WRITTEN QUESTIONS - Not answered by 16 August 2005
16 August 2005
1. Darwin City Waterfront – Contingent Liabilities
Ms CARNEY to TREASURER
Is the government’s risk exposure, full cost details and contingent liabilities regarding the waterfront incorporated in the 2005-06 budget papers?
2. Electoral Roll Enrolments
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. It was estimated that there were fewer people on the electoral roll for the financial year 2004-05 than the previous financial year. Given we have just had an election, did that prove to be the case?
2. How many new electors enrolled prior to the last general election?
3. Darwin City Waterfront - Revenue
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. What revenue will be received as the waterfront site is developed; how will it be paid and how much per year is this expected to be?
2. Where will this revenue be coming from?
4. Darwin City Waterfront – Performance Criteria for Operators
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
1. Please detail the performance criteria set for the operators of the convention centre?
2,. What happens to payments to the operators if these criteria are not met?
3. Will the $3m annual payment to the DCEC be paid even if performance measures are not met?
4. For how long is the annual $3m to be paid to the operators?
5. What does incentivised mean?
5. Darwin City Waterfront – Convention Centre
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
So, the total costs for Territorians to run and maintain the convention centre will be at least $75m.
1. What will the Territory have to pay to get the convention centre back into our control after 25 years?
6. Darwin City Waterfront - Lock
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
1. Why is the lock not included in the Community Infrastructure?
2. What guarantees are there that the consortium will build the lock at a later stage?
7. Darwin City Waterfront – Management Body
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
1. What do you see to be the nature of the body that will manage the overall site?
2. Who will be responsible for the costs involved with this body?
8. Darwin City Waterfront – Water Quality
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
Are there any safety concerns about water quality in this area?
9. Darwin City Waterfront – Wave Pool
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
1. Who will set the price of admission for the wave pool?
2. Will the wave pool be publicly or privately run?
10. Darwin City Waterfront – Roads Maintenance
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
What amount has been put aside for the repair and maintenance of the roads leading in and out of the site?
11. Darwin City Waterfront – Unsuccessful Consortia
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
1. Are there any outstanding monies to be paid to the other two unsuccessful consortiums?
2. Are there any unresolved legal issues surrounding the awarding of the successful tenderer?
12. Investment Attraction – Advertising and Research
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
1. How much was spent on investment advertising interstate during 2004-05?
2. Detail a breakdown by state and the nature of the advertising.
3. Has any research been undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of investment advertising interstate – to look to see what increase and awareness has been achieved?
4. If so, who carried out the research and what was the outcome of that research?
5. How much did the research cost?
13. Aboriginal Land Legislation – Court Proceedings
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS
1. Is the government engaged in any court proceedings involving Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act matters or matters under provisions of the Native Title Act?
2. If so, please detail the matters and when proceedings commenced before the courts?
14. Indigenous Policy - Reporting
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS
1. Could you please give an insight as to what is happening in the area of Indigenous Policy?
2. How many staff are currently employed to carry out the functions of Indigenous Policy?
3. What was the staffing level at 1 July 2004?
4. Can you please detail the positions allocated in Indigenous Policy?
5. Detail expenditure for the area of Indigenous Policy on reports produced that have either been outsourced or produced internally including:
(a) what was the purpose of the reports;
15. Indigenous Policy - Printing
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS
1. List all the work undertaken by the Government Printing Office in 2004—05 related to Indigenous Policy?
2. What were the costs and dates of completion of work performed by the Government Printing Office that related to Indigenous Policy in 2004-05?
16. Common Ground - Publication
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS
1. How many issues of the publication Common Ground were printed in 2004-05 and at what cost?
2. How is editorial comment for Common Ground decided?
3. Are there any articles or photographs that appear in Common Ground provided from the Office of the Chief Minister or her ministers’ offices?
4. What is the circulation of Common Ground (Aboriginal newspaper) and how is it distributed?
5. Provide a breakdown of costs to produce Common Ground.
6. What is the forecast budget for Common Ground?
17. Indigenous Policy – Advertising and Consultancies
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS
1. How much was spent on behalf of Indigenous Policy on advertising/promotional activities/ videos/DVDs/brochures and general printed matter in 2004-05?
2. Please provide a month-by-month breakdown of spending and projects/programs that this spending was for?
3. Did any consultants employed during 2004-05 undertake work specifically relating to the area of Indigenous Policy?
4. Who were the consultants?
5. What was the nature of each consultancy?
6. List the consultancies awarded by certificate of exemption.
7. In how many and in which consultancies were expressions of interest or tenders called before a person or body was engaged to carry out that promotion?
8. What was the total amount spent on behalf of Indigenous Policy on consultants during 2004-05?
9. Detail how much each consultancy cost?
18. Indigenous Policy - Promotions
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS
1 Was any money spent in Indigenous Policy on the 2005-06 post-budget promotion campaign?
2. If so, how much was spent on print media?
3. How much was spent on electronic media?
4. How much was spent on brochure production and direct mail?
5. How much was spent on DVD/CD production?
19. Territory Development
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. The budget estimate for Territory Development in 2004-05 was $6.856m. Why the cut of almost $0.5m to the 2005-06 budget?
2. Could you please give an insight as to what is happening in the area of Territory Development?
3. Detail the development projects that the office has had carriage of in 2004-05 and the projects forecast for 2005-06.
20. Trans-Territory Pipeline – Loss of Economic Benefit
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How many jobs will now not come to the Territory because of the collapse of the trans-Territory pipeline deal?
2. What does the loss of the trans-Territory pipeline mean in lost cost benefit to the Territory economy?
3. What impact will the collapse of the trans-Territory pipeline have on Woodside’s continued presence in the Territory?
4. Has the Territory government spent any money in assisting to secure the trans-Territory pipeline project for the Territory?
5. Indigenous stakeholders say they were looking to buy equity in the trans-Territory pipeline project with funding support from governments. What would have been the Territory government’s contribution to this equity proposal?
21. Blacktip Gas
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. You told members of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry election lunch that: ‘Gas will come onshore from a second Blacktip field’. Is there actually a second field at Blacktip? If so, where, and what is its size?
2. When you told ABC radio that you had spoken to both Alcan and Woodside and they had told you of the difficulties in finalising the trans-Territory pipeline deal were you aware that the difficulties related to the cost of the gas?
22. Trans-Territory Pipeline – Gas for Territory Consumption
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. Is your government having discussions with proponents of the PNG gas pipeline with a view to purchase gas for Territory consumption?
2. Which fields off the Territory coast do you believe represent a viable source for Territory gas supplies?
3. Can you give Territorians a guarantee that bringing gas onshore will mean cheaper energy costs?
4. Can you give Territorians a guarantee that the cost of their power will not increase during this term of office?
23. Territory Development - Staffing
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How many staff were employed in the Office of Territory Development at 1 July 2004?
2. How many are currently employed in the Office of Territory Development and detail their positions?
24. Territory Development - Reports
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Detail expenditure for the Office of Territory Development on reports produced that have been either outsourced or produced internally, including:
25. Territory Development - Printing
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. List all work undertaken by the Government Printing Office in 2004-05 that related to the Office of Territory Development.
2. What were the costs and dates of completion of work performed by the Government Printing Office that related to the Office of Territory Development in 2004-05?
26. Territory Development – Advertising Expenditure
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How much was spent on behalf of the Office of Territory Development on advertising/ promotional activities/videos/DVDs/ brochures and general printed matter in 2004-05?
2. Please provide a month-by-month breakdown of spending and projects/programs that this spending was for.
3. Please detail the breakdown on local and interstate expenditure for advertising in question 1.
4. How much has been spent specifically in 2004-05 on promoting the wharf precinct development by way of brochure, electronic media, newspaper advertisement and direct mail?
5. Detail all other expenditure in 2004-05 on promoting the wharf precinct development, eg, how much was spent on public displays in the Darwin Mall, Casuarina and Palmerston?
27. Territory Development - Consultancies
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. What consultants were employed during 2004-05 to undertake work for the Office of Territory Development?
2. What was the nature of each consultancy?
3. List the consultancies awarded by certificate of exemption?
4. In how many and in which consultancies were expression of interest or tenders called before a person or body was engaged to carry out that promotion?
5. What was the total amount spent on behalf of the Office of Territory Development during 2004-05?
6. Detail how much each consultancy cost?
28. Territory Development – Focus Groups
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How many public focus groups were conducted through the area of Territory Development in 2004-05?
2. When were they held and what was the nature of each focus group?
3. What was the cost to conduct these focus groups?
4. If focus group participants were paid to attend, how much were they paid?
5. Where can members get the details and findings of these publicly-funded focus groups?
29. Territory Development – Budget 2005-06 Promotions
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. Under the output of Territory Development, was any money spent on the 2005-06 post-budget promotion campaign?
2. If so, how much was spent on print media?
3. How much was spent on electronic media?
4. How much was spent on brochure production and direct mail?
5. How much was spent on DVD/CD production?
30. Territory Development – Investment Campaigns
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. In late 2004-05, you announced plans to embark on a local invest in the Territory campaign. Why did the campaign not eventuate and what was the money eventually spent on?
2. What have been the outcomes from your investment mission to China?
3. How much was spent by the Office of Territory Development on investment advertising interstate during 2004-05?
4. Detail a breakdown by state and the nature of the advertising.
5. Has any research been undertaken by the Office of Territory Development to evaluate the effectiveness of investment advertising interstate, to look to see what increase and awareness had been achieved?
6. If so, who carried out the research and what was the outcome of that research?
7. How much did the research cost?
31. Territory Development – Bob Collins’ Employment
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for BUSINESS, ECONOMIC and RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
1. In what capacity, if any, does Bob Collins work for the Office of Territory Development?
2. Is Bob Collins still receiving remuneration from government or the Office of Territory Development? If so, what are the terms and conditions?
3. Does Bob Collins receive anything by way of car, office space, secretarial support or correspondence from the government or Office of Territory Development?
4. Is Bob Collins still a board member of Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre and, if so, why?
5. What is the estimated value of the Desert Knowledge project and when is its scheduled completion?
6. To your knowledge, is Bob Collins involved with any other boards through the government or Office of Territory Development?
32. Territory Development – Darwin Port Authority Relationship
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
What is the relationship between the Office of Territory Development and the Darwin Port Cooperation in developing the AustralAsia Trade Route, and how is that coordinated with the Department of Business, Industry and Resource Development and DIPE responsibilities in this area?
33. Territory Development – Shipping Services and Operators
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. What new customers and shipping operators did the Office of Territory Development work with and encourage to our East Arm Port during 2004-05?
2. What new customers and shipping operators is the office of Territory Development currently working with to encourage to our East Arm Port during 2005-06?
3. When is the next Hai Win service due from China?
34. Territory Development – Trade Route Links
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. What strategic plans were put in place during 2004-05 to accelerate and promote the AustralAsia Trade Route and develop new shipping links and new customer bases?
2. What were the outcomes of those strategic plans?
35. Territory Development – East Arm Port Performance
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. From a strategic perspective, how would you view the performance of Darwin port as a competitive port in establishing Darwin as the gateway to Asia? What is the cost per container across the port?
2. How does the East Arm Port benchmark competitively if you were looking to ship through Darwin port?
3. What is the extent of the problems at the East Arm Port which resulted in the closing of an extended section recently?
36. Darwin City Waterfront – Asset Ownership
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. The waterfront site will remain under the ownership of the Northern Territory government and be handed to the developer as freehold as the project is developed. What is the agreed process for handover of parcels of land for the waterfront development?
2. What agreements are in place for how these assets will be maintained and by whom?
37. AustralAsia Railway – Draw Down Money
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for the AUSTRALASIA RAILWAY
1. In terms of the draw down of monies for the railway, has all the money that can be drawn down for the railway been drawn down? If not, what remains to be drawn down, or possibly drawn down?
2. Where does that money appear in the budget papers?
38. AustralAsia Railway – Contingent Equity
1. What are the circumstances in which the contingent equity would be drawn down?
2. Are you able to say whether or not any of the contingent equity from the operators has been called in 2004-05?
39. AustralAsia Railway – Freight Loads
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for the AUSTRALASIA RAILWAY
Is the railway performing to forecasts in terms of its freight loads?
40. AustralAsia Railway - Subsidies
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for the AUSTRALASIA RAILWAY
Are there government monies going into the railway in other forms that could be seen by some as subsidies?
41. AustralAsia Railway – Railway Stations
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for the AUSTRALASIA RAILWAY
1. During the election campaign, $740 000 was promised to upgrade the Alice Springs railway station. Detail the breakdown of costs and government contribution to this upgrade and when will work begin?
2. Are any upgrades planned for other railway stations along the route between Alice Springs and Darwin? If so, when will work commence?
42. Chief Minister – Executive Support
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. The budget estimate for Support to Executive, Ministers and Leader of the Opposition in 2004-05 was $17.701m, for 2005-06 it is $17.791m; why the variation?
2. What was the cost of maintaining eight ministerial offices and the Leader of the Opposition’s office in 2004-05, and what is the forecast for 2005-06?
3. Given the speculation of your ministry increasing to nine, will there be a further increase in the budget estimate for 2005-06?
43. Government Limousines
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How many times in 2004-05 did you make use of government-chauffeured limousines?
2. Did you use government-chauffeured limousines to transport any of your family members on non-government business (eg, to school, church or sporting events) during 2004-05?
3. Did you allow any of your staff members to use government-chauffeured limousines to transport any of your family members on non-government business (eg, to school, church or sporting events) during 2004-05?
44. Chief Minister - Interstate Travel with Associated Staff
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. List all interstate trips taken by you as Chief Minister in 2004-05.
2. Detail the purpose of each interstate trip taken by you as Chief Minister.
3. Detail the duration of each trip taken by you as Chief Minister.
4. Detail the costs you incurred on each interstate trip.
5. Detail outcomes achieved from each interstate trip.
6. List all ministerial staff who accompanied you on all interstate trips taken by you as minister in 2004-05.
7. Detail the costs incurred by the ministerial staff on each interstate trip in 2004-05.
8. List all departmental staff who accompanied you on all interstate trips taken by you as minister in 2004-05.
9. Detail the costs incurred by departmental staff accompanying you on each interstate trip.
10. List any non-government citizens who accompanied you on any interstate trips who government paid partial or full travel and accommodation costs for.
45. Chief Minister - Ministerial Staff Travel
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. Please advise the detail of all intra-Territory or interstate trips undertaken by any of your ministerial staff that you were not present on where that staff member was travelling to a meeting on your behalf.
2. Would you detail the purpose of such trips and costs incurred by the ministerial staff on any such trips?
3. Would you detail the duration of each such trip?
46. Chief Minister - Overseas Travel with Associated Staff
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. Would you please list all overseas trips taken by you as Chief Minister in 2004-05?
2. Would you detail the purpose of each overseas trip taken by you as Chief Minister?
3. Would you detail the duration of each overseas trip taken by you as Chief Minister?
4. Please detail the costs you incurred on each overseas trip.
5. Will you please provide the detail on outcomes achieved from each overseas trip?
6. List all ministerial staff who accompanied you on all overseas trips taken by you as minister in 2004-05.
7. Detail the costs incurred by the ministerial staff on each overseas trip in 2004-05.
8. List all departmental staff who accompanied you on all overseas trips taken by you as minister in 2004-05.
9. Detail the costs incurred by departmental staff accompanying you on each overseas trip.
10. List any non-government citizens who accompanied you on any overseas trip who government paid partial or full travel and accommodation costs for.
47. Chief Minister - Overseas Travel by Staff
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. Would you please provide the detail of any overseas trips undertaken by any of your ministerial staff that you were not present on where that staff member was travelling on your behalf?
2. Please detail the purpose of such trips and costs incurred by the ministerial staff on any such trips.
3. Detail the duration of each such trip.
48. Official Hospitality
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How much did you spend on official hospitality outside of Parliament House during 2004-05?
2. How many taxpayer-funded functions did you host in Parliament House during 2004-05?
3. List the Parliament House functions you hosted and how much each function cost.
4. How many of the functions did you host that were costed to the Protocol budget?
49. Chief Minister – Car and Boat Hire and Air Charters
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How much did you spend on hire cars or limousines in 2004-05 in the performance of your official duties?
2. How much did you spend on private air charter in 2004-05 in the performance of your official duties?
3. How much did you spend on private boat hire in 2004-05 in the performance of your official duties?
50. Office of Chief Minister – Office Budget
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. What was your office budget for 2004-05?
2. What did you spend in 2004-05?
3. What is the budget for the Office of the Chief Minister in 2005-06?
51. Office of Chief Minister – Office Staffing
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How many staff are currently employed in your ministerial office?
2. What was your office staffing level at 1 July 2004?
3. Detail the positions allocated in your office.
4. How many staff are employed by you in Alice Springs?
5. Detail the positions.
6. Are any staff employed under the office of the Chief Minister in any other Territory centres? If so, where and how many?
7. How many positions in the Office of the Chief Minister are secondments from departments that are not on your books; that are paid for by the departments they were seconded from?
52. Office of Chief Minister – Reports
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Detail expenditure for the Office of the Chief Minister on reports produced that have been either outsourced or produced internally, including:
53. Office of Chief Minister – Government Printing
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. List all work undertaken by the Government Printing Office in 2004-05 that related to the Office of the Chief Minister.
2. What were the costs and dates of completion of work performed by the Government Printing Office that related to the Office of the Chief Minister in 2004-05?
54. Office of Chief Minister – Advertising and Promotions
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How much was spent on behalf of the Office of the Chief Minister on advertising/promotional activities/videos/DVDs/brochures and general printed matter in 2004-05?
2. Please provide a month-by-month breakdown of spending and projects/programs that this spending was for.
3. Detail the breakdown on local and interstate.
55. Office of Chief Minister – Darwin City Waterfront Promotions
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How much has been spent directly from the Office of the Chief Minister specifically in 2004-05 on promoting the wharf precinct development by way of brochures, electronic media, newspaper advertisement and direct mail?
