and dedicated school teacher, passionate about her profession, who, it seems, had found her niche in teaching in the remote Indigenous schools of Arnhem Land, a place I feel blessed to call home, and I know she did too.
We have heard about Emma’s time teaching, most recently at Maningrida, and the way she was embraced and very much a part of her students’ lives, their families’ lives and community life. We know from that special and moving traditional ceremony held at Maningrida the enormous sense and depth of loss amongst the Indigenous and non-Indigenous community which grieves for Emma. Teacher Clare Jelley, a colleague of Emma’s, described her memorial service at Maningrida as, ‘Sad, but a very Emma service’.
Apart from Maningrida and Numbulwar, Emma also taught at Shepherdson College in my electorate. Shepherdson College is the government school at Galiwinku, or Elcho Island as it is known, and I am indebted to her former colleagues, Kaye Findlay, Clare Jelley and Bryan Hughes, who have shared with me their memories of a vibrant young woman with a quirky collection of hats, a necessary accessory in the year-round Arnhem Land sun, and which has featured, as the Chief Minister noted, in so many photographs of her, always with a beaming smile.
Emma did two teaching stints at Shepherdson College, the first in 2007. It was not long after her arrival that Emma was adopted by Eilish Marrkuniny, which saw her taken into the fold of the Garawirrtja family and, as such, her bpurru, or clan, was Gupapuyngu Birrkili. Emma’s adopted name was Galuku, which means coconut tree, of which there are many at beautiful Galiwinku.
Adoption of Balanda, or non-Indigenous people, like Emma into Yolngu communities - or any Indigenous community for that matter - is not only a great honour for the adoptee, it also meets a cultural need, perhaps even a necessity, to find order and a place of belonging in the Yolngu world for the adoptee, because the adoption also determines the place amongst an extended family, which means that anywhere Emma went, including Maningrida, people would know who she was, how she was related to others and, importantly, who would look out for her and have responsibility for her safety whilst on country.
While we may be very clear about our own western Balanda view of the world, about where we belong and our connection to family and country, regardless of where we are, Yolngu have explained to me that they find it difficult, even confusing, to grapple with Balanda who they think of as leaves, constantly blowing in the wind and drifting from place to place. Indeed, they almost feel sorry for Balanda who do not have that connection to country and everything in it, and so they embrace Balanda through adoption in order to offer a place in their world, as much in a spiritual sense as in a familial sense.
In the Yolngu world, everything has a place so there is a balance and order. This is why there is an intricate system of moiety, like yin and yang, the two halves that must balance. In the Yolngu world, these two halves are dhuwa and yirritja. For Emma her adoption was yirritja; she brought balance and was accepted into that world.
Let me be clear that this does not, and should not, in any way diminish Emma’s own place in her Balanda family, in fact, quite the opposite. It enhances and strengthens her place in the world. Emma’s adoption broadens the wider family that cares for her and, during her time in Arnhem Land, watched out for her while on country. It is quite a moving gesture, and I place this on the record today for Emma’s Balanda family - her parents and her brother - to comfort them in the knowledge their daughter had a special place in the hearts of not only her students and colleagues, but her extended Yolngu family, or gurrutu.
On arrival at Shepherdson College in 2007, fellow teacher Clare Jelley, who still teaches there, described Emma as a passionate and fun-loving, girl and told me that Emma taught a class of senior kids and absolutely loved it. She taught them English and media, and was so proud when her students all made documentaries of their lives. In the words of Clare Jelley:
Clare goes on:
I thank Clare Jelley for sharing those precious memories of Emma.
Kaye Findlay at Shepherdson College also recalls Emma as a ‘really happy and vibrant person’, who returned for a second stint at the school in 2012. In Kaye’s words, on learning of the tragedy and the loss of Emma:
Kaye goes on:
In closing, Emma clearly had a place in the Northern Territory and a very special place in the hearts of the people and traditional owners of Arnhem Land. She has been taken from her Balanda and Yolngu families, and those who knew and loved her, way too soon. In paying tribute to Emma Bell, we remember a young woman who was loved, valued and who had enriched and touched the lives of so many.
I trust and pray that at this difficult time her parents, Barbara and Peter and her brother, Shaun, can take some comfort and pride in that and cherish the memories of her.
I also place on the record my sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of Wayne and Theresa Baker, including sons, Jeff and Steven, at this very sad and difficult time. May they rest in peace.
Mr STYLES (Transport): Madam Speaker, firstly, I express my sincere condolences to the family and friends of those lost on Malaysia Airlines flight MH17. To lose someone close in any circumstances is heartbreaking. To lose a loved one in these circumstances is something I cannot imagine. It is hard for all of us to comprehend. The tragic loss of 298 lives has touched many around the world. Families from the Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium and Canada are all united in grief.
Closer to home, in our region there are 30 families from Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia who are also grief-stricken at the events which took place in the sky over the Ukraine on 17 July 2014. Those people and many of their relatives who live in Darwin are still struggling to understand how such a thing could happen.
The Northern Territory has been hit with the loss of three well-respected Territorians in this tragic disaster, all of who were loved and much-valued members of our community.
Theresa and Wayne Baker and Emma Bell will surely be missed by so many. I join with many other Territorians in being deeply saddened by this loss. Our nation has shown great compassion and reverence for the victims and their families. As we have seen, Australia has mobilised its resources to bring them home. As the Chief Minister mentioned, Theresa and Wayne Baker were public servants; devoting their lives to the community through their work was second nature to these inspiring Territorians.
Theresa’s work in the Department of Children and Families inspired those who worked with her. The CEO of the department has informed me of how well respected Theresa was and how much she will be missed. Accounts passed to me have touched me deeply.
Her time in remote communities for both Children and Families and the Department of Health brought her into contact with many people across the Territory. She was also seen by her colleagues and friends as a go-to person on remote services. Her corporate knowledge has been described as second to none. Many remarked on her skipping through the office, such was Theresa’s attitude and energy.
Theresa had a dry sense of humour, insisted on having fun and subscribed to the theory that happiness is a journey, not a destination, and she showed it day in, day out. It is a lesson we should all take to heart.
Theresa’s husband, Wayne, had retired after a career in Treasury, and together they were looking forward to commencing the new stage of their lives upon their return. I know I speak for all of us in saying they will be missed.
Also an avid traveller, about to embark on a life journey of her own, was a very passionate teacher, Emma Bell. As we have heard today from other speakers, Emma has worked in remote communities across the Territory, including Galiwinku, Elcho Island, and Maningrida, brought her into contact with many people, many of whom have expressed their sorrow already, but will also quietly miss her in their own way.
Emma obviously was a person who loved to work and it showed. Her enthusiasm was infectious amongst her students, she relished the challenging work in these communities, and Emma was in her element. Upon her return Emma was to begin a new semester with her students and staff who have all spoken very highly of her. Her colleagues and especially her local family who adopted her will also be heartened by the passionate and highly regarded work she did right across Arnhem Land.
Territorians stick by each other and, in my experience, rally in times of need. We have many examples in our history of that Territory bond, and I can assure Territorians and those listening that Emma’s memory will live on in the lives of those communities which she touched.
The circumstances of the loss of Theresa, Wayne and Emma are tragic. In life they all loved to explore and took great advantage of the opportunities to travel.
It is important to recognise that Malaysian Airlines continues to provide vital links between Australia and the Northern Territory, and I encourage all Territorians to maintain their passion and zest for life and to continue to explore the world. We must not let these sad events deter us from taking advantage of the Territory’s unique location and proximity to Asia, and from there the world.
At this time of grief we should also cast our minds to the families of those missing on Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370. Their loss has been compounded by the absence of closure of this incident. These families are going through difficult times with the recent and understandable focus on MH17. I say to the families of those who are missing on MH370, you are also in our prayers and thoughts at this time.
It is my hope that between me, as the Minister for Transport, my colleagues, the opposition, all those in this House and Territorians, we will do whatever we can with the federal government to ensure we pursue the people responsible for this and, along with the international community, bring them to justice for such a despicable act.
It is such a sad time for those who have lost loved ones and their friends. I pass on to them and all those affected Territorians my sincere and heartfelt condolences. As we walk through our own journey of life we all hope that we make a difference and can make an impact on the places we have been. I believe, when we look at what we have heard here today and the stories about Emma, Theresa and Wayne, that they each have left a legacy to those they have touched that we should take as an example of how we should conduct our own lives. Some fantastic stories.
Madam Speaker, my sincere condolences to the family and friends of Emma, Theresa and Wayne. We have all lost three great Australians.
Ms FYLES (Nightcliff): Madam Speaker, I also join in thanking the Chief Minister for bringing this motion to the House. I did not personally know Emma Bell or the retired Territory public servants Wayne Baker and his wife Theresa, but I extend my sincere condolences to the families and friends who knew them and loved them.
They were three proud Territorians who were taken from us too early. They all left legacies for the Territory, Emma with her work as an educator and Wayne and Theresa as long-time well-regarded public servants.
We know that on 17 July Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 crashed in Eastern Ukraine in an area controlled by pro-Russian separatist forces. The plane was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, cruising at about 10 000 metres. Sadly, all 298 people on board, including 28 Australian nationals, were killed. As a mother and a former teacher I can only imagine the pain felt by the families and friends of these victims, particularly Emma Bell, and Wayne and Theresa Baker.
Emma was a young person making her mark, Wayne and Theresa were at a stage in their life where they were able to relax and indulge their passions, but all were taken too soon. Travelling was the passion they shared.
Theresa was also passionate about her work in the Department of Children and Families and before that the Department of Health. She had a strong reputation as a person who genuinely cared about the stakeholders and organisations she worked with, providing support and assistance to ensure they were able to understand their obligations and responsibilities. She went above and beyond in her role.
By all accounts, Emma was an extraordinary person, a Territory treasure. As we have heard today in the stories of her teaching in our indigenous communities, she absolutely loved it. She was teaching in Maningrida and travelling back to Darwin to start the new school term. Being a homelands teacher for the previous 18 months she would travel from Maningrida college to the smaller outstations in Arnhem Land, teaching students aged one to eight. She was a dedicated and passionate teacher.
By all accounts Emma thrived as a bush teacher. As we heard, Maningrida principal, Stuart Dwyer, told the ABC Miss Bell was learning the local language and had been adopted by a local Indigenous family. The local community in Maningrida loved and welcomed her.
Mr Dwyer went on to say:
To be a teacher is a passionate job, one you do because you care about children. To teach in our Indigenous communities is a step beyond that, and it is important we recognise that today.
The local people saw Emma as an outstanding educator. Reading the Facebook comments from her colleagues and friends it is clear the local community, as well as the Territory, is devastated.
Described as an outstanding educator, Emma will be remembered by her past students and community members in Maningrida. She was one of our own.
Theresa and Wayne will also be sorely missed. While these tributes today cannot take away the loss and grief felt by the families and friends of Emma, Wayne and Theresa, I hope the legacy they leave will be of some comfort.
To the families and friends across the Territory and Australia, particularly those in the gallery today, our deepest sympathy, and our hearts go out to you.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I also thank the Chief Minister for bringing this condolence motion forward.
Australia and the Territory have recently paid homage to those who died in the tragic downing of MH17, and today we have the opportunity to do the same.
The morning I heard the news I felt sick in my stomach, not just because of the terrible reality of a passenger plane being shot out of the sky, but also because in April this year I flew over the Ukraine twice on Malaysia Airlines, so it could have happened to me.
The news came in that there were Australians on board. Again, that was terrible enough to hear. That they had come from other states was bad enough, but when I found out people on board had come from the Territory it brought the extent of the tragedy home even more.
Emma Bell was a school teacher at Maningrida and Theresa and Wayne Baker were from Palmerston. Although I did not know them personally, my sister, Trisha, worked with Theresa in the Department of Children and Families, and my brother-in-law, Tony, knew them well through the Trailer Boat Club and many a fishing trip down the Daly.
All of a sudden, something had happened in far off Ukraine, a war that seems miles away in our lives came so close to home. It has affected us all, even if we do not know them. Perhaps that is one of the great things about living in the Territory. It could have been me. It could have been anyone who flew across the Ukraine. Why was it Emma, Theresa and Wayne and all the other people who flew on MH17? We will never know.
It also affected the people who worked with these people. Even though I did not know Emma, I have something from the DCF website my sister, Trish, sent me and would like to read it.
These words will not necessarily take away the sadness and grief, but perhaps it is an opportunity to take stock of our lives, to live each day as if it was the last, to love those we love even more and to forgive those who we hate, because if we do not and we fill our heats with revenge, evil will win over good.
My deepest sympathies to the families of Emma, Theresa and Wayne, and my sympathy to the families of all those people who died on that tragic day.
Mrs FINOCCHIARO (Drysdale): Madam Speaker, I thank the Chief Minister and all the speakers who have followed him for their words of condolence.
For me, this tragic event has shown just how interconnected the world really is and how grief can be felt by an entire community.
I offer my deepest and sincerest condolences to all the families and friends of the 298 victims of MH17, the Malaysian Airlines flight that was senselessly destroyed while flying over the Ukraine on Friday 17 July.
Across the entire world, communities have been mourning since MH17’s downing. Citizens from so many nations have been lost in a callous, quick, and violent act. These people had nothing to do with the regional conflict below them, and I find it heart-wrenching to consider the innocent victims, consisting of flight crew going about their jobs and passengers travelling for business or taking a holiday.
Our country, sadly, lost 38 people in this horrific event. Losing so many Australian lives on a scale like this has created shock, anger, and disbelief. Just consider that 38 Aussies are no longer with us because of this tragedy; 38 people robbed of their lives and ripped from ours.
The Northern Territory community has not gone untouched; indeed, we as a community have been hit very hard, with Emma, Wayne, and Theresa taken from us far too soon.
Emma’s loss is being felt very hard by all those who knew her. The Chief Minister spoke about Emma just turning 30 - my age - a young lady, full of life, who gave so much back to her community through her work a teacher. Emma’s passing will leave an enormous hole in the lives of her family, friends and colleagues.
I mentioned how connected communities can be, and this is also evident with the loss of Wayne and Theresa Baker. Wayne and Theresa lived in Palmerston and lived life to the full, dedicated public servants who were very well-regarded by their peers.
Jeff and Steven Baker - Wayne and Theresa’s sons - are also residents of Palmerston, and I say to these young men that the community is in disbelief and wants to support you in any way it can. On behalf of the people of Drysdale, I extend our sympathies to you during this unimaginable time of grief.
We hope the thoughts and prayers scripted in the public condolence books presented to you by the Chief Minister bring you some small comfort. My sincerest condolences.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I also extend my condolences and sympathies to the families of those Territorians and other people aboard Malaysian Airlines flight MH17, and to their friends, on their departing.
I extend my sincere sympathies to you for what is clearly a great loss. I am sure your hearts will feel pain for many years, if not forever. Grief is a very personal thing, and your collective grief has been shared today in this parliament. For that we feel honoured.
Thank you for allowing us to show our respects to your lost family members and to commemorate the lives of Wayne and Theresa Baker, and Emma Bell. May they rest in peace. Vale Theresa, Wayne and Emma.
Motion agreed to.
Members stood in silence for one minute as a sign of respect.
The CLERK: Mr Deputy Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 100A. I inform honourable members that responses to Petitions No 35 and 37 have been received and circulated to honourable members.
The text of the response will be placed on the Legislative Assembly website. A copy of the response has been provided to the members who tabled the petitions for distribution to the petitioners.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the minister for his statement on multicultural affairs, youth and seniors. I have heard many of these statements over the years. They sound nice and certainly have some good things in them. The member for Wulagi – Wanguri. I used to get mixed up with those suburbs when I played cricket. I would go to Wanguri oval when I was supposed to be at Wulagi oval. You can see my geography is no good.
Be that as it may, the member for Wanguri raised many issues, some supportive and some with concerns.
I would like to raise some concerns which should be dealt with a little more deeply with statements like this. Perhaps it is a deliberate ploy to get us to dig a little deeper than if the minister raised some of these issues himself.
My concern is that when we talk about youth we seem to talk them as if it were some homogenous group of people. The government sets up networks; it sets up the forum we have in parliament, the round table, and they are all good, do not get me wrong. But when the minister talks about youth, does he also talk about the youth who have difficulty getting a job or who do not stay at school, especially in some of the remote areas?
A friend has been working in a community on some courses with young people between 13 and about 16. He said the other day that these young people are not interested at all. That could be a fault of the course. I am not saying that is not the case, but the reality is some of these kids have been in and out of Don Dale and some just do not listen to their elders. Some of these kids have no goal; they are not going anywhere. I wonder, when we talk about youth, are we concentrating on the main centres? Has the minister for Youth been to some of the communities to see whether these policies we talk about today are making any difference to the lives of young people in the bush?
There is always a danger that – we sometimes mention it in our committee meetings – you can go up and down the track and there will be issues for sure, but we sometimes do not get to those places where it is not quite the same. The problems with youth might be more variable to what we see in the main centres. I sometimes feel statements are made at a certain level and the reality is about 3 m below.
This gentleman, who spoke to me the other day, really wondered what the point was. He was trying to get them some qualifications, they were not interested, and there is probably a very good reason why. There are no jobs. Why would you bother getting an education if there are no jobs?
At times we talk about some of these issues at a higher level – about employment and housing – but if we make a statement about youth, how do those issues affect youth? If there are no jobs in some remote communities, what is the hope for young people out there?
You have a reasonable chance of getting a job in most of our main centres, although listening to some of what was said in Tennant Creek recently, unemployment is quite high. All those things affect our young people and their future. If you do not see any hope of getting a job, why would you bother learning? That is an area I hoped the minister, when talking about youth in his statement, could cover. He might say it is the Department of Education’s area, or if it is to do with Don Dale it is something for the Minister for Correctional Services. But this statement is about young Territorians. It is a broad statement, and some of the bigger, heavy issues should be discussed in statements like this. If we have underlying problems now, with people not wanting to learn, what will it be like in the future if we do not attempt to turn some of that around? Some might say that people have to take responsibility for their own lives, and I understand that, but when you are talking about young Territorians, some of them are not capable of turning their lives around without a boot up the pants or some encouragement – a carrot and stick approach.
It concerns me that we need to have a broader discussion about the future of young people in remote communities. Are there enough sporting facilities? Do we fund our sport and recreation people sufficiently to make sure they can work on a continual basis in these communities? Are the facilities up to scratch or have they fallen into disrepair? It would be nice to get some idea of where youth is and where it is going in many of our communities.
The gentleman conducting these courses did say something good. I asked if anyone is interested in learning, and he said, ‘Yes, one or two’. I said, ‘In that case teach the one or two. Do not let them be brought down to a lower level simply because others are not interested in learning.’
The other issue that concerns me is in relation to senior Territorians and the government dropping concessions. I do not know whether anyone in Alice Springs gets these letters, but I have had a number of letters from Alice Springs as well as my area. People have written to me with great concern about the loss of concessions. I will read from a couple of letters which summarise how people are feeling.
This letter is from my area.
