Debates Day 1 - Tuesday 23 May 1995
Parliamentary Record 11
Debates for 7th Assembly 1994 - 1997; ParliamentNT; Parliamentary Record; 7th Assembly 1994 - 1997
1995-05-23
Made available by the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
English
Debates
Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
Darwin
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DEBATES - Tuesday 23 May 1995 contribution to the local economy and the valuable feedback on management policy initiatives will be examined as well. In respect of aquaculture, the subprogram has been modified slightly for 1995-96 to improve the services it provides. The core aquaculture activities are barramundi and the promotion and development of mud crab, golden snapper and pearl oyster. The work of the aquaculture task force, to identify and organise land for release and development, will continue to be a key focus, as will the promotion and development of aquaculture through the encouragement of future investment in the industry. Financial support will be provided also through external funding agencies to progress the development of systems to farm mud crabs and golden snapper. Similarly, pearl oyster aquaculture received funding from the Cooperative Research Centre for Aquaculture and the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation. The client services and development subprogram of fisheries provides for the administration of the program, and activities which overlie both the aquaculture and aquatic resource management components. These include major policy issues, such as negotiations with the Commonwealth and various industry sectors on policy and management matters, as well as dealing with environmental concerns. This year will see a new government initiative for the establishment of a liaison and extension service to coastal Aboriginal communities. This will help with communication and consultation between government, industry and Aboriginal people over fisheries management issues and will extend the process, already established with the Anindilyakwa Consultative Committee, to the remainder of the coastal regions. The Agriculture Program has been allocated $4.667m in 1995-96. This is a decrease of $132 000 when compared with 1994-95, but this decrease is largely attributable to the completion of research and development programs funded by external agencies. The Agriculture Program provides a broad range of services to mixed farms and pastoral properties, including Aboriginal properties across the Top End. These include research and advisory services, development projects in crops and improved pastures, cattle and buffalo production, soil, plant and animal nutrition, cattle and buffalo fertility, reproductive physiology and herd management, irrigation and seeds, and the management of weeds in crops and pastures. The programs goal is to create opportunities for the expansion of diversified and sustainable agriculture across the Top End. The centrepiece of the program this year will be the introduction of an intensive multi-faceted subprogram in the development of sustainable agricultural systems in the north of the Northern Territory. It will integrate a number of existing projects in lay farming, pasture development, animal nutrition, weeds, extension and economics, with inputs from my department and from other Northern Territory government agencies, along with the CSIRO. This work will be centred on the Douglas/Daly area and will move to other regions in the Top End in later years. Another significant project will be pasture development in the coastal plains and Marrakai agricultural districts to cope with the demands of agistment for cattle for the live export trade. The major initiative for 1994-95 to progress the strategy of substantially increasing agriculture development in the Daly basin continues into 1995-96. The purchase and subdivision of Douglas Station, which is central to this initiative, has been delayed because of factors outside the control of this government. However, work is continuing on the preparation of a preliminary environmental report, on a regional road strategy, and on water 3516