2. Please advise the detail of all other expenditure in 2004-05 from the Office of the Chief Minister on promoting the wharf precinct development?
56. Office of Chief Minister – Consultancies
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. What consultants were employed during 2004-05 to undertake work for the Office of the Chief Minister?
2. What was the nature of each consultancy?
3. List the consultancies awarded by certificate of exemption.
4. In how many and in which consultancies were expressions of interest or tenders called before a person or body was engaged to carry out that promotion?
5. What was the total amount spent on behalf of the Office of the Chief Minister during 2004-05?
6. Detail how much each consultancy cost.
57. Office of Chief Minister – Public Focus Groups
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How many public focus groups were conducted by the Office of the Chief Minister in 2004-05?
2. When were they held and what was the nature of each focus group?
3. What was the cost to conduct these focus groups?
4. If focus group participants were paid to attend, how much were they paid?
5. Where can Assembly members get the details and findings of these publicly-funded focus groups?
58. Office of Chief Minister – Post-Budget Promotions
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. Was any money spent by the Office of the Chief Minister on the 2005-06 post-budget promotion campaign?
2. If so, how much was spent on print media?
3. How much was spent on electronic media?
4. How much was spent on brochure production and direct mail?
5. How much was spent on DVD/CD production?
6. The 2004-05 post-budget promotional campaign included literature printed in language other than English. Was any of the 2005-06 budget promotional campaign literature printed in language other than English? If so, which languages and at what cost?
59. Office of Chief Minister – New Office Equipment
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
What was your office expenditure on new office equipment in 2004-05? Detail items purchased.
60. Office of Chief Minister – Lost Property
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Was any government property lost or stolen from your office in 2004-05? If so, please detail items and their value.
61. Office of Chief Minister – Investment Advertising and Research
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How much was spent by the Office of the Chief Minister on investment advertising interstate during 2004-05?
2. Detail a breakdown by state and the nature of the advertising.
3. Has any research been undertaken by the Office of the Chief Minister to evaluate the effectiveness of investment advertising interstate, to look to see what increase and awareness had been achieved?
4. If so, who carried out the research and what was the outcome of that research?
5. How much did the research cost?
62. Advertising on Government Web Site
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. Why is the government web site, funded and paid for by the Territory taxpayer, containing government press releases, maintained from the political Office of the Chief Minister?
2. Why is the web site paid for by taxpayers not maintained by the independent arm of the Department of Chief Minister rather than the very political arm of your office, particularly since your Good Governance document promises:
3. Do you condone the use of this taxpayer-funded web site by your office and ministers to promulgate political comment? In the interests of your Good Governance promises, will you return control of this web site to its proper keepers, the independent office of your department?
63. Office of Chief Minister – Review of Central Australia Office
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
What was the outcome of the review into your office in Central Australia by Metis Consulting?
64. Awards
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Detail expenditure in 2004-05 on behalf of the Chief Minister and by the agency on sponsoring awards, including cost, the nature and the subject?
65. Legal Expenses Incurred
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. What has been the expenditure on legal expenses for the year 2004-05?
2. Please provide details of the nature of the matter or matters dealt with, the amount paid by matter dealt with and the amount of expenditure by firm paid?
66. Community Engagement Office - Staffing
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How many staff are currently employed in the area of Community Engagement?
2. What was the staffing level at 1 July 2004?
3. Please detail the positions allocated in the area of the Community Engagement Office?
67. Domestic Violence Strategy
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. There has been an increase in violence around the Northern Territory and it is due in part to domestic violence. Can you indicate whether the resources allocated to the government’s Domestic Violence Strategy has increased in 2005-06? If so, is it adequate?
2. It is my understanding that increased funding for the government’s domestic violence program was rejected and that a review into the program and its funding is to be conducted. Is that true?
3. When will this review be undertaken?
68. Women’s Advancement - Reports
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Detail expenditure for Women’s Advancement on reports produced that have been either outsourced or produced internally, including;
69. Women’s Advancement – Government Printing
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. List all work undertaken by the Government Printing Office in 2004-05 that related to Women’s Advancement.
2. What were the costs and dates of completion of work performed by the Government Printing Office that related to Women’s Advancement in 2004-05?
70. Women’s Advancement – Advertising and Promotions
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How much was spent on behalf of Women’s Advancement on advertising/promotional activities/videos/DVDs/brochures and general printed matter in 2004-05?
2. Would you kindly provide a month-by-month breakdown on spending and projects/programs that this spending was for?
71. Women’s Advancement - Community Engagement
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. What consultants were employed during 2004-05 to undertake work for the area of Community Engagement for the Women’s Advancement Office?
2. What was the nature of each consultancy?
3. List the consultancies awarded by certificate of exemption?
4. In how many and in which consultancies were expressions of interest or tenders called before a person or body was engaged to carry out that promotion?
5. What was the total amount spent on behalf of Community Engagement for the Women’s Advancement Office during 2004—05?
6. Please detail how much each consultancy cost?
72. Women’s Advancement - Focus Groups
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How many public focus groups were conducted under the area of Community Engagement for Women’s Advancement in 2004-05?
2. When were they held and what was the nature of each focus group?
3. What was the cost to conduct these focus groups?
4. If focus group participants were paid to attend, how much were they paid?
5. Where can members get the details and findings of these publicly-funded focus groups?
73. Women’s Advancement - Grants
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Could you please provide a list of all the grants given under the heading of Women’s Advancement?
74. Youth Advancement - Grants
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Could you please provide a list of all the grants under the heading of Youth Advancement?
75. Seniors Advancement - Grants
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Could you please provide a list of all the grants that have been provided in the area of seniors?
76. BassintheGrass
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
What was the cost to government to stage BassintheGrass?
77. Ah Kit/Anderson – Costs and Damages
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Have expected future costs and a damages award against Mr Ah Kit been budgeted for and, if so, what is the amount of the allocation?
78. Crime Victims’ Assistance
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
1. How many CVA applications were filed in 2004-05; and how are costs to be saved when the number of applications is stable?
2. How will you review the scheme and increase the costs lawyers can claim so that it is profitable for them to do so and, in turn, they will be able to represent more victims?
79. Solicitor for the Northern Territory – In-house Work
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
1. In percentage terms, how much of the work of the Solicitor for the Northern Territory is performed in-house and how much is outsourced?
2. How does that compare with the previous two financial years?
80. Solicitor for the Northern Territory – Lawyer Staffing
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
1. How many lawyers are employed at the Solicitor for the Northern Territory?
2. How many were employed in 2003-04 and how many in 2002-03?
81. Client Satisfaction Measurement
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Client satisfaction is expressed at 85%. How is that measured?
82. Instructions Outsourced
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
For Agency Legal Services, there are 1000 instructions outsourced. Are they files outsourced to private firms in accordance with tenders?
83. Director of Public Prosecutions – Average Cost per Completed Matter
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
1. In last year’s budget papers, more details were provided and, therefore, more details were made available to Territorians. In particular, last year, you included the ‘average cost per completed matter and per client’. Why have they not been included this year?
2. Last year, the average cost per completed matter was $6209. What is it this year?
3. Last year, the average cost per client was $1192. What is it this year?
84. Summary Prosecutions Figures
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
1. In reference to the Department of Justice Annual Report, the figures for the work of Summary Prosecutions show an increase in the number of files of 1100 between 2002-03 and 2003-04 in Darwin. Is it not the case that the reason for this increase is that there is more crime?
2. How can the number of cases increase without there being no increase in crime?
3. The Director said in his report that Summary Prosecutions figures in Alice Springs ‘highlight the urgent need for a permanent staff increase with a 19% increase in new files …’ - how can crime be going down when there are figures like this?
4. Should not Territorians trust those figures more than the ones coming from your office?
85. Director of Public Prosecutions – Sexual Assault Prosecutions
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
1. Prior to the 2005 election, you announced $200 000 for the Director of Public Prosecutions to prosecute sexual assault matters. Will the prosecutors only be working on sexual assault matters?
2. In 2004-05, the Director of Public Prosecutions received $7.3m. Its funding has been increased to approximately $7.7m. $200 000 of this is for sexual assault prosecutors. That is not a very significant increase given the high caseloads and new files opened as outlined in the annual report. Why was any additional funding not provided?
3. Was a request for additional funds made by the Director?
4. If so, how much?
5. If a request was made but not approved, why not?
86. Supreme Court Conviction Rates and Sexual Assault Matters
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
1. What is the conviction rate in the Supreme Court for all matters involving trial by jury for 2004-05?
2. What was the conviction rate in 2003-04 and 2002-03?
3. Do you accept that few reports of unlawful sexual assaults result in convictions?
4. As Attorney-General, is it not your role to monitor conviction rates?
5. Of the convictions recorded for unlawful sexual intercourse, what percentage were a result of pleas of guilty and how many were a result of guilty verdicts at trial for the years 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05?
6. How many convictions at trial were there in 2004-05 for sexual assault matters?
7. Of the convictions recorded for indecent assaults, what percentage were a result of pleas of guilty and how many were a result of guilty verdicts at trial for the years 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05?
87. Briefing of Private Counsel
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
1. What professional fees were paid by the Director of Public Prosecutions briefing private counsel based in the Northern Territory in 2004-05, and please name each counsel?
2. Please provide the same for interstate counsel?
88. Court Services Budget
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
1. Please explain what has happened to the Court Services budget given the following:
2. There has been an increase of less than $1m. Why has there been an increase?
89. Outcome of Inquiry into Actions of Mr Gillies
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
1. There was an inquiry into complaints made about Mr Gillies. Please outline the nature of those complaints?
2. Were you aware that Mr Gillies continued to sit as a magistrate even after various details of the inquiry were made public?
3. Do you think that once details of complaints against a magistrate and details of inquiry are made public, that this undermines the public’s confidence in the administration of justice?
4. In the event that a similar matter arose in the future, what steps would you take to ensure that details were not made public, thereby undermining public confidence in the administration of justice?
5. You advised after Mr Gillies resigned that he had received a payment from government. What was the amount paid?
6. On what basis was the money paid? Did he resign or was a deal worked out? If there was a deal, what were the terms of the deal?
7. If the deal was confidential, why is it confidential? How will the public know what has happened to their money?
90. Lodgement Costs
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
1. In last year’s budget papers, details were provided as to the ‘average cost per lodgement’, which was $7039. That indicator has been removed from this year’s budget. Why?
2. Do you believe that the public is not interested as to the average cost per lodgement?
3. Whose idea was it to remove this key indicator? What was the average cost per lodgement in 2004-05?
4. The budget for the lower courts in 2004-05 was $10 883. This year’s budget is $11 032. Please explain the reasons for the increase?
5. In last year’s budget papers, details were provided as to the ‘average cost per lodgement’, which was estimated at $521. That indicator has been removed from this year’s budget papers. Why? Do you believe that the public is not interested as to the average cost per lodgement?
6. Whose idea was it to remove this key indicator? What was the average cost per lodgement in 2004-05?
91. Leisure Visitor Cost Conversion
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
What is the current cost of conversion for a visitor (leisure) to the Northern Territory, and how has that trended over the last five years?
92. Tourism - Budget Increase
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
With the significant increase in the tourism budget, (I am not sure what the figures are exactly) has this evidenced itself in increased visitation?
93. Tourism - Market Share
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
What is the current ‘share of voice’, within Australia, that the Northern Territory enjoys in the competitive tourism sector?
94. Tourist Visitation Intention
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
What is the current level of intention to visit the Northern Territory, in the domestic market, relative to the other state destinations? (Latest data suggests that the Northern Territory is not even on the radar with the potential traveller).
95. Tourism - Advertising Campaign Effectiveness
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
What is the measured level of effectiveness (recall etc) of the Northern Territory Tourist Commission advertising campaign?
96. Tourism - Industry Investment
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
What has been done to encourage investment in tourism infrastructure, and the establishment of new product in the Territory?
97. Northern Territory Tourist Commission - Market Presence
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
From a tourism industry perspective, the profile of the Northern Territory Tourist Commission has declined dramatically in the last three years since the withdrawal of its presence from the key domestic source markets. What is government’s strategy to address this obvious lack of engagement with the travel distribution network and interaction with key strategic partners on a regular enough basis?
98. Northern Territory Airports
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
What benefit has the government seen from its contribution to the remuneration of the NT Airports business development executive role?
99. Kakadu Consultancy
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
What has been the outcome of the consultancy commissioned by the government on tourism in Kakadu?
100. Territory Parks and Reserves – Tourism Visitation
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
The National Parks and Reserves Estate in the Northern Territory has long been a significant element of the tourism mix and experience in the Northern Territory. How has visitation to these areas trended, and what commitment is government making to the maintenance and development of these resources to ensure that they continue to provide the Northern Territory with a competitive destinational advantage?
101. Territory Discoveries- Market Share
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
Does Territory Discoveries pay its way, and is it actually growing the market to the Northern Territory and not competing for market share with independent distributors of Northern Territory product?
102. Airline Subsidies – Effect on Tourism
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
1. Was the $4m subsidy to Virgin Blue Airlines a good investment?
2. Are you planning any more good investments?
3. Has your government provided any subsidies to private charter flights to the Northern Territory?
4. Did your government provide any financial assistance to the two charter flights from Japan to Alice Springs earlier this year?
103. Indigenous Housing – Federal Government Funding
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HOUSING
1. How much is the Northern Territory government receiving from the federal government for indigenous Housing?
2. How much is the federal government providing for servicing housing and essential services to small and medium-sized remote communities?
3. How much has been provided by the federal government for housing and related infrastructure?
104. Indigenous Housing – NT Government Funding
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HOUSING
1. How much did the Northern Territory government put into Indigenous Housing in 2004-05?
2. Why is it so little?
105. Aboriginal Rental Housing Program
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HOUSING
How much is the Northern Territory government carrying forward in funds from the Aboriginal Rental Housing Program in 2004-05?
106. Public Housing - Evictions
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HOUSING
1. How many evictions in public housing have there been in the Northern Territory in 2004-05?
2. Provide a breakdown for each town and city.
3. How many of these eviction matters went to court?
4. Provide a breakdown or each town and city of eviction matters that went to court.
5. How many people were ordered by courts to be evicted?
6. Provide a breakdown for each town and city for those people ordered by courts to be evicted.
107. Public Housing - Rental Debt
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HOUSING
1. What is the level of debt owed to Territory Housing in rental arrears?
2. Why are rental arrears not included in the budget papers?
108. Public Housing – Repairs and Maintenance
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HOUSING
What is the total cost for public housing repairs and maintenance in 2004-05, and why is there no reference to this in the budget papers?
109. Public Housing – Bad Tenants
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HOUSING
1. How many complaints were received across the Northern Territory about public housing bad tenants in 2004—05?
2. What was the cost of dealing with them? What actions were taken?
110. Shipping Services
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
On many of your overseas visits to East Kalimantan, Brunei, Jakarta and Malaysia, you have sought to attract additional shipping services to Darwin. Given that there are effective weekly services to and from Singapore and Darwin which are under-utilised, what do you hope to achieve?
111. Manufacturing Base - Northern Territory
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for BUSINESS, ECONOMIC and RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
What has the government done over the past four years to attract a manufacturing base to Darwin, given the overwhelming trade imbalance?
112. Export Market Multiplier Factor
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Austrade has publicly supported its claim that the multiplier factor of export assistance grants from its Export Market Development Grants Scheme is in the order of $12 of export value for every $1 of EMDG grant. What is the equivalent effectiveness benchmark for TSS?
113. Air Freight Trials - Review
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for BUSINESS, ECONOMIC and RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
1. What is the result of the review conducted into the Labor government’s bungling of the Malaysian Airlines freight trial?
2. Who conducted the review?
3. What was the cost of the review?
4. Is your government planning another freight trial similar to this?
114. Coca-Cola Plant
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for BUSINESS, ECONOMIC and RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
1. What did your government try to do to keep the Darwin Coca-Cola bottling plant being shipped to Jakarta?
2. How many local jobs were lost as a result of this?
115. Business Round Table
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for BUSINESS, ECONOMIC and RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
What is the cost of holding each Business Round Table? How much of this advice has the government actually used directly in policy?
116. Trade Links - Development
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for BUSINESS, ECONOMIC and RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
1. How many international trips were taken by members of this government in 2004-05 in the hope of forging new trade links?
2. What was the number of trips in 2003-04?
3. Please provide a cost breakdown of each trip, an itinerary and the job positions of those who travelled with the minister.
4. Please provide details of any consultants taken on these trips.
5. Please provide a list of all expenses incurred while on these trips.
117. International Territory Business Centres
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. What are the costs of the three International Territory Business Centres?
2. How many people do they see per day?
3. How many new trade opportunities have they secured?
4. How many new trade agreements were signed last year, 2004-05; and the year before, 2003-04?
118. Manufacturing Incentives
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for BUSINESS, ECONOMIC and RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
What real, on-the-ground incentives has your government introduced to attract manufacturing businesses?
119. Business Innovation Funds
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for BUSINESS, ECONOMIC and RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
One of the CLP’s policies at the election was to establish a capital innovation fund, a venture capital body designed to provide funding to innovative companies looking to expand new technologies – and was very warmly received by many businesses:
1. Why has your government not introduced a similar venture capital proposal?
2. Is it true that a similar proposal was taken to Cabinet for submission but not approved?
3. Why has your government not taken steps to back these local, innovative businesses?
120. Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment - Budget
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
1. Why has the Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment budget blown out by over $1.3m over 2004-05?
2. Please provide where these blow-outs occurred.
3. Why are you planning to slash the budget by almost $1m this financial year – what have they done wrong?
4. What services and advice will be cut because of the budget slash?
121. Territory Public Servant Numbers
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
What is the total number of public servants employed as at 30 June 2005, and what was the figure as at 30 June 2004?
122. Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment – Human Resources
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
1. Why have you decided to outsource the provision of human resource advice in this department?
2. How many of those selected as part of the contract were from interstate?
3. Was it not a 2001 Labor Party election policy not to engage in outsourcing?
4. Why cannot you then attract human resource staff of sufficient calibre to work in the Northern Territory Public Sector – I would have thought that this was a high priority?
123. HRM Grievances in Public Service
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
1. Why were there 58 more grievances, appeals and complaints finalised than expected from last year’s budget?
2. Why are there more of these incidences occurring?
124. Port Corporation – High Temperature Incinerator
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
In the 2004-05 Estimates Committee hearings, your government said it would enter into negotiations over the disposal of human body parts using a new $2m high temperature incinerator to be established by the Port Corporation. What was the outcome of those negotiations between the Port Corporation and the government?
125. Container Costs
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
What is the cost per container to move by direct call vessel from Adelaide to Singapore direct rather than moving from Adelaide through Darwin to Singapore by a vessel calling at Darwin?
126. Trade Strategy
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Your government’s trade strategy sets a target of 50 000 containers per year (or equivalent) by 2007 for land bridge trade across the Port of Darwin. Detail, by year, what has been achieved over the past four years.
127. East Arm Port Utilisation
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
Given a recent Bureau of Transport and Regional Economics Report on Australian Sea Freight statistics that shows Darwin Port (No 39) rated between Useless Loop WA (No 38 @ 1.117 million tonnes) and Port Bonython SA (No 40 @ 1.083 million tonnes), what has the minister been able to achieve in attracting further utilisation of the East Arm Port facility?
128. Participation and Development Programs
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
Please explain the cut of $2.404m in the 2005-06 budget for participation and development programs. In 2004-05, this output area had a budget of $12.798m but blew out by $6m. Why?
129. New Netball Facility
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
1. What are the projected running costs of the new 10 court netball facility and has a business case study been undertaken to determine whether netball can afford the increased recurrent costs of such a facility?
2. How much extra parking will be required to accommodate the new netball facility?
3. What studies have been undertaken into the increased traffic flow that the new netball and soccer facilities will bring to the Marrara precinct?
130. Sports Groups’ Contributions to Construction of Facilities
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
Have any sporting groups contributed to the construction of their facilities and, if so, which sporting groups and how much have they contributed?
131. Basketball Canteen and Administration Facility
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
On the matter of basketball’s new airconditioned facility, why did the government not complete the canteen and administration facility?
132. Major Sporting Fixtures Funding
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
Detail your department’s sponsorship and financial contribution to all major national and international fixtures that were held in the Northern Territory in 2004-05, ie, netball, AFL, NBL, Rugby, V8 Supercars.
133. Major Sporting Fixtures – 2005-06
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
Detail which major sporting events have recommitted to play fixtures in the Northern Territory in 2005-06.
134. Acute Services Budget
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
Why was there a blow-out of $14m in Acute Services?
135. Waiting Lists
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
What initiatives can be found in the 2005-06 budget that are targeted at addressing waiting lists, waiting times or nurse shortages?
136. Alice Springs Hospital - Bed Capacity
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
How many beds are there at Alice Springs Hospital, and detail them ward by ward?
137. Alice Springs Hospital – Repairs and Maintenance
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
In response to one of the many reports about the hospital falling into the hands of media and others, your CEO was reported as saying in the NT News on 7 February that some defects had been repaired but others had not.
1. It was known that the switchboard was faulty since April 2003 and, on 7 February, your CEO said that is ‘due to be redesigned’. Has that now been done and, if not, why not?
4. What other repairs need to be done?
138. Alice Springs Hospital – Clinical Management Wing Upgrade
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
When I had the briefing with your office in April, I was given a summary and in it there was the following reference:
Would you kindly advise of the status of the above work and when did staff first start to complain about the need for these problems and issues?
139. Royal Darwin Hospital – Emergency Department
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
In March this year, a nurse at Royal Darwin Hospital wrote to the Chief Minister to highlight her ‘extreme concerns’ about the Emergency Department. She wrote that ‘what is really needed is an urgent increase in funding for the entire hospital …’ and that ‘increasing bed numbers needs to occur now’. She also wrote that nurses are concerned that an ‘unavoidable death’ would occur unless action was taken.
What actions have been taken to address these issues of concern?
140. Royal Darwin Hospital – Nurse Shortages
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
The Health budget appears to have done nothing to address the ongoing concerns of nurses at Royal Darwin Hospital, nor does it acknowledge, let alone seek to address, the shortages of nurses in our hospitals.
Why have you ignored the nurses, and what do you say to Territorians like the Minister for Family and Community Services who have to wait up to 24 hours to be attended to when they present to Accident and Emergency?
141. Community Health Services – Cut to Funding
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
Why have you cut funding to Community Health Services by $6m, and do you admit you have failed to reduce the burden of ill-health and the need for hospitalisation for Territorians?
142. Midwives
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
1. Detail how many widwives were employed in Northern Territory hospitals as at 1 July 2004 and provide their locations.
2. Detail how many widwives were employed in Northern Territory hospitals as at 1 July 2005 and provide their locations.
143. Northern Territory Hospitals – General Bed Capacity
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
In the Northern Territory election, your government promised extra funding for more general beds in Northern Territory hospitals.
Please detail how many extra beds there will be, the cost to provide these beds, a breakdown by hospitals, and when the program of extra beds will be implemented.
144. Hospital Bed Capacity
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
1. Provide a breakdown of hospital beds across Northern Territory hospitals as at 1 July 2004.
2. Provide a breakdown of hospital beds across Northern Territory hospitals as at 1 July 2005.
3. How many beds are there at Alice Springs Hospital and detail them by ward.
145. Hospital Performance Benchmarks
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
Please provide the details of how Northern Territory hospitals meet or do not meet the accepted benchmarks for treatment within the specific performance levels for each category.
146. Nursing Staff Numbers
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
Please provide the details of nursing staff – for all Northern Territory hospitals and other areas - on a month-by-month basis for the last 12 months.
147. Abuse of Hospital Staff
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
1. Across the Department of Health, how many acts of physical aggression against hospital staff were there in 2004-05?
2. Across the Department of Health, how many acts of physical aggression against hospital staff were there in 2003-04?
3. Across the Department of Health, how many acts of verbal aggression against hospital staff were there in 2004-05?
4. Across the Department of Health, how many acts of verbal aggression against hospital staff were there in 2003-04?
5. Across the Department of Health, how many acts of sexual aggression against hospital staff were there in 2004-05?
6. Across the Department of Health, how many acts of sexual aggression against hospital staff were there in 2003-04?
7. Has there been any analysis done as to where hot spots of abuse are located and, if so, where are the identified hot spots?
8. Do single-nurse stations have a higher incidence of this type of behaviour by the public??
148. Hospital Visits by Minister
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
There are five hospitals under your control. How many of these hospitals did the minister visit in 2004-05 and when did the visits occur?
149. Hospital Acute Services – Performance Measuring
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
Acute Services has risen from a base of $272m to $371m since 2001. What performance measures are in place to determine the need to increase this funding level and the success of that funding increase?
150. Abortions
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
Please provide the number of abortions performed in Northern Territory hospitals in 2004-05 and the average cost per abortion.
151. Oncology Unit
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
There were a number of initiatives the government promised during the 2001 election for cancer sufferers and terminally-ill people. Those promises were not met, but have been promised again four years later.
What is the status of your oncology unit promise?
152. Community Health Services
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
Why has the 2005-06 budget for Community Health Services been cut by $5.467m?
153. Dental Health Services
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
1. How is the lack of public dentists in the Northern Territory affecting the government’s ability to deliver service in the area of oral health?
2. How many dentists are currently operating at the Darwin and Alice Springs Dental Clinics and does this meet the full needs of the clinics?
3. Detail the number of full-time public dentists operating in Territory centres other than Darwin and Alice Springs Dental Clinics.
4. Did the government undertake any recruitment campaigns amongst graduates and experienced dentists in 2004-05? If so, what was the outcome and how many dentists were recruited?
5. Who is providing the Children’s dental service for 2005-06 and how many of the positions are filled?
6. How does this compare to 2003-04?
7. Please detail how many dental therapists are employed by the Department of Health by town centre.
8. Are all the Northern Territory’s dental therapist positions filled?
9. Are all of the Northern Territory’s technician support positions filled?
10. Are all of the Oral Health Service administrative support positions currently filled?
11. What are the Darwin and Palmerston clinics’ waiting times for general treatment?
12. In Katherine, Alice Springs, Gove and Tennant Creek, what is the waiting time for general treatment?
13. Are private dentists used to help reduce these waiting times. If so, what is the hourly rate they are paid at?
14. What does the practice which actually provides you with the private dental sessions receive by way of remuneration?
154. Mobile Dialysis Units
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
What is the status of the use of mobile dialysis units across the Northern Territory?
155. Royal Darwin Hospital - Hospice
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
1. What are the construction costs and staffing levels for the hospice at Royal Darwin Hospital?
2. What are the costs for furnishing the hospice?
3. Does funding for the hospice include furnishings such as curtains, cutlery, crockery and TV sets?
156. Government and Non-government Managed Community Health Centres
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
Could you explain what non-government and government-managed rural health community centres are, and how many of each there are and who funds them?
157. Preventable Chronic Diseases
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
How much money will be spent on the government’s Preventable Chronic Disease Strategy in 2005-06 and how does the amount compare to what was spent in 2004-05?
158. Non-government Community Health Service Organisations - Funding
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
How many non-government organisations are in the Community Health Service output and what is the funding allocation per organisation?
159. Community Health Services – Budget 2005-06
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
Community Health Services has been cut in the 2005-06 budget by nearly $6m. These services are aimed at improving health through education and development, prevention and early intervention. The outcome for these services is, according to Budget Paper No 3 at page 125, ‘that the burden of ill-health in the community and the need for hospitalisation are reduced’.
More people are estimated to be admitted into Northern Territory hospitals in the next financial year, based on estimates in the budget.
Why have you cut funding to Community Health Services by $6m, and do you admit you have failed to reduce the burden of ill-health and the need for hospitalisation for Territorians?
160. Dengue Mosquito Outbreak and Vaccine Distribution
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
1. The Dengue mosquito outbreak in Tennant Creek was of great concern in the earlier part of 2004-05. Have the programs put in place completely eradicated the Dengue mosquitoes in Tennant Creek?
2. What is the number of vaccines to be distributed by the department in 2004-05 to place like community health centres and GPs, and how do you determine the number of vaccines that will be required?
161. Preventable Chronic Disease Strategy
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
1. How much money will be spent on the government’s Preventable Chronic Disease Strategy in 2005-06 and how does the amount compare to what was spent in 2004-05?
2. Detail the programs that make up the strategy and their allocation. Detail the program outcomes for 2004-05.
162. HIV/AIDS
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
1. How much is being spent on the HIV/AIDS Treatment and Prevention Program in 2004-05 and how will this money be spent? Will it be spent in line with the recommendations of the Bansemer Review?
2. How many HIV-positive reports were there in the Northern Territory in 2004-05?
163. STD Rates in the Northern Territory
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
1. Was there any reduction in the STD rates in the Northern Territory in 2004-05?
2. Is the measured incidence of notifiable diseases – bacterial and sexually-transmitted diseases – going up?
164. Menzies School of Health Research - Funding
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
Funding to health research has been cut in this budget by $300 000. In your speech about the budget last year, you said that the Menzies School of Health Research, CRC for Aboriginal Health and the Health Gains Unit made ‘a valuable contribution to the evidence base of our health policies and services –
1. Have they stopped making valuable contributions?
2. If not, why has the funding to our researchers been cut?
165. Health - Outside Consultants
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
How many consultancies did your Department of Health use this year – outside consultants?
166. Health - Advertising and Promotions
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
1. How much was spent on behalf of your Department of Health on advertising/ promotional activities/videos/DVDs/brochures and general printed matter in 2004-05?
2. Please provide a month-by-month breakdown of spending and projects/programs that this spending was for.
167. Health - Consultancies
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
1. Were any consultants employed during 2004-05 to undertake work for the Department of Health?
2. Who were the consultants?
3. What was the nature of each consultancy?
4. List the consultancies awarded by certificate of exemption.
5. In how many and in which consultancies were expressions of interest or tenders called before a person or body was engaged to carry out that promotion?
6. What was the total amount spent on behalf of the Department of health on consultants during 2004-05?
7. What was the total amount spent on consultants in 2003-04?
168. Health – Budget Promotion
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
1. Was any money spent by the Department of Health on the 2005-06 post-budget promotion campaign?
2. If so, how much was spent on print media?
3. How much was spent on electronic media?
4. How much was spent on brochure production and direct mail?
5. How much was spent on DVD/CD production?
169. Health - Reports Produced
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
Detail expenditure for your department in 2004-05 on reports produced that have been either outsourced or produced internally, including:
170. Health - Lost/Stolen Property
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
1. Was any government property lost or stolen from your department in 2004-05? If so, please detail items and their value.
2. Was any government property lost or stolen from your ministerial office in 2004-05? If so, please detail items and their value.
171. Office of Chief Minister – Ministerial Office Budget
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
What is the budget for your ministerial office in 2004-05?
172. Police, Fire and Emergency Services - Consultants
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
1. Did the Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Services employ any consultants during 2004-05 to undertake work specifically relating to the area of Policy Advice and Public Sector Coordination?
2. If so, who were the consultants?
3. What was the nature of each consultancy?
4. Please list all the consultancies awarded by certificate of exemption.
5. In how many and in which consultancies were expressions of interest or tenders called before a person or body was engaged to carry out that promotion?
6. Please provide the detail and cost of each consultancy.
173. Police, Fire and Emergency Services - Reports
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Please provide the detailed expenditure for Police, Fire and Emergency Services in 2004-05 on reports produced that have been either outsourced or produced internally, including:
174. Police, Fire and Emergency Services - E-mail of Political Material
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Is it a regular occurrence for the e-mail system to be used sending material to Police, Fire and Emergency Services personnel on behalf of government, whether police want political material from the government or not?
175. Police, Fire and Emergency Services - Promotional Material
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
1. How much was spent by Police, Fire and Emergency Services on advertising/ promotional/activities/videos/DVDs/brochures and general printed matter in 2004-05?
2. How does this compare with 2003-04?
176. Fire Truck for Training Purposes
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
One of the points made in the Metis Review was that there is not a fire truck available for training purposes. Has this problem been rectified?
177. Training College
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Due to the number of recruits in the tri-service training college and the amount of in-service training currently being undertaken, there is pressure on the college to meet those demands and resources are stretched.
What has been done to reduce those pressures in 2004-05 and what is planned for 2005-06?
178. Police, Fire and Emergency Services – Management of Drunk Offenders
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
1. How many extra police will be devoted specifically to this task of collecting drunks?
2. What is the forecast increase in operational costs for this drunks’ collection service?
3. How many extra vehicles will be put on the road to deal with the collection of drunks?
4. When the drunks are collected by police, what will happen to them? (ie where will they be taken?)
5. If a drunk is picked up, say, at Casuarina and is being conveyed to the police cells, what is the time that this vehicle and its officers will effectively be off the road?
6. How does the Police Commissioner prioritise issues of policing, ie, where does the shuttling of drunks to sobering-up shelters and police cells sit on the priority scale in comparison to controlling gangs and street violence or simply protecting people’s property and homes?
179. Property Crime – Reporting Rates
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
What are the reporting rates for property crime and break and enter in the Northern Territory?
180. Violent Crimes
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
In regard to crimes of violence and sexual assault (and I remind the minister of the spate of sexual assaults that have taken place in Darwin recently), what strategies were implemented in 2004-05 to combat this increasing problem?
181. Counter-Terrorism Security
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
What was the work of the Northern Territory’s Counter-Terrorism Security Coordination Unit in 2004-05 and what is its budget?
182. PROMIS System Upgrade
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
What progress has been made in upgrading the PROMIS system and have the issues of lengthy response times been resolved?
183. Humpty Doo Police and Fire Station
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
The Humpty Doo Police and Fire Station is intended to provide services for Darwin’s growing rural population but key facilities have not been included. For example, there is only one holding cell which means that only one male can be held at a time with no facilities to hold female offenders. Similarly, there are no toilet facilities available meaning prisoners must be taken out of the cell to access these facilities to the toilet block.
The holding cell does not have Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) monitoring which is a requirement under the Aboriginal Deaths in Custody recommendations and, with the Palmerston cells also not compliant, it means that indigenous prisoners and excess prisoners at the Humpty Doo Station have to be driven to Police Headquarters in Mitchell Street in the city.
The Berrimah cells are not available as they are currently being used to store archives and records. This will mean that the whole process will take police off-line for up to four hours while they are taking prisoners to the Mitchell Street holding cells. If there is more than one prisoner that needs to be transferred, it effectively takes out one officer from active duty for a whole shift.
1. What was the reason behind failing to plan for simple things like holding cells, CCTV and toilets? Is this really the station police wanted or is this a result of police not having sufficient funds to do the job properly?
2. How many police have been allocated to the facility and what hours do they operate from?
184. Police Aircraft Servicing
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
What servicing arrangements are in place for the maintenance of Northern Territory Police aircraft? Is there any compelling reason that maintenance work would be carried out on police aircraft interstate rather than with Northern Territory companies?
185. Papunya Investigation
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
An investigation is currently under way into the misappropriation of funds and property at the Aboriginal community of Papunya.
Have Northern Territory Police been involved in any forms of investigations into monies or property gone missing from Papunya during 2004-05?
186. Road Safety Program
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
The original budget of 2002-03 for road safety services was $11m. In 2005-06 it will be $9.288m. Given that government is claiming there are more cars on our roads because of new registrations and increasing population, why is less being spent on road safety in the Northern Territory?
187. Speed Camera Checks
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
In terms of performance measures, are there any plans to increase the number of speed camera checks in 2005-06?
188. Traffic Infringement Notices
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
1. Could you advise how many traffic infringement notices for speeding have been issued on a year-to-year basis over the past three years, and what the income from those was on a year-to-year basis over the last three years?