I received this on 19 June, and she wrote to minister Peter Styles, Minister for Senior Territorians, and two ministerial officers, and said:
I think she has now received a response, but she was frustrated that something did not happen fairly quickly.
She says:
I have another letter from Alice Springs. I will not read it all; I will read the good part of it:
I will not go on with the details, because they may identify the person.
She goes on to say:
That person is saying a person can come to the Territory, not live in the Northern Territory very long and be entitled to the concessions.
This was another letter in the NT News, or it might have been the Centralian Advocate:
I raise that because I think the government has forgotten senior Territorians. When I asked a question about this of the Minister for Senior Territorians in estimates, it was funny. He said, ‘Well, that is a question for the Minister for Health’. That is like a fob, and senior Territorians understand that. I get the feeling this government has not understood the depth of contempt for them from seniors who believe this is an unfair change to the concessions. These people have worked all their lives and, simply because the government decided on a certain date when they would change the rules, they miss out.
Other people who come for a short period, who have just arrived in the Northern Territory this year and have a Centrelink card are entitled to those concessions. If you tell me that is fair, I will go he. The government has swept it under the carpet as if it has not happened. Many older people may not get cranky in public, because that is the way they are. Many people prefer to worry about other things like grandchildren, a game of bowls or whatever, but when it comes to these issues they hope the government will do the right thing by them and support them. I see this government not supporting the seniors by changing the rules to the concessions. It is no big deal. Again, when I asked the minister at estimates, when he was appearing as the Minister for Senior Territorians, how much money was spent on the highway past Barrow Creek going through Ti Tree on opening up the road for the speedy drivers, he said he could not answer that because he was appearing as the minister for Seniors. He said, ‘If you want an answer on that, you will have to ask the Minister for Transport, which is me, but because of rules, I cannot answer it’.
I needed to ask the Minister for Senior Territorians two questions: one about the cost of upgrading the road and one about how much money was saved by cutting concessions. This is the only chance I have had to raise this, and I hope the minister does not say he does not know and that I will have to ask other ministers. That will not go down well with some of our seniors. I hope in summing up you explain to me how we can spend money on trivial things and cut concessions to older people, because they are the ones who have worked to keep the Territory going over many years. They are the ones who expected some response from the government in return for the work they have done, and these people have now been cut off from that.
The members for Goyder and Wanguri raised the issue of retirement villages. The rural area still does not have a retirement village. Unfortunately, somewhere in the politics of the world, we have a development occurring outside of the district centre at Humpty Doo, where the minister is saying he approved it partly because Gerry Wood wanted a retirement village. I did not want a retirement village where there is a private development occurring. I wanted the government to release land it owns in the middle of Humpty Doo for a retirement village. We are now losing people in the rural area. They want to get off their blocks of land and stay in the rural area; they would like to stay with their friends and community. They do not want to go to Pearl or Tiwi. They might be nice places – member for Fannie Bay, I am sure they are – but they have rural friends and are used to a rural lifestyle, which many people enjoy because of the fresh air and because it is not cluttered like some of the suburbs. The roads are slightly wider than some parts of Palmerston, as I recently found out in Zuccoli, where if you can squeeze a third vehicle up the road, you are lucky. There are reasons for that, and we will not go into them, but people do not want to live that type of cluttered lifestyle. They still want to be in their community where they are comfortable.
The previous government stuttered and undertook all sorts of things to avoid doing it, and this government, two years into its term, is doing the same. Why can it not release land in Humpty Doo district centre for a rural retirement village? You are close to the chemist, pub and supermarket, and there are two doctors. What more could anyone want? If you designed it in such a way that it gave people a bit of room to have a garden and a lawn it would be extremely popular. It just seems that no one wants to do anything in the rural area, unless somebody says they have a plan for government, can cut the rural area into little blocks to solve the housing problem and make a lot of money, which stuffs up the rural area. When we ask for something important like a retirement village, the government does not seem interested, and they have their priorities all up the pole. We need a retirement village for our seniors, and it will not take much for the government to do it. It would not take any skin off the back of government. It owns the land, and if it puts out expressions of interest for someone to develop a retirement village, it would have plenty of people putting their hands up for it.
Many rural people are willing to leave their blocks and sell them if some of that money would go into owning or leasing a retirement village house and they could put the rest of the money in the bank to invest in helping them live the rest of their lives with a reasonable income.
It is fine that we have a good, multicultural society. There are more Irish lollipop ladies in Darwin, I think, than anywhere else in the world. It is great, but we have some serious issues with young people in remote communities. Where will they go in life? What is their future? They are the more difficult questions. I do not have the answers necessarily, but it would be nice to hear some responses from the minister.
Also, why did you cut the concessions for seniors? What are you doing about a retirement village for people in the rural area? That is what I would like to hear. It is great to have the statement today, and I appreciate that the minister has brought it on, but sometimes these statements need a bit of a meat, and there is only bone in this statement.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE (Primary Industry and Fisheries): Mr Deputy Speaker, I am very pleased to support this statement on multicultural affairs, senior Territorians and young Territorians.
The support of a strong, proud and culturally confident society is essential to the enhancement of our diverse and multicultural way of life in the Northern Territory, and the establishment of the Minister’s Advisory Council – Senior Territorians and the Minister’s Advisory Council – Multicultural Affairs, in conjunction with the Youth Round Table, ensure this government is providing a voice for our seniors, members of our multicultural community and, of course, our youth. Indeed, the provision of high-level and strategic advice from these councils direct to the portfolio minister is important for informing relevant and current policy development. As the minister stated, it is critical that government listens to our people, and it is important that our youth, seniors and multicultural community members have the voice to contribute to policy directions and development.
In my electorate of Katherine we are incredibly lucky to have a very strong and culturally diverse community. The Katherine area benefits from many multicultural events and celebrations. The turnout of spectators and participants from the local community during events that recognise our diverse multicultural community is always great. It is always a pleasure for me to be able to go to many of those functions when I am in my electorate of Katherine.
For example, last year I met with teams from across the world who were passing through Katherine as a part of the 2013 solar challenge and was fortunate enough to meet and talk with many of the competitors, a great number of whom had travelled from overseas, bringing with them the experience and diversity of the culture from which they come. It was a pleasure to welcome those people into the community of Katherine, and is something I will continue to encourage in years to come.
I also had the great pleasure of attending the Indian association of Katherine function last year and give special thanks to Biju Mani for the hard work that went in to running it. The Katherine Filipino Australia Association NT, or KFAANT, runs a number of highly successful and well-attended events each year, including the Barrio Fiesta and multicultural day, Harmony Day and, of course, the ever-popular Miss KFAANT competition, which is dedicated to raising money for the local Filipino association to keep doing the great work it does in our community. The dedicated venue of the Mabuhay Hall is a popular and well-used community facility that is kindly shared by KFAANT and the wider community for a range of events and celebrations.
Katherine’s Thai community is highly regarded as having some of the best culinary delights. Took Hayes, Nepa Jolley and Renu Bretherton hold food stalls at the Katherine Community Market every Saturday, and I challenge you to find a better laksa, curry puff or spring roll anywhere else in the Territory.
Mrs Finocchiaro: Palmerston Markets.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: I will take that under advisement, member for Drysdale. In 2012 Katherine was honoured with a visit from the Indonesian Consul General. During this trip Indonesian cultural day celebrations were held, and included dance performances, a fashion show and cooking demonstrations at the Katherine Community Market.
Duah Asanema and Lyndal Carbery hold a fashion outlet which includes West African arts and crafts. They also run African drum and dance lessons for the town. This wonderful sharing of culture is so greatly valued in our community.
Shamwari meats, sold by Hilton and June Graham at the Katherine Community Market each Saturday provides members of the Katherine community with the opportunity to experience African food.
There are Chinese language lessons held every Wednesday evening at my electorate office, and how wonderful it is that the gift of language is available to anyone in the community who might wish to learn it.
Without the dedication, commitment and input of the many local members of the community, supported by grants from the government, I am sure many of these events would not be as successful as they are. The benefit of such events is immeasurable in their building of community spirit.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Katherine, could I interrupt for a minute.
Honourable members, I advise of the presence in the gallery of the Sri Lankan dancers from the Multicultural Dance Academy with the Minister for Multicultural Affairs. On behalf of honourable members, I extend a warm welcome to our visitors and hope you enjoy your visit to Parliament House.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: I am sure the minister will look after you.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: Mr Deputy Speaker, I pick up on that very warm welcome you gave to the Sri Lankan dancers. We do not have a strong Sri Lankan community in Katherine, but you would be most welcome to visit our community. We would love to see your performances and a celebration of the culture you bring to the community of the Northern Territory.
Our youth of today will be the leaders of tomorrow. Through an emphasis on leadership and development opportunities, we are committed to helping build our young people into strong and capable members of the community. The Youth Round Table is an excellent government-supported initiative that seeks to provide the opportunity for young Territorians to have input and direct communication with government into what is important for the youth of today.
I encourage all young people to consider applying to participate in the Youth Round Table, as no matter who you are or where you are from, you have a voice and experiences that would be of value to others around you. The round table is a wonderful opportunity to lend your voice to your peers and represent what is important to the youth of today.
It is important to recognise that many of the opportunities we have today would not be possible without the work done by our now senior community. It is our seniors who provided our generation with the foundation to flourish. It is only right that in what is often referred to as the golden years we recognise their importance to our community and provide them the support and opportunity they bestowed upon us.
There are many wonderful programs available to senior Territorians which they can take advantage of to continue to enjoy the Territory lifestyle. This government’s commitment to further enhance the celebration of senior Territorians is welcome news.
On a personal note, I have had some wonderful opportunities, particularly in my career as the local member in Katherine over the last six years, to engage at many levels across the multicultural society we have in the Northern Territory, with our youth and, unavoidably and joyfully so, with our seniors as well, from simple food stalls at a market right through to engaging with the Indian Navy when they brought their warship across a few months back, and to dealing with high-level officials from Indonesia or China. All those things are valuable, not only to the community of the Northern Territory but to me personally because I get so much from that experience. It is something I wish could go on forever.
In my travels around the world I am fascinated by the difference in cultures I come across as I move from country to country. If I go to a place like Vietnam – and there is a strong Vietnamese community in Darwin, and a few in Katherine as well - I see everybody is busy. I see commerce occurring in those countries at every level; everybody seems to be engaged and I find that sometimes totally different from what we experience in Australia. For me it is fascinating.
To see the entertainment, the dress and experience the food of the multicultural societies in the Territory, and when I go overseas, adds even greater depth to the experience I have, so I appreciate the opportunity to engage with the multicultural society on so many levels in the Territory and overseas.
The same could be said in different ways about our seniors and young people. Our young people have a lot to contribute to the Northern Territory. I have the pleasure, although not as often as I would like these days, to get to school assemblies in Katherine and to engage with classes. Whenever I do, I take the opportunity to remind those young people - the students, even when they are still in Year 1 or 2 - that they are the future leaders of our community and our society.
I tell them that the world is their oyster, that if they work hard and make some commitments they can be anything they want. If they want to be police officers, firefighters, nurses, teachers or leaders in the community - they could be the local mayor of the town – if they choose a path they can follow it and become successful.
Our seniors are, without a doubt, the people for whom we should have, arguably, the greatest respect. Many of them have spent their lives in the Northern Territory, building what we have today. They are our mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, grandparents or our adopted families in so many ways. Their contribution to Northern Territory society is something that should not go unnoticed, and it should never be underestimated. We should give our greatest respect to the seniors in the Northern Territory, and our great vote of thanks for all they have done before us, to give us the Northern Territory we have today.
I am always very pleased to stand here in support of the minister’s statements on multicultural affairs, seniors and young territorians, because it gives me the opportunity to talk about not only my electorate, but what I consider to be an extremely important part of the Northern Territory’s fabric. The multicultural society, the seniors and our young people contribute in a very significant way to that.
In closing, once again, to our Sri Lankan friends in the gallery, please come and visit Katherine. We would love to see a celebration of your culture in my town, and I hope you can continue to do the great things you do in Darwin and for Territorians.
Mrs FINOCCHIARO (Drysdale): Mr Deputy Speaker, I also support the minister’s statement. If there are three things I like talking about they are multicultural affairs, senior Territorians and young Territorians, so forgive me, this is an area I am passionate about and I may talk for quite some time.
It is topical and timely that the minister has brought this statement before the House, because it is much-loved Seniors Month. Even better than Seniors Month, which is celebrated right across the Territory, we have just seen the conclusion of Palmerston Seniors Week, which, if you ask me, is the best celebration of seniors the Territory has. Palmerston Seniors Week puts the northern suburbs’, Darwin’s and everyone else’s seniors activities to shame! Our Palmerston Seniors Week committee is outstanding, and it packs a lot of punch into our seniors week. It is renowned and attracts many people from all over the Top End to our activities, because in Palmerston we rock, and if there is one thing we do well it is seniors’ activities. I spend most of my week at seniors’ activities; I am an adopted 50-plus year old, so even though I am not quite 30, I will be in the groove by the time I hit that age.
Speaking of Palmerston Seniors Week I will thank a few people. I must thank the sponsors, first of all, and they include the Northern Territory government. We are proud to support Palmerston and Rural Seniors Week, which we do in a number of ways. First of all we do so by means of transport, and I thank the minister for Seniors, who is also the Minister for Transport. He acknowledged that Palmerston Seniors Week is very popular and we have a high demand for buses.
Under previous governments free buses were awarded. When we first came to government we reassessed the bank balance, so there were some concerns that the free buses for Palmerston Seniors Week would be threatened. Palmerston seniors did not realise they had such a strong ally in me, and I swiftly spoke to the Chief Minister and the Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Seniors a couple of years ago. We had a very successful Seniors Week with free buses, and I will lobby hard in the years to come to ensure we continue to have free buses. Just for clarification, the only reason there was a perception of threat is that in other areas of the Territory the buses are underutilised and the cost outweighs the benefit, but for Palmerston we could put another 50 seats on each bus and still fill them to the brim.
The government supported the week in that way, and we also provided support through the community benefit grants system. I was pleased to sit down with the committee of Palmerston Seniors Week to go through that grant information and application process; they were successful, which meant they were able to hold the Spirit of Darwin sunset cruise function on 14 August. It was limited to 85 spaces, but only because of the size of the boat; there was a three-course buffet dinner provided free and everyone had an amazing time. If it was not for the government’s support of Palmerston Seniors Week, 85 happy seniors would not have been able to attend the Spirit of Darwin sunset cruise. They were fortunate that evening that the RAAF was holding a Pitch Black exercise over Mindil Beach, so the boat positioned itself perfectly to coincide with the timing of the jet display, which was a hit. Everyone loved it, so it was fantastic.
I also thank the City of Palmerston, which provided much of the administrative and financial support for Palmerston and Rural Seniors Week; that equally goes to Litchfield Council. Our other sponsors – these guys always come on board – include Cazaly’s and Caddies; Flight Centre; Betta Electrical; Totally Workwear; Palmerston Sports Club; Woodroffe Primary School, with the use of its school assembly area, which is always fantastic for opening and closing ceremonies; East Arm Civil; the Didgeridoo Hut; and C-Max Cinemas.
Not mentioned there is Bunnings Palmerston, but I must thank Jodie. They are such tremendous ambassadors for our community, and I say that with all sincerity. It does not matter what it is, but whenever there are prizes to be donated or we are in need of a shoulder to the wheel, Bunnings Palmerston is behind our community. That extends to backyard blitzing the Joy Anderson Centre in Gray to Jodie clearing tables and serving seniors during the Palmerston Seniors Week opening and closing ceremonies, so a huge thank you to Bunnings Palmerston for everything it does in our community.
I will not go through all of the activities of Palmerston Seniors Week, because, as I mentioned before, they are all fantastic and there are too many of them, but some of the key ones were the sunset cruise, and the opening and closing ceremonies are always fantastic and extremely well attended. In the order of 100 people attend those, and we were very lucky to have the Administrator, the Honourable Sally Thomas, officially open Seniors Week with us, and she thoroughly enjoyed herself. It was wonderful to have her on board. She spoke beautifully and it was a wonderful afternoon.
There was also trivia at Caddies Golf Club and it was such a beautiful day. I am glad the weather turned lovely and cool last week, it made the experience all the better. The Darwin Military Museum experience was loved by all. Traditionally, during Palmerston Seniors Week the seniors go on a tour of the RAAF Base, but with the Pitch Black activities that was not possible, so we swapped it for the Darwin Military Museum, and it went down a treat.
The huge event on the week’s calendar, which is truly loved by all, including the vendors, is the motorcycle activities. Everyone heads to Marlow Lagoon; the places are limited to 80, and the seniors get an opportunity to hop on the back of a revved up, beefed up Harley Davidson or other motorbike and go for a cruise. That is always loved. I am reliably informed that even Barbara, one of our dear seniors, absolutely enjoyed it. I know my electorate officer, Angie, has enjoyed it in previous years.
That is Palmerston Seniors Week; it was incredible. This year Marg Lee led the team, ably supported by Margaret Moore, Pam Smith, Pam Christian-Jones, Lillian Mann, Avril Smith and Trevor Miller and his gorgeous little puppy; he is not really a puppy, but I call all dogs puppies now. They put in a mammoth effort. It is a huge week, it takes up an extraordinary amount of their time, and they do it with such dignity and grace. Thank you very much to them for putting all the effort in for Palmerston Seniors Week.
A couple of weeks ago the federal member for Solomon, Natasha Griggs; the member for Blain, Nathan Barrett; and I attended the Palmerston 50+ Club mini golf event. I believe the member for Blain partook in mini golf but I have been in the job a little longer and just made sure I rocked up for the free lunch. The member for Blain actually participated, which is great. I am sure he had a wonderful time. Nathan, the member for Brennan, Peter Chandler, and I, supported that activity by providing the meat and sausages and those types of things, and it was a lot of fun.
Something exciting that is coming up for seniors, is the Seniors of Excellence NT awards. I am very happy to announce – and she knows I dobbed her in – that I nominated someone from Palmerston, and that is Cath Cockcroft. Cath caters for every Palmerston event. It does not matter what it is, if it is in a school, a seniors’ activity, a council function, I guarantee Cath would have prepared all the food, and she does it so lovingly and at so little cost. We all have to continue to tell her, ‘Cath, you have to cover your costs’. She is so full of heart and such a wonderful woman. The details of her nomination say:
Costa Georgiadis from the ABC gardening show absolutely loved her coronation chicken sandwiches when he attended Gray Community Garden.
Congratulations to Cath. I look forward to seeing you receive your award. Do not hate me too much for nominating you; you deserve it.
I also want to thank Cazaly’s. They are unsung heroes in our community. They support seniors extremely well, and on the third Tuesday of every month, from 10am to 11am, they put on a free morning tea. It is extremely well attended, everyone has a really great time, and again, it is a Palmerston business supporting that important fabric in our community. I thank them because without that activity there would be a lot less opportunity to connect and grow together. Many rural seniors come to that event and it is a very important one.
