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
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Debates
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DEBATES Thursday 19 November 2015 7437 the hard, difficult and often unappreciated work they do protecting our communities. Madam Speaker, these are good news stories from the past, present and future. It is our job, as members of parliament, to keep those positive stories alive. Ms MOSS (Casuarina): Madam Speaker, I place on the record my congratulations to the member for Drysdale it was lovely to hear her news and Sam on the arrival of baby Isla, who is very sweet. It has been lovely to meet her. That was lovely news. This evening, first of all, I raise some issues around my electorate, then I will talk about some of the positive things that have happened in the youth area over the last six weeks or so. I have spoken briefly in this House before about the volatile substance misuse workshop which was held in my office in response to some issues raised by stakeholders in the local business and retail precinct. It went exceptionally well. I have been very pleased since to see a number of partnerships formed by the people who were at that meeting, including between one of our local youth services, The SHAK, and some of our biggest retailers around Casuarina. It is uplifting to see people willing to partner in that way and give back to programs that are making a difference to young people in need around the northern suburbs. We have some exciting things happening around our business and retail precinct. Anybody who lives in the northern suburbs will not have missed all the work happening at Casuarina Square. It will be a bit dangerous to have a chocolate caf over the road from my office but I am willing to deal with it and I will let you know how that goes. In April there was a relaunch of The SHAK. It is a very well-respected organisation that has gone through different iterations over the last few years. The member for Blain was at that launch and a media release was issued by the Minister for Young Territorians and the member for Blain about working with local Casuarina businesses on a range of issues that have been raised by business and retail stakeholders in the area to do with antisocial behaviour and young people. The media release dated 24 April said: The Casuarina Business community will work with the Northern Territory Government to look at the way social behaviour in the northern suburbs affects the community I am very pleased plans are under way to work with the business community and the committee will have its first meeting next month. An e-mail was issued in July asking people to attend a meeting to discuss some of the issues raised. Those issues were around volatile substance misuse which was at a height at that time property crime around our business and retail precinct, public intoxication and camping and public amenities in the area. I believe that meeting was held on or around 23 July. I asked to attend that meeting but was told repeatedly by the ministers office that it was a closed meeting and I could not. I was disappointed about that. I understand that at that business meeting local stakeholders were given the undertaking that the meetings would occur on a six-week basis and that subgroups would form to address some of the issues raised. The Minister for Business can correct me if I am wrong, but I do not believe that group has met again since July. It should have met at least twice by now. This is a plea to the Minister for Business and Minister for Young Territorians to follow up on those issues with those local businesses. We have a range of issues around antisocial behaviour in our business precinct, particularly with alcohol use and public intoxication. Defecation is still occurring around our Casuarina childrens centre and the staff there are having to deal with that on pretty much a nightly basis. Any assistance you could provide them would be greatly appreciated. I am enjoying working with the business community on a range of issues. I move to some of the great things that have been happening with young people in our community. Madam Speaker I do not need to tell you the Commonwealth Youth Parliament was in our Chamber two weeks ago. There were about 55 young people from across Commonwealth nations in this House debating. It was amusing, fun and a great experience for everyone involved. They undertook a range of activities from learning about the legislative process in the Northern Territory, how committees work they had a mock committee with people from CDU and some of our local law firms who gave evidence. Thank you to the people who participated in that mock committee. They learnt about dealing with the media. I believe Alyssa Betts, one of our local reporters, was part of that session. Thank you to Alyssa. We heard from a range of local members from across Commonwealth nations about what it means to be a local member. It was a great pleasure to participate in that program as a mentor. The other mentors were Akierra Missick, Deputy Premier of the Turk and