2. Have you recorded any traffic infringements in the period 2004-05?
3. Could you advise how many traffic infringement notices for other than speeding have been issued on a year-to-year basis over the last three years?
189. Road Safety Strategies
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
You spent a small fortune boasting you were recruiting more police. What educational strategies were implemented in 2004-05 to educate drivers on better road safety and to help save lives on our roads?
190. Drink Driving Arrests
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
How many people were arrested for drink driving in 2004-05 and how does this compare with 2003-04?
191. Unlicensed Drivers and Unregistered Vehicles
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
1. How many drivers were arrested for driving unlicensed and how many for driving unregistered motor vehicles in 2004-05?
2. How does this compare with 2003-04?
192. Demerit Point System
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Have police made any submissions to your government recommending the introduction of a drivers licence demerit point system for traffic infringements?
193. Emergency Response – Kings Canyon
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
What strategies were implemented in 2004-05 to improve response to trauma and bushfire in the Kings Canyon region?
194. Emergency Response Capabilities –Yulara
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Please detail the number of incidents in which Yulara and Kings Canyon emergency services capabilities were put to the test.
195. Fire and Road Trauma Emergency Services
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
What strategies were implemented across the Northern Territory in 2004-05 so that the capacity of agencies to respond to fire threats and road trauma were increased?
196. Office of Chief Minister – Office Budget
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
What is the minister’s office budget for 2004-05?
197. Police, Fire and Emergency Services – Travel Expenditure 2004-05
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
What was your expenditure on interstate and overseas travel during 2004-05?
198. Police, Fire and Emergency Services Ministerial Office - Budget Promotions
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
1. Was any money spent from the minister’s office on the 2005-06 post-budget promotion campaign promoting the police budget?
2. If so, how much was spent on –
(a) print media;
(b) brochure production and direct mail; and
(c) DVD production?
199. Police, Fire and Emergency Services Ministerial Office – Promotion Expenses
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
1. How much was spent on behalf of your ministerial office on advertising/promotion activities/videos/DVDs/brochures and general printed matter in 2004-05?
2. Please provide a month-by-month breakdown of spending and projects/programs that this spending was for.
3. How much was spent on print media?
4. How much was spent on brochure production and direct mail?
5. How much was spent on DVD/CD production?
200. Police, Fire and Emergency Services Ministerial Office – Government Printing Costs
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
1. List all work undertaken by the Government Printing Office in 2004-05 on behalf of your ministerial office.
2. What were the costs and dates of completion of work performed by the Government Printing Office on behalf of your ministerial office?
201. Child Protection
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
On 26 March this year, the NT News featured and article about a man who was found guilty of sexual intercourse with the 10-year-old girl who was ‘under the care of the Northern Territory’s Family and Community Services’.
1. What went wrong?
2. What is being done to prevent this recurring?
202. Health and Community Services – Complaints Lodged
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
The 2003-04 Health and Community Services Complaints Commission’s Annual Report lists, on page 126, a table of the number of complaints against each government agency.
Your Department of Family and Community Services has seen a steady increase in the number of complaints lodged with the Commission over the past three reported years.
2001-02 26
2002-03 30
2003-04 48
The trend is obvious and the growth significant.
1. What sort of things are people complaining about?
2. Why is the number of complaints going up?
3. What is being done to address this situation?
203. Housing Modifications for People with a Disability
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
I am advised (IDA) that the Housing Department has the funding to modify houses/units for people with a disability, but as there is only one OT in the DHCS allocated to this job (to do the assessments of client/home) and he/she cannot cope with the workload, there is a hefty wait for modifications.
What is being done to address this problem?
204. Disabled Services – Taxi Vouchers
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
I have a constituent who is disabled with arthritis. She cannot drive but owns a car so that her friends/family can drive her when they are available. She would like taxi vouchers but has been told that as she owns a car she cannot have them. She is often stranded.
What can be done to provide this constituent with taxi vouchers as this current situation is not equitable?
205. Frail and Aged – TIME Scheme
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
I am advised that some people are stuck in hospital longer than is needed because requests to the TIME Scheme for equipment get held up. Apparently, certain requests have to be considered by a committee that only meets monthly.
What can you do to alleviate the delay in supply of equipment to the elderly under the TIME Scheme?
206. Disability Services - Funding
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
The NT Council of Social Services met with representatives from your department in an effort to lobby for improvements in government spending and direction. One of their concerns expressed at this meeting was the high need for growth funds in the area of disability services. I quote ‘availability of services to clients is decreasing and cost of equipment items are increased. Need to increase funds to the TIME Scheme’.
1. Why is it, according to NTCOSS, that the availability of services to clients is going down and when the cost of equipment is increasing?
2. What will you do to stop this service from deteriorating further this financial year?
207. Frail and Aged Services - Funding
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
I have met with representatives of a number of non-government organisations providing services to frail aged people and people with a disability. They have expressed their concern about the lengthening delay in being advised each financial year as to whether or not their application for HACC (Home and Community care) funding had been approved. Last year, the advice did not come through until November.
Given the struggle NGOs have in providing their service, why does it take so long for them to find out how much money they will get – half the year is nearly gone by the time they find out?
208. Disability Services
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
In the past, nurses from community health centres would do things like change catheters in the home and cut toe nails.
Why is this service, currently being provided by your department to people with a disability, being curtailed?
209. FACS Review
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
A review of the current problems was conducted in August – November last year.
210. Carpentaria Disability Services
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
1. What went wrong with Carpentaria Disability Services? (IDA advise: service agreement should have been monitored and followed up. This does not happened – same happens with other NGOs).
2. What are you going to change to prevent a re-occurrence of this problem?
211. Mental Health Funding
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
On 12 October last year, you launched Mental Health Week in Raintree Park – remember the snakes and ladders game? You said in your speech that, since coming to office, Labor had increased funding to mental health by 90%.
1. How is that calculated (A: Green CLP BB compared to 2004-05 budget)?
2. How does the change to accrual accounting which has occurred during this time impact on the figures?
3. So, by including the bookwork changes caused by the change to accrual accounting in your claim of an increase of 90% - is this increase claim a deliberate attempt to mislead people?
4. If you claim it is true to say you have nearly doubled expenditure on mental health services in three years – a 90% increase – then why have you not reported outputs increased significantly more than reflected in the outputs reported below:
212. Mental Health Services – Output Program
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
In Budget Paper No 3, 2004-05, p132, the following budget highlight appeared:
The 2004-05 mental health budget has funding to address increasing demand for essential community-based mental health services. A four-year program to reform mental health services commenced in 2003-04 with $2m spent in that year and increasing to $4.6m in 2004-05.
1. Given that we are now half-way through your program of reform, what changes have been made to the delivery of mental health services?
2. What outputs were achieved this financial year for the additional $4.6m, which I gather was attached to the reform outcomes?
213. Mental Health Courses
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
On 18 February 2005, in a press release titled ‘Nurse Recruitment Campaign’, minister Toyne talked about how ‘courses including Mental Health … will be offered to nurses … for the first time in 2005’.
Could you provide details on this course?
214. Community Visitor Program
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
The Community Visitor Program deals with complaints about Mental Health Services and is meant to keep a check on services to ensure they are being provided correctly. It runs out of the Anti-Discrimination Commission, which sits in the Department of Justice.
1. I understand the budget for this unit in 2004-05 was $70 000?
2. Currently, the unit is not funded to provide an inspection service to places like Tennant Creek or Nhulunbuy, even though these places have Mental Health Services. Is this an issue or problem that you will be addressing, and when?
3. Is part of the problem for this unit the fact it sits within Department of Justice and Department of Health and Community Services?
4. Given all the problems we are facing with regard to the provision of Mental Health Services, do you not think this unit, which is meant to monitor them and deal with complaints, should be well resourced?
215. Mental Health Act - Review
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
The President of the Mental Health Review Tribunal raises concerns in his annual report for 2003-04 about how long it is taking for the review of the Mental Health Act to be completed and draft legislation presented.
When will we see the draft changes?
216. Tiwi Islands – Petrol Sniffing
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
On 25 May 2005, you raised concerns in the media (ABC radio) regarding the arrival of petrol sniffing on the Tiwi Islands. This is a sad development.
Given that the Volatile Substances Act now exists:
217. Anti-smoking Programs
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
1. Are calls to the Quit Line from the Northern Territory being monitored? If so, how do the numbers compare over the past few years?
2. I noted that the only media Quit Smoking as a New Year’s resolution received this year was an article about you quitting. When I was a Quit Smoking health promotion officer in the mid-1990s, we would run a media campaign in the lead-up to New Years Eve promoting the Quit Line. Calls to the help line would then go up dramatically.
4. The only print advertisement I could find was this one inserted on 25 May in the Suburban. It has a big photo of minister Toyne on it with the words: ’Choose a healthier lifestyle on World No Tobacco Day.’
5. What do you think the purpose of this advertisement was?
6. How are people assisted/facilitated to quit smoking in Central Australia?
218. Ecstasy Use by Children Survey
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
Earlier this year, you had fliers displayed in the Darwin area inviting people, including children aged as young as 16, to volunteer to be interviewed about their ecstasy use and to be paid $30 for their time.
219. Alcohol and Other Drugs - Funding
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
Last year, during the Estimates Committee hearing, we established that there had been seven directors of the Alcohol and Other Drugs Program since 2002, up to and including Nick Gill. I do not know how many more have stepped in since Nick had to step aside, however, all up, it is a lot of change at the top.
1. To what extent has all this change contributed to the Alcohol and Other Drugs Program being unable to spend its allocated funding? (Specifically, Budget Paper No 3, p123, advises that there will be a carry forward of $2.1m into 2005-06).
2. What services were not delivered as planned during 2004-05?
220. Alcohol and Other Drugs – After Hours Service, Alice Springs
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
During the past year in Alice Springs, the Alcohol and Other Drugs service has ceased to provide an after hours services or home visits.
Given Alice Springs does not have an NGO service like Banyan House in Darwin, how can you justify this contraction of service?
221. Residential Drug Rehabilitation Centres
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
You will be aware that Green Gates Inc has been lobbying unsuccessfully for a number of years to have a residential drug rehabilitation established in Alice Springs.
In August last year, you wrote to the association providing further details on a mapping project being done in Alice Springs, and how it will be completed by December 2004. In your letter, it also talks about conduct of public consultation forums.
Is there any hope that your government will establish a residential rehabilitation program for drug addicts in Alice Springs?
222. School Drug Education Positions
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
During the mid-1990s, the Northern Territory government funded three education positions in the Department of Education specifically for the development and facilitation of drug education programs in the Northern Territory. Now there is only one position and that position is funded by the federal government.
Given the accepted need to prevent drug use uptake through early strategies like education, and government dismantling of the DARE program, what are you doing to help teachers incorporate sound drug education in their programs?
223. Community Patrols - Funding
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
Currently, the Community Patrols and the sobering-up shelter in Darwin do not operate on Sundays. Why doesn’t your program fund this service seven days a week?
224. Banyan House Rehabilitation Centre
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
An article in a DHCS newsletter earlier this year advised that Banyan House was seeking funding for an upgrading of their rehabilitation centre.
1. Can you advise whether or not this upgrade is to be funded?
2. If not, why not?
225. Daly River Region Community Reference Group
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
Your government established the Daly River Region Community Reference Group in 2003. How many people were on this group, who were they?
The final report from the Daly River Region Community Reference Group was delivered to Cabinet in December 2004, and to date this report has not been tabled in parliament:
1. Why have you not tabled this report earlier?
2. Will you provide me with a copy of the final report and, if not, why not?
3. What was the total cost of the development of this report?
4. Why is another group being assembled to address the same issues?
226. Water and Weed Management- Funding
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
In continuing with the bad news for Primary Industry in this budget, Water and Weed Management budget has been reduced by $410 000.
Given that the Northern Territory has serious problems with gamba and Ngurra burr, amongst other weeds, and your government has stated many times that you are concerned about water management, why have you cut the budget in this area by $410 000?
227. Indigenous Tourism Potential
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
1. What potential indigenous tourism opportunities have been identified to date through the Indigenous Tourism Development strategy?
2. How will you assess the potential of each proposal?
3. What back-up support will the NTTC provide in nurturing this developing industry?
228. Tourism - Niche Market Development
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
1. Are you looking to develop niche markets?
2. If so, what niche markets are you targeting?
3. What research has identified these niche markets?
229. Visitor Information Centres
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
Budget papers state that, in 2004-05, there were five accredited visitor information service providers. The budget 2005-06 estimates seven accredited visitor information centres.
1. Where are the seven accredited visitor information centres?
2. How is the new visitor information centre at Three Ways being funded?
3. How is the visitor information centre at Three Ways being serviced?
230. Territory Discoveries - Agencies
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
1. In which states and territories does Territory Discoveries operate?
2. List the number of Territory Discoveries agencies there are in each state and territory.
231. Calypsonet Booking System
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
1. When was the new booking system, Calypsonet, introduced? I heard the Auditor-General say earlier tonight that an audit had been completed. How effective is the system?
2. How do international enquiries access this booking system?
3. What percentage of international enquiries come through this booking system?
232. Holiday Package Bookings
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
It is pleasing to see the increase in the number of holiday packages sold and estimated. Holiday package bookings for shoulder and low season have nothing showing in budget papers for 2003-04 to compare. Budget papers for 2004-05 estimate bookings at $2.69m, with the estimate for 2005-06 at $2.8m.
What were the actual figures for 2003-04 so that I can evaluate the development of Territory Discoveries?
233. Territory Discoveries – Operating Expenses
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
Operating expenses were budgeted in 2004-05 at $4.983m, operating expenses estimated for 2005-06 at $5.794m, a difference of $811 000.
Could you please give details of the make-up of the $811 000?
234. Duck Pond in Frances Bay
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY and FISHERIES
What funding has your government provided for improving and the repairs and maintenance of the Duck Pond in Frances Bay?
235. Commercial Seafood Industry – Training and Facilities
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY and FISHERIES
1. What extra funding has your government allocated to increase opportunities for training in the commercial seafood industry?
2. What funding are you providing for commercial seafood service facilities across the Northern Territory?
236. Environment and Heritage – Funding
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
Budget Paper No 3, p 217, 2004-05 estimate for Environment and Heritage is $6.726m, 2004-05 budget is $6.091m. Could you please give a breakdown of the difference of $635 000?
237. Environment and Heritage – Repairs and Maintenance
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
Budget Paper No 4, p 44, Repairs and Maintenance expenses for Environment and Heritage are allocated $1m for the 2005-06 budget year.
What type of repairs and maintenance are you anticipating?
238. Environment and Heritage – Staffing Levels
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
How many staff are employed in Environment and Heritage and what are their salary levels?
239. Darwin City Waterfront – Contaminated Soil
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for PLANNING and LANDS
1. In relation to the Darwin City Waterfront development, what amount of contaminated soil is to be removed and where is it going to be placed?
2. What are the ongoing costs to the Northern Territory government for the storage of this contaminated soil from the Darwin City Waterfront development?
240. Cane Toads
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
Considerable time by your government has been put into addressing the invasion of cane toads in the Northern Territory. Interestingly enough, the seriousness of the cane toads was not addressed until they were literally invading the northern suburbs. They had been in the Northern Territory for a considerable time before that.
Can you please tell me what funding is allocated in this budget for cane toad eradication?
241. Glyde Point Industrial Development – Environmental Assessment
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
At last year’s Estimates Committee hearings, your department advised that the Glyde Point Industrial Development Environmental Assessment was estimated to cost $51 000.
Can you tell the committee what the actual cost was?
242. Gundjeihmi Corporation Submission to Commonwealth Parliament’s Standing Committee on Industry and Resources
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
1. Who was the author of this submission?
2. At the time of preparing/writing the submission, was the author an employee of your department?
3. Was this submission and other similar representations on behalf of other organisations done with the approval of the Northern Territory government?
243. Papunya Community Government Council - Operations
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for LOCAL GOVERNMENT
1. Will you table in parliament the report into the operation of the Papunya Community Government Council dated 2004?
2. Does the report state that the community was dysfunctional and that vehicles were missing?
3. Will you now announce that you will investigate the loss of Northern Territory taxpayers’ money from that community?
244. Yuendumu Community Government Council - Administration
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for LOCAL GOVERNMENT
1. Was the Yuendumu Community Government Council wound up by your department; if so, what were the reasons?
2. Why was the decision to put the council into administration delayed until after the general election?
1. Darwin City Waterfront – Contingent Liabilities
Ms CARNEY to TREASURER
Is the government’s risk exposure, full cost details and contingent liabilities regarding the waterfront incorporated in the 2005-06 budget papers?
2. Electoral Roll Enrolments
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. It was estimated that there were fewer people on the electoral roll for the financial year 2004-05 than the previous financial year. Given we have just had an election, did that prove to be the case?
2. How many new electors enrolled prior to the last general election?
3. Darwin City Waterfront - Revenue
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. What revenue will be received as the waterfront site is developed; how will it be paid and how much per year is this expected to be?
2. Where will this revenue be coming from?
4. Darwin City Waterfront – Performance Criteria for Operators
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
1. Please detail the performance criteria set for the operators of the convention centre?
2,. What happens to payments to the operators if these criteria are not met?
3. Will the $3m annual payment to the DCEC be paid even if performance measures are not met?
4. For how long is the annual $3m to be paid to the operators?
5. What does incentivised mean?
5. Darwin City Waterfront – Convention Centre
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
So, the total costs for Territorians to run and maintain the convention centre will be at least $75m.
1. What will the Territory have to pay to get the convention centre back into our control after 25 years?
6. Darwin City Waterfront - Lock
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
1. Why is the lock not included in the Community Infrastructure?
2. What guarantees are there that the consortium will build the lock at a later stage?
7. Darwin City Waterfront – Management Body
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
1. What do you see to be the nature of the body that will manage the overall site?
2. Who will be responsible for the costs involved with this body?
8. Darwin City Waterfront – Water Quality
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
Are there any safety concerns about water quality in this area?