Lastly, on the seniors’ component, I congratulate Marg Lee, who was my Year 2 teacher at Gray Primary School. Marg is an outstanding leader in our community on every level, not just seniors, and she, I am very proud to say, has been selected to be on the Minister’s Advisory Council – Senior Territorians. Marg is the only person on that council from Palmerston. I know she will represent Palmerston proudly and strongly. Marg also sits on the Palmerston Seniors Advisory Committee and is a strong voice there. I know she has the confidence of her peers and the trust and respect of our community. Marg, I wish you well on that endeavour. We are proud to have you representing Palmerston at that very high level of advising the minister.
Speaking on multicultural matters, I am obviously involved in things like the Italian Festival. We are hoping next year’s festival is an enormous success. The first time we held the festival it was amazing, and we can only hope we were not a one-hit wonder and we get it going again. Time will tell, but that is on the cards for next year. I am looking forward to working through that.
I also had the opportunity to attend the Islamic Society of Palmerston, which is in the member of Blain’s electorate in Moulden. I thank Abu Saleh and everyone at the Islamic community for being such welcoming people. I cannot emphasise it more strongly, their hospitality truly is boundless.
I attended a function and was just dressed in work clothes. When I arrived, obviously the vast majority of women had a hijab, veil or shawl on. I immediately felt terribly self-conscious that I would offend someone deeply and nearly could not get out of the car, I was so worried. A lovely family pulled up next to me and I explained my dilemma. They could not go to enough effort to search their car to see if they had something for me to wear. I felt embarrassed and silly about it, but they were so kind and welcoming. Soon enough this gathering of people were waving me over saying, ‘Lia, don’t be ridiculous, come over. You don’t need to do that. You’re here.’
It made me realise there are so many false boundaries – perceptions of cultures that collide. I was so openly welcomed and did not feel out of place at all in the end. I thank them for that. I thank them for being so open both ways. It was fantastic and I wish I could have stayed for dinner. The smells coming out of the kitchen were fantastic. I certainly will be back and I thank them for having such a huge vision in Palmerston.
The block of land they are on is massive, and they have a wonderful vision for a whole community centre, not just the Islamic society but all sorts of multicultural and other community groups in Palmerston. I hope their dreams are realised because it will be a tremendous facility. I am sure the member for Blain would agree and welcome that development in the heart of his electorate.
I also had the opportunity, through the Italian Club, to participate in the Harmony Day soiree. I was busily selling cannelloni and cornetti. The Minister for Multicultural Affairs enjoyed the Harmony Day soiree and is proud to be supporting it through the Multicultural Council. I thank all those involved. It was extremely well attended; the waterfront was swamped with Territorians. It was another example of all of our wonderful cultures colliding in the food and cultural festival that can be enjoyed by all.
Moving to young Territorians, there are so many amazing young Territorians. It is hard to limit it to just a couple of examples, but I had the privilege of attending the Young Achiever Awards earlier in the year. If you ever want to develop an inferiority complex, go to the Young Achiever Awards. Those young people are amazing. There are people in our community achieving wonderful things across a spectrum of industries and not-for-profit sectors.
A very special person in the Palmerston community is Christine Gardiner. Christine volunteers for a number of community organisations, including St John Ambulance and Carers NT. She is on the Palmerston youth advisory group, the YMCA Youth Parliament and she volunteers with MyNT. Christine is very well-known in our community and a very busy young lady. She took out the Somerville Community Services Award and, at only 18 years of age, should be incredibly proud of herself.
It does not matter what you go to in Palmerston, you will bump into Christine volunteering. That young lady will go very far, and I congratulate her on her efforts and for being one of Palmerston’s truly outstanding young people.
I also had the privilege of presenting the Carers Award to Jauhari Wright, who ultimately took out Young Achiever of the year award. Jauhari, at only 21 years of age, has achieved some amazing things in his lifetime. I will take the opportunity to read his biography:
The other recipients of the top awards were Alpha Capaque, who took out the Minister for Young Territorians Award for Excellence in Youth Leadership; Dr Brenton Wilson, who received the Career Kick Start Award; Bridie Gould, who received the Health and Wellbeing Award; Alice Eather, who received the Environmental Award; Jared Baldwin, who received the Small Business Achievement Award; Roger Wilyuka, who received the Regional and Rural Initiative Award; and Joshua Bonson, who received the Arts Award. Congratulations to all of those outstanding young people, you truly are exceptional. You are tomorrow’s leaders and I look forward to bumping into you around Palmerston and Darwin as I often do. Keep up the good work; we are all counting on you!
In his statement the minister touched on many issues. In my community, Palmerston seniors, young people and multicultural groups are thriving. We have so much opportunity, with the world at our fingertips. I like to spend as much time as I can immersing myself in those groups and seeking out opportunities. It was great to hand out a $22 000 cheque to the YMCA so it can upgrade its pool tables, which are ripped to shreds from years of love.
I thank the minister for bringing on his statement, and I commend it to the House.
Motion agreed to; statement noted.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: I table travel reports from the members for Daly, Arafura, Arnhem and Namatjira, pursuant to clause 4.1 of the Remuneration Tribunal Determination. I also table the Auditor-General’s August 2014 report to the Legislative Assembly.
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the paper be printed.
Motion agreed to; paper printed.
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the paper be noted and I seek leave to continue my remarks at a later date.
Leave granted.
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the Assembly do now adjourn.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
VISITORS
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise of the presence in the gallery of Kay Tollner, mother of Deputy Chief Minister David Tollner. On behalf of honourable members, I extend a warm welcome and hope you enjoy your time and visit to Parliament House. I will ask for a report on what you have seen today once we finish Question Time.
Honourable members, I also advise of the presence in the gallery of Year 11 and 12 Legal Studies classes from O’Loughlin Catholic College accompanied by Louise Delahunty, and senior students from Casuarina Senior College on exchange from Germany, accompanied by Paula Simeone. On behalf of honourable members, I extend a warm welcome and hope you enjoy your time and visit to Parliament House.
Members: Hear, hear!
MESSAGE FROM ADMINISTRATOR
Message No 18
Message No 18
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have received Message No 18 from Her Honour the Administrator notifying assent to the bills passed during the June sittings. The message is dated 8 July 2014.
MOTION
Changes to Committee of Privileges Membership
Changes to Committee of Privileges Membership
Ms LAWRIE (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I move the following changes be made to membership of the Committee of Privileges:
discharge the members for Karama and Casuarina
Motion agreed to.
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT
Update on the Community Engagement Portfolios of Multicultural Affairs, Senior Territorians and Young Territorians
Update on the Community Engagement Portfolios of Multicultural Affairs, Senior Territorians and Young Territorians
Mr STYLES (Multicultural Affairs): Madam Speaker, I update the Legislative Assembly on the progress so far and the aspirations this government has in the areas of community engagement – specifically Multicultural Affairs, seniors and youth – to further enhance the confident culture we are so proud of.
Formerly, these three important areas were quite separate. They operated independent of each other despite the remarkable synergies which can be achieved when people value and utilise the diversity we have in our community. I am especially proud these three areas are now together under the leadership of the Community Engagement Unit within the Social Policy Coordination Division of the Department of the Chief Minister.
I recognise the need for a plan, and we have this plan in Framing the Future which, of course, sets out the four goals, one of which is a confident culture. Our government has made it clear under Objectives 1 and 2 that we must recognise our people and our communities are significant contributors to our prosperity. To ensure we can focus on all Territorians, we need a targeted participation framework for our youth, seniors and multicultural community.
I, therefore, take this opportunity to announce the release of the Youth Participation Framework. This is a whole-of-government focused document which outlines the effort, investment and activity occurring for young people aged between 12 and 24 years across the Northern Territory government. The youth framework articulates both the positive contribution and recognition of young people, while also acknowledging the dedicated services and policy focus required across government and the non-government sector. It has been developed to provide an overarching framework for the design and delivery of a range of strategies, services and approaches to improving options and opportunities for young Territorians in the short and long term. To ensure its currency and relevance, the document is strongly aligned to the Northern Territory government’s strategic plan Framing the Future.
The policy context enables the Youth Participation Framework to reflect key goals and objectives which detail a commitment to young Territorians and the broader community. The Youth Participation Framework has been published electronically as a living document which will be renewed and updated as other plans and strategies across government are released.
The Youth Participation Framework was developed with significant and sustained consultation with young people from across the Northern Territory through face-to-face consultations, online feedback, engagement through the youth sector and consultation with relevant NT government agencies. Thank you to the so many young people, non-government organisations, government agencies and community members who have participated in and contributed to the development of this framework.
Not dissimilar to the Youth Participation Framework, we need to provide overarching focus and direction for the design and delivery of policy, services and approaches to implementing and improving access to opportunities for the multicultural and senior members of our community. Work has commenced to develop policy frameworks for senior Territorians and multicultural affairs. I will update the Legislative Assembly in due course on the progress of these two frameworks.
In relation to community input into government policy, it is critical that we listen to our people and important our youth, seniors and multicultural community members have the voice to contribute to policy directions and developments. We have already had in place for several years the Chief Minister’s Round Table, a fantastic mechanism where our young Territorians have a direct voice to government. We also recognise a mechanism for our senior and multicultural community members to inform government is equally important.
I am pleased to announce the establishment of two key advisory councils: the Minister’s Advisory Council – Senior Territorians and the Minister’s Advisory Council – Multicultural Affairs. These two councils will provide a voice to government for Northern Territory seniors and the multicultural community on issues of importance or matters of concern, to help raise the level of community understanding on all issues impacting on senior Territorians and multicultural communities and to provide high-level and strategic advice to me as minister for these portfolios.
The Minister’s Advisory Council – Senior Territorians enables the participation of key stakeholders in the exploration and discussion of issues relevant to the social, economic and civic life of senior Territorians. The council’s membership is made up of two executive members of the Council of the Ageing NT, also known as COTA NT, and two executive members from National Seniors Australia, also known as NSA NT, observers from the Department of Health, Local Government Association of the Northern Territory and the Commonwealth Department of Social Services and, in addition, eight members of the Northern Territory seniors community.
Similarly, the Minister’s Advisory Council –Multicultural Affairs has been established to offer our multicultural community a direct voice to policy development, including socioeconomic issues on housing, employment and health. The council’s membership includes the Multicultural Council of the NT Inc, Multicultural Community Services of Central Australia Inc, Melaleuca Refugee Centre, Multicultural Youth NT, Department of Social Services, the Local Government Association of the NT and nine members of the multicultural community from across the Territory.
In March 2014 we sought expressions of interest from community members for both councils and received a large number of nominations from across the Territory. I received expressions of interest from a number of Territory seniors who are very active in the community and want to make a difference for their peers.
The response from members of the multicultural community was equally as strong, with many enthusiastic and experienced people seeking an opportunity to participate. It has been wonderful to see the positive response from across our community.
Cabinet has also endorsed membership of both councils, and I believe we have achieved the establishment of two valuable advisory bodies whose membership is balanced and representative, and reflects a range of skills and experience, and regional and cultural diversity.
There will be two face-to-face meetings for both councils per year with specific tasks directed to working groups that will be formed to address specific issues.
The Minister’s Advisory Council – Senior Territorians will meet on 12 September 2014, and the Minister’s Advisory Council – Multicultural Affairs is expected to meet in early October 2014.
As I mentioned previously, this government is committed to working with young Territorians to do things differently and ensure we build a strong foundation for their future. The Chief Minister’s Round Table of Young Territorians is a great example of our young people having an active role in informing policy development. The round table consists of 16 members aged between 15 and 25 years. Members are representative of the geographic, cultural and ethnic diversity of the Northern Territory and, further, members meet four times a year and are also encouraged to actively canvass and represent the views and issues of other young people throughout the Northern Territory.
I had the pleasure of attending the first and second meetings of the round table this year and was impressed with the enthusiasm and drive to make a positive difference for young people in the community. I understand the round table is convening in Darwin for a third meeting on 23 and 24 August this year.
One of the main functions of the round table is to liaise with young people in the community and report back to the NT government on issues and concerns raised by young people. The issues raised are discussed within the round table and appropriate action taken. The Chief Minister and I are regularly updated on what topics the round table is working on.
Round table members undertake community-based research projects throughout the year on issues important to young people living in the Northern Territory. At the end of the year recommendations from these projects will be presented to me, the Chief Minister, and to the relevant ministers and senior government officials.
This year members are researching a range of topics through their community-based projects including: safe houses in the community with support services; youth engagement; participation and volunteering; cyber bullying; peer courts in the Northern Territory; youth suicide prevention and mental awareness; promotion of sport and health; impacts of family breakdown; establishment of an adolescent ward for young people at Royal Darwin Hospital; promotion of a sustainable environment; and personal development and mentoring.
Throughout the year round table members participate in a number of activities, attend many events and promote the interests of young Territorians. I recognise the recent collaboration between the Northern Australia Development Office, the round table and the Office of Youth Affairs in consulting with young people on their views about developing the north.
In relation to investment grants, our government recognises that to make a difference in the celebration and advancement of our diverse community we need to support our people, our seniors and our multicultural community members.
Through the Community Engagement Unit, in the 2013-14 financial year we awarded a total of $1.5m in grants to young people, seniors and our multicultural community. Multicultural grants assist new and emerging communities to come together socially in the first instance, and then build the support structures which help people assist each other in adapting to life in a new country.
As these communities grow and become confident they naturally wish to share their culture with others. I have awarded a number of grants to groups wishing to take the next steps of sharing, such as the South Pacific communities coming together for celebrations, and the Hindu Society dance night which draws together Indian, Nepalese, Sri Lankan, Tamil and other groups. Also, the Australia China Friendship Society brought together a wide range of performers at the Darwin Entertainment Centre.
A range of grants have provided support services to individuals, families and communities which need assistance. We have funded community support workers to work with the Italian, Timorese, Greek and Chinese communities. We have funded the Happy Migrant Learning Centre, which does magnificent work helping older Territorians improve their English skills in a fun environment.
We are lucky to have several larger and established communities which are passionate in their desire to share their culture with all Territorians. They are passionate about giving back to the community they now call home. I have the amazing pleasure of funding and attending these occasions.
The Latino Ball at the Darwin Convention Centre, Pesona Indonesia as part of the Darwin Festival, the Greek Glenti, India@Mindil and the Cyprus Food and Wine Festival are all more than just celebrations. They symbolise who we are as Territorians, who we want to be and demonstrate a confident culture. We are currently celebrating Territory seniors during the vibrant Seniors Month, with $50 000 in grants provided for nearly 50 activities across the Northern Territory, including some remote Indigenous communities. This has been one of the most successful Seniors Month celebrations so far, with over 100 activities on the Seniors Month calendar.
Activities on offer include come and try activities of dancing and cooking, art workshops of watercolour painting and jewellery making, cruises on the harbour, pilates and yoga, clay target shooting – one of the most popular – flight simulators and an introduction to e-dating, to name a few.
As we move forward I will be looking for new ways to enhance the celebration of seniors and to see how we can add more value to what seniors have to offer, including drawing on advice from the newly formed Minister’s Advisory Council – Senior Territorians, and developing a seniors policy framework. There is so much potential held with senior Territorians and I would like to see us make better use of it.
I am also pleased to support the Youth Engagement Grants program. This program aims to assist young Territorians to access a variety of youth-related events, personal development programs and activities. Young people are involved in the planning, staging and evaluating of activities that reflect their needs and interests. The activities are promoted through the Northern Territory government’s youth portal www.youth.nt.gov.au. There are three annual rounds of grants of up to $2000 to fund a range of activities during the December/January and June/July school holiday periods and during National Youth Week in April.
In addition, Quick Response Grants are available to enable government to respond to urgent eligible requests for funding which fall outside set funding rounds. These are up to $2000.
I take this opportunity to acknowledge the great success of National Youth Week, which was held in early April this year. Young Territorians were treated to 10 days of events and activities held across the Northern Territory. National Youth Week is the largest event for young people in Australia and is a great opportunity for young Territorians to be involved in fun and safe activities. This week provided a fantastic opportunity for young Territorians to express ideas, raise concerns and act on issues which matter to them.
I was honoured to launch National Youth Week at the Young Achiever Awards gala dinner. These awards give us a chance to recognise the achievements of some of the Northern Territory’s most innovative, dedicated and hard-working young people and thank them for their contributions. I congratulate everyone who was nominated for and received these awards and commend the passion, ambition and leadership they have shown.
Finally, I acknowledge all those involved in the annual Darwin Waterfront Harmony Soiree held on 31 May this year. The Northern Territory government proudly hosted the annual soiree in collaboration with the Darwin Waterfront, the Multicultural Council of the Northern Territory and Darwin Community Arts.
I offer special thanks and congratulations to the multicultural community groups who showcased their culture at the soiree with the aid of funding through the Harmony Grants program. This year’s event attracted a huge crowd and gives the multicultural community the stage to connect broadly with thousands of Territorians. The soiree is the epitome of what can be achieved by groups working together and is a true reflection of our interesting and diverse community.
Madam Speaker, I commend the statement to the House, and move that the Legislative Assembly take note of the statement.
Ms MANISON (Wanguri): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for bringing this statement before the House. All members in this Chamber are very passionate about the groups we are talking about – seniors, young Territorians and multicultural groups. However, we received the statement at 8 am. We had a long break between sittings and would have expected it a bit earlier to enable more preparation, but away we go.
I will go to Young Territorians first, one of the areas you spoke broadly about. The Territory is a young place and our population reflects this, and young Territorians are the future. When we are looking at policy development around young Territorians, it is important we do not just look in the urban sectors of the Northern Territory but to the bush as well.
For example, at Wadeye about 100 babies are born every year. There are very young populations on remote communities. Ngukurr, for example, has a population of about 1200 people and half are under the age of 20. It is very important, in the context of looking at the policy area of young Territorians, that we do not just look at the urban setting but also look to the bush and what is happening there.
I welcome the announcement of the Youth Participation Framework and the government’s efforts to engage with young Territorians. There is no doubt the CLP government is starting to learn from the error of its ways in the first two years of government and that it is very important to engage in meaningful dialogue with Territorians – not just sit around and have a chat but to listen, to take advice on board and make sure it feeds into what you do as a government with the programs and policies you deliver.
We will watch to see how this consultation goes as part of the youth participation program. We will be keen to see what it delivers and what the outcomes will be.
I am keen to understand why, under the CLP, some policies and programs have been put into place that have deeply impacted young Territorians. These decisions have made it a bit tougher on their future and have made it, particularly in areas such as home ownership and education, much tougher for them.
I am particularly keen to see what the government will do, moving forward, around home ownership. We all grew up aspiring to own our home one day. It is something we all wish for and, generally, something all people see in their future. However, under this government, we have seen a few home ownership dreams smashed. We have seen the massive reductions in stamp duty concessions or the First Home Owner Grant. Many young Territorians want to buy an established home with a First Home Owner Grant. They are earning an income, are quite young and want to get a foot in the market but cannot afford to buy a shiny brand new property. They look for something a bit older, a bit more affordable they can get into, do a bit of work, paint, renovate, and make their start, get some equity and, eventually, sell and go on to the more ideal home. Generally, most people will not be getting the dream home as their first home so it is important we have the right measures in place to help people get a foot in the door.
