ANSWERS TO WRITTEN QUESTIONS - Received by 2 December 2010
- 19 October 2010
192. Reticulated Water – Testing Regime
Mr ELFERINK to MINISTER for ESSENTIAL SERVICES
Coliforms are used in operational monitoring of water distribution systems to indicate inadequate treatment, breakdowns in system integrity or the presence of biofilms.
1. What are the current guideline levels used by Power and Water to indicate coliform contamination?
2. On how many occasions during 2008, 2009 and 2010 did monitoring of the reticulated water system in Darwin and Palmerston indicate levels of coliforms above the guideline level?
3. What were the locations of those above guideline results?
4. What steps were taken to identify and address the above guideline results?
ANSWER
1. The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines are utilised for monitoring microbiological water quality. These guidelines specify that at least 98% of samples collected from the reticulation system should be absent of Escherichia Coli (E. coli).
2. None.
3. There were no above guideline results.
4. Steps taken to identify.
- The presence of E. coli in drinking water supply systems is determined by laboratory analysis of water samples. Across the reporting periods 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 approximately 2000 water samples were collected from the Darwin and Palmerston water supply distribution system. Samples are analysed at the Department of Resources Microbiological Laboratory in Darwin.
- Response to any above guideline results.
- No above guideline results have been identified. A positive result has been detected on three occasions from approximately 2000 samples: Hydrant at East Arm Port in May 2008 and March 2010, and Rapid Creek sample site in December 2008.
- A positive E. coli detection in any sample triggers an immediate review of all bacteriological results from other sites sampled on the same day. Based upon available evidence a response would be formulated and executed by operational personnel. The circumstances and the operational response are communicated to an established contact officer in the Department of Health and Families.
- Such a response may involve a combination of actions including site inspection, re-sampling, field confirmation of chlorine residuals, manual dosing of chlorine and flushing of water mains.
195. Rehabilitation Services Provision at New Prison
Mr BOHLIN to MINISTER for CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
1. What entities are going to provide the compulsory rehabilitation and treatment services proposed as part of the initiatives announced to complement the new prison precinct at Holtze?
2. Will these services be situated within the prison precinct and, if not, where will they be situated?
Home Detention Verification by Voice Recognition:
3. Voice recognition for identification of individuals is proposed for home detention. What evidence is there that supports the use of voice recognition technology?
4. How will that process for determining compliance with detention orders be able to be used in remote locations?
ANSWER
Service providers for external training and rehabilitation programs run at the new Darwin prison precinct will be determined through a standard government procurement process.
Home Detention Verification by Voice Recognition:
The voice recognition system will be an additional monitoring option for offenders and parolees serving their sentence or parole period.
Voice recognition is currently used, and has proved successful, in both South Australia and New Zealand as a means of monitoring offenders’ compliance with court orders. It operates through designated land lines or satellite phones in set locations, such as a police station, and can include Internet interface, such as a web camera. Voice recognition and other electronic monitoring equipment provide a secure monitoring system, greatly improving procedures in areas where face-to-face checks can be difficult.
196. Speed Cameras, Guns and Monitoring Equipment
Mr MILLS to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
1. In the 2009-10 financial year, how many motorists were booked for speeding offences in the Northern Territory?
2. What percentage of those motorists was monitored by hand-held speed cameras and fixed speed cameras?
3. What percentage of motorists was booked doing less than 10 km/h above the speed limit?
4. Can you provide percentage breakdowns of the speeds at which motorists were booked in 10 km/h increments?
5. How much revenue was raised from speeding fines in the 2009-10 financial year and what percentage of that was from fixed and hand-held speed cameras?
6. How much above the speed limit will a fine be activated?
7. As at 1 October 2010, how many hand-held speed cameras are in service?
8. As at 1 October 2010, how many fixed cameras are in service?
9. As at 1 October 2010, how many police vehicles were fitted with speed monitoring equipment?
10. How much has been spent on fixed and hand-held speed monitoring equipment since 1 July 2007?
11. Which Territory population centres have stations equipped with speed monitoring equipment, either hand held or vehicle mounted?
ANSWER
1. In the 2009-10 financial year, 33 636 motorists were booked for speeding offences in the Northern Territory.
2. Mobile Speed Camera 37%
Fixed-Site Red Light/Speed Camera 63%
3. No statistics are kept on drivers exceeding the speed limit by 10 km/h; 72% exceeded the 0-15 km/h threshold.
4. Increments recorded are 15 km/h in accordance with legislation.
- > 0-15 km/h 72%
>15-30 km/h 24%
>30-45 km/h 2%
> 45 km/h 0.3%
5. Total revenue $4.98m.
Mobile speed camera $1.3m.
Fixed-site red light/speed camera $1.7m.
Percentages provided in earlier answer.
6. Speeding thresholds are 0-15; 15-30; 30-45; 45+ .
7. There are no hand-held speed cameras; however, there are three vehicle-mounted speed cameras, two in Darwin, one in Alice Springs.
8. Nine.
9. Forty-three.
10. A total of $226 611 has been spent on speed monitoring equipment since nominated date.
11. Territory population centres which have stations equipped with speed monitoring equipment, either hand held or vehicle mounted are listed below
Adelaide River, Ali Curung, Alice Springs, Alpurrurulam, Alyangula, Arlparra, Avon Downs, Batchelor, Bulman, Casuarina, NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services College, Central Traffic Operation, Daly River, Darwin, Docker River, Elliott, Finke River, Galiwinku, Gapuwiyak, Haasts Bluff, Harts Range, Hermannsburg, Humpty Doo, Imanpa, Jabiru, Kalkarindji, Katherine, Kintore, Kulgera, Lajamanu, Maningrida, Maranboy, Mataranka, Milingimbi, Minjilang, Minyerri, Mutitjulu, Nguiu, Ngukurr, Nhulunbuy, Northern Traffic Operation, Numbulwar, Nyirripi, Oenpelli, Palmerston, Papunya, Peppimenarti, Pine Creek, Pirlangimpi, Port Keats, Ramingining, Santa Teresa, Southern Traffic Operation, Tennant Creek, Titjikala, Ti Tree, Timber Creek, Warruwi, Willowra, Yarralin, Yuendumu, Yulara.
Mr ELFERINK to MINISTER for PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
Can you please advise, for the last five calendar years or five financial years, dependent on the reporting period, with respect to all employees covered by the Northern Territory Public Sector conditions of employment, the:
1. number of staff who have accessed or taken bereavement leave;
2. total number of bereavement leave days used; and
3. total cost attributed to the use of that bereavement leave.
ANSWER
1. The number of staff who have accessed or taken bereavement leave is 5367.
2. The total number of bereavement leave days used is 16 973.
3. Total cost attributed to the use of that bereavement leave is $4 390 000.
Last updated: 04 Aug 2016