9. Darwin City Waterfront – Wave Pool
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
1. Who will set the price of admission for the wave pool?
2. Will the wave pool be publicly or privately run?
10. Darwin City Waterfront – Roads Maintenance
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
What amount has been put aside for the repair and maintenance of the roads leading in and out of the site?
11. Darwin City Waterfront – Unsuccessful Consortia
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
1. Are there any outstanding monies to be paid to the other two unsuccessful consortiums?
2. Are there any unresolved legal issues surrounding the awarding of the successful tenderer?
12. Investment Attraction – Advertising and Research
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
1. How much was spent on investment advertising interstate during 2004-05?
2. Detail a breakdown by state and the nature of the advertising.
3. Has any research been undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of investment advertising interstate – to look to see what increase and awareness has been achieved?
4. If so, who carried out the research and what was the outcome of that research?
5. How much did the research cost?
13. Aboriginal Land Legislation – Court Proceedings
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS
1. Is the government engaged in any court proceedings involving Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act matters or matters under provisions of the Native Title Act?
2. If so, please detail the matters and when proceedings commenced before the courts?
14. Indigenous Policy - Reporting
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS
1. Could you please give an insight as to what is happening in the area of Indigenous Policy?
2. How many staff are currently employed to carry out the functions of Indigenous Policy?
3. What was the staffing level at 1 July 2004?
4. Can you please detail the positions allocated in Indigenous Policy?
5. Detail expenditure for the area of Indigenous Policy on reports produced that have either been outsourced or produced internally including:
(a) what was the purpose of the reports;
15. Indigenous Policy - Printing
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS
1. List all the work undertaken by the Government Printing Office in 2004—05 related to Indigenous Policy?
2. What were the costs and dates of completion of work performed by the Government Printing Office that related to Indigenous Policy in 2004-05?
16. Common Ground - Publication
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS
1. How many issues of the publication Common Ground were printed in 2004-05 and at what cost?
2. How is editorial comment for Common Ground decided?
3. Are there any articles or photographs that appear in Common Ground provided from the Office of the Chief Minister or her ministers’ offices?
4. What is the circulation of Common Ground (Aboriginal newspaper) and how is it distributed?
5. Provide a breakdown of costs to produce Common Ground.
6. What is the forecast budget for Common Ground?
17. Indigenous Policy – Advertising and Consultancies
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS
1. How much was spent on behalf of Indigenous Policy on advertising/promotional activities/ videos/DVDs/brochures and general printed matter in 2004-05?
2. Please provide a month-by-month breakdown of spending and projects/programs that this spending was for?
3. Did any consultants employed during 2004-05 undertake work specifically relating to the area of Indigenous Policy?
4. Who were the consultants?
5. What was the nature of each consultancy?
6. List the consultancies awarded by certificate of exemption.
7. In how many and in which consultancies were expressions of interest or tenders called before a person or body was engaged to carry out that promotion?
8. What was the total amount spent on behalf of Indigenous Policy on consultants during 2004-05?
9. Detail how much each consultancy cost?
18. Indigenous Policy - Promotions
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS
1 Was any money spent in Indigenous Policy on the 2005-06 post-budget promotion campaign?
2. If so, how much was spent on print media?
3. How much was spent on electronic media?
4. How much was spent on brochure production and direct mail?
5. How much was spent on DVD/CD production?
19. Territory Development
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. The budget estimate for Territory Development in 2004-05 was $6.856m. Why the cut of almost $0.5m to the 2005-06 budget?
2. Could you please give an insight as to what is happening in the area of Territory Development?
3. Detail the development projects that the office has had carriage of in 2004-05 and the projects forecast for 2005-06.
20. Trans-Territory Pipeline – Loss of Economic Benefit
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How many jobs will now not come to the Territory because of the collapse of the trans-Territory pipeline deal?
2. What does the loss of the trans-Territory pipeline mean in lost cost benefit to the Territory economy?
3. What impact will the collapse of the trans-Territory pipeline have on Woodside’s continued presence in the Territory?
4. Has the Territory government spent any money in assisting to secure the trans-Territory pipeline project for the Territory?
5. Indigenous stakeholders say they were looking to buy equity in the trans-Territory pipeline project with funding support from governments. What would have been the Territory government’s contribution to this equity proposal?
21. Blacktip Gas
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. You told members of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry election lunch that: ‘Gas will come onshore from a second Blacktip field’. Is there actually a second field at Blacktip? If so, where, and what is its size?
2. When you told ABC radio that you had spoken to both Alcan and Woodside and they had told you of the difficulties in finalising the trans-Territory pipeline deal were you aware that the difficulties related to the cost of the gas?
22. Trans-Territory Pipeline – Gas for Territory Consumption
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. Is your government having discussions with proponents of the PNG gas pipeline with a view to purchase gas for Territory consumption?
2. Which fields off the Territory coast do you believe represent a viable source for Territory gas supplies?
3. Can you give Territorians a guarantee that bringing gas onshore will mean cheaper energy costs?
4. Can you give Territorians a guarantee that the cost of their power will not increase during this term of office?
23. Territory Development - Staffing
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How many staff were employed in the Office of Territory Development at 1 July 2004?
2. How many are currently employed in the Office of Territory Development and detail their positions?
24. Territory Development - Reports
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Detail expenditure for the Office of Territory Development on reports produced that have been either outsourced or produced internally, including:
- (a) what was the purpose of the reports;
(b) who or what organisation prepared the reports;
(c) what was the cost of the report;
(d) has the report or reports been tabled in parliament; and
(e) what has been the outcome of those reports?
25. Territory Development - Printing
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. List all work undertaken by the Government Printing Office in 2004-05 that related to the Office of Territory Development.
2. What were the costs and dates of completion of work performed by the Government Printing Office that related to the Office of Territory Development in 2004-05?
26. Territory Development – Advertising Expenditure
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How much was spent on behalf of the Office of Territory Development on advertising/ promotional activities/videos/DVDs/ brochures and general printed matter in 2004-05?
2. Please provide a month-by-month breakdown of spending and projects/programs that this spending was for.
3. Please detail the breakdown on local and interstate expenditure for advertising in question 1.
4. How much has been spent specifically in 2004-05 on promoting the wharf precinct development by way of brochure, electronic media, newspaper advertisement and direct mail?
5. Detail all other expenditure in 2004-05 on promoting the wharf precinct development, eg, how much was spent on public displays in the Darwin Mall, Casuarina and Palmerston?
27. Territory Development - Consultancies
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. What consultants were employed during 2004-05 to undertake work for the Office of Territory Development?
2. What was the nature of each consultancy?
3. List the consultancies awarded by certificate of exemption?
4. In how many and in which consultancies were expression of interest or tenders called before a person or body was engaged to carry out that promotion?
5. What was the total amount spent on behalf of the Office of Territory Development during 2004-05?
6. Detail how much each consultancy cost?
28. Territory Development – Focus Groups
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How many public focus groups were conducted through the area of Territory Development in 2004-05?
2. When were they held and what was the nature of each focus group?
3. What was the cost to conduct these focus groups?
4. If focus group participants were paid to attend, how much were they paid?
5. Where can members get the details and findings of these publicly-funded focus groups?
29. Territory Development – Budget 2005-06 Promotions
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. Under the output of Territory Development, was any money spent on the 2005-06 post-budget promotion campaign?
2. If so, how much was spent on print media?
3. How much was spent on electronic media?
4. How much was spent on brochure production and direct mail?
5. How much was spent on DVD/CD production?
30. Territory Development – Investment Campaigns
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. In late 2004-05, you announced plans to embark on a local invest in the Territory campaign. Why did the campaign not eventuate and what was the money eventually spent on?
2. What have been the outcomes from your investment mission to China?
3. How much was spent by the Office of Territory Development on investment advertising interstate during 2004-05?
4. Detail a breakdown by state and the nature of the advertising.
5. Has any research been undertaken by the Office of Territory Development to evaluate the effectiveness of investment advertising interstate, to look to see what increase and awareness had been achieved?
6. If so, who carried out the research and what was the outcome of that research?
7. How much did the research cost?
31. Territory Development – Bob Collins’ Employment
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for BUSINESS, ECONOMIC and RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
1. In what capacity, if any, does Bob Collins work for the Office of Territory Development?
2. Is Bob Collins still receiving remuneration from government or the Office of Territory Development? If so, what are the terms and conditions?
3. Does Bob Collins receive anything by way of car, office space, secretarial support or correspondence from the government or Office of Territory Development?
4. Is Bob Collins still a board member of Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre and, if so, why?
5. What is the estimated value of the Desert Knowledge project and when is its scheduled completion?
6. To your knowledge, is Bob Collins involved with any other boards through the government or Office of Territory Development?
32. Territory Development – Darwin Port Authority Relationship
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
What is the relationship between the Office of Territory Development and the Darwin Port Cooperation in developing the AustralAsia Trade Route, and how is that coordinated with the Department of Business, Industry and Resource Development and DIPE responsibilities in this area?
33. Territory Development – Shipping Services and Operators
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. What new customers and shipping operators did the Office of Territory Development work with and encourage to our East Arm Port during 2004-05?
2. What new customers and shipping operators is the office of Territory Development currently working with to encourage to our East Arm Port during 2005-06?
3. When is the next Hai Win service due from China?
34. Territory Development – Trade Route Links
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. What strategic plans were put in place during 2004-05 to accelerate and promote the AustralAsia Trade Route and develop new shipping links and new customer bases?
2. What were the outcomes of those strategic plans?
35. Territory Development – East Arm Port Performance
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. From a strategic perspective, how would you view the performance of Darwin port as a competitive port in establishing Darwin as the gateway to Asia? What is the cost per container across the port?
2. How does the East Arm Port benchmark competitively if you were looking to ship through Darwin port?
3. What is the extent of the problems at the East Arm Port which resulted in the closing of an extended section recently?
36. Darwin City Waterfront – Asset Ownership
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. The waterfront site will remain under the ownership of the Northern Territory government and be handed to the developer as freehold as the project is developed. What is the agreed process for handover of parcels of land for the waterfront development?
2. What agreements are in place for how these assets will be maintained and by whom?
37. AustralAsia Railway – Draw Down Money
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for the AUSTRALASIA RAILWAY
1. In terms of the draw down of monies for the railway, has all the money that can be drawn down for the railway been drawn down? If not, what remains to be drawn down, or possibly drawn down?
2. Where does that money appear in the budget papers?
38. AustralAsia Railway – Contingent Equity
1. What are the circumstances in which the contingent equity would be drawn down?
2. Are you able to say whether or not any of the contingent equity from the operators has been called in 2004-05?
39. AustralAsia Railway – Freight Loads
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for the AUSTRALASIA RAILWAY
Is the railway performing to forecasts in terms of its freight loads?
40. AustralAsia Railway - Subsidies
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for the AUSTRALASIA RAILWAY
Are there government monies going into the railway in other forms that could be seen by some as subsidies?
41. AustralAsia Railway – Railway Stations
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for the AUSTRALASIA RAILWAY
1. During the election campaign, $740 000 was promised to upgrade the Alice Springs railway station. Detail the breakdown of costs and government contribution to this upgrade and when will work begin?
2. Are any upgrades planned for other railway stations along the route between Alice Springs and Darwin? If so, when will work commence?
42. Chief Minister – Executive Support
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. The budget estimate for Support to Executive, Ministers and Leader of the Opposition in 2004-05 was $17.701m, for 2005-06 it is $17.791m; why the variation?
2. What was the cost of maintaining eight ministerial offices and the Leader of the Opposition’s office in 2004-05, and what is the forecast for 2005-06?
3. Given the speculation of your ministry increasing to nine, will there be a further increase in the budget estimate for 2005-06?
43. Government Limousines
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How many times in 2004-05 did you make use of government-chauffeured limousines?
2. Did you use government-chauffeured limousines to transport any of your family members on non-government business (eg, to school, church or sporting events) during 2004-05?
3. Did you allow any of your staff members to use government-chauffeured limousines to transport any of your family members on non-government business (eg, to school, church or sporting events) during 2004-05?
44. Chief Minister - Interstate Travel with Associated Staff
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. List all interstate trips taken by you as Chief Minister in 2004-05.
2. Detail the purpose of each interstate trip taken by you as Chief Minister.
3. Detail the duration of each trip taken by you as Chief Minister.
4. Detail the costs you incurred on each interstate trip.
5. Detail outcomes achieved from each interstate trip.
6. List all ministerial staff who accompanied you on all interstate trips taken by you as minister in 2004-05.
7. Detail the costs incurred by the ministerial staff on each interstate trip in 2004-05.
8. List all departmental staff who accompanied you on all interstate trips taken by you as minister in 2004-05.
9. Detail the costs incurred by departmental staff accompanying you on each interstate trip.
10. List any non-government citizens who accompanied you on any interstate trips who government paid partial or full travel and accommodation costs for.
45. Chief Minister - Ministerial Staff Travel
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. Please advise the detail of all intra-Territory or interstate trips undertaken by any of your ministerial staff that you were not present on where that staff member was travelling to a meeting on your behalf.
2. Would you detail the purpose of such trips and costs incurred by the ministerial staff on any such trips?
3. Would you detail the duration of each such trip?
46. Chief Minister - Overseas Travel with Associated Staff
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. Would you please list all overseas trips taken by you as Chief Minister in 2004-05?
2. Would you detail the purpose of each overseas trip taken by you as Chief Minister?
3. Would you detail the duration of each overseas trip taken by you as Chief Minister?
4. Please detail the costs you incurred on each overseas trip.
5. Will you please provide the detail on outcomes achieved from each overseas trip?
6. List all ministerial staff who accompanied you on all overseas trips taken by you as minister in 2004-05.
7. Detail the costs incurred by the ministerial staff on each overseas trip in 2004-05.
8. List all departmental staff who accompanied you on all overseas trips taken by you as minister in 2004-05.
9. Detail the costs incurred by departmental staff accompanying you on each overseas trip.
10. List any non-government citizens who accompanied you on any overseas trip who government paid partial or full travel and accommodation costs for.
47. Chief Minister - Overseas Travel by Staff
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. Would you please provide the detail of any overseas trips undertaken by any of your ministerial staff that you were not present on where that staff member was travelling on your behalf?
2. Please detail the purpose of such trips and costs incurred by the ministerial staff on any such trips.
3. Detail the duration of each such trip.
48. Official Hospitality
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How much did you spend on official hospitality outside of Parliament House during 2004-05?
2. How many taxpayer-funded functions did you host in Parliament House during 2004-05?
3. List the Parliament House functions you hosted and how much each function cost.
4. How many of the functions did you host that were costed to the Protocol budget?
49. Chief Minister – Car and Boat Hire and Air Charters
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How much did you spend on hire cars or limousines in 2004-05 in the performance of your official duties?
2. How much did you spend on private air charter in 2004-05 in the performance of your official duties?
3. How much did you spend on private boat hire in 2004-05 in the performance of your official duties?
50. Office of Chief Minister – Office Budget
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. What was your office budget for 2004-05?
2. What did you spend in 2004-05?
3. What is the budget for the Office of the Chief Minister in 2005-06?
51. Office of Chief Minister – Office Staffing
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How many staff are currently employed in your ministerial office?
2. What was your office staffing level at 1 July 2004?
3. Detail the positions allocated in your office.
4. How many staff are employed by you in Alice Springs?
5. Detail the positions.
6. Are any staff employed under the office of the Chief Minister in any other Territory centres? If so, where and how many?
7. How many positions in the Office of the Chief Minister are secondments from departments that are not on your books; that are paid for by the departments they were seconded from?
52. Office of Chief Minister – Reports
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Detail expenditure for the Office of the Chief Minister on reports produced that have been either outsourced or produced internally, including:
- (a) what was the purpose of the reports;
(b) who or what organisation prepared the reports;
(c) what was the cost of the report;
(d) has the report or reports been tabled in parliament; and
(e) what has been the outcome of those reports?
53. Office of Chief Minister – Government Printing
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. List all work undertaken by the Government Printing Office in 2004-05 that related to the Office of the Chief Minister.
2. What were the costs and dates of completion of work performed by the Government Printing Office that related to the Office of the Chief Minister in 2004-05?
54. Office of Chief Minister – Advertising and Promotions
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How much was spent on behalf of the Office of the Chief Minister on advertising/promotional activities/videos/DVDs/brochures and general printed matter in 2004-05?
2. Please provide a month-by-month breakdown of spending and projects/programs that this spending was for.
3. Detail the breakdown on local and interstate.
55. Office of Chief Minister – Darwin City Waterfront Promotions
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How much has been spent directly from the Office of the Chief Minister specifically in 2004-05 on promoting the wharf precinct development by way of brochures, electronic media, newspaper advertisement and direct mail?
2. Please advise the detail of all other expenditure in 2004-05 from the Office of the Chief Minister on promoting the wharf precinct development?
56. Office of Chief Minister – Consultancies
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. What consultants were employed during 2004-05 to undertake work for the Office of the Chief Minister?
2. What was the nature of each consultancy?
3. List the consultancies awarded by certificate of exemption.
4. In how many and in which consultancies were expressions of interest or tenders called before a person or body was engaged to carry out that promotion?
5. What was the total amount spent on behalf of the Office of the Chief Minister during 2004-05?
6. Detail how much each consultancy cost.
57. Office of Chief Minister – Public Focus Groups
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How many public focus groups were conducted by the Office of the Chief Minister in 2004-05?
2. When were they held and what was the nature of each focus group?
3. What was the cost to conduct these focus groups?
4. If focus group participants were paid to attend, how much were they paid?
5. Where can Assembly members get the details and findings of these publicly-funded focus groups?
58. Office of Chief Minister – Post-Budget Promotions
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. Was any money spent by the Office of the Chief Minister on the 2005-06 post-budget promotion campaign?