However, this year alone, there have been dramatic changes to the First Home Owner Grant which will mean about 300 fewer first home owners can access it this year. That is a real shame because most of those people are young Territorians.
We also saw the shared equity component of the HOMESTART NT scheme scrapped. This was an extremely effective program helping people buy a home at an affordable rate and something which was, for many people, comparable to rent. It was a great program scrapped by this government. I hope, as part of this new wave of engagement with young Territorians and advocates of those groups, you talk to them about established properties not just new properties, which you are trying to push people into, and what it will take to make it more affordable for them to live here and get into the property market. As we know, saving for a deposit is not easy if you are renting because rents are so high here. That makes it even harder for them.
Education is also an area where we have seen big changes under this government. Education, clearly, is critical to the future of every young Territorian. There have been dramatic changes in teacher ratios with 135 teachers gone. That is not the direction we need to take. We know the Territory has the lowest education outcomes in the nation. However, the answer under the CLP so far has been to cut funding, teacher numbers and resources.
NAPLAN results came out this week and do not paint a very good picture. Quite frankly, I was disappointed in the response from the Education minister to say it is a result of the whole system failing, is all doom and gloom and everything needs to be changed. In reality, previous NAPLAN testing will show the Territory was moving in the right direction. They may not have been huge percentage points, but there was incremental change in a positive direction under NAPLAN testing.
What we have seen since then, and what we are seeing now in the results, are dramatic education policy changes under this government. There have been big cuts and they wonder why things are coming to a standstill. It is pretty obvious.
There have also been cuts, for example in Alice Springs, to youth services which have raised a few concerns. For example, we saw funding cuts for youth drop-in services, the closure of the Youth Hub and the Youth Street Outreach Service. We know Alice Springs has had some trying issues with disengaged youth over time, so cutting funding for programs did not go down too positively.
An issue near and dear to my heart – we see wonderful results year and year again from the Clontarf academies across the Territory and the great work they are doing with young Indigenous men. We wanted to see that replicated for girls in our schools and had the GEMS program help young girls at critical ages through their middle years schooling in particular. To see that scrapped is a great shame and something I hope the government looks at again because it is not just about the boys, it is also about girls.
I would like young girls who need extra support and mentoring through their schools years to get through receive it because if they are able to finish Year 12 they have many opportunities in their adult life. If they are unable to do that so much is taken away from them. It is a real shame that was scrapped by this government.
We have some terrific young leaders in the Territory community. I pay tribute to Multicultural Youth NT. They are an amazing group of young people working very hard in the area of youth affairs to mentor future young leaders and they are incredible.
Each year we also recognise and celebrate the wonderful achievements of young Territorians in the Young Achiever Awards. This year it was great to see some terrific youngsters and it shows what a bright future there is ahead for some of the young leaders we have in the community. Hopefully, many will be in this Chamber in the future helping lead the way.
We have an extremely dedicated team in the Department of the Chief Minister working in the area of youth affairs. I have had the good fortune over the years to know some people personally and their passion is immense. They strive towards making a difference and inspiring young people. It is great to see that continue.
There are other initiatives I would like to talk about briefly where I think, ‘Okay, it is great. I would like to see that’, but it is a necessity; the government has had to do it. For example, sports vouchers for young Territorians. I love sport and everybody knows that. I love seeing young people participate in the arts and in recreation. It is a wonderful thing which enriches their lives, helps in their personal development and develops great skills such as team work, independence, commitment, training, dedication and all that. I love the sports voucher, there is no problem, but that was a necessity because you have made it so much harder for families to live here. You have given with one hand and taken so much more away with the other. For example, power and water bills for families. A sports voucher does not cover what they have lost having to fill that gap.
I turn to senior Territorians. They are vital to the social and economic fabric of the Northern Territory going forward.
It is wonderful to be talking about seniors in Seniors Month where we celebrate how important they are to us and embrace the contribution they make to our society. It is vital to the future of the Territory that we keep as many seniors here as possible. We want them to stay because what they can bring to their families in love, care, wisdom, experience – it is a beautiful thing being able to keep families together. For too long in the Territory, many people, once they hit retirement, were leaving town.
That is not the case anymore, and it is great to see more and more seniors choosing to stay in the Territory. It is becoming even more important that they stay in the Territory, not just for the love, care and emotional support they give to families, but the brutal, harsh financial reality of it is many families need them to be here to support them, because they have to pay the bills, put food on the table and keep a roof over their head. Most mums and dads are working these days, so the grandparents are playing an even greater role in supporting them and helping with their children in the Territory. That is another reason we need them to stay.
There is also the impact of where they can fill jobs in the market, where they can contribute by volunteering and so forth. Seniors bring a huge wealth of experience and we must embrace that and ensure we are able to keep as many people here as possible. It also goes back to the heart of decency. How a society treats its seniors says a lot about it. Our seniors have worked hard all their lives. They have raised us, supported us, nurtured us and paid their taxes, and we should be supporting them in their senior years. It is something I believe in, yet we seem to be going down some very strange pathways in this nation at the moment, locally and federally.
There is no doubt I was surprised to that they have been squared up in the federal budget. They have put seniors in their sights and are targeting them, which I find bizarre. They are trying to make their lives much more difficult. In the Territory, looking at the local context, seniors are not sheltered from the high cost of living. They have to pay their rent; they have seen the Power and Water bills go up under the government. We have had some great schemes in place for a long time, targeted at seniors and keeping them in the Territory, yet we have made some fairly dramatic changes to them, and they have not been welcomed by seniors.
Within the Northern Territory Pensioner and Carer Concession Scheme this year in the budget, we have seen the introduction of means testing. I want to read out a few lines of a letter sent to the minister and I – a bit of sentiment from somebody who was looking forward to getting onto that scheme:
- My husband is nearing 65 years old this year and was accounting for the reductions in costs to be able to remain in the NT for our retirement years. This cessation now will result in our reconsideration to be able to stay in the NT. We have been residents here for the past 25 years, but will now have to relocate to a southern state, possibly South Australia, where utilities, housing, airfares, etcetera, will be less cost to us. It will be a great regret to leave our friends who have supported us in the NT when we did not have family here. However, they already have their Seniors Card entitlement and will be able to stay.
There are people who want to stay and keep contributing, but this has changed their decision about whether or not they will stay or go.
We saw in the budget the year before that the airfare entitlements for seniors were reduced. They were furious about that. It is not that cheap to get down south from the Territory if you want to take a daytime flight, if you need to have a full fare option because you have health conditions and need that flexibility. People were very disappointed with those changes and are thinking, ‘What is next?’
Another area where I would like to hear more about what the government is doing with regard to seniors – I bring this issue up again – is housing. For young Territorians it is about getting in there. For senior Territorians it is about security and knowing they will have a place for a long time to live out their years. However, I have seen some horrendous, sad situations when something goes wrong in a person’s life in their senior years, which means they no longer have accommodation and are subjected to the brutal forces of market rent. That makes it very difficult if you are on a very low income or a pension.
All the crisis accommodation provided by the non-government sector, short- and medium-term, is full. You call and try to get somebody in when they come into your electorate office in despair with nowhere to go, and it is tough to find them somewhere to stay. That is a real concern. I have heard of more people who are now living with their children because they cannot afford to be on their own; they cannot buy, but they also cannot afford the market rent. That is another issue.
In public housing, specifically around seniors, there have been huge blowouts in the waiting list. We also have not seen plans to build any additional seniors’ public housing. We have heard some horror stories about priority waiting lists. Under Labor it was not ideal, but someone would sit on the priority housing wait list for 12 to 18 months. The last count I had was about three years, and we are talking about people who have been diagnosed with cancer, are homeless, aged and frail. Three years to get a roof over their head is tough going.
Wait times for public housing for pensioners have increased. The last time I checked, the wait time for a one-bedroom dwelling in Alice Springs, from Labor’s time to the CLP’s time, increased by 21 months. In Darwin and Casuarina the wait time has increased by 20 months for a one-bedroom dwelling for a pensioner; by 12 months, to 72 months, in Palmerston; and in Katherine it had increased to 38 months, up 14.
I am also keen to find out more about what the government is doing for senior Territorians in aged and disability care, as well as in new seniors’ housing. Aged care is a provision of the federal government, but the Territory has a responsibility to fight for as many aged-care packages and beds as it can get. As we know, we have an ageing population here.
There are some opportunities coming up. We will see the development of 2CARU, or Lee Point, near Royal Darwin Hospital, and Muirhead north will be developed. Around Palmerston and the regional hospital, something you should be looking at as part of that development is appropriate aged care provision and seniors’ housing. If you will have hospital infrastructure there, you must look at the needs of seniors as well; there is an opportunity there.
Health is a big area that concerns our seniors, and we are seeing $605m cut from hospitals in the Territory by the federal government. That is a great concern in how we will ensure we can still target programs. We must ensure we have programs appropriate to dealing with chronic diseases, for example, when we have an ageing population. We must ensure we have the right care for people in the bush. Aged care and seniors’ housing, it is not only about urban, it is about the bush as well, looking at the remote centres, particularly the big remote centres, and saying, ‘People are living longer. How do we ensure we have appropriate housing in the future which takes in the needs of seniors?’ We also have to look at aged care that is not only practical and appropriate, but culturally appropriate as well. That is an area I would like the government to explore further.
I was very happy that the minister announced the Minister’s Advisory Council – Senior Territorians will be established. That was another commitment you made in March, and it is good to see you are delivering it.
The question I come back to is listening to the advice and guidance you will receive from those committee representatives and how we will see practical action on that – that is something we will be looking out for. With this advisory council, as well as the multicultural advisory council, will the minutes be published so we can see what is raised with government? That way we can see how much of that advice is taken on board.
Again, we are very fortunate with our seniors in the Territory. We have some very hard-working advocates. The calendar of events put together by the Department of the Chief Minister has seen a fantastic month of activities with great variety. It is nice to see that seniors are being celebrated.
It has also been wonderful to see the hard work of COTA and its calendar of events; it was amazing. It has been an extremely sad time for COTA with the passing of Robyn Lesley. I went to one of its events a few weeks ago, and they were very much of the spirit that, ‘Robyn would have wanted us to keeping pushing forward with all of this and all of our events’. We have lost a great, passionate seniors’ advocate in the community in Robyn Lesley. It is a very sad time and a sad way to start Seniors Month. All my best wishes and respect to her family.
It is also great to see National Seniors Australia and the work it is doing. I recently met with some of the members and had a discussion about a few policy items. It is very clear they have some strong views they will be communicating to the minister. I am looking forward to how he takes that advice on board and to the Cabinet table.
Our seniors make up a vital group of the Territory community. They deserve our support. In future policy development and programs, I hope the engagement of the minister with these groups will ensure they are listened to, their views are taken on board, and we try to make it as easy as possible to keep them in the Territory. The more seniors the better, because they bring so much to our society.
I turn to Multicultural Affairs. The multiculturalism of the Territory is one of our greatest beauties and strengths. We are all incredibly proud of the diversity and multiculturalism here. As a kid growing up in the Territory and having friends with parents and families from all over the world, it is wonderful to learn firsthand about their culture as their families share it with you. It is also good for the Territory because so many of these people work hard within the multicultural community, helping to build strong ties between the Territory and other nations. We see it particularly with our Asian neighbours and, of course, with the nations far away which we have very strong ties with. Our multicultural groups do a great job, not just socially but economically, for the Territory. They are very important and need to be supported.
I was very happy and relieved recently to see the Abbott government back down from the removal of section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act. I was so incredibly proud of all the Australians who united to stand up against racists and bigots, and who went to the government and said, ‘This is not on and these changes are not what this nation needs’. I was extremely relieved the Abbott government backed down and realised that people do not want the bar lowered on racism, and stepped away from that. I could not believe we had to go there in the first place.
After a wait, I am glad the Ministerial Advisory Council – Multicultural Affairs will be set up. I look forward to seeing what advice they give you, minister, and what issues are important to them. The government’s continued support of multicultural community events, in particular, is essential, and I am happy to see that support continue and the grants you give out to make those events happen. Everybody loves the multicultural events. What an amazing array of events we have: the Glenti; the Cyprus Food and Wine Festival, a favourite of mine, and I had a thoroughly good time on Saturday, thank you. Barrio Fiesta is coming up, India@Mindil, and, member for Drysdale, the Italian Festival, which is a fabulous event.
Mrs Finocchiaro: Thank you.
Ms MANISON: Events have been held by the Sri Lanka-Australia Friendship Society, and I love going to the Malayalee Association’s events, but, minister, Persona Indonesia was a great event and I thought your dancing was outstanding. I take my hat off to you. It is a bit tough when they pull you up on stage, but you did a great job. Well done! It showed the spirit and celebration of it.
Harmony Day – in my own electorate I love seeing local events that the whole community supports like the food bazaar at the Islamic Centre, and, of course, the International Food Fair the Buddhist Society holds. It is wonderful to see everybody sharing and embracing the strength of our multicultural community in the Territory.
One thing I am sad to see gone, due to a decision of the government, is the Arafura Games. It was a wonderful event, not just for sporting development, but for multicultural affairs and building relationships and ties with our neighbours. It was also something our multicultural communities really enjoyed because people come over from their countries and they saw sports we do not play at a high level in Darwin. They are played in other nations, particularly in Asia, and coming here and being shown – I hope one day we are able to get something like the Arafura Games back up and running because it was a great part of our community, something everyone looked forward to every couple of years. It added to our multicultural celebrations and fabric in the Northern Territory.
Minister, seniors and young Territorians are groups and policy areas that should not be underestimated. As minister, your job is to advocate for those groups at the Cabinet table when delivering your housing and health initiatives. It is really important they have a strong voice. I look forward to seeing what feedback you get from your consultation. I hope we see more work to reduce cost-of-living pressures on those groups because it is particularly tough on them. I also hope we see the continued support of the government in multicultural affairs.
Ms PURICK (Goyder): Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the minister for bringing this statement to the House. I want my comments put on the record, mostly in regard to the multicultural side of the statement, and perhaps a little about seniors.
It is an interesting statement and it goes to the heart of what the Northern Territory is all about, and that is a mix in the community of people from across the globe. That is a good thing because it makes the Northern Territory, and the Top End in particular, a unique place to live.
Many in this House have come from mixed multicultural backgrounds, and I am one. My father came from Europe after World War II …
Mr Wood: That is the problem.
Ms PURICK: The member for Nelson says that is the problem; it could be. Whilst my father was born in the Netherlands, his family came from the border of Croatia and Italy. There are still many of my relatives, I have been told, who live in that country. My mother’s family all came from the southern part of England, and I believe they are still there as well. It is what you call a real hybrid, or a mixed person of mixed breeds, and that is fine. Sadly, none in our family speak the language any more, but when my father came to this country he spoke a couple of languages. Multiculturalism brings people together and develops a sense of community. It also gives Territorians tolerance because we have all grown up with different people. Growing up in Darwin and going to St Mary’s Primary School there was a mixture of people. That is the way you accepted it and that is what it is. We swapped stories and foods, and it was a very enjoyable time.
In the rural area there is a mix of cultures. People mostly know of the farming communities of the Vietnamese, Chinese, Indonesians and Cambodians, but there are other people from different backgrounds. They are tucked away doing what rural people do best, that is, living rurally on five-acre blocks and above. There is a large Scottish community in the rural area. There are Germans, many Vietnamese farmers, Chinese and, of course, a large Italian community, albeit smaller than some of the others across the rural area.
Many people are very quiet. They just get on with their business; they do not make a fuss about what country they have come from, or what country their parents come from. Many parents of students at Humpty Doo Primary School and Taminmin High School were born overseas.
The Vietnamese community is interesting because it stems from the time the Vietnamese people came to Darwin following the refugee situation and the need to leave their country. One of the things that should be remembered about these people is that they came here as boat people; they were probably the first boat people to come to our shores.
They had no money, no access to finance, most likely no English – if they did it would have been very limited – they probably spoke French, but not English. They had no government support, no growing experience in the Territory at all, and they went on to grow crops that had not been grown here before. They had to experiment a lot and have a lot of patience because what they would have grown in their homeland is not what we grow here. They developed production systems with some help from the primary industries people and the commercial resellers, and have gone on to do great things for the Northern Territory community, the economy and the markets.
They produce around $50m to $60m worth of produce, and they have done their business how I think a lot of business people should do their business, that is, to develop the countryside to get good linkages with their markets and grow crops that make money. There is no point growing things if it will not make you any money, so the economics are very important to the Vietnamese and Cambodian communities, as I know them, and they persisted. They showed great persistence, because, as I said, they came here with limited knowledge of the landscape and what crops we grew, yet they have gone on to do great things, and some are very successful in the industry.
Yes, some did fail. Some left town and went somewhere else, but if you start with only one big farmer, you are in a very risky position to develop an industry. They have developed an industry, and the year before last they formed their own Vietnamese Horticultural Association to improve their position with the markets interstate, given there were some language issues – and there continues to be – and to understand that you need good knowledge of your markets and getting your product there so you can make money for yourself and your family. I have been to a couple of their functions – so have the members for Nelson and Daly – and they are a very friendly group of people.
The other group farming there is the Cambodians; that community is not quite as big. Early this year I had the opportunity and privilege of attending their New Year function and festivities on Wanderrie Road. I had some interaction with the elderly monk there, and I am working with the Cambodian community and the minister’s office to find a parcel of land, because the Cambodian community wants to establish its own temple there. They are predominantly Buddhist, and many of them visit the temple in the northern suburbs, but they would prefer to have one in the rural area, given there are Cambodians, Vietnamese and Thai people who are Buddhists.
The member for Wanguri mentioned Harmony Day. Harmony Day is held at many of the schools in the rural area. I have been to special days at Humpty Doo and Taminmin College, and they are great, fun days.
There are different cultures on display, different cooking from the groups I have mentioned, and from other groups that come and demonstrate the different foods. It is an enjoyable time. The children enjoy it, and they also learn about other people’s cultures and some of their practices, whether it be basket weaving, painting or something of that nature.
Multiculturalism is not as high profile as it is in the northern suburbs, but there are definitely multicultural groups in the rural area, contributing to the community and the schools. They are a little shy, but I have come to know the different community groups reasonably well, and they are very enjoyable.
We are trying to help the Cambodians bring a second monk here, but dealing with the Department of Immigration and Border Protection is not one of the easiest tasks I have ever come across. But we will persist, and hopefully he will have some company in his elderly years.
In regard to seniors, it is good to see two councils set up, one for senior Territorians and one for multicultural affairs. There are some people from the rural area on the senior Territorians council, such as Eean Thorne. That is good to see; he will put forward the views of seniors and what the challenges are. One of the key challenges in the rural area for senior people is the lack of any aged-care facilities. I am not talking about aged-care for health reasons; I am talking about people who still wish to live in the rural area, but who are elderly. Whether we need to attract Masonic Homes or other people who build retirement villages similar to Pearl and the Tiwi – we need something in the rural area. It is an ageing population, and while the average age of a Territorian is only about 30, there is a large elderly contingent across the rural area.
