Debates Day 2 - Wednesday 27 November 2002
Parliamentary Record 9
Debates for 9th Assembly 2001 - 2005; ParliamentNT; Parliamentary Record; 9th Assembly 2001 - 2005
2002-11-27
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Debates
Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
Darwin
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DEBATES - Wednesday 27 November 2002 often things of fairly flimsy construction. They are not the things like the old Parliament House in Canberra and structures such as that. We have a unique group of buildings and heritage icons here. So, the member for Nelsons amendment is a very good one because of the fact that there is more pressure on our icons. There will be more and more pressure coming along in the future as Darwin develops. I do not think it hurts at this point in time to start putting more and more work into the heritage area. To have a government committee that looks at and monitors the issue of heritage is a very good idea. Some of the places of concern in my electorate that are going to need ongoing and special treatment are the Old Town Hall ruins, the Armed Storage site just outside my electorate in the member for Drysdales electorate at Bayview, the Myilly Point houses and, also, along Cavenagh Street, the Chinese shops that are there - the ones that have been there for many, many years. These are all structures in my electorate which would benefit from such a committee - an important committee within government. The committee, of course, acts as a watchdog over such things as the council, which the minister just mentioned. It does not hurt to have this included in a government committee. It is quite appropriate to have heritage linked into the environment committee because, often, heritage is linked at a government level. The Department of Lands, Planning and Environment, for example, in the previous government picked up the area of heritage. So, the environment committee that is being established here today is quite an appropriate one to also take on a watchdog role with regards to heritage. In conclusion, I believe heritage is very important. It joins into a rich tapestry of our life here in Darwin for locals and visitors alike. It is desperately important that we remember our heritage, that we have physical elements to remind us of our heritage. It would be wonderful if we could support this amendment to assist in that area. I congratulate the member for Nelson again for thinking of it. M r BALDWIN (Daly): Madam Speaker, I will just add to that. We on this side certainly support this amendment. I will just pick up on what the member for Wanguri said regarding the Heritage Advisory Committee. That committee, like the departments Heritage Unit is a statutory authority that has a process under the act and it is all very well to come in here and say that we all have access to the Heritage Advisory Committee, which we do, but this is talking about a sessional committee of this parliament to look at other issues and oversee issues in terms of the environment as now referenced by this department and also heritage. I say that members should support this on the basis that it does then include the built environment which is a very strong point that the member for Nelson made. I cannot see why this Labor government would run away from doing this. It seems to be a very logical step and they seem to be frightened to let this committee have any powers to have a look at issues of the environment which are going to be very important and now issues of heritage that are extremely important. On the listing of heritage sites, I challenge this government to tell me whether I am correct - did I list, in the same period that the former minister for heritage has been in office, more heritage objects and items than he did? Members inteijecting. Mr BALDWIN: I am also the heritage minister who went to all that trouble to move the Wesleyan Church that they did not support but now claim that that is their development going on in Knuckey Street. Have a look ... Members inteijecting. Mr BALDWIN: Will the boxhead please be quiet. If boxhead wants to get up, he can get up and have his say. But Madam Speaker ... Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker. Madam SPEAKER: Well, I think I am going to call a point of order on the comments made by the minister. Mr BALDWIN: Absolutely. Madam SPEAKER: What is your point of order? Ms LAWRIE: Madam Speaker, I am questioning whether boxhead is parliamentary language. Madam SPEAKER: I do not think that is a point of order. Mr BALDWIN: Madam Speaker, I was reacting to the interjections. I am happy to talk quietly because it hurts my voice to shout. This government claims the development on Knuckey and Mitchell Streets to be a development they put together. They did not support... 3057