2. If so, how much was spent on print media?
3. How much was spent on electronic media?
4. How much was spent on brochure production and direct mail?
5. How much was spent on DVD/CD production?
6. The 2004-05 post-budget promotional campaign included literature printed in language other than English. Was any of the 2005-06 budget promotional campaign literature printed in language other than English? If so, which languages and at what cost?
59. Office of Chief Minister – New Office Equipment
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
What was your office expenditure on new office equipment in 2004-05? Detail items purchased.
60. Office of Chief Minister – Lost Property
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Was any government property lost or stolen from your office in 2004-05? If so, please detail items and their value.
61. Office of Chief Minister – Investment Advertising and Research
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How much was spent by the Office of the Chief Minister on investment advertising interstate during 2004-05?
2. Detail a breakdown by state and the nature of the advertising.
3. Has any research been undertaken by the Office of the Chief Minister to evaluate the effectiveness of investment advertising interstate, to look to see what increase and awareness had been achieved?
4. If so, who carried out the research and what was the outcome of that research?
5. How much did the research cost?
62. Advertising on Government Web Site
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. Why is the government web site, funded and paid for by the Territory taxpayer, containing government press releases, maintained from the political Office of the Chief Minister?
2. Why is the web site paid for by taxpayers not maintained by the independent arm of the Department of Chief Minister rather than the very political arm of your office, particularly since your Good Governance document promises:
- Labor will cut the waste, restricting advertising to the promotion of legitimate government needs, not de facto political advertising.
3. Do you condone the use of this taxpayer-funded web site by your office and ministers to promulgate political comment? In the interests of your Good Governance promises, will you return control of this web site to its proper keepers, the independent office of your department?
63. Office of Chief Minister – Review of Central Australia Office
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
What was the outcome of the review into your office in Central Australia by Metis Consulting?
64. Awards
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Detail expenditure in 2004-05 on behalf of the Chief Minister and by the agency on sponsoring awards, including cost, the nature and the subject?
65. Legal Expenses Incurred
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. What has been the expenditure on legal expenses for the year 2004-05?
2. Please provide details of the nature of the matter or matters dealt with, the amount paid by matter dealt with and the amount of expenditure by firm paid?
66. Community Engagement Office - Staffing
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How many staff are currently employed in the area of Community Engagement?
2. What was the staffing level at 1 July 2004?
3. Please detail the positions allocated in the area of the Community Engagement Office?
67. Domestic Violence Strategy
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. There has been an increase in violence around the Northern Territory and it is due in part to domestic violence. Can you indicate whether the resources allocated to the government’s Domestic Violence Strategy has increased in 2005-06? If so, is it adequate?
2. It is my understanding that increased funding for the government’s domestic violence program was rejected and that a review into the program and its funding is to be conducted. Is that true?
3. When will this review be undertaken?
68. Women’s Advancement - Reports
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Detail expenditure for Women’s Advancement on reports produced that have been either outsourced or produced internally, including;
- (a) what was the purpose of the reports;
(b) who or what organisation prepared the reports;
(c) what was the cost of the report;
(d) has the report or reports been tabled in parliament; and
(e) what has been the outcome of those reports?
69. Women’s Advancement – Government Printing
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. List all work undertaken by the Government Printing Office in 2004-05 that related to Women’s Advancement.
2. What were the costs and dates of completion of work performed by the Government Printing Office that related to Women’s Advancement in 2004-05?
70. Women’s Advancement – Advertising and Promotions
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How much was spent on behalf of Women’s Advancement on advertising/promotional activities/videos/DVDs/brochures and general printed matter in 2004-05?
2. Would you kindly provide a month-by-month breakdown on spending and projects/programs that this spending was for?
71. Women’s Advancement - Community Engagement
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. What consultants were employed during 2004-05 to undertake work for the area of Community Engagement for the Women’s Advancement Office?
2. What was the nature of each consultancy?
3. List the consultancies awarded by certificate of exemption?
4. In how many and in which consultancies were expressions of interest or tenders called before a person or body was engaged to carry out that promotion?
5. What was the total amount spent on behalf of Community Engagement for the Women’s Advancement Office during 2004—05?
6. Please detail how much each consultancy cost?
72. Women’s Advancement - Focus Groups
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. How many public focus groups were conducted under the area of Community Engagement for Women’s Advancement in 2004-05?
2. When were they held and what was the nature of each focus group?
3. What was the cost to conduct these focus groups?
4. If focus group participants were paid to attend, how much were they paid?
5. Where can members get the details and findings of these publicly-funded focus groups?
73. Women’s Advancement - Grants
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Could you please provide a list of all the grants given under the heading of Women’s Advancement?
74. Youth Advancement - Grants
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Could you please provide a list of all the grants under the heading of Youth Advancement?
75. Seniors Advancement - Grants
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Could you please provide a list of all the grants that have been provided in the area of seniors?
76. BassintheGrass
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
What was the cost to government to stage BassintheGrass?
77. Ah Kit/Anderson – Costs and Damages
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Have expected future costs and a damages award against Mr Ah Kit been budgeted for and, if so, what is the amount of the allocation?
78. Crime Victims’ Assistance
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
1. How many CVA applications were filed in 2004-05; and how are costs to be saved when the number of applications is stable?
2. How will you review the scheme and increase the costs lawyers can claim so that it is profitable for them to do so and, in turn, they will be able to represent more victims?
79. Solicitor for the Northern Territory – In-house Work
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
1. In percentage terms, how much of the work of the Solicitor for the Northern Territory is performed in-house and how much is outsourced?
2. How does that compare with the previous two financial years?
80. Solicitor for the Northern Territory – Lawyer Staffing
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
1. How many lawyers are employed at the Solicitor for the Northern Territory?
2. How many were employed in 2003-04 and how many in 2002-03?
81. Client Satisfaction Measurement
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Client satisfaction is expressed at 85%. How is that measured?
82. Instructions Outsourced
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
For Agency Legal Services, there are 1000 instructions outsourced. Are they files outsourced to private firms in accordance with tenders?
83. Director of Public Prosecutions – Average Cost per Completed Matter
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
1. In last year’s budget papers, more details were provided and, therefore, more details were made available to Territorians. In particular, last year, you included the ‘average cost per completed matter and per client’. Why have they not been included this year?
2. Last year, the average cost per completed matter was $6209. What is it this year?
3. Last year, the average cost per client was $1192. What is it this year?
84. Summary Prosecutions Figures
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
1. In reference to the Department of Justice Annual Report, the figures for the work of Summary Prosecutions show an increase in the number of files of 1100 between 2002-03 and 2003-04 in Darwin. Is it not the case that the reason for this increase is that there is more crime?
2. How can the number of cases increase without there being no increase in crime?
3. The Director said in his report that Summary Prosecutions figures in Alice Springs ‘highlight the urgent need for a permanent staff increase with a 19% increase in new files …’ - how can crime be going down when there are figures like this?
4. Should not Territorians trust those figures more than the ones coming from your office?
85. Director of Public Prosecutions – Sexual Assault Prosecutions
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
1. Prior to the 2005 election, you announced $200 000 for the Director of Public Prosecutions to prosecute sexual assault matters. Will the prosecutors only be working on sexual assault matters?
2. In 2004-05, the Director of Public Prosecutions received $7.3m. Its funding has been increased to approximately $7.7m. $200 000 of this is for sexual assault prosecutors. That is not a very significant increase given the high caseloads and new files opened as outlined in the annual report. Why was any additional funding not provided?
3. Was a request for additional funds made by the Director?
4. If so, how much?
5. If a request was made but not approved, why not?
86. Supreme Court Conviction Rates and Sexual Assault Matters
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
1. What is the conviction rate in the Supreme Court for all matters involving trial by jury for 2004-05?
2. What was the conviction rate in 2003-04 and 2002-03?
3. Do you accept that few reports of unlawful sexual assaults result in convictions?
4. As Attorney-General, is it not your role to monitor conviction rates?
5. Of the convictions recorded for unlawful sexual intercourse, what percentage were a result of pleas of guilty and how many were a result of guilty verdicts at trial for the years 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05?
6. How many convictions at trial were there in 2004-05 for sexual assault matters?
7. Of the convictions recorded for indecent assaults, what percentage were a result of pleas of guilty and how many were a result of guilty verdicts at trial for the years 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05?
87. Briefing of Private Counsel
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
1. What professional fees were paid by the Director of Public Prosecutions briefing private counsel based in the Northern Territory in 2004-05, and please name each counsel?
2. Please provide the same for interstate counsel?
88. Court Services Budget
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
1. Please explain what has happened to the Court Services budget given the following:
- (a) the budget in 2004-05 was $24 672;
(b) the estimate for 2004-05 was $26 639;
(c) this year’s budget is $25 505, and
(d) how much has actually been spent by 30 June 2005?
2. There has been an increase of less than $1m. Why has there been an increase?
89. Outcome of Inquiry into Actions of Mr Gillies
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
1. There was an inquiry into complaints made about Mr Gillies. Please outline the nature of those complaints?
2. Were you aware that Mr Gillies continued to sit as a magistrate even after various details of the inquiry were made public?
3. Do you think that once details of complaints against a magistrate and details of inquiry are made public, that this undermines the public’s confidence in the administration of justice?
4. In the event that a similar matter arose in the future, what steps would you take to ensure that details were not made public, thereby undermining public confidence in the administration of justice?
5. You advised after Mr Gillies resigned that he had received a payment from government. What was the amount paid?
6. On what basis was the money paid? Did he resign or was a deal worked out? If there was a deal, what were the terms of the deal?
7. If the deal was confidential, why is it confidential? How will the public know what has happened to their money?
90. Lodgement Costs
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
1. In last year’s budget papers, details were provided as to the ‘average cost per lodgement’, which was $7039. That indicator has been removed from this year’s budget. Why?
2. Do you believe that the public is not interested as to the average cost per lodgement?
3. Whose idea was it to remove this key indicator? What was the average cost per lodgement in 2004-05?
4. The budget for the lower courts in 2004-05 was $10 883. This year’s budget is $11 032. Please explain the reasons for the increase?
5. In last year’s budget papers, details were provided as to the ‘average cost per lodgement’, which was estimated at $521. That indicator has been removed from this year’s budget papers. Why? Do you believe that the public is not interested as to the average cost per lodgement?
6. Whose idea was it to remove this key indicator? What was the average cost per lodgement in 2004-05?
91. Leisure Visitor Cost Conversion
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
What is the current cost of conversion for a visitor (leisure) to the Northern Territory, and how has that trended over the last five years?
92. Tourism - Budget Increase
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
With the significant increase in the tourism budget, (I am not sure what the figures are exactly) has this evidenced itself in increased visitation?
93. Tourism - Market Share
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
What is the current ‘share of voice’, within Australia, that the Northern Territory enjoys in the competitive tourism sector?
94. Tourist Visitation Intention
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
What is the current level of intention to visit the Northern Territory, in the domestic market, relative to the other state destinations? (Latest data suggests that the Northern Territory is not even on the radar with the potential traveller).
95. Tourism - Advertising Campaign Effectiveness
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
What is the measured level of effectiveness (recall etc) of the Northern Territory Tourist Commission advertising campaign?
96. Tourism - Industry Investment
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
What has been done to encourage investment in tourism infrastructure, and the establishment of new product in the Territory?
97. Northern Territory Tourist Commission - Market Presence
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
From a tourism industry perspective, the profile of the Northern Territory Tourist Commission has declined dramatically in the last three years since the withdrawal of its presence from the key domestic source markets. What is government’s strategy to address this obvious lack of engagement with the travel distribution network and interaction with key strategic partners on a regular enough basis?
98. Northern Territory Airports
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
What benefit has the government seen from its contribution to the remuneration of the NT Airports business development executive role?
99. Kakadu Consultancy
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
What has been the outcome of the consultancy commissioned by the government on tourism in Kakadu?
100. Territory Parks and Reserves – Tourism Visitation
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
The National Parks and Reserves Estate in the Northern Territory has long been a significant element of the tourism mix and experience in the Northern Territory. How has visitation to these areas trended, and what commitment is government making to the maintenance and development of these resources to ensure that they continue to provide the Northern Territory with a competitive destinational advantage?
101. Territory Discoveries- Market Share
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
Does Territory Discoveries pay its way, and is it actually growing the market to the Northern Territory and not competing for market share with independent distributors of Northern Territory product?
102. Airline Subsidies – Effect on Tourism
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
1. Was the $4m subsidy to Virgin Blue Airlines a good investment?
2. Are you planning any more good investments?
3. Has your government provided any subsidies to private charter flights to the Northern Territory?
4. Did your government provide any financial assistance to the two charter flights from Japan to Alice Springs earlier this year?
103. Indigenous Housing – Federal Government Funding
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HOUSING
1. How much is the Northern Territory government receiving from the federal government for indigenous Housing?
2. How much is the federal government providing for servicing housing and essential services to small and medium-sized remote communities?
3. How much has been provided by the federal government for housing and related infrastructure?
104. Indigenous Housing – NT Government Funding
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HOUSING
1. How much did the Northern Territory government put into Indigenous Housing in 2004-05?
2. Why is it so little?
105. Aboriginal Rental Housing Program
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HOUSING
How much is the Northern Territory government carrying forward in funds from the Aboriginal Rental Housing Program in 2004-05?
106. Public Housing - Evictions
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HOUSING
1. How many evictions in public housing have there been in the Northern Territory in 2004-05?
2. Provide a breakdown for each town and city.
3. How many of these eviction matters went to court?
4. Provide a breakdown or each town and city of eviction matters that went to court.
5. How many people were ordered by courts to be evicted?
6. Provide a breakdown for each town and city for those people ordered by courts to be evicted.
107. Public Housing - Rental Debt
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HOUSING
1. What is the level of debt owed to Territory Housing in rental arrears?
2. Why are rental arrears not included in the budget papers?
108. Public Housing – Repairs and Maintenance
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HOUSING
What is the total cost for public housing repairs and maintenance in 2004-05, and why is there no reference to this in the budget papers?
109. Public Housing – Bad Tenants
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HOUSING
1. How many complaints were received across the Northern Territory about public housing bad tenants in 2004—05?
2. What was the cost of dealing with them? What actions were taken?
110. Shipping Services
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
On many of your overseas visits to East Kalimantan, Brunei, Jakarta and Malaysia, you have sought to attract additional shipping services to Darwin. Given that there are effective weekly services to and from Singapore and Darwin which are under-utilised, what do you hope to achieve?
111. Manufacturing Base - Northern Territory
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for BUSINESS, ECONOMIC and RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
What has the government done over the past four years to attract a manufacturing base to Darwin, given the overwhelming trade imbalance?
112. Export Market Multiplier Factor
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Austrade has publicly supported its claim that the multiplier factor of export assistance grants from its Export Market Development Grants Scheme is in the order of $12 of export value for every $1 of EMDG grant. What is the equivalent effectiveness benchmark for TSS?
113. Air Freight Trials - Review
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for BUSINESS, ECONOMIC and RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
1. What is the result of the review conducted into the Labor government’s bungling of the Malaysian Airlines freight trial?
2. Who conducted the review?
3. What was the cost of the review?
4. Is your government planning another freight trial similar to this?
114. Coca-Cola Plant
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for BUSINESS, ECONOMIC and RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
1. What did your government try to do to keep the Darwin Coca-Cola bottling plant being shipped to Jakarta?
2. How many local jobs were lost as a result of this?
115. Business Round Table
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for BUSINESS, ECONOMIC and RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
What is the cost of holding each Business Round Table? How much of this advice has the government actually used directly in policy?
116. Trade Links - Development
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for BUSINESS, ECONOMIC and RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
1. How many international trips were taken by members of this government in 2004-05 in the hope of forging new trade links?
2. What was the number of trips in 2003-04?
3. Please provide a cost breakdown of each trip, an itinerary and the job positions of those who travelled with the minister.
4. Please provide details of any consultants taken on these trips.
5. Please provide a list of all expenses incurred while on these trips.
117. International Territory Business Centres
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
1. What are the costs of the three International Territory Business Centres?
2. How many people do they see per day?
3. How many new trade opportunities have they secured?
4. How many new trade agreements were signed last year, 2004-05; and the year before, 2003-04?
118. Manufacturing Incentives
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for BUSINESS, ECONOMIC and RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
What real, on-the-ground incentives has your government introduced to attract manufacturing businesses?
119. Business Innovation Funds
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for BUSINESS, ECONOMIC and RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
One of the CLP’s policies at the election was to establish a capital innovation fund, a venture capital body designed to provide funding to innovative companies looking to expand new technologies – and was very warmly received by many businesses:
1. Why has your government not introduced a similar venture capital proposal?
2. Is it true that a similar proposal was taken to Cabinet for submission but not approved?
3. Why has your government not taken steps to back these local, innovative businesses?
120. Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment - Budget
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
1. Why has the Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment budget blown out by over $1.3m over 2004-05?
2. Please provide where these blow-outs occurred.
3. Why are you planning to slash the budget by almost $1m this financial year – what have they done wrong?
4. What services and advice will be cut because of the budget slash?
121. Territory Public Servant Numbers
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
What is the total number of public servants employed as at 30 June 2005, and what was the figure as at 30 June 2004?
122. Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment – Human Resources
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
1. Why have you decided to outsource the provision of human resource advice in this department?
2. How many of those selected as part of the contract were from interstate?
3. Was it not a 2001 Labor Party election policy not to engage in outsourcing?
4. Why cannot you then attract human resource staff of sufficient calibre to work in the Northern Territory Public Sector – I would have thought that this was a high priority?
123. HRM Grievances in Public Service
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
1. Why were there 58 more grievances, appeals and complaints finalised than expected from last year’s budget?
2. Why are there more of these incidences occurring?
124. Port Corporation – High Temperature Incinerator
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
In the 2004-05 Estimates Committee hearings, your government said it would enter into negotiations over the disposal of human body parts using a new $2m high temperature incinerator to be established by the Port Corporation. What was the outcome of those negotiations between the Port Corporation and the government?
