Debates Day 3 - Thursday 19 November 2015
Parliamentary Record 24
Debates for 12th Assembly 2012 - 2016; ParliamentNT; Parliamentary Record; 12th Assembly 2012 - 2016
2015-11-19
Made available by the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
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Debates
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DEBATES Thursday 19 November 2015 7436 The policy stipulates that a 30% Aboriginal employment rate is required to be met on all Department of Infrastructure contracts over $500 000, and 70% of smaller contracts in remote communities. This is across any Northern Territory government agency, meaning works such as essential services, housing and civil works are going to local Aboriginal people and their businesses. This is ensuring people like Dan can start to grow their businesses and be leaders of our future. I was pleased to see a result of this recently also in the electorate of Namatjira at Docker River where Anangu were working on the housing upgrades. This is the point of difference when now we are seeing local people engaged in work instead of the workforce being brought in from outside. Local jobs for local people is an achievement of this government for which I am extremely proud. These policies are reflective of the changing times and we are starting to see the rewards in our communities across the Territory. Even when I go to the Top End communities I meet all of these enthusiastic young Aboriginal people, young rangers, young fellas who are working in Warruwi with the repairs and maintenance on the houses who are so proud to see me when I tell them I am a minister in this government. They look at their hands and my hands and they tell me, You, me, same. They tell me, We see you all the time on TV, now we see you alive. It is really good and I want a photo with you. That gives me a thrill to connect with the people out bush and encourage these people, whether they are in Warruwi, Santa Teresa, Robinson River, Borroloola, Weemol anywhere. I want to see Aboriginal people working, holding down jobs, because it gives them pride. I encourage them. One individual achievement I acknowledge is the win for the CLC ranger and master cat tracker from my region, Christine Michaels-Ellis. Christine, who was working as a support worker for the environment and native wildlife officers, won the Award for Outstanding Frontline Achievement. The Ranger of the Year is part of the Parks and Wildlife NT Ranger Awards. I add that Christine comes from Nyirripi . I have been in the Tanami country tracking cats with my family. It is a big thrill going out on country and doing that. Christine is another example of a proud and motivated Warlpiri woman achieving great things for the Territory. These achievements of individuals in my electorate show me optimism is entering our communities and lifting the spirits of people. I see communities starting to take charge of their destinies, and individuals working together to make changes. People are speaking up. As a minister of this CLP government and the member for Stuart, I am listening. This year in the seat of Stuart we have achieved a great deal, including: the grants to regional councils helping communities with equipment to manage their council capital works, for example, the muchneeded cattle grids at Yarralin and Yuendumu support of the Territory Tidy Towns Awards with winners across the electorate of Stuart in Kalkarindji, Pine Creek, Daguragu and Yarralin showing the pride people have for their towns. Congratulations to Mount Liebig for taking out overall winner, which was a great win for our neighbours a tourism grant for Mataranka Roadhouse to upgrade its facilities finance for morgues with $5m towards the upgrade of 16 morgues and construction of four new ones. These are much-needed resources for all remote communities the Telstra rollout across remote Australia, which will also assist many communities in the electorate of Stuart another great achievement of this government the launch of the remote engagement coordination strategy and the remote procurement policy upgrades to all the houses in Nyirripi with 43 houses completed and 12 already handed back. I will be there tomorrow handing out awards to people who have been looking after their houses. It will be great to be back in my electorate, especially in that part of the country. In closing, I commemorate my old brother-in-law, Teddy Egan Jangala, who was posthumously awarded the highest police honour, the Valour Medal for Bravery for his work as a tracker in 1967 when I was only seven years old. This has made his family immensely proud. Many from my community have worked with the police my uncle Gavins older brother, Andrew Spencer, my cousin Roy Curtis Tjupurrula, my brother-in-law, Thomas Rice Jangala. Many others have worked with them for most of their lives. I am proud that when my father was a young man he helped track down a man wanted for murder. I thank the Northern Territory Police for honouring the work of Aboriginal trackers and Aboriginal Community Police Officers. I also thank them for