Debates Day 3 - Thursday 1 May 2003
Parliamentary Record 11
Debates for 9th Assembly 2001 - 2005; ParliamentNT; Parliamentary Record; 9th Assembly 2001 - 2005
2003-05-01
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Debates
Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
Darwin
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DEBATES - Thursday 1 May 2003 more expensive in that fashion to own a house in this community. I want to see this community grow, but at the moment there is a log jam. There are freehold blocks available for subdivision in this community. I urge the government, noting its preparedness to try and push things through and get things done, to allow proper development of areas which are available for development now. I appreciate that there are difficulties with things like native title and that the government has chosen to go down a particular path, but the government promised the people o f the Northern Territory that they would be turning off blocks for people to purchase by Christmas 2002. It is May 2003, and we are not going to see a block turned off for the people of Alice Springs until January 2004. There were other means by which that pressure could have been relieved by government, but it was not prepared to go down those paths and deal with a compensation issue because it has an agenda to push. There is another agenda and that is the growth which affects not only Alice Springs but also the areas around Alice Springs. I would very much like to see environments like land trusts and Owen Springs generating wealth and jobs in a community which is affordable to live in. Owen Springs was something that the former Northern Territory government purchased with a view to developing Alice Springs further. That is touched on by the Chief Minister in her statement, and she congratulates herself on some of the noble and good things that the government is doing in relation to Owen Springs. Well, good! I am happy. But the point is that ball was started rolling by the CLP several years ago, and the jobs that should be generated right now from various projects that should be occurring on Owen Springs are not there. There is work with the tourism industry in protecting the Larapinta Trail and developing the Western MacDonnell National Park. Good. Mr Henderson: Another ALP initiative. Mr ELFERINK: I will pick up on the interjection. That is an absolute piece of tripe. It is out of the ballpark. The purchase o f Owen Springs was there to complete the Western MacDonnell National Park; it was the intent of the purchase. A member inteijecting. Madam SPEAKER: Member for Araluen, withdraw that remark. That was unparliamentary. Ms CARNEY: I withdraw that remark ... A member: They do this all the time ... Madam SPEAKER: It is disgusting. A member: It is. Mr ELFERINK: Madam Speaker, I ... Mr Kiely inteijecting. Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Sanderson! You have been spoken to already today. Mr ELFERINK: Madam Speaker, I heard the minister talk about economic development in the Centre and there are good projects going ahead. I take great interest in future horticultural projects. We are about to build a railway from Alice Springs to Darwin - or it is almost complete, I should say - and there is no reason why this community should not be the centre of a hub which becomes the bread basket of South-East Asia. There is a wonderful port in Darwin, a railway which is about to be completed, and there is not much standing in the way of developing horticultural projects through the other great CLP initiative, the Desert Knowledge project, which will create jobs and wealth. I urge this government to look at that aspect - the economic drivers which will make this community a great community - with much more vigour than the are, and to start pushing through projects which are going to create jobs and wealth for everybody who lives in Central Australia, whether they live in Hermannsburg, Titjakala, Finke or in Alice Springs because, as far as I am concerned, if we have wealth in Alice Springs, that will generate wealth in other places. If we have wealth in other places, it will generate wealth in Alice Springs. I do not mind seeing the rich get richer so long as the poor get richer in the process. Ms Scrymgour inteijecting. Mr Elferink: Have you seen how they live? Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Macdonnell, do not talk while you are walking across the floor. You know the rules. Member for Arafura, stop baiting him. Mr HENDERSON (Business, Industry and Resource Development): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to speak in response to the Chief Ministers statement on Central Australia, and to speak positively about the great work that is happening here, our vision for Central Australia as well as picking up on the some of the diatribe that we hear from people on the other side. 3949