125. Container Costs
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
What is the cost per container to move by direct call vessel from Adelaide to Singapore direct rather than moving from Adelaide through Darwin to Singapore by a vessel calling at Darwin?
126. Trade Strategy
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
Your government’s trade strategy sets a target of 50 000 containers per year (or equivalent) by 2007 for land bridge trade across the Port of Darwin. Detail, by year, what has been achieved over the past four years.
127. East Arm Port Utilisation
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT
Given a recent Bureau of Transport and Regional Economics Report on Australian Sea Freight statistics that shows Darwin Port (No 39) rated between Useless Loop WA (No 38 @ 1.117 million tonnes) and Port Bonython SA (No 40 @ 1.083 million tonnes), what has the minister been able to achieve in attracting further utilisation of the East Arm Port facility?
128. Participation and Development Programs
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
Please explain the cut of $2.404m in the 2005-06 budget for participation and development programs. In 2004-05, this output area had a budget of $12.798m but blew out by $6m. Why?
129. New Netball Facility
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
1. What are the projected running costs of the new 10 court netball facility and has a business case study been undertaken to determine whether netball can afford the increased recurrent costs of such a facility?
2. How much extra parking will be required to accommodate the new netball facility?
3. What studies have been undertaken into the increased traffic flow that the new netball and soccer facilities will bring to the Marrara precinct?
130. Sports Groups’ Contributions to Construction of Facilities
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
Have any sporting groups contributed to the construction of their facilities and, if so, which sporting groups and how much have they contributed?
131. Basketball Canteen and Administration Facility
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
On the matter of basketball’s new airconditioned facility, why did the government not complete the canteen and administration facility?
132. Major Sporting Fixtures Funding
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
Detail your department’s sponsorship and financial contribution to all major national and international fixtures that were held in the Northern Territory in 2004-05, ie, netball, AFL, NBL, Rugby, V8 Supercars.
133. Major Sporting Fixtures – 2005-06
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for SPORT and RECREATION
Detail which major sporting events have recommitted to play fixtures in the Northern Territory in 2005-06.
134. Acute Services Budget
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
Why was there a blow-out of $14m in Acute Services?
135. Waiting Lists
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
What initiatives can be found in the 2005-06 budget that are targeted at addressing waiting lists, waiting times or nurse shortages?
136. Alice Springs Hospital - Bed Capacity
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
How many beds are there at Alice Springs Hospital, and detail them ward by ward?
137. Alice Springs Hospital – Repairs and Maintenance
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
In response to one of the many reports about the hospital falling into the hands of media and others, your CEO was reported as saying in the NT News on 7 February that some defects had been repaired but others had not.
1. It was known that the switchboard was faulty since April 2003 and, on 7 February, your CEO said that is ‘due to be redesigned’. Has that now been done and, if not, why not?
4. What other repairs need to be done?
138. Alice Springs Hospital – Clinical Management Wing Upgrade
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
When I had the briefing with your office in April, I was given a summary and in it there was the following reference:
- Following complaints from staff, various other technical advice has been sought on the aircondition, water, plumbing and medical gas systems. Design and documentation to upgrade the clinical management wing to full ICU standard has been undertaken so it can be used as the decant ward for all other wards during the rectification works, and tenders called for the work.
Would you kindly advise of the status of the above work and when did staff first start to complain about the need for these problems and issues?
139. Royal Darwin Hospital – Emergency Department
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
In March this year, a nurse at Royal Darwin Hospital wrote to the Chief Minister to highlight her ‘extreme concerns’ about the Emergency Department. She wrote that ‘what is really needed is an urgent increase in funding for the entire hospital …’ and that ‘increasing bed numbers needs to occur now’. She also wrote that nurses are concerned that an ‘unavoidable death’ would occur unless action was taken.
What actions have been taken to address these issues of concern?
140. Royal Darwin Hospital – Nurse Shortages
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
The Health budget appears to have done nothing to address the ongoing concerns of nurses at Royal Darwin Hospital, nor does it acknowledge, let alone seek to address, the shortages of nurses in our hospitals.
Why have you ignored the nurses, and what do you say to Territorians like the Minister for Family and Community Services who have to wait up to 24 hours to be attended to when they present to Accident and Emergency?
141. Community Health Services – Cut to Funding
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
Why have you cut funding to Community Health Services by $6m, and do you admit you have failed to reduce the burden of ill-health and the need for hospitalisation for Territorians?
142. Midwives
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
1. Detail how many widwives were employed in Northern Territory hospitals as at 1 July 2004 and provide their locations.
2. Detail how many widwives were employed in Northern Territory hospitals as at 1 July 2005 and provide their locations.
143. Northern Territory Hospitals – General Bed Capacity
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
In the Northern Territory election, your government promised extra funding for more general beds in Northern Territory hospitals.
Please detail how many extra beds there will be, the cost to provide these beds, a breakdown by hospitals, and when the program of extra beds will be implemented.
144. Hospital Bed Capacity
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
1. Provide a breakdown of hospital beds across Northern Territory hospitals as at 1 July 2004.
2. Provide a breakdown of hospital beds across Northern Territory hospitals as at 1 July 2005.
3. How many beds are there at Alice Springs Hospital and detail them by ward.
145. Hospital Performance Benchmarks
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
Please provide the details of how Northern Territory hospitals meet or do not meet the accepted benchmarks for treatment within the specific performance levels for each category.
146. Nursing Staff Numbers
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
Please provide the details of nursing staff – for all Northern Territory hospitals and other areas - on a month-by-month basis for the last 12 months.
147. Abuse of Hospital Staff
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
1. Across the Department of Health, how many acts of physical aggression against hospital staff were there in 2004-05?
2. Across the Department of Health, how many acts of physical aggression against hospital staff were there in 2003-04?
3. Across the Department of Health, how many acts of verbal aggression against hospital staff were there in 2004-05?
4. Across the Department of Health, how many acts of verbal aggression against hospital staff were there in 2003-04?
5. Across the Department of Health, how many acts of sexual aggression against hospital staff were there in 2004-05?
6. Across the Department of Health, how many acts of sexual aggression against hospital staff were there in 2003-04?
7. Has there been any analysis done as to where hot spots of abuse are located and, if so, where are the identified hot spots?
8. Do single-nurse stations have a higher incidence of this type of behaviour by the public??
148. Hospital Visits by Minister
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
There are five hospitals under your control. How many of these hospitals did the minister visit in 2004-05 and when did the visits occur?
149. Hospital Acute Services – Performance Measuring
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
Acute Services has risen from a base of $272m to $371m since 2001. What performance measures are in place to determine the need to increase this funding level and the success of that funding increase?
150. Abortions
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
Please provide the number of abortions performed in Northern Territory hospitals in 2004-05 and the average cost per abortion.
151. Oncology Unit
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
There were a number of initiatives the government promised during the 2001 election for cancer sufferers and terminally-ill people. Those promises were not met, but have been promised again four years later.
What is the status of your oncology unit promise?
152. Community Health Services
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
Why has the 2005-06 budget for Community Health Services been cut by $5.467m?
153. Dental Health Services
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
1. How is the lack of public dentists in the Northern Territory affecting the government’s ability to deliver service in the area of oral health?
2. How many dentists are currently operating at the Darwin and Alice Springs Dental Clinics and does this meet the full needs of the clinics?
3. Detail the number of full-time public dentists operating in Territory centres other than Darwin and Alice Springs Dental Clinics.
4. Did the government undertake any recruitment campaigns amongst graduates and experienced dentists in 2004-05? If so, what was the outcome and how many dentists were recruited?
5. Who is providing the Children’s dental service for 2005-06 and how many of the positions are filled?
6. How does this compare to 2003-04?
7. Please detail how many dental therapists are employed by the Department of Health by town centre.
8. Are all the Northern Territory’s dental therapist positions filled?
9. Are all of the Northern Territory’s technician support positions filled?
10. Are all of the Oral Health Service administrative support positions currently filled?
11. What are the Darwin and Palmerston clinics’ waiting times for general treatment?
12. In Katherine, Alice Springs, Gove and Tennant Creek, what is the waiting time for general treatment?
13. Are private dentists used to help reduce these waiting times. If so, what is the hourly rate they are paid at?
14. What does the practice which actually provides you with the private dental sessions receive by way of remuneration?
154. Mobile Dialysis Units
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
What is the status of the use of mobile dialysis units across the Northern Territory?
155. Royal Darwin Hospital - Hospice
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
1. What are the construction costs and staffing levels for the hospice at Royal Darwin Hospital?
2. What are the costs for furnishing the hospice?
3. Does funding for the hospice include furnishings such as curtains, cutlery, crockery and TV sets?
156. Government and Non-government Managed Community Health Centres
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
Could you explain what non-government and government-managed rural health community centres are, and how many of each there are and who funds them?
157. Preventable Chronic Diseases
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
How much money will be spent on the government’s Preventable Chronic Disease Strategy in 2005-06 and how does the amount compare to what was spent in 2004-05?
158. Non-government Community Health Service Organisations - Funding
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
How many non-government organisations are in the Community Health Service output and what is the funding allocation per organisation?
159. Community Health Services – Budget 2005-06
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
Community Health Services has been cut in the 2005-06 budget by nearly $6m. These services are aimed at improving health through education and development, prevention and early intervention. The outcome for these services is, according to Budget Paper No 3 at page 125, ‘that the burden of ill-health in the community and the need for hospitalisation are reduced’.
More people are estimated to be admitted into Northern Territory hospitals in the next financial year, based on estimates in the budget.
Why have you cut funding to Community Health Services by $6m, and do you admit you have failed to reduce the burden of ill-health and the need for hospitalisation for Territorians?
160. Dengue Mosquito Outbreak and Vaccine Distribution
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
1. The Dengue mosquito outbreak in Tennant Creek was of great concern in the earlier part of 2004-05. Have the programs put in place completely eradicated the Dengue mosquitoes in Tennant Creek?
2. What is the number of vaccines to be distributed by the department in 2004-05 to place like community health centres and GPs, and how do you determine the number of vaccines that will be required?
161. Preventable Chronic Disease Strategy
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
1. How much money will be spent on the government’s Preventable Chronic Disease Strategy in 2005-06 and how does the amount compare to what was spent in 2004-05?
2. Detail the programs that make up the strategy and their allocation. Detail the program outcomes for 2004-05.
162. HIV/AIDS
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
1. How much is being spent on the HIV/AIDS Treatment and Prevention Program in 2004-05 and how will this money be spent? Will it be spent in line with the recommendations of the Bansemer Review?
2. How many HIV-positive reports were there in the Northern Territory in 2004-05?
163. STD Rates in the Northern Territory
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
1. Was there any reduction in the STD rates in the Northern Territory in 2004-05?
2. Is the measured incidence of notifiable diseases – bacterial and sexually-transmitted diseases – going up?
164. Menzies School of Health Research - Funding
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
Funding to health research has been cut in this budget by $300 000. In your speech about the budget last year, you said that the Menzies School of Health Research, CRC for Aboriginal Health and the Health Gains Unit made ‘a valuable contribution to the evidence base of our health policies and services –
1. Have they stopped making valuable contributions?
2. If not, why has the funding to our researchers been cut?
165. Health - Outside Consultants
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
How many consultancies did your Department of Health use this year – outside consultants?
166. Health - Advertising and Promotions
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
1. How much was spent on behalf of your Department of Health on advertising/ promotional activities/videos/DVDs/brochures and general printed matter in 2004-05?
2. Please provide a month-by-month breakdown of spending and projects/programs that this spending was for.
167. Health - Consultancies
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
1. Were any consultants employed during 2004-05 to undertake work for the Department of Health?
2. Who were the consultants?
3. What was the nature of each consultancy?
4. List the consultancies awarded by certificate of exemption.
5. In how many and in which consultancies were expressions of interest or tenders called before a person or body was engaged to carry out that promotion?
6. What was the total amount spent on behalf of the Department of health on consultants during 2004-05?
7. What was the total amount spent on consultants in 2003-04?
168. Health – Budget Promotion
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
1. Was any money spent by the Department of Health on the 2005-06 post-budget promotion campaign?
2. If so, how much was spent on print media?
3. How much was spent on electronic media?
4. How much was spent on brochure production and direct mail?
5. How much was spent on DVD/CD production?
169. Health - Reports Produced
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
Detail expenditure for your department in 2004-05 on reports produced that have been either outsourced or produced internally, including:
- (a) what was the purpose of the reports;
(b) who or what organisation prepared the reports;
(c) what was the cost of the report;
(d) has the report or reports been tabled in parliament; and
(e) what has been the outcome of those reports?
170. Health - Lost/Stolen Property
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
1. Was any government property lost or stolen from your department in 2004-05? If so, please detail items and their value.
2. Was any government property lost or stolen from your ministerial office in 2004-05? If so, please detail items and their value.
171. Office of Chief Minister – Ministerial Office Budget
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
What is the budget for your ministerial office in 2004-05?
172. Police, Fire and Emergency Services - Consultants
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
1. Did the Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Services employ any consultants during 2004-05 to undertake work specifically relating to the area of Policy Advice and Public Sector Coordination?
2. If so, who were the consultants?
3. What was the nature of each consultancy?
4. Please list all the consultancies awarded by certificate of exemption.
5. In how many and in which consultancies were expressions of interest or tenders called before a person or body was engaged to carry out that promotion?
6. Please provide the detail and cost of each consultancy.
173. Police, Fire and Emergency Services - Reports
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Please provide the detailed expenditure for Police, Fire and Emergency Services in 2004-05 on reports produced that have been either outsourced or produced internally, including:
- (a) what was the purpose of the reports;
(b) who or what organisation prepared the reports;
(c) what was the cost of the report;
(d) has the report or reports been tabled in parliament; and
(e) what has been the outcome of those reports?
174. Police, Fire and Emergency Services - E-mail of Political Material
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Is it a regular occurrence for the e-mail system to be used sending material to Police, Fire and Emergency Services personnel on behalf of government, whether police want political material from the government or not?
175. Police, Fire and Emergency Services - Promotional Material
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
1. How much was spent by Police, Fire and Emergency Services on advertising/ promotional/activities/videos/DVDs/brochures and general printed matter in 2004-05?
2. How does this compare with 2003-04?
176. Fire Truck for Training Purposes
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
One of the points made in the Metis Review was that there is not a fire truck available for training purposes. Has this problem been rectified?
177. Training College
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Due to the number of recruits in the tri-service training college and the amount of in-service training currently being undertaken, there is pressure on the college to meet those demands and resources are stretched.
What has been done to reduce those pressures in 2004-05 and what is planned for 2005-06?
178. Police, Fire and Emergency Services – Management of Drunk Offenders
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
1. How many extra police will be devoted specifically to this task of collecting drunks?
2. What is the forecast increase in operational costs for this drunks’ collection service?
3. How many extra vehicles will be put on the road to deal with the collection of drunks?
4. When the drunks are collected by police, what will happen to them? (ie where will they be taken?)
5. If a drunk is picked up, say, at Casuarina and is being conveyed to the police cells, what is the time that this vehicle and its officers will effectively be off the road?
6. How does the Police Commissioner prioritise issues of policing, ie, where does the shuttling of drunks to sobering-up shelters and police cells sit on the priority scale in comparison to controlling gangs and street violence or simply protecting people’s property and homes?
179. Property Crime – Reporting Rates
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
What are the reporting rates for property crime and break and enter in the Northern Territory?
180. Violent Crimes
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
In regard to crimes of violence and sexual assault (and I remind the minister of the spate of sexual assaults that have taken place in Darwin recently), what strategies were implemented in 2004-05 to combat this increasing problem?
181. Counter-Terrorism Security
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
What was the work of the Northern Territory’s Counter-Terrorism Security Coordination Unit in 2004-05 and what is its budget?
182. PROMIS System Upgrade
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
What progress has been made in upgrading the PROMIS system and have the issues of lengthy response times been resolved?
183. Humpty Doo Police and Fire Station
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
The Humpty Doo Police and Fire Station is intended to provide services for Darwin’s growing rural population but key facilities have not been included. For example, there is only one holding cell which means that only one male can be held at a time with no facilities to hold female offenders. Similarly, there are no toilet facilities available meaning prisoners must be taken out of the cell to access these facilities to the toilet block.
The holding cell does not have Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) monitoring which is a requirement under the Aboriginal Deaths in Custody recommendations and, with the Palmerston cells also not compliant, it means that indigenous prisoners and excess prisoners at the Humpty Doo Station have to be driven to Police Headquarters in Mitchell Street in the city.
The Berrimah cells are not available as they are currently being used to store archives and records. This will mean that the whole process will take police off-line for up to four hours while they are taking prisoners to the Mitchell Street holding cells. If there is more than one prisoner that needs to be transferred, it effectively takes out one officer from active duty for a whole shift.
1. What was the reason behind failing to plan for simple things like holding cells, CCTV and toilets? Is this really the station police wanted or is this a result of police not having sufficient funds to do the job properly?
2. How many police have been allocated to the facility and what hours do they operate from?
184. Police Aircraft Servicing
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
What servicing arrangements are in place for the maintenance of Northern Territory Police aircraft? Is there any compelling reason that maintenance work would be carried out on police aircraft interstate rather than with Northern Territory companies?
185. Papunya Investigation
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
An investigation is currently under way into the misappropriation of funds and property at the Aboriginal community of Papunya.
Have Northern Territory Police been involved in any forms of investigations into monies or property gone missing from Papunya during 2004-05?
186. Road Safety Program
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
The original budget of 2002-03 for road safety services was $11m. In 2005-06 it will be $9.288m. Given that government is claiming there are more cars on our roads because of new registrations and increasing population, why is less being spent on road safety in the Northern Territory?
187. Speed Camera Checks
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
In terms of performance measures, are there any plans to increase the number of speed camera checks in 2005-06?
188. Traffic Infringement Notices
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
1. Could you advise how many traffic infringement notices for speeding have been issued on a year-to-year basis over the past three years, and what the income from those was on a year-to-year basis over the last three years?