We must start planning now. Perhaps the government could start to consider how to best use some of the parcels of land it owns – there are a few – to benefit and put back into the community. I will hold further discussions with government on that.
I cannot overlook Seniors poetry day at Taminmin Library, which is coordinated by the Friends of Taminmin Library. It is coming up, I think, in another week or so. It is part of Seniors Week and is a really good day where seniors write and read poetry and we have refreshments. The member for Nelson, Mr Wood, is the emcee, and we have music and an enjoyable time. If anyone is interested in that I am happy to provide details, because it is a good, fun time.
Thank you, minister, for bringing forward this statement. Youth is obviously an important issue in the rural area, but I will leave that for another time. I hope you take my comments on board about some of the needs and challenges in the rural area.
Debate suspended.
STATEMENT BY SPEAKER
Death of Territorians in MH17 Disaster
Death of Territorians in MH17 Disaster
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, it is with deep regret that I advise of the death, on 17 July 2014, of three Territorians, Mr Wayne Baker, Mrs Theresa Baker and Ms Emma Bell, aboard Malaysia Airlines flight 17, along with 295 other passengers from around the world and crew.
Honourable members, I advise of the presence in the gallery of family members Ms Barbara Bell, mother of Emma; Mr Bob Turnbull and Mrs Angela Turnbull, parents of Theresa Baker; Mr Steve Baker, son of Theresa and Wayne Baker; Ms Jodeen Carney, head of the Department of Families and Children; Mr Ken Davies, head of the Department of Education; Mr Stuart Dwyer, principal; Ms Miranda Watt, assistant principal; Mr Charlie Brian, traditional owner; and Mr Shane Dexter. To the many friends, colleagues and others who are here today to pay their respects, welcome. Thank you to members in the gallery wearing orange ribbons as that was Theresa’s favourite colour.
CONDOLENCE MOTION
Death of Territorians in MH17 Disaster
Death of Territorians in MH17 Disaster
Mr GILES (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I move that this Assembly expresses its deep regret at the death of Mr Wayne Baker, Mrs Theresa Baker and Ms Emma Bell.
It is with great sadness that I stand here today to I remember the 298 people whose lives were tragically cut short on 17 July 2014 when Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over the Ukraine.
The scale of this horrific act is difficult for many of us to comprehend. There are 298 people dead, 298 people from all over the world killed in an instant and senseless act, killed in a war they were taking no part in. It is a long list of names, and I urge everyone to read them. It is heartbreaking.
The sudden loss of a loved one is always a shock, but to lose someone on the other side of the world in the skies above a foreign war must be almost an unbearable trauma. To watch it all played out on national television must make it much harder.
The international community has done a magnificent job of recovering the remains of the loved ones from the crash site. But it must be a long time before the identification process can be completed, and that makes it harder still. The Australian government is doing all it can to have the bodies of Australians returned home. We stand ready to support the authorities in any way we can to assist return of the loved ones for a proper farewell.
It is a terrible tragedy which will be relived time and time again over the coming months as those killed come home and are laid to rest with their loving families and friends. Our thoughts and condolences go to all the families and friends of those 298 people in this disaster, especially the families and friends of the 38 Australians and permanent residents who died in this tragedy.
Some days become permanently etched in our memories. Unfortunately, for all the wrong reasons, Friday 17 July 2014 is one of those days.
I was in Katherine when news of the crash first broke. Like the rest of the world, I found myself asking, ‘How could this happen to innocent civilians?’ Who could justify shooting down a passenger jet plane out of the sky? What did those responsible hope to achieve? To those questions we still do not have answers, and maybe we never will.
Rightly or wrongly, my most pressing concern, and immediate in my mind, was whether Territorians had been caught up in the disaster. By late afternoon my worst fears were realised. Three of our own were confirmed as being amongst the dead. Three of our own were victims of a civil war thousands of kilometres away from home. All three local victims worked for the Territory government, and I would like to take a moment to talk about the type of work they did in the service of the Northern Territory.
Wayne and Theresa Baker were both public servants to their core. Wayne had retired after a long career with Treasury, and Theresa was planning to do the same after many years in the Department of Children and Families.
Theresa was enjoying being on long service leave and was counting down the days until her retirement early next year. The couple had planned a new life travelling the world. Friends described Wayne as a fun-loving person who enjoyed the outdoors, and Theresa as funny, witty and generous with her time. Work colleagues say Theresa stayed connected to the people she met throughout her career and always took the opportunity to catch up with past colleagues. She was an absolute inspiration with an open personality and a ‘can do’ attitude.
Theresa and Wayne were both members of the Trailer Boat Club community, and shared their love of fishing and boating with friends there. They used to laugh about life in the tropics and told a story about how they were caught in a nasty tropical storm in Darwin Harbour one day, and decided to run for cover in the mangroves. Theresa looked down and saw a crocodile while Wayne looked up and spotted a snake, and so they bolted out back to sea to take their chances with the lightning.
They loved the Territory lifestyle, and enjoyed raising their two sons, Jeff and Steven, with a love for the same interests in a relaxed and easygoing community. Our thoughts are with Jeff and Steven as they grapple with this grief.
Emma Bell was a highly respected teacher who chose to work in some of our remote communities. It is difficult work, but Emma was in her element. She was well known and loved by former students at Shepherdson College in Galiwinku on Elcho Island, Numbulwar in East Arnhem and at Maningrida School. Maningrida principal, Stuart Dwyer, said:
- Emma was a good listener and a thoughtful communicator, who quietly achieved a great deal in her time at the community.
She was adopted into a local family who speak highly of the contribution she made to education. She was known for her love of hats, and they show up in many images of Emma that have been posted on the Internet since we received the dreadful news about MH17.
Emma even wore hats to class, as part of her daily personality. Colleagues remember Emma fondly, as someone with a true zest for life, a keen traveller with a happy and positive nature, who left a real impression on the community. Emma was on her way home from a holiday to start the new school semester when she boarded that fateful flight.
Emma had just turned 30 and had her whole life ahead of her. A young woman with a generous and sensitive nature, Emma will be sadly missed by all her knew her. The Education minister, Peter Chandler, and I had the honour of meeting Emma’s mother, Barbara and her father, Peter and brother, Shaun earlier this month when they flew to the Territory to see where their daughter and sister had spent much of her adult life.
They travelled to Maningrida, met school staff, students, community leaders and community members. The whole town joined the family in a memorial service for Emma and a traditional smoking ceremony, before visiting the surrounding homelands where Emma taught. It was a fitting tribute to a fine young lady and her family.
There have been many tears shed for these three Territorians since the tragedy, especially among colleagues in the public service. In some way we have all been touched by this terrible tragedy, and we are now united in grief over 298 innocent lives lost.
The downing of flight MH17 is a reminder to all of us that the world can be a very dangerous place. It is the worst loss of Australian life overseas since the 2002 Bali bombing, when 88 Australians were killed. In the past 41 years, nine airliners have been shot down around the world, killing almost 1200 innocent people. It is a ridiculous loss of life, but at our core we remain a nation of travellers and a Territory of adventurers.
Theresa, Wayne and Emma were no exception. They all died doing something they loved – exploring the world. Those responsible for this crash cannot be allowed to rob Territorians, Australians and people from around the world of the great pleasure of travel and making wonderful new friends across the world. That is not what any of the three adventurers would have wanted.
Hundreds of Territorians have left messages of support for the families of the three travellers in condolence books over the past month. I hope the outpouring of support from Territorians goes some way to easing the burden of the terrible tragedy.
We will keep Barbara, Peter, Shaun, Jeff and Steven in our thoughts, along with everyone lost on MH17. Rest in peace Emma, Theresa and Wayne.
Madam Speaker, it is now my great honour to present these condolence books to the family members on behalf of all Territorians.
Ms LAWRIE (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I endorse the words of the Chief Minister and add the opposition’s sincere condolences to the family and friends of Emma Bell, and Theresa and Wayne Baker.
This disaster is an immense tragedy felt, as we know, around the world. There were 298 innocent people killed in a war that is not theirs. The shock of this tragedy has been felt in our own back yard in the Territory.
Emma had just turned 30 and, as we heard, was returning to Australia from a holiday in Europe to begin the school term. She was not born in the Territory; she was from the New South Wales town of Lithgow, but her community here had embraced her with open arms, just as she had done them. Emma had been a homelands teacher for the previous 18 months. She would travel from the Maningrida college along bush tracks to the smaller outstations in Arnhem Land, teaching students aged from one to eight.
Maningrida college principal, Stuart Dwyer, told the ABC that at the time of her death Emma had been learning the local language and had been adopted by an Indigenous family. They had given her a skin name, such was the esteem in which she was held. Mr Dwyer said the community held a smoking ceremony, which was led by the family and included Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and staff from other agencies. Mr Dwyer described Emma as a special person and an educator who had made powerful inroads in the community. He described the ceremony as extremely emotional, with Indigenous leaders, traditional owners, saying words which were extremely special.
Emma Bell had an amazing relationship with the students who are now deeply saddened by her loss. The local Maningrida footy club paid tribute to her on its Facebook page, which was flooded with tributes. David Young wrote:
- Words cannot ever express how much we will all miss you. You were a beautiful person and a wonderful companion and workmate. Thank you for the time we had as friends. Such a huge and senseless loss to all. Rest in peace Emma.
Hallie Hodder wrote:
- So lucky to have known you as a colleague and a friend. Such a caring, beautiful lady and (great 4WDriver) always aware of other people.
From Josh Maloney this:
- There are no words to express the tragedy. You were taken too soon. I know you have been an inspiration for everyone you have left behind. Your memory will live forever.
On behalf of the opposition I extend our sincerest condolences to Emma’s family and friends, and thank you for allowing our community to have experienced her compassion and her special skill as a fine educator.
Long-time Territorians, Wayne and Theresa Baker, were at the end of a six-week European holiday. As we have heard, Wayne was retired after a long career in the Northern Territory government Treasury and as a consultant to the Commonwealth government. Theresa was in semi-retirement, planning to retire after many years in the Northern Territory public service at the Health department and the Department of Children and Families.
Wayne was well-respected and highly regarded, well-known for giving his time to mentoring colleagues at Treasury. He had worked in the revenue office and played a key role in establishing the original revenue administration ICT system. He was also instrumental in the first outsourcing of the government’s ICT services in the Territory. After leaving the Territory public service in 2001, he moved in to the Commonwealth public service and, later, worked as a consultant. He worked with a number of Territory government agencies, and in his down time, as we have heard, he was a very keen angler.
Theresa also worked closely with the Territory Treasury. As a business manager working in the Health department and, later, in Families and Children, she worked with Treasury to frame and manage the budgets in these agencies. She is very warmly remembered by Treasury budget officers. Developing the budget is an arduous process, it takes considerable effort from the officers at Treasury and their counterparts in the agencies. Theresa was well-respected by Treasury officers for her professionalism during this process. In her own agency, Theresa was warmly regarded by her colleagues as a genuine and lovely person. She was also held in warm regard by the non-government organisations she worked closely with in managing Commonwealth grants and funding agreements.
Wayne and Theresa Baker were both good people, residents of Palmerston – raising their sons, they had given so many years of service to the people of the Territory. Devoted, they had been married for more than 30 years and had invested so much love into their sons Jeff and Steven. In semi-retirement, they shared their time between the Territory and the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. They loved to travel and were in the process of planning a year-long road trip around Australia, and had already bought a camper trailer and four-wheel drive. In March, Theresa took long service leave and the insatiable travellers embarked on their latest adventure, spending six weeks in Bali and Thailand, before heading to Europe.
Theresa’s mother Angela described her daughter as a very outgoing and strong person. Friends describe a devoted couple, avid travellers who were planning a retirement filled with adventure. They also speak of a couple with a strong generosity of spirit. In the Queensland city of Bundaberg during last year’s floods, Wayne was one of the first people in to the CBD to help businesses take stock to higher ground. That is just the sort of people they were.
We mourn these fine people, so savagely and pointlessly torn from our lives, from our community, from their families and their friends. Their loves ones with learn to live with their absence, but not yet. Quite rightly, there is still grief and anger. We trust the international community will not rest until those who perpetrated this atrocity are brought to justice - the sooner the better.
What has happened is not fair. On behalf of the opposition, I say to Theresa and Wayne’s family and friends, and to Emma Bell’s family and friends, we share your grief. Once again, thank you for allowing these very fine people to enhance the lives of so many Territorians. Our deepest condolences.
Mr CHANDLER (Education): Madam Speaker, I echo the Chief Minister and the Leader of the Opposition’s remarks and thank them for their heartfelt words.
Any loss of life is always heartbreaking, but when you learn that 298 innocent civilians have become victims of a foreign war, one they had no role in, it is hard to understand. It was senseless, and I hope, especially for the families of the 35 victims who called Australia home, that justice prevails in this case.
I know Prime Minister Abbott and Foreign Minister Bishop are doing all they can to ensure that happens. This is undoubtedly one of the worst tragedies in Australia’s recent history. It is the biggest loss of Australian lives, as the Chief Minister said, since the Bali bombings in 2002, something we all hoped we would never have to deal with again.
On first hearing the news through the Department of Education and the Chief Minister’s office, I was soon to learn I had a connection with all three, one a teacher, and I was the local member for the other two; they lived in the suburb of Bakewell.
Emma was a teacher at Maningrida School, and Wayne and Theresa Baker lived in the seat of Brennan, my electorate. When you learn that all three have been tragically killed in a plane, so many thousands of miles away, it soon dawns on you how small the world is sometimes.
I had the honour and pleasure of meeting Emma’s parents, Barbara and Peter, and her brother Shaun. We discussed, amongst other things, Emma’s passion for education and travel. Not long after the tragedy I learned there were already plans for a smoking ceremony in Maningrida, and I knew straight away in what high regard that community held Emma.
The family was invited to Maningrida, where the community held a memorial for Emma, someone who had become a valued member of the community in a very short period of time. Maningrida elders took Emma’s family to the surrounding homelands where Emma taught. They took part in traditional smoking ceremonies, and I am glad to know Emma’s family had the opportunity to meet the people whose lives she certainly touched.
I thank school principal, Stuart Dwyer, and the Maningrida community for allowing that to happen. I also pay tribute to the Education department, which worked tirelessly to ensure Emma’s parents had the support they needed when they came to the Northern Territory. It is something very special, and Emma had that connection with Maningrida, as people have spoken about.
Wayne and Theresa had a long and dedicated career in the Northern Territory public service, Wayne with Treasury and Theresa with the Department of Children and Families. They are survived by their sons Jeff and Steven, and, like many Territorians, Wayne and Theresa were avid fishos and liked nothing more than wetting a line.
Wayne had recently retired and the couple was looking toward a well-earned retirement, travelling the world, enjoying each other’s company. Sadly, they did not get the chance to do that.
I remember listening at the MH17 memorial service held by Bishop Eugene Hurley a number of weeks ago. In his speech he said there is good and bad in everybody in this world. From time to time, as a society, we seem to focus or even whinge about the smallest of things – to hear how something so many thousands of kilometres away had affected the Northern Territory and Australia.
With the craziness that goes on in the world from time to time, and with all the bitterness and infighting we have, even in this room, I would rather live in Australia than any other place in the world. People in this Chamber or sitting outside will do their utmost to uphold the standards we should, and that we will fight to ensure we have the life we have today, without fear, and without bending to the people who want to bring this rot onto the wonderful world we have.
From the bottom of my heart, and on behalf of this parliament, the Northern Territory public service and the education fraternity, my thoughts go out to the families who have lost someone close to them in this tragic incident. I hope there will be justice soon; however, I know nothing will ever replace what has been taken from you.
Mr KURRUPUWU (Arafura): Madam Speaker, on behalf of the electorate of Arafura and members of the Palmer United Party, I wish to express my heartfelt sorrow to those families who lost their loved ones in the MH17 tragedy, particularly the very sad passing of Miss Emma Bell, who was a highly respected person in my electorate.
Miss Bell had been a homelands teacher based at Maningrida college. She would visit this homeland along bush tracks to pass on her skills and knowledge to students aged one to eight. She was an exceptional person who was in this world to make a difference. As part of her dedication, she was learning the local language and she had been adopted by an Aboriginal family. Ms Bell was a special, wonderful person who was a highly-respected educator in the community.
I would especially like to express my condolences to the family, co-workers and students of Ms Bell. From this tragedy, we will feel her loss greatly.
Mr ELFERINK (Child Protection): Madam Speaker, as the Minister for Child Protection in this jurisdiction, it is incumbent on me to add my voice to the condolence motion that will be supported, I presume, by all members of this House.
We live in an age of miracles and wonder. If you think about what an aeroplane is – I think this was a 767 – it is a small slither of aluminium held aloft by pieces of moving metal and fuel, producing thousands and thousands of pounds of thrust, held aloft on air so thin that you and I could not successfully breathe it.
I travel because of my work quite regularly, and when I sit in aeroplanes, I am often thinking about the machine we are sitting in, and how frail and fragile it is, 10 000 m – 10 km – above the earth. When we look out the windows we are looking down a very long way, and yet we do not even think about those things any more.
The miracle and the wonder has become the everyday and the mundane, and so I can well imagine what that aircraft was like on 17 July, and what was going on inside the aircraft. What was going on was nothing spectacular. I imagine there were probably a couple of kids running up and down the aisles, people sitting next to each other, sleeping, slightly irritated about the length of the flight, possibly food coming out from the galley, the normal processes of an aircraft, and then suddenly ‘snap’. The universe changed, because somebody 10 km away, sitting with a piece of equipment supplied, probably by Russia, a BUK surface-to-air missile system, was not capable of using this missile properly and not capable of identifying their target. It was an aircraft, ‘We’ll have a shot at it’. The lives of 289 people, in an instant, changed.
We talk about Wayne, Theresa and Emma, but I often think about the person who pulled the trigger. I will remember that person in prayers. If that person was a person of good conscience, presumably a man, then I will pray for that person to discover some peace, because they will know none in their life. However, if the person who pulled that trigger was a brute, who did not really care about what he was doing, then I will pray that he will develop a conscience over his life, that he may know the enormity of his crime, even when he is brought to justice for it.
I listened to this condolence motion and I recalled the day that I saw it appear on television. I was in Katherine at the time. I thought to myself, ‘Damn it, another plane full of strangers struck down in a war that most people would never understand, let alone have heard of’. It did not occur to me that the proximity of that tragedy would be what it ultimately was. I confess, I was more deeply touched by it, because of its proximity, but every time one of these heinous crimes is committed, somebody is proximal to the victims, somebody loses wives, husbands, fathers, sisters, daughters, cousins, aunties, and the tragedy is played out again and again.
So what can we do about it here in the Territory parliament?
While I was listening to the other speakers it occurred to me that we can only respond in one way, and that is to express ourselves as the society we are and continue to live free and unafraid of a world which is full of the most magnificent wonders, as well as the most terrible crimes.
Sitting here I was thinking of my own daughters, now nine and seven years old, who in 10 years will doubtlessly be flitting off around the world, and I will tell them not to be afraid. I will say to them, ‘Explore that world and be brave’. Yes, there is a risk that something horrible can happen, but something far more horrible is that we become afraid and lose our freedom in the process. When I tell my daughters that, I will remember Wayne, Theresa and Emma. I will say to them that in a country where the citizens are free we should express that freedom in how we live. When some of us are taken away prematurely because we express that freedom, we should be freer and exercise that freedom ever more passionately, and assert our belief in ourselves as a free society.
Ms WALKER (Nhulunbuy): Madam Speaker, I join in thanking the Chief Minister for bringing this motion before the House today so we can pay tribute to innocent lives lost, give some comfort to those who have lost precious loved ones and to assure, in particular, the families of Emma Bell, and Wayne and Theresa Baker, that their loved ones have left the Territory a better and richer place for their service and contribution to Territorians.
In acknowledging the loss we also send a message to Territorians and the world that we condemn the actions of renegades in a war far from our shores and our lives, which has, nonetheless, claimed the lives of innocent victims who had nothing to do with the hostilities of foreign nations whose airspace they were simply passing through.
The Malaysia Airlines crash, an unmitigated and unprecedented disaster, a tragedy, a little over a month ago on 17 July, has rocked communities and families around the world.
The loss of 283 innocent passengers, and 15 members who made up the crew of MH17, has affronted our sense of what is right and our sense of decency on a number of levels.
Newspapers and news bulletins have brought into our living rooms the multitude of stories of that ill-fated flight on 17 July, the stories of nearly 300 citizens of our global village who were on that flight that day for many of reasons – people’s mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons and daughters, people from all walks of life.
We have heard in the Chamber this afternoon many of the memories of the three Territorians lost. I too would like to share, in particular, some of the memories of Emma Bell. She was a talented and dedicated school teacher, passionate about her profession, who, it seems, had found her niche in teaching in the remote Indigenous schools of Arnhem Land, a place I feel blessed to call home, and I know she did too.
We have heard about Emma’s time teaching, most recently at Maningrida, and the way she was embraced and very much a part of her students’ lives, their families’ lives and community life. We know from that special and moving traditional ceremony held at Maningrida the enormous sense and depth of loss amongst the Indigenous and non-Indigenous community which grieves for Emma. Teacher Clare Jelley, a colleague of Emma’s, described her memorial service at Maningrida as, ‘Sad, but a very Emma service’.
Apart from Maningrida and Numbulwar, Emma also taught at Shepherdson College in my electorate. Shepherdson College is the government school at Galiwinku, or Elcho Island as it is known, and I am indebted to her former colleagues, Kaye Findlay, Clare Jelley and Bryan Hughes, who have shared with me their memories of a vibrant young woman with a quirky collection of hats, a necessary accessory in the year-round Arnhem Land sun, and which has featured, as the Chief Minister noted, in so many photographs of her, always with a beaming smile.
Emma did two teaching stints at Shepherdson College, the first in 2007. It was not long after her arrival that Emma was adopted by Eilish Marrkuniny, which saw her taken into the fold of the Garawirrtja family and, as such, her bpurru, or clan, was Gupapuyngu Birrkili. Emma’s adopted name was Galuku, which means coconut tree, of which there are many at beautiful Galiwinku.
Adoption of Balanda, or non-Indigenous people, like Emma into Yolngu communities - or any Indigenous community for that matter - is not only a great honour for the adoptee, it also meets a cultural need, perhaps even a necessity, to find order and a place of belonging in the Yolngu world for the adoptee, because the adoption also determines the place amongst an extended family, which means that anywhere Emma went, including Maningrida, people would know who she was, how she was related to others and, importantly, who would look out for her and have responsibility for her safety whilst on country.
While we may be very clear about our own western Balanda view of the world, about where we belong and our connection to family and country, regardless of where we are, Yolngu have explained to me that they find it difficult, even confusing, to grapple with Balanda who they think of as leaves, constantly blowing in the wind and drifting from place to place. Indeed, they almost feel sorry for Balanda who do not have that connection to country and everything in it, and so they embrace Balanda through adoption in order to offer a place in their world, as much in a spiritual sense as in a familial sense.
In the Yolngu world, everything has a place so there is a balance and order. This is why there is an intricate system of moiety, like yin and yang, the two halves that must balance. In the Yolngu world, these two halves are dhuwa and yirritja. For Emma her adoption was yirritja; she brought balance and was accepted into that world.
Let me be clear that this does not, and should not, in any way diminish Emma’s own place in her Balanda family, in fact, quite the opposite. It enhances and strengthens her place in the world. Emma’s adoption broadens the wider family that cares for her and, during her time in Arnhem Land, watched out for her while on country. It is quite a moving gesture, and I place this on the record today for Emma’s Balanda family - her parents and her brother - to comfort them in the knowledge their daughter had a special place in the hearts of not only her students and colleagues, but her extended Yolngu family, or gurrutu.
On arrival at Shepherdson College in 2007, fellow teacher Clare Jelley, who still teaches there, described Emma as a passionate and fun-loving, girl and told me that Emma taught a class of senior kids and absolutely loved it. She taught them English and media, and was so proud when her students all made documentaries of their lives. In the words of Clare Jelley:
- My best memories of Emma are more personal stories. We had so many adventures here. Em loved to get out into the community and hung out with her adopted family quite a bit. One of the toddlers, who is actually now in my Year 3 class, could recognise Emma’s car, and would point and yell out, ‘Hemma car, Hemma car’ each time we drove past. All the kids called her ‘Hemma’, which we ended up calling her too! I will always think of hats and drinking tea when I think of Em.
Clare goes on:
- She came back here in 2009 as a casual relief teacher in Term 2 and 3. We had a boat and went on lots of fishing adventures this time around. One day, we kept catching catfish so threw them back in just to catch more and more. We were getting pretty frustrated but in the end kept two to bury under a banana tree, only to later find out that they were actually threadfin salmon. Not our finest fishing moment!
I thank Clare Jelley for sharing those precious memories of Emma.
Kaye Findlay at Shepherdson College also recalls Emma as a ‘really happy and vibrant person’, who returned for a second stint at the school in 2012. In Kaye’s words, on learning of the tragedy and the loss of Emma:
- The thing I thought of first and said to my daughter when I found out was, ‘She always wore hats’. She seemed to have an endless variety of them and I rarely saw her without a hat – witnessed by the photos in the newspaper. They made her sort of quirky and fun.
Kaye goes on:
- Emma took over a low attendees’ class which had some difficult boys in it. She was loved by them, they responded to her in the best way – by turning up to school. We didn’t want to lose Emma at the end of 2012. The numbers didn’t stack up at the end of that year and we lost her … to Maningrida. It wasn’t confirmed until the last day of school and there were tears everywhere. Emma did visit Elcho last semester and her vibrancy was still evident.
- She was having a great time and just enjoying every minute.
- Emma was an enthusiastic, excited young teacher, eagerly learning her trade in remote community when I first met her at Shepherdson College. Her smile was infectious as she wore her trademark hats around school and the community. Emma’s real strength was to see the good in all people and she quickly built strong relationships with her students because of this. Emma worked hard at building rapport with families and her ability to engage the community saw her invited by her adoptive Yolngu family on many hunting trips. She was a valued member of staff who acknowledged Yolngu capital in her teaching strategies.
In closing, Emma clearly had a place in the Northern Territory and a very special place in the hearts of the people and traditional owners of Arnhem Land. She has been taken from her Balanda and Yolngu families, and those who knew and loved her, way too soon. In paying tribute to Emma Bell, we remember a young woman who was loved, valued and who had enriched and touched the lives of so many.
I trust and pray that at this difficult time her parents, Barbara and Peter and her brother, Shaun, can take some comfort and pride in that and cherish the memories of her.
I also place on the record my sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of Wayne and Theresa Baker, including sons, Jeff and Steven, at this very sad and difficult time. May they rest in peace.
Mr STYLES (Transport): Madam Speaker, firstly, I express my sincere condolences to the family and friends of those lost on Malaysia Airlines flight MH17. To lose someone close in any circumstances is heartbreaking. To lose a loved one in these circumstances is something I cannot imagine. It is hard for all of us to comprehend. The tragic loss of 298 lives has touched many around the world. Families from the Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium and Canada are all united in grief.
Closer to home, in our region there are 30 families from Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia who are also grief-stricken at the events which took place in the sky over the Ukraine on 17 July 2014. Those people and many of their relatives who live in Darwin are still struggling to understand how such a thing could happen.
The Northern Territory has been hit with the loss of three well-respected Territorians in this tragic disaster, all of who were loved and much-valued members of our community.
Theresa and Wayne Baker and Emma Bell will surely be missed by so many. I join with many other Territorians in being deeply saddened by this loss. Our nation has shown great compassion and reverence for the victims and their families. As we have seen, Australia has mobilised its resources to bring them home. As the Chief Minister mentioned, Theresa and Wayne Baker were public servants; devoting their lives to the community through their work was second nature to these inspiring Territorians.
Theresa’s work in the Department of Children and Families inspired those who worked with her. The CEO of the department has informed me of how well respected Theresa was and how much she will be missed. Accounts passed to me have touched me deeply.
Her time in remote communities for both Children and Families and the Department of Health brought her into contact with many people across the Territory. She was also seen by her colleagues and friends as a go-to person on remote services. Her corporate knowledge has been described as second to none. Many remarked on her skipping through the office, such was Theresa’s attitude and energy.
Theresa had a dry sense of humour, insisted on having fun and subscribed to the theory that happiness is a journey, not a destination, and she showed it day in, day out. It is a lesson we should all take to heart.
Theresa’s husband, Wayne, had retired after a career in Treasury, and together they were looking forward to commencing the new stage of their lives upon their return. I know I speak for all of us in saying they will be missed.
Also an avid traveller, about to embark on a life journey of her own, was a very passionate teacher, Emma Bell. As we have heard today from other speakers, Emma has worked in remote communities across the Territory, including Galiwinku, Elcho Island, and Maningrida, brought her into contact with many people, many of whom have expressed their sorrow already, but will also quietly miss her in their own way.
Emma obviously was a person who loved to work and it showed. Her enthusiasm was infectious amongst her students, she relished the challenging work in these communities, and Emma was in her element. Upon her return Emma was to begin a new semester with her students and staff who have all spoken very highly of her. Her colleagues and especially her local family who adopted her will also be heartened by the passionate and highly regarded work she did right across Arnhem Land.
Territorians stick by each other and, in my experience, rally in times of need. We have many examples in our history of that Territory bond, and I can assure Territorians and those listening that Emma’s memory will live on in the lives of those communities which she touched.
The circumstances of the loss of Theresa, Wayne and Emma are tragic. In life they all loved to explore and took great advantage of the opportunities to travel.
It is important to recognise that Malaysian Airlines continues to provide vital links between Australia and the Northern Territory, and I encourage all Territorians to maintain their passion and zest for life and to continue to explore the world. We must not let these sad events deter us from taking advantage of the Territory’s unique location and proximity to Asia, and from there the world.
At this time of grief we should also cast our minds to the families of those missing on Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370. Their loss has been compounded by the absence of closure of this incident. These families are going through difficult times with the recent and understandable focus on MH17. I say to the families of those who are missing on MH370, you are also in our prayers and thoughts at this time.
It is my hope that between me, as the Minister for Transport, my colleagues, the opposition, all those in this House and Territorians, we will do whatever we can with the federal government to ensure we pursue the people responsible for this and, along with the international community, bring them to justice for such a despicable act.
It is such a sad time for those who have lost loved ones and their friends. I pass on to them and all those affected Territorians my sincere and heartfelt condolences. As we walk through our own journey of life we all hope that we make a difference and can make an impact on the places we have been. I believe, when we look at what we have heard here today and the stories about Emma, Theresa and Wayne, that they each have left a legacy to those they have touched that we should take as an example of how we should conduct our own lives. Some fantastic stories.
Madam Speaker, my sincere condolences to the family and friends of Emma, Theresa and Wayne. We have all lost three great Australians.
Ms FYLES (Nightcliff): Madam Speaker, I also join in thanking the Chief Minister for bringing this motion to the House. I did not personally know Emma Bell or the retired Territory public servants Wayne Baker and his wife Theresa, but I extend my sincere condolences to the families and friends who knew them and loved them.
They were three proud Territorians who were taken from us too early. They all left legacies for the Territory, Emma with her work as an educator and Wayne and Theresa as long-time well-regarded public servants.
We know that on 17 July Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 crashed in Eastern Ukraine in an area controlled by pro-Russian separatist forces. The plane was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, cruising at about 10 000 metres. Sadly, all 298 people on board, including 28 Australian nationals, were killed. As a mother and a former teacher I can only imagine the pain felt by the families and friends of these victims, particularly Emma Bell, and Wayne and Theresa Baker.
Emma was a young person making her mark, Wayne and Theresa were at a stage in their life where they were able to relax and indulge their passions, but all were taken too soon. Travelling was the passion they shared.
Theresa was also passionate about her work in the Department of Children and Families and before that the Department of Health. She had a strong reputation as a person who genuinely cared about the stakeholders and organisations she worked with, providing support and assistance to ensure they were able to understand their obligations and responsibilities. She went above and beyond in her role.
By all accounts, Emma was an extraordinary person, a Territory treasure. As we have heard today in the stories of her teaching in our indigenous communities, she absolutely loved it. She was teaching in Maningrida and travelling back to Darwin to start the new school term. Being a homelands teacher for the previous 18 months she would travel from Maningrida college to the smaller outstations in Arnhem Land, teaching students aged one to eight. She was a dedicated and passionate teacher.
By all accounts Emma thrived as a bush teacher. As we heard, Maningrida principal, Stuart Dwyer, told the ABC Miss Bell was learning the local language and had been adopted by a local Indigenous family. The local community in Maningrida loved and welcomed her.
Mr Dwyer went on to say:
- The family led the smoking ceremony. Indigenous and non-Indigenous people attended, as well as staff from other agencies. We all joined together.
The ceremony was for cleansing the area where Emma worked. And to show our appreciation.
She was a special person and educator. She made powerful inroads in the community.
It was extremely emotional. At the same time we had Indigenous leaders, traditional owners, saying words that were extremely special.
To be a teacher is a passionate job, one you do because you care about children. To teach in our Indigenous communities is a step beyond that, and it is important we recognise that today.
The local people saw Emma as an outstanding educator. Reading the Facebook comments from her colleagues and friends it is clear the local community, as well as the Territory, is devastated.
Described as an outstanding educator, Emma will be remembered by her past students and community members in Maningrida. She was one of our own.
Theresa and Wayne will also be sorely missed. While these tributes today cannot take away the loss and grief felt by the families and friends of Emma, Wayne and Theresa, I hope the legacy they leave will be of some comfort.
To the families and friends across the Territory and Australia, particularly those in the gallery today, our deepest sympathy, and our hearts go out to you.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I also thank the Chief Minister for bringing this condolence motion forward.
Australia and the Territory have recently paid homage to those who died in the tragic downing of MH17, and today we have the opportunity to do the same.
The morning I heard the news I felt sick in my stomach, not just because of the terrible reality of a passenger plane being shot out of the sky, but also because in April this year I flew over the Ukraine twice on Malaysia Airlines, so it could have happened to me.
The news came in that there were Australians on board. Again, that was terrible enough to hear. That they had come from other states was bad enough, but when I found out people on board had come from the Territory it brought the extent of the tragedy home even more.
Emma Bell was a school teacher at Maningrida and Theresa and Wayne Baker were from Palmerston. Although I did not know them personally, my sister, Trisha, worked with Theresa in the Department of Children and Families, and my brother-in-law, Tony, knew them well through the Trailer Boat Club and many a fishing trip down the Daly.
All of a sudden, something had happened in far off Ukraine, a war that seems miles away in our lives came so close to home. It has affected us all, even if we do not know them. Perhaps that is one of the great things about living in the Territory. It could have been me. It could have been anyone who flew across the Ukraine. Why was it Emma, Theresa and Wayne and all the other people who flew on MH17? We will never know.
It also affected the people who worked with these people. Even though I did not know Emma, I have something from the DCF website my sister, Trish, sent me and would like to read it.
- Today we remember our friends and colleagues, Theresa and Wayne Baker. Theresa was, for a number of years, our financial manager at Children and Families and played an integral and significant part in the development and growth of the department. Theresa was our leader and mentor and she was influential in solving the big issues when dealing with the ever-changing complexities of managing a budget in this challenging organisation. More recently Theresa, as she was preparing for her well-earned retirement, continued to pass on her immense corporate knowledge, advice and support to the finance team.
How can we best describe Theresa? She was a tireless, happy, energetic, rowdy, supportive and amazing person. Wayne was also a co-worker for some of us for a short period of time. His accounting and auditing background was an invaluable asset to the team. His attention to detail was evident in his writing of procedures, which we still refer to today.
Outside the office Theresa and Wayne loved life. They could be found on any night dining at various restaurants in Darwin and Palmerston, or barbecuing poolside with friends. A particular favourite place of theirs was the Karawa training restaurant at CDU Palmerston campus. Friday nights and State of Origin matches would see Theresa leave work in time to pick up the supplies and be home in time to watch the rugby league.
- Fishing was another passion of theirs and they would take every opportunity to get out onto the water. Theresa and Wayne were devoted parents to their sons, Jeff and Steven. They supported them and encouraged them to pursue their ambitions. Theresa often told us with great pride of what the boys were doing and what they had achieved, and that raising her boys had been her greatest achievement. They were planners, as was evidenced through their professions, but also in their life.
They worked hard to attain the goals so they could build their dream home by the sea, travel and enjoy an early retirement. In happier times we farewelled Theresa earlier this year as she commenced her long service leave. It is difficult to come to terms with the recent events. Our thoughts and prayers are with Jeff and Steven, and both Theresa’s and Wayne’s family. Rest in peace, Theresa and Wayne.
- If we do not take seriously the command to love one another then the consequence is we must accept that atrocity, hatred, war, death and sadness are in some way inevitable and expected and maybe even somewhat normal.
When any of us refuses to forgive or harbours prejudice, or accepts injustice of any sort then we add to the hatred and madness that leads to the tragedy we are witnessing.
War and hatred are not inevitable. We are not hardwired to hate each other. These are things we choose to do.
These words will not necessarily take away the sadness and grief, but perhaps it is an opportunity to take stock of our lives, to live each day as if it was the last, to love those we love even more and to forgive those who we hate, because if we do not and we fill our heats with revenge, evil will win over good.
My deepest sympathies to the families of Emma, Theresa and Wayne, and my sympathy to the families of all those people who died on that tragic day.
Mrs FINOCCHIARO (Drysdale): Madam Speaker, I thank the Chief Minister and all the speakers who have followed him for their words of condolence.
For me, this tragic event has shown just how interconnected the world really is and how grief can be felt by an entire community.