2. Have you recorded any traffic infringements in the period 2004-05?
3. Could you advise how many traffic infringement notices for other than speeding have been issued on a year-to-year basis over the last three years?
189. Road Safety Strategies
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
You spent a small fortune boasting you were recruiting more police. What educational strategies were implemented in 2004-05 to educate drivers on better road safety and to help save lives on our roads?
190. Drink Driving Arrests
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
How many people were arrested for drink driving in 2004-05 and how does this compare with 2003-04?
191. Unlicensed Drivers and Unregistered Vehicles
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
1. How many drivers were arrested for driving unlicensed and how many for driving unregistered motor vehicles in 2004-05?
2. How does this compare with 2003-04?
192. Demerit Point System
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Have police made any submissions to your government recommending the introduction of a drivers licence demerit point system for traffic infringements?
193. Emergency Response – Kings Canyon
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
What strategies were implemented in 2004-05 to improve response to trauma and bushfire in the Kings Canyon region?
194. Emergency Response Capabilities –Yulara
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
Please detail the number of incidents in which Yulara and Kings Canyon emergency services capabilities were put to the test.
195. Fire and Road Trauma Emergency Services
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
What strategies were implemented across the Northern Territory in 2004-05 so that the capacity of agencies to respond to fire threats and road trauma were increased?
196. Office of Chief Minister – Office Budget
Ms CARNEY to CHIEF MINISTER
What is the minister’s office budget for 2004-05?
197. Police, Fire and Emergency Services – Travel Expenditure 2004-05
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
What was your expenditure on interstate and overseas travel during 2004-05?
198. Police, Fire and Emergency Services Ministerial Office - Budget Promotions
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
1. Was any money spent from the minister’s office on the 2005-06 post-budget promotion campaign promoting the police budget?
2. If so, how much was spent on –
(a) print media;
(b) brochure production and direct mail; and
(c) DVD production?
199. Police, Fire and Emergency Services Ministerial Office – Promotion Expenses
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
1. How much was spent on behalf of your ministerial office on advertising/promotion activities/videos/DVDs/brochures and general printed matter in 2004-05?
2. Please provide a month-by-month breakdown of spending and projects/programs that this spending was for.
3. How much was spent on print media?
4. How much was spent on brochure production and direct mail?
5. How much was spent on DVD/CD production?
200. Police, Fire and Emergency Services Ministerial Office – Government Printing Costs
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY SERVICES
1. List all work undertaken by the Government Printing Office in 2004-05 on behalf of your ministerial office.
2. What were the costs and dates of completion of work performed by the Government Printing Office on behalf of your ministerial office?
201. Child Protection
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
On 26 March this year, the NT News featured and article about a man who was found guilty of sexual intercourse with the 10-year-old girl who was ‘under the care of the Northern Territory’s Family and Community Services’.
1. What went wrong?
2. What is being done to prevent this recurring?
202. Health and Community Services – Complaints Lodged
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
The 2003-04 Health and Community Services Complaints Commission’s Annual Report lists, on page 126, a table of the number of complaints against each government agency.
Your Department of Family and Community Services has seen a steady increase in the number of complaints lodged with the Commission over the past three reported years.
2001-02 26
2002-03 30
2003-04 48
The trend is obvious and the growth significant.
1. What sort of things are people complaining about?
2. Why is the number of complaints going up?
3. What is being done to address this situation?
203. Housing Modifications for People with a Disability
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
I am advised (IDA) that the Housing Department has the funding to modify houses/units for people with a disability, but as there is only one OT in the DHCS allocated to this job (to do the assessments of client/home) and he/she cannot cope with the workload, there is a hefty wait for modifications.
What is being done to address this problem?
204. Disabled Services – Taxi Vouchers
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
I have a constituent who is disabled with arthritis. She cannot drive but owns a car so that her friends/family can drive her when they are available. She would like taxi vouchers but has been told that as she owns a car she cannot have them. She is often stranded.
What can be done to provide this constituent with taxi vouchers as this current situation is not equitable?
205. Frail and Aged – TIME Scheme
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
I am advised that some people are stuck in hospital longer than is needed because requests to the TIME Scheme for equipment get held up. Apparently, certain requests have to be considered by a committee that only meets monthly.
What can you do to alleviate the delay in supply of equipment to the elderly under the TIME Scheme?
206. Disability Services - Funding
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
The NT Council of Social Services met with representatives from your department in an effort to lobby for improvements in government spending and direction. One of their concerns expressed at this meeting was the high need for growth funds in the area of disability services. I quote ‘availability of services to clients is decreasing and cost of equipment items are increased. Need to increase funds to the TIME Scheme’.
1. Why is it, according to NTCOSS, that the availability of services to clients is going down and when the cost of equipment is increasing?
2. What will you do to stop this service from deteriorating further this financial year?
207. Frail and Aged Services - Funding
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
I have met with representatives of a number of non-government organisations providing services to frail aged people and people with a disability. They have expressed their concern about the lengthening delay in being advised each financial year as to whether or not their application for HACC (Home and Community care) funding had been approved. Last year, the advice did not come through until November.
Given the struggle NGOs have in providing their service, why does it take so long for them to find out how much money they will get – half the year is nearly gone by the time they find out?
208. Disability Services
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
In the past, nurses from community health centres would do things like change catheters in the home and cut toe nails.
Why is this service, currently being provided by your department to people with a disability, being curtailed?
209. FACS Review
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
A review of the current problems was conducted in August – November last year.
- (a) will the outcome be made public;
(b) if not, why not; and
(c) are any improvements in service to people with a disability expected?
210. Carpentaria Disability Services
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
1. What went wrong with Carpentaria Disability Services? (IDA advise: service agreement should have been monitored and followed up. This does not happened – same happens with other NGOs).
2. What are you going to change to prevent a re-occurrence of this problem?
211. Mental Health Funding
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
On 12 October last year, you launched Mental Health Week in Raintree Park – remember the snakes and ladders game? You said in your speech that, since coming to office, Labor had increased funding to mental health by 90%.
1. How is that calculated (A: Green CLP BB compared to 2004-05 budget)?
2. How does the change to accrual accounting which has occurred during this time impact on the figures?
3. So, by including the bookwork changes caused by the change to accrual accounting in your claim of an increase of 90% - is this increase claim a deliberate attempt to mislead people?
4. If you claim it is true to say you have nearly doubled expenditure on mental health services in three years – a 90% increase – then why have you not reported outputs increased significantly more than reflected in the outputs reported below:
- (i) Total (MH) Inpatient Separations for the NT:
- 1. 2000-02 p110 883
2. 2003-04 p132 1196
- (ii) Total NT Mental Health Population (hospital + community)
- 3. 2000-01 p110 3664
4. 2003-04 p132 4829?
212. Mental Health Services – Output Program
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
In Budget Paper No 3, 2004-05, p132, the following budget highlight appeared:
The 2004-05 mental health budget has funding to address increasing demand for essential community-based mental health services. A four-year program to reform mental health services commenced in 2003-04 with $2m spent in that year and increasing to $4.6m in 2004-05.
1. Given that we are now half-way through your program of reform, what changes have been made to the delivery of mental health services?
2. What outputs were achieved this financial year for the additional $4.6m, which I gather was attached to the reform outcomes?
213. Mental Health Courses
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for HEALTH
On 18 February 2005, in a press release titled ‘Nurse Recruitment Campaign’, minister Toyne talked about how ‘courses including Mental Health … will be offered to nurses … for the first time in 2005’.
Could you provide details on this course?
214. Community Visitor Program
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for JUSTICE and ATTORNEY-GENERAL
The Community Visitor Program deals with complaints about Mental Health Services and is meant to keep a check on services to ensure they are being provided correctly. It runs out of the Anti-Discrimination Commission, which sits in the Department of Justice.
1. I understand the budget for this unit in 2004-05 was $70 000?
2. Currently, the unit is not funded to provide an inspection service to places like Tennant Creek or Nhulunbuy, even though these places have Mental Health Services. Is this an issue or problem that you will be addressing, and when?
3. Is part of the problem for this unit the fact it sits within Department of Justice and Department of Health and Community Services?
4. Given all the problems we are facing with regard to the provision of Mental Health Services, do you not think this unit, which is meant to monitor them and deal with complaints, should be well resourced?
215. Mental Health Act - Review
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
The President of the Mental Health Review Tribunal raises concerns in his annual report for 2003-04 about how long it is taking for the review of the Mental Health Act to be completed and draft legislation presented.
When will we see the draft changes?
216. Tiwi Islands – Petrol Sniffing
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
On 25 May 2005, you raised concerns in the media (ABC radio) regarding the arrival of petrol sniffing on the Tiwi Islands. This is a sad development.
Given that the Volatile Substances Act now exists:
- (a) how has banning the sniffing of petrol at this community been enforced; and
- (b) what programs and facilities have you put in place to support the intention of parliament in passing this act?
217. Anti-smoking Programs
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
1. Are calls to the Quit Line from the Northern Territory being monitored? If so, how do the numbers compare over the past few years?
2. I noted that the only media Quit Smoking as a New Year’s resolution received this year was an article about you quitting. When I was a Quit Smoking health promotion officer in the mid-1990s, we would run a media campaign in the lead-up to New Years Eve promoting the Quit Line. Calls to the help line would then go up dramatically.
- (a) why wasn’t such a campaign run this year, given that smoking rates in the Territory remain the highest in the country; and
(b) what is the operational budget for the Quit program in the Darwin area?
4. The only print advertisement I could find was this one inserted on 25 May in the Suburban. It has a big photo of minister Toyne on it with the words: ’Choose a healthier lifestyle on World No Tobacco Day.’
- (a) Why was there no mention of when World No Tobacco Day was; and
- (b) why was no advice given as to how someone could choose a healthier lifestyle?
5. What do you think the purpose of this advertisement was?
6. How are people assisted/facilitated to quit smoking in Central Australia?
218. Ecstasy Use by Children Survey
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
Earlier this year, you had fliers displayed in the Darwin area inviting people, including children aged as young as 16, to volunteer to be interviewed about their ecstasy use and to be paid $30 for their time.
- (a) Is it not the case that by paying $30 you are providing money which would well be used to purchase more drugs by these young people;
(b) why did you not use something like movie passes;
(c) how reliable do you think any findings of this survey will be, given that anyone could make up an ecstasy story to get the loot; and
(d) how many people have been paid $30? How many were 16, 17?
219. Alcohol and Other Drugs - Funding
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
Last year, during the Estimates Committee hearing, we established that there had been seven directors of the Alcohol and Other Drugs Program since 2002, up to and including Nick Gill. I do not know how many more have stepped in since Nick had to step aside, however, all up, it is a lot of change at the top.
1. To what extent has all this change contributed to the Alcohol and Other Drugs Program being unable to spend its allocated funding? (Specifically, Budget Paper No 3, p123, advises that there will be a carry forward of $2.1m into 2005-06).
2. What services were not delivered as planned during 2004-05?
220. Alcohol and Other Drugs – After Hours Service, Alice Springs
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
During the past year in Alice Springs, the Alcohol and Other Drugs service has ceased to provide an after hours services or home visits.
Given Alice Springs does not have an NGO service like Banyan House in Darwin, how can you justify this contraction of service?
221. Residential Drug Rehabilitation Centres
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
You will be aware that Green Gates Inc has been lobbying unsuccessfully for a number of years to have a residential drug rehabilitation established in Alice Springs.
In August last year, you wrote to the association providing further details on a mapping project being done in Alice Springs, and how it will be completed by December 2004. In your letter, it also talks about conduct of public consultation forums.
Is there any hope that your government will establish a residential rehabilitation program for drug addicts in Alice Springs?
222. School Drug Education Positions
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION and TRAINING
During the mid-1990s, the Northern Territory government funded three education positions in the Department of Education specifically for the development and facilitation of drug education programs in the Northern Territory. Now there is only one position and that position is funded by the federal government.
Given the accepted need to prevent drug use uptake through early strategies like education, and government dismantling of the DARE program, what are you doing to help teachers incorporate sound drug education in their programs?
223. Community Patrols - Funding
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
Currently, the Community Patrols and the sobering-up shelter in Darwin do not operate on Sundays. Why doesn’t your program fund this service seven days a week?
224. Banyan House Rehabilitation Centre
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for FAMILY and COMMUNITY SERVICES
An article in a DHCS newsletter earlier this year advised that Banyan House was seeking funding for an upgrading of their rehabilitation centre.
1. Can you advise whether or not this upgrade is to be funded?
2. If not, why not?
225. Daly River Region Community Reference Group
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
Your government established the Daly River Region Community Reference Group in 2003. How many people were on this group, who were they?
The final report from the Daly River Region Community Reference Group was delivered to Cabinet in December 2004, and to date this report has not been tabled in parliament:
1. Why have you not tabled this report earlier?
2. Will you provide me with a copy of the final report and, if not, why not?
3. What was the total cost of the development of this report?
4. Why is another group being assembled to address the same issues?
226. Water and Weed Management- Funding
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
In continuing with the bad news for Primary Industry in this budget, Water and Weed Management budget has been reduced by $410 000.
Given that the Northern Territory has serious problems with gamba and Ngurra burr, amongst other weeds, and your government has stated many times that you are concerned about water management, why have you cut the budget in this area by $410 000?
227. Indigenous Tourism Potential
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
1. What potential indigenous tourism opportunities have been identified to date through the Indigenous Tourism Development strategy?
2. How will you assess the potential of each proposal?
3. What back-up support will the NTTC provide in nurturing this developing industry?
228. Tourism - Niche Market Development
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
1. Are you looking to develop niche markets?
2. If so, what niche markets are you targeting?
3. What research has identified these niche markets?
229. Visitor Information Centres
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
Budget papers state that, in 2004-05, there were five accredited visitor information service providers. The budget 2005-06 estimates seven accredited visitor information centres.
1. Where are the seven accredited visitor information centres?
2. How is the new visitor information centre at Three Ways being funded?
3. How is the visitor information centre at Three Ways being serviced?
230. Territory Discoveries - Agencies
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
1. In which states and territories does Territory Discoveries operate?
2. List the number of Territory Discoveries agencies there are in each state and territory.
231. Calypsonet Booking System
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
1. When was the new booking system, Calypsonet, introduced? I heard the Auditor-General say earlier tonight that an audit had been completed. How effective is the system?
2. How do international enquiries access this booking system?
3. What percentage of international enquiries come through this booking system?
232. Holiday Package Bookings
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
It is pleasing to see the increase in the number of holiday packages sold and estimated. Holiday package bookings for shoulder and low season have nothing showing in budget papers for 2003-04 to compare. Budget papers for 2004-05 estimate bookings at $2.69m, with the estimate for 2005-06 at $2.8m.
What were the actual figures for 2003-04 so that I can evaluate the development of Territory Discoveries?
233. Territory Discoveries – Operating Expenses
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for TOURISM
Operating expenses were budgeted in 2004-05 at $4.983m, operating expenses estimated for 2005-06 at $5.794m, a difference of $811 000.
Could you please give details of the make-up of the $811 000?
234. Duck Pond in Frances Bay
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY and FISHERIES
What funding has your government provided for improving and the repairs and maintenance of the Duck Pond in Frances Bay?
235. Commercial Seafood Industry – Training and Facilities
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for PRIMARY INDUSTRY and FISHERIES
1. What extra funding has your government allocated to increase opportunities for training in the commercial seafood industry?
2. What funding are you providing for commercial seafood service facilities across the Northern Territory?
236. Environment and Heritage – Funding
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
Budget Paper No 3, p 217, 2004-05 estimate for Environment and Heritage is $6.726m, 2004-05 budget is $6.091m. Could you please give a breakdown of the difference of $635 000?
237. Environment and Heritage – Repairs and Maintenance
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
Budget Paper No 4, p 44, Repairs and Maintenance expenses for Environment and Heritage are allocated $1m for the 2005-06 budget year.
What type of repairs and maintenance are you anticipating?
238. Environment and Heritage – Staffing Levels
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
How many staff are employed in Environment and Heritage and what are their salary levels?
239. Darwin City Waterfront – Contaminated Soil
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for PLANNING and LANDS
1. In relation to the Darwin City Waterfront development, what amount of contaminated soil is to be removed and where is it going to be placed?
2. What are the ongoing costs to the Northern Territory government for the storage of this contaminated soil from the Darwin City Waterfront development?
240. Cane Toads
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
Considerable time by your government has been put into addressing the invasion of cane toads in the Northern Territory. Interestingly enough, the seriousness of the cane toads was not addressed until they were literally invading the northern suburbs. They had been in the Northern Territory for a considerable time before that.
Can you please tell me what funding is allocated in this budget for cane toad eradication?
241. Glyde Point Industrial Development – Environmental Assessment
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
At last year’s Estimates Committee hearings, your department advised that the Glyde Point Industrial Development Environmental Assessment was estimated to cost $51 000.
Can you tell the committee what the actual cost was?
242. Gundjeihmi Corporation Submission to Commonwealth Parliament’s Standing Committee on Industry and Resources
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT and HERITAGE
1. Who was the author of this submission?
2. At the time of preparing/writing the submission, was the author an employee of your department?
3. Was this submission and other similar representations on behalf of other organisations done with the approval of the Northern Territory government?
243. Papunya Community Government Council - Operations
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for LOCAL GOVERNMENT
1. Will you table in parliament the report into the operation of the Papunya Community Government Council dated 2004?
2. Does the report state that the community was dysfunctional and that vehicles were missing?
3. Will you now announce that you will investigate the loss of Northern Territory taxpayers’ money from that community?
244. Yuendumu Community Government Council - Administration
Ms CARNEY to MINISTER for LOCAL GOVERNMENT
1. Was the Yuendumu Community Government Council wound up by your department; if so, what were the reasons?
2. Why was the decision to put the council into administration delayed until after the general election?
Last updated: 04 Aug 2016