I offer my deepest and sincerest condolences to all the families and friends of the 298 victims of MH17, the Malaysian Airlines flight that was senselessly destroyed while flying over the Ukraine on Friday 17 July.
Across the entire world, communities have been mourning since MH17’s downing. Citizens from so many nations have been lost in a callous, quick, and violent act. These people had nothing to do with the regional conflict below them, and I find it heart-wrenching to consider the innocent victims, consisting of flight crew going about their jobs and passengers travelling for business or taking a holiday.
Our country, sadly, lost 38 people in this horrific event. Losing so many Australian lives on a scale like this has created shock, anger, and disbelief. Just consider that 38 Aussies are no longer with us because of this tragedy; 38 people robbed of their lives and ripped from ours.
The Northern Territory community has not gone untouched; indeed, we as a community have been hit very hard, with Emma, Wayne, and Theresa taken from us far too soon.
Emma’s loss is being felt very hard by all those who knew her. The Chief Minister spoke about Emma just turning 30 - my age - a young lady, full of life, who gave so much back to her community through her work a teacher. Emma’s passing will leave an enormous hole in the lives of her family, friends and colleagues.
I mentioned how connected communities can be, and this is also evident with the loss of Wayne and Theresa Baker. Wayne and Theresa lived in Palmerston and lived life to the full, dedicated public servants who were very well-regarded by their peers.
Jeff and Steven Baker - Wayne and Theresa’s sons - are also residents of Palmerston, and I say to these young men that the community is in disbelief and wants to support you in any way it can. On behalf of the people of Drysdale, I extend our sympathies to you during this unimaginable time of grief.
We hope the thoughts and prayers scripted in the public condolence books presented to you by the Chief Minister bring you some small comfort. My sincerest condolences.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I also extend my condolences and sympathies to the families of those Territorians and other people aboard Malaysian Airlines flight MH17, and to their friends, on their departing.
I extend my sincere sympathies to you for what is clearly a great loss. I am sure your hearts will feel pain for many years, if not forever. Grief is a very personal thing, and your collective grief has been shared today in this parliament. For that we feel honoured.
Thank you for allowing us to show our respects to your lost family members and to commemorate the lives of Wayne and Theresa Baker, and Emma Bell. May they rest in peace. Vale Theresa, Wayne and Emma.
Motion agreed to.
Members stood in silence for one minute as a sign of respect.
RESPONSES TO PETITIONS
Petitions No 35 and 37
Petitions No 35 and 37
The CLERK: Mr Deputy Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 100A. I inform honourable members that responses to Petitions No 35 and 37 have been received and circulated to honourable members.
The text of the response will be placed on the Legislative Assembly website. A copy of the response has been provided to the members who tabled the petitions for distribution to the petitioners.
- Petition No 35
New State-of the-Art Henbury School
Date presented: 25 March 2014
Presented by: Ms Manison
Referred to: Minister for Education
Date response due: 20 August 2014
Date response received: 11 August 2014
Date response presented: 19 August 2014
Response:
Government approved an item for $10m for special school infrastructure in the northern suburbs of Darwin on the 2014-15 Design List. Government’s support for Henbury School has enabled planning to commence in 2014-15, in preparation for a project proposed by the 2015-16 capital works program.
Although the school community has welcomed the announcement of a $10m infrastructure investment, the school is experiencing continued student enrolment pressure and is seeking a short-term solution to increase capacity. An interim solution to supplement the existing school facilities with transportable classrooms is being investigated.
It should be noted that there is also a special education program and separate facility for secondary students in Palmerston, based at Palmerston Senior College, and for rural students, based at Taminmin College. Further, Henbury School manages a successful outreach nework which provides for its students to attend a range of schools, including Dripstone Middle School, Casuarina Senior College and Darwin High School, on a regular basis. Although it is acknowledged that additional classroom space is needed at Henbury School, the current model of service delivery provides families with options and has reduced pressure at Henbury School as the hub school.
- There are a number of options to invest $10m in additional infrastructure for Henbury School to provide greater long-term capacity and improved amenities for students and staff. A project development group, PDG, has been established, comprising key stakeholders and infrastructure experts to consider the best outcome for students.
The school principal and school council, through the PDG, are involved in consideration of the options before moving into a design phase. The PDG will provide further advice for my consideration.
- Petition No 37
Exploring and Extracting Shale Oil and Gas
Date presented: 15 May 2014
Presented by: Mr Vatskalis
Referred to: Minister for Mines and Energy
Date response due: 29 October 2014
Date response received: 31 July 2014
Date response presented: 19 August 2014
Response:
The Northern Territory government values the concern expressed within the community as important and, as a result, has called for an inquiry into hydraulic fracturing activities in the Territory. The terms of reference for this inquiry are available at the following website address: http://www.hydraulicfracturinginquiry.nt.gov.au/index.html
The Northern Territory’s petroleum industry is already rigorously regulated and, additionally, I can report that the Territory’s existing petroleum legislation is under review, to ensure that industry advances in technology are captured by our regulatory regime and continue to meet leading practice requirements.
It is encouraging that Territorians express their views on issues they feel are important in their community.
MOTION
Note Statement – Update on the Community Engagement Portfolios of Multicultural Affairs, Senior Territorians and Young Territorians
Note Statement – Update on the Community Engagement Portfolios of Multicultural Affairs, Senior Territorians and Young Territorians
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the minister for his statement on multicultural affairs, youth and seniors. I have heard many of these statements over the years. They sound nice and certainly have some good things in them. The member for Wulagi – Wanguri. I used to get mixed up with those suburbs when I played cricket. I would go to Wanguri oval when I was supposed to be at Wulagi oval. You can see my geography is no good.
Be that as it may, the member for Wanguri raised many issues, some supportive and some with concerns.
I would like to raise some concerns which should be dealt with a little more deeply with statements like this. Perhaps it is a deliberate ploy to get us to dig a little deeper than if the minister raised some of these issues himself.
My concern is that when we talk about youth we seem to talk them as if it were some homogenous group of people. The government sets up networks; it sets up the forum we have in parliament, the round table, and they are all good, do not get me wrong. But when the minister talks about youth, does he also talk about the youth who have difficulty getting a job or who do not stay at school, especially in some of the remote areas?
A friend has been working in a community on some courses with young people between 13 and about 16. He said the other day that these young people are not interested at all. That could be a fault of the course. I am not saying that is not the case, but the reality is some of these kids have been in and out of Don Dale and some just do not listen to their elders. Some of these kids have no goal; they are not going anywhere. I wonder, when we talk about youth, are we concentrating on the main centres? Has the minister for Youth been to some of the communities to see whether these policies we talk about today are making any difference to the lives of young people in the bush?
There is always a danger that – we sometimes mention it in our committee meetings – you can go up and down the track and there will be issues for sure, but we sometimes do not get to those places where it is not quite the same. The problems with youth might be more variable to what we see in the main centres. I sometimes feel statements are made at a certain level and the reality is about 3 m below.
This gentleman, who spoke to me the other day, really wondered what the point was. He was trying to get them some qualifications, they were not interested, and there is probably a very good reason why. There are no jobs. Why would you bother getting an education if there are no jobs?
At times we talk about some of these issues at a higher level – about employment and housing – but if we make a statement about youth, how do those issues affect youth? If there are no jobs in some remote communities, what is the hope for young people out there?
You have a reasonable chance of getting a job in most of our main centres, although listening to some of what was said in Tennant Creek recently, unemployment is quite high. All those things affect our young people and their future. If you do not see any hope of getting a job, why would you bother learning? That is an area I hoped the minister, when talking about youth in his statement, could cover. He might say it is the Department of Education’s area, or if it is to do with Don Dale it is something for the Minister for Correctional Services. But this statement is about young Territorians. It is a broad statement, and some of the bigger, heavy issues should be discussed in statements like this. If we have underlying problems now, with people not wanting to learn, what will it be like in the future if we do not attempt to turn some of that around? Some might say that people have to take responsibility for their own lives, and I understand that, but when you are talking about young Territorians, some of them are not capable of turning their lives around without a boot up the pants or some encouragement – a carrot and stick approach.
It concerns me that we need to have a broader discussion about the future of young people in remote communities. Are there enough sporting facilities? Do we fund our sport and recreation people sufficiently to make sure they can work on a continual basis in these communities? Are the facilities up to scratch or have they fallen into disrepair? It would be nice to get some idea of where youth is and where it is going in many of our communities.
The gentleman conducting these courses did say something good. I asked if anyone is interested in learning, and he said, ‘Yes, one or two’. I said, ‘In that case teach the one or two. Do not let them be brought down to a lower level simply because others are not interested in learning.’
The other issue that concerns me is in relation to senior Territorians and the government dropping concessions. I do not know whether anyone in Alice Springs gets these letters, but I have had a number of letters from Alice Springs as well as my area. People have written to me with great concern about the loss of concessions. I will read from a couple of letters which summarise how people are feeling.
This letter is from my area.
- I sent this e-mail to the following people on Friday 6 June.
I received this on 19 June, and she wrote to minister Peter Styles, Minister for Senior Territorians, and two ministerial officers, and said:
- I have had no reply from any of these government officials so I am asking for your help in getting some response. Thank you in advance for your help.
I think she has now received a response, but she was frustrated that something did not happen fairly quickly.
She says:
- I have lived in the Territory for 34 years working in the survey industry. I have seen Darwin grow and have worked on the Darwin to Alice railway, the construction of the Adelaide River rail bridge, the clean-up of Rum Jungle mine and many more projects. I have never received the dole, childcare assistance, sports assistance or university aid. I have never received any government help in my life.
I will be 60 in three months and I was looking forward to the Northern Territory government showing me some appreciation for my work – a small pat on the back for helping build this Territory. I am so angry that you have taken this away from me, the small assistance in my electricity and water bills, cheap public transport, assistance with car registration, my reward for working hard, and you have decided that I am not worthy of this recognition.
The reason this concession scheme was introduced was to help keep older Territorians here. You are driving us away from the Darwin that we built for you, and I am furious at your government for this betrayal.
I have another letter from Alice Springs. I will not read it all; I will read the good part of it:
- I was looking forward to receiving my seniors and pension concession card after attaining the age of 60 years, considering that I have lived and worked in the Territory for 37 years, five of those in a community, and anticipating some financial relief. I was also a single parent, raising twins in Alice Springs.
I was disappointed and somewhat dismayed, to say the least, that I was not entitled to the pension concession card, as my birthday falls on 28 June 1954. I was told my entitlement was denied because of the NT government’s recent budget of 14 May 2014.
I have lived continuously in the Northern Territory for the past 37 years. My twin children were born and raised here. One of them still resides in the Territory and I have no plans to leave the Territory.
I will not go on with the details, because they may identify the person.
- The Territory government is often quoted as encouraging residents to retire in the Territory, but there is no encouragement when this government fails to consider the contribution of long-term residents.
As it stands now, a person who arrives in the Territory and has their 60th birthday before 14 May is entitled to the scheme before the budget, whereas, a person who has lived in the Territory for a number of years - say over 25 years - is not entitled. I know a number of these people in Alice Springs alone. Many of these people have enjoyed the benefits of the pension concession card only to retire to another state.
If you have lived and worked in the Territory for a long period of time and your 60th birthday happens to fall after 14 May, you are out of luck and not entitled to the pension concession card. Simply by quirk of dates, I am not entitled to the benefits of this scheme. Not really a fair way to treat long-term, taxpaying residents. A fair and more equitable way of determining candidacy for this scheme would be a minimum period of residency in the Territory for eligibility.
She goes on to say:
- Why should long-term residents who have paid their fair share of taxes over the years be denied the benefits of this scheme simply by a quirk of dates? The scheme as it exists now is not fair and can be described as a lottery at best.
That person is saying a person can come to the Territory, not live in the Northern Territory very long and be entitled to the concessions.
This was another letter in the NT News, or it might have been the Centralian Advocate:
- It is about time someone blew open the senior concession scheme for scrutiny. Seniors have known for ages about the inequities and agitated for a review of its administration by successive governments. The original intent of the concessions was to keep seniors here in their retirement to continue to contribute to this great place. Now, in one fell swoop, this government has cut the seniors concession scheme, disenfranchising many hard-working Territorians who have helped build the Territory to what it is today. All they were looking for was some small recognition from government to help them with the unique costs of living here. It was arguably the best concession scheme for seniors in Australia for that reason. Now it is zero concessions for non-Centrelink Territorians.
I raise that because I think the government has forgotten senior Territorians. When I asked a question about this of the Minister for Senior Territorians in estimates, it was funny. He said, ‘Well, that is a question for the Minister for Health’. That is like a fob, and senior Territorians understand that. I get the feeling this government has not understood the depth of contempt for them from seniors who believe this is an unfair change to the concessions. These people have worked all their lives and, simply because the government decided on a certain date when they would change the rules, they miss out.
Other people who come for a short period, who have just arrived in the Northern Territory this year and have a Centrelink card are entitled to those concessions. If you tell me that is fair, I will go he. The government has swept it under the carpet as if it has not happened. Many older people may not get cranky in public, because that is the way they are. Many people prefer to worry about other things like grandchildren, a game of bowls or whatever, but when it comes to these issues they hope the government will do the right thing by them and support them. I see this government not supporting the seniors by changing the rules to the concessions. It is no big deal. Again, when I asked the minister at estimates, when he was appearing as the Minister for Senior Territorians, how much money was spent on the highway past Barrow Creek going through Ti Tree on opening up the road for the speedy drivers, he said he could not answer that because he was appearing as the minister for Seniors. He said, ‘If you want an answer on that, you will have to ask the Minister for Transport, which is me, but because of rules, I cannot answer it’.
I needed to ask the Minister for Senior Territorians two questions: one about the cost of upgrading the road and one about how much money was saved by cutting concessions. This is the only chance I have had to raise this, and I hope the minister does not say he does not know and that I will have to ask other ministers. That will not go down well with some of our seniors. I hope in summing up you explain to me how we can spend money on trivial things and cut concessions to older people, because they are the ones who have worked to keep the Territory going over many years. They are the ones who expected some response from the government in return for the work they have done, and these people have now been cut off from that.
The members for Goyder and Wanguri raised the issue of retirement villages. The rural area still does not have a retirement village. Unfortunately, somewhere in the politics of the world, we have a development occurring outside of the district centre at Humpty Doo, where the minister is saying he approved it partly because Gerry Wood wanted a retirement village. I did not want a retirement village where there is a private development occurring. I wanted the government to release land it owns in the middle of Humpty Doo for a retirement village. We are now losing people in the rural area. They want to get off their blocks of land and stay in the rural area; they would like to stay with their friends and community. They do not want to go to Pearl or Tiwi. They might be nice places – member for Fannie Bay, I am sure they are – but they have rural friends and are used to a rural lifestyle, which many people enjoy because of the fresh air and because it is not cluttered like some of the suburbs. The roads are slightly wider than some parts of Palmerston, as I recently found out in Zuccoli, where if you can squeeze a third vehicle up the road, you are lucky. There are reasons for that, and we will not go into them, but people do not want to live that type of cluttered lifestyle. They still want to be in their community where they are comfortable.
The previous government stuttered and undertook all sorts of things to avoid doing it, and this government, two years into its term, is doing the same. Why can it not release land in Humpty Doo district centre for a rural retirement village? You are close to the chemist, pub and supermarket, and there are two doctors. What more could anyone want? If you designed it in such a way that it gave people a bit of room to have a garden and a lawn it would be extremely popular. It just seems that no one wants to do anything in the rural area, unless somebody says they have a plan for government, can cut the rural area into little blocks to solve the housing problem and make a lot of money, which stuffs up the rural area. When we ask for something important like a retirement village, the government does not seem interested, and they have their priorities all up the pole. We need a retirement village for our seniors, and it will not take much for the government to do it. It would not take any skin off the back of government. It owns the land, and if it puts out expressions of interest for someone to develop a retirement village, it would have plenty of people putting their hands up for it.
Many rural people are willing to leave their blocks and sell them if some of that money would go into owning or leasing a retirement village house and they could put the rest of the money in the bank to invest in helping them live the rest of their lives with a reasonable income.
It is fine that we have a good, multicultural society. There are more Irish lollipop ladies in Darwin, I think, than anywhere else in the world. It is great, but we have some serious issues with young people in remote communities. Where will they go in life? What is their future? They are the more difficult questions. I do not have the answers necessarily, but it would be nice to hear some responses from the minister.
Also, why did you cut the concessions for seniors? What are you doing about a retirement village for people in the rural area? That is what I would like to hear. It is great to have the statement today, and I appreciate that the minister has brought it on, but sometimes these statements need a bit of a meat, and there is only bone in this statement.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE (Primary Industry and Fisheries): Mr Deputy Speaker, I am very pleased to support this statement on multicultural affairs, senior Territorians and young Territorians.
The support of a strong, proud and culturally confident society is essential to the enhancement of our diverse and multicultural way of life in the Northern Territory, and the establishment of the Minister’s Advisory Council – Senior Territorians and the Minister’s Advisory Council – Multicultural Affairs, in conjunction with the Youth Round Table, ensure this government is providing a voice for our seniors, members of our multicultural community and, of course, our youth. Indeed, the provision of high-level and strategic advice from these councils direct to the portfolio minister is important for informing relevant and current policy development. As the minister stated, it is critical that government listens to our people, and it is important that our youth, seniors and multicultural community members have the voice to contribute to policy directions and development.
In my electorate of Katherine we are incredibly lucky to have a very strong and culturally diverse community. The Katherine area benefits from many multicultural events and celebrations. The turnout of spectators and participants from the local community during events that recognise our diverse multicultural community is always great. It is always a pleasure for me to be able to go to many of those functions when I am in my electorate of Katherine.
For example, last year I met with teams from across the world who were passing through Katherine as a part of the 2013 solar challenge and was fortunate enough to meet and talk with many of the competitors, a great number of whom had travelled from overseas, bringing with them the experience and diversity of the culture from which they come. It was a pleasure to welcome those people into the community of Katherine, and is something I will continue to encourage in years to come.
I also had the great pleasure of attending the Indian association of Katherine function last year and give special thanks to Biju Mani for the hard work that went in to running it. The Katherine Filipino Australia Association NT, or KFAANT, runs a number of highly successful and well-attended events each year, including the Barrio Fiesta and multicultural day, Harmony Day and, of course, the ever-popular Miss KFAANT competition, which is dedicated to raising money for the local Filipino association to keep doing the great work it does in our community. The dedicated venue of the Mabuhay Hall is a popular and well-used community facility that is kindly shared by KFAANT and the wider community for a range of events and celebrations.
Katherine’s Thai community is highly regarded as having some of the best culinary delights. Took Hayes, Nepa Jolley and Renu Bretherton hold food stalls at the Katherine Community Market every Saturday, and I challenge you to find a better laksa, curry puff or spring roll anywhere else in the Territory.
Mrs Finocchiaro: Palmerston Markets.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: I will take that under advisement, member for Drysdale. In 2012 Katherine was honoured with a visit from the Indonesian Consul General. During this trip Indonesian cultural day celebrations were held, and included dance performances, a fashion show and cooking demonstrations at the Katherine Community Market.
Duah Asanema and Lyndal Carbery hold a fashion outlet which includes West African arts and crafts. They also run African drum and dance lessons for the town. This wonderful sharing of culture is so greatly valued in our community.
Shamwari meats, sold by Hilton and June Graham at the Katherine Community Market each Saturday provides members of the Katherine community with the opportunity to experience African food.
There are Chinese language lessons held every Wednesday evening at my electorate office, and how wonderful it is that the gift of language is available to anyone in the community who might wish to learn it.
Without the dedication, commitment and input of the many local members of the community, supported by grants from the government, I am sure many of these events would not be as successful as they are. The benefit of such events is immeasurable in their building of community spirit.
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Visitors
Visitors
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Katherine, could I interrupt for a minute.
Honourable members, I advise of the presence in the gallery of the Sri Lankan dancers from the Multicultural Dance Academy with the Minister for Multicultural Affairs. On behalf of honourable members, I extend a warm welcome to our visitors and hope you enjoy your visit to Parliament House.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: I am sure the minister will look after you.
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Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: Mr Deputy Speaker, I pick up on that very warm welcome you gave to the Sri Lankan dancers. We do not have a strong Sri Lankan community in Katherine, but you would be most welcome to visit our community. We would love to see your performances and a celebration of the culture you bring to the community of the Northern Territory.
Our youth of today will be the leaders of tomorrow. Through an emphasis on leadership and development opportunities, we are committed to helping build our young people into strong and capable members of the community. The Youth Round Table is an excellent government-supported initiative that seeks to provide the opportunity for young Territorians to have input and direct communication with government into what is important for the youth of today.
I encourage all young people to consider applying to participate in the Youth Round Table, as no matter who you are or where you are from, you have a voice and experiences that would be of value to others around you. The round table is a wonderful opportunity to lend your voice to your peers and represent what is important to the youth of today.
It is important to recognise that many of the opportunities we have today would not be possible without the work done by our now senior community. It is our seniors who provided our generation with the foundation to flourish. It is only right that in what is often referred to as the golden years we recognise their importance to our community and provide them the support and opportunity they bestowed upon us.
There are many wonderful programs available to senior Territorians which they can take advantage of to continue to enjoy the Territory lifestyle. This government’s commitment to further enhance the celebration of senior Territorians is welcome news.
On a personal note, I have had some wonderful opportunities, particularly in my career as the local member in Katherine over the last six years, to engage at many levels across the multicultural society we have in the Northern Territory, with our youth and, unavoidably and joyfully so, with our seniors as well, from simple food stalls at a market right through to engaging with the Indian Navy when they brought their warship across a few months back, and to dealing with high-level officials from Indonesia or China. All those things are valuable, not only to the community of the Northern Territory but to me personally because I get so much from that experience. It is something I wish could go on forever.
In my travels around the world I am fascinated by the difference in cultures I come across as I move from country to country. If I go to a place like Vietnam – and there is a strong Vietnamese community in Darwin, and a few in Katherine as well - I see everybody is busy. I see commerce occurring in those countries at every level; everybody seems to be engaged and I find that sometimes totally different from what we experience in Australia. For me it is fascinating.
To see the entertainment, the dress and experience the food of the multicultural societies in the Territory, and when I go overseas, adds even greater depth to the experience I have, so I appreciate the opportunity to engage with the multicultural society on so many levels in the Territory and overseas.
The same could be said in different ways about our seniors and young people. Our young people have a lot to contribute to the Northern Territory. I have the pleasure, although not as often as I would like these days, to get to school assemblies in Katherine and to engage with classes. Whenever I do, I take the opportunity to remind those young people - the students, even when they are still in Year 1 or 2 - that they are the future leaders of our community and our society.
I tell them that the world is their oyster, that if they work hard and make some commitments they can be anything they want. If they want to be police officers, firefighters, nurses, teachers or leaders in the community - they could be the local mayor of the town – if they choose a path they can follow it and become successful.
Our seniors are, without a doubt, the people for whom we should have, arguably, the greatest respect. Many of them have spent their lives in the Northern Territory, building what we have today. They are our mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, grandparents or our adopted families in so many ways. Their contribution to Northern Territory society is something that should not go unnoticed, and it should never be underestimated. We should give our greatest respect to the seniors in the Northern Territory, and our great vote of thanks for all they have done before us, to give us the Northern Territory we have today.
I am always very pleased to stand here in support of the minister’s statements on multicultural affairs, seniors and young territorians, because it gives me the opportunity to talk about not only my electorate, but what I consider to be an extremely important part of the Northern Territory’s fabric. The multicultural society, the seniors and our young people contribute in a very significant way to that.
In closing, once again, to our Sri Lankan friends in the gallery, please come and visit Katherine. We would love to see a celebration of your culture in my town, and I hope you can continue to do the great things you do in Darwin and for Territorians.
Mrs FINOCCHIARO (Drysdale): Mr Deputy Speaker, I also support the minister’s statement. If there are three things I like talking about they are multicultural affairs, senior Territorians and young Territorians, so forgive me, this is an area I am passionate about and I may talk for quite some time.
It is topical and timely that the minister has brought this statement before the House, because it is much-loved Seniors Month. Even better than Seniors Month, which is celebrated right across the Territory, we have just seen the conclusion of Palmerston Seniors Week, which, if you ask me, is the best celebration of seniors the Territory has. Palmerston Seniors Week puts the northern suburbs’, Darwin’s and everyone else’s seniors activities to shame! Our Palmerston Seniors Week committee is outstanding, and it packs a lot of punch into our seniors week. It is renowned and attracts many people from all over the Top End to our activities, because in Palmerston we rock, and if there is one thing we do well it is seniors’ activities. I spend most of my week at seniors’ activities; I am an adopted 50-plus year old, so even though I am not quite 30, I will be in the groove by the time I hit that age.
Speaking of Palmerston Seniors Week I will thank a few people. I must thank the sponsors, first of all, and they include the Northern Territory government. We are proud to support Palmerston and Rural Seniors Week, which we do in a number of ways. First of all we do so by means of transport, and I thank the minister for Seniors, who is also the Minister for Transport. He acknowledged that Palmerston Seniors Week is very popular and we have a high demand for buses.
Under previous governments free buses were awarded. When we first came to government we reassessed the bank balance, so there were some concerns that the free buses for Palmerston Seniors Week would be threatened. Palmerston seniors did not realise they had such a strong ally in me, and I swiftly spoke to the Chief Minister and the Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Seniors a couple of years ago. We had a very successful Seniors Week with free buses, and I will lobby hard in the years to come to ensure we continue to have free buses. Just for clarification, the only reason there was a perception of threat is that in other areas of the Territory the buses are underutilised and the cost outweighs the benefit, but for Palmerston we could put another 50 seats on each bus and still fill them to the brim.
The government supported the week in that way, and we also provided support through the community benefit grants system. I was pleased to sit down with the committee of Palmerston Seniors Week to go through that grant information and application process; they were successful, which meant they were able to hold the Spirit of Darwin sunset cruise function on 14 August. It was limited to 85 spaces, but only because of the size of the boat; there was a three-course buffet dinner provided free and everyone had an amazing time. If it was not for the government’s support of Palmerston Seniors Week, 85 happy seniors would not have been able to attend the Spirit of Darwin sunset cruise. They were fortunate that evening that the RAAF was holding a Pitch Black exercise over Mindil Beach, so the boat positioned itself perfectly to coincide with the timing of the jet display, which was a hit. Everyone loved it, so it was fantastic.
I also thank the City of Palmerston, which provided much of the administrative and financial support for Palmerston and Rural Seniors Week; that equally goes to Litchfield Council. Our other sponsors – these guys always come on board – include Cazaly’s and Caddies; Flight Centre; Betta Electrical; Totally Workwear; Palmerston Sports Club; Woodroffe Primary School, with the use of its school assembly area, which is always fantastic for opening and closing ceremonies; East Arm Civil; the Didgeridoo Hut; and C-Max Cinemas.
Not mentioned there is Bunnings Palmerston, but I must thank Jodie. They are such tremendous ambassadors for our community, and I say that with all sincerity. It does not matter what it is, but whenever there are prizes to be donated or we are in need of a shoulder to the wheel, Bunnings Palmerston is behind our community. That extends to backyard blitzing the Joy Anderson Centre in Gray to Jodie clearing tables and serving seniors during the Palmerston Seniors Week opening and closing ceremonies, so a huge thank you to Bunnings Palmerston for everything it does in our community.
I will not go through all of the activities of Palmerston Seniors Week, because, as I mentioned before, they are all fantastic and there are too many of them, but some of the key ones were the sunset cruise, and the opening and closing ceremonies are always fantastic and extremely well attended. In the order of 100 people attend those, and we were very lucky to have the Administrator, the Honourable Sally Thomas, officially open Seniors Week with us, and she thoroughly enjoyed herself. It was wonderful to have her on board. She spoke beautifully and it was a wonderful afternoon.
There was also trivia at Caddies Golf Club and it was such a beautiful day. I am glad the weather turned lovely and cool last week, it made the experience all the better. The Darwin Military Museum experience was loved by all. Traditionally, during Palmerston Seniors Week the seniors go on a tour of the RAAF Base, but with the Pitch Black activities that was not possible, so we swapped it for the Darwin Military Museum, and it went down a treat.
The huge event on the week’s calendar, which is truly loved by all, including the vendors, is the motorcycle activities. Everyone heads to Marlow Lagoon; the places are limited to 80, and the seniors get an opportunity to hop on the back of a revved up, beefed up Harley Davidson or other motorbike and go for a cruise. That is always loved. I am reliably informed that even Barbara, one of our dear seniors, absolutely enjoyed it. I know my electorate officer, Angie, has enjoyed it in previous years.
That is Palmerston Seniors Week; it was incredible. This year Marg Lee led the team, ably supported by Margaret Moore, Pam Smith, Pam Christian-Jones, Lillian Mann, Avril Smith and Trevor Miller and his gorgeous little puppy; he is not really a puppy, but I call all dogs puppies now. They put in a mammoth effort. It is a huge week, it takes up an extraordinary amount of their time, and they do it with such dignity and grace. Thank you very much to them for putting all the effort in for Palmerston Seniors Week.
A couple of weeks ago the federal member for Solomon, Natasha Griggs; the member for Blain, Nathan Barrett; and I attended the Palmerston 50+ Club mini golf event. I believe the member for Blain partook in mini golf but I have been in the job a little longer and just made sure I rocked up for the free lunch. The member for Blain actually participated, which is great. I am sure he had a wonderful time. Nathan, the member for Brennan, Peter Chandler, and I, supported that activity by providing the meat and sausages and those types of things, and it was a lot of fun.
Something exciting that is coming up for seniors, is the Seniors of Excellence NT awards. I am very happy to announce – and she knows I dobbed her in – that I nominated someone from Palmerston, and that is Cath Cockcroft. Cath caters for every Palmerston event. It does not matter what it is, if it is in a school, a seniors’ activity, a council function, I guarantee Cath would have prepared all the food, and she does it so lovingly and at so little cost. We all have to continue to tell her, ‘Cath, you have to cover your costs’. She is so full of heart and such a wonderful woman. The details of her nomination say:
- Cath Cockcroft is affectionately known throughout the Palmerston community as the lady who fills our bellies with endless amounts of fresh scones and coronation chicken sandwiches …
Costa Georgiadis from the ABC gardening show absolutely loved her coronation chicken sandwiches when he attended Gray Community Garden.
- Cath is an outspoken and much loved character, and has given many years of service to the Northern Territory. She is an active member of the Palmerston Australia Day committee, a role she has done for more years than she would care to remember. She religiously attends Palmerston 50+ Club and provides all the morning tea and lunches. Kath is involved in volunteering for Palmerston Senior’s Week and NAIDOC Week and regularly caters for the City of Palmerston and the Palmerston Fishing Club. She was also an ambassador for Activate in 2014, and has been doing so for many years.
Congratulations to Cath. I look forward to seeing you receive your award. Do not hate me too much for nominating you; you deserve it.
I also want to thank Cazaly’s. They are unsung heroes in our community. They support seniors extremely well, and on the third Tuesday of every month, from 10am to 11am, they put on a free morning tea. It is extremely well attended, everyone has a really great time, and again, it is a Palmerston business supporting that important fabric in our community. I thank them because without that activity there would be a lot less opportunity to connect and grow together. Many rural seniors come to that event and it is a very important one.
Lastly, on the seniors’ component, I congratulate Marg Lee, who was my Year 2 teacher at Gray Primary School. Marg is an outstanding leader in our community on every level, not just seniors, and she, I am very proud to say, has been selected to be on the Minister’s Advisory Council – Senior Territorians. Marg is the only person on that council from Palmerston. I know she will represent Palmerston proudly and strongly. Marg also sits on the Palmerston Seniors Advisory Committee and is a strong voice there. I know she has the confidence of her peers and the trust and respect of our community. Marg, I wish you well on that endeavour. We are proud to have you representing Palmerston at that very high level of advising the minister.
Speaking on multicultural matters, I am obviously involved in things like the Italian Festival. We are hoping next year’s festival is an enormous success. The first time we held the festival it was amazing, and we can only hope we were not a one-hit wonder and we get it going again. Time will tell, but that is on the cards for next year. I am looking forward to working through that.
I also had the opportunity to attend the Islamic Society of Palmerston, which is in the member of Blain’s electorate in Moulden. I thank Abu Saleh and everyone at the Islamic community for being such welcoming people. I cannot emphasise it more strongly, their hospitality truly is boundless.
I attended a function and was just dressed in work clothes. When I arrived, obviously the vast majority of women had a hijab, veil or shawl on. I immediately felt terribly self-conscious that I would offend someone deeply and nearly could not get out of the car, I was so worried. A lovely family pulled up next to me and I explained my dilemma. They could not go to enough effort to search their car to see if they had something for me to wear. I felt embarrassed and silly about it, but they were so kind and welcoming. Soon enough this gathering of people were waving me over saying, ‘Lia, don’t be ridiculous, come over. You don’t need to do that. You’re here.’
It made me realise there are so many false boundaries – perceptions of cultures that collide. I was so openly welcomed and did not feel out of place at all in the end. I thank them for that. I thank them for being so open both ways. It was fantastic and I wish I could have stayed for dinner. The smells coming out of the kitchen were fantastic. I certainly will be back and I thank them for having such a huge vision in Palmerston.
The block of land they are on is massive, and they have a wonderful vision for a whole community centre, not just the Islamic society but all sorts of multicultural and other community groups in Palmerston. I hope their dreams are realised because it will be a tremendous facility. I am sure the member for Blain would agree and welcome that development in the heart of his electorate.
I also had the opportunity, through the Italian Club, to participate in the Harmony Day soiree. I was busily selling cannelloni and cornetti. The Minister for Multicultural Affairs enjoyed the Harmony Day soiree and is proud to be supporting it through the Multicultural Council. I thank all those involved. It was extremely well attended; the waterfront was swamped with Territorians. It was another example of all of our wonderful cultures colliding in the food and cultural festival that can be enjoyed by all.
Moving to young Territorians, there are so many amazing young Territorians. It is hard to limit it to just a couple of examples, but I had the privilege of attending the Young Achiever Awards earlier in the year. If you ever want to develop an inferiority complex, go to the Young Achiever Awards. Those young people are amazing. There are people in our community achieving wonderful things across a spectrum of industries and not-for-profit sectors.
A very special person in the Palmerston community is Christine Gardiner. Christine volunteers for a number of community organisations, including St John Ambulance and Carers NT. She is on the Palmerston youth advisory group, the YMCA Youth Parliament and she volunteers with MyNT. Christine is very well-known in our community and a very busy young lady. She took out the Somerville Community Services Award and, at only 18 years of age, should be incredibly proud of herself.
It does not matter what you go to in Palmerston, you will bump into Christine volunteering. That young lady will go very far, and I congratulate her on her efforts and for being one of Palmerston’s truly outstanding young people.
I also had the privilege of presenting the Carers Award to Jauhari Wright, who ultimately took out Young Achiever of the year award. Jauhari, at only 21 years of age, has achieved some amazing things in his lifetime. I will take the opportunity to read his biography:
- Jauhari has been caring for his father since 2008 when he was diagnosed with Huntington Chorea, a neurological disease. Jauhari continues to care for his father whilst currently completing a double degree of Arts and Law at Charles Darwin University. He also provides emotional and physical support to his mother, who has a work-related physical injury. Jauhari had the honour of representing the Northern Territory in Sydney at the Australian National Young Carer Action Team Conference in 2012, and will again represent this year, where he will be an active participant in discussions and workshops focused on young carer issues and awareness. Jauhari continues to be involved with the Young Carer Program, both locally and nationally, and recently attended, on invitation from the Prime Minister to afternoon tea with Prince Harry. Locally, Jauhari was the keynote speaker at the Inaugural Carers NT Charity Dinner as an advocate for the local support of young carers in the community.
The other recipients of the top awards were Alpha Capaque, who took out the Minister for Young Territorians Award for Excellence in Youth Leadership; Dr Brenton Wilson, who received the Career Kick Start Award; Bridie Gould, who received the Health and Wellbeing Award; Alice Eather, who received the Environmental Award; Jared Baldwin, who received the Small Business Achievement Award; Roger Wilyuka, who received the Regional and Rural Initiative Award; and Joshua Bonson, who received the Arts Award. Congratulations to all of those outstanding young people, you truly are exceptional. You are tomorrow’s leaders and I look forward to bumping into you around Palmerston and Darwin as I often do. Keep up the good work; we are all counting on you!
In his statement the minister touched on many issues. In my community, Palmerston seniors, young people and multicultural groups are thriving. We have so much opportunity, with the world at our fingertips. I like to spend as much time as I can immersing myself in those groups and seeking out opportunities. It was great to hand out a $22 000 cheque to the YMCA so it can upgrade its pool tables, which are ripped to shreds from years of love.
I thank the minister for bringing on his statement, and I commend it to the House.
Motion agreed to; statement noted.
TABLED PAPERS
Travel Reports for Members for Daly, Arafura, Arnhem and Namatjira
Auditor-General’s August 2014 Report
Travel Reports for Members for Daly, Arafura, Arnhem and Namatjira
Auditor-General’s August 2014 Report
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: I table travel reports from the members for Daly, Arafura, Arnhem and Namatjira, pursuant to clause 4.1 of the Remuneration Tribunal Determination. I also table the Auditor-General’s August 2014 report to the Legislative Assembly.
MOTION
Print Paper – Auditor-General’s August 2014 Report
Print Paper – Auditor-General’s August 2014 Report
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the paper be printed.
Motion agreed to; paper printed.
MOTION
Note Paper – Auditor-General’s August 2014 Report
Note Paper – Auditor-General’s August 2014 Report
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the paper be noted and I seek leave to continue my remarks at a later date.
Leave granted.
ADJOURNMENT
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the Assembly do now adjourn.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
Last updated: 04 Aug 2016