Questions - 07 December - 21 December 1976
Parliamentary record 16
Questions for 1st Assembly 1974 - 1977; Parliamentary Record; ParliamentNT; 1st Assembly 1974 - 1977
1976-12-21
Made available by the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
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Northern Territory. Legislative Assembly -- Periodicals
Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
Darwin
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https://hdl.handle.net/10070/221987
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/694289
QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE - Tuesday 7 December 1976 body can tell me that after 7 years of consideration we really require another interdepartmental committee and that somebody cannot make a fair equable and just decision in this matter. I am appalled by information that I have to give to this Assembly. 1637 Mr WITHNALL to Dr LETTS ANSWER Why has the Ombudsman Ordinance not been assented to? Has he had any discussions and, if so, what, with Commonwealth ministers on the subject of an ombudsman for the Northern Territory? The Northern Territory Ombudsman Ordinance, to use its nickname, has not been assented to because the Federal Government, in particular the Federal Government before this one, believed that the right thing to do was to establish a Commonwealth ombudsman service with a branch of that service to look after the interests of the Northern Territory people. I did draw attention to the argument that most of the public servants in the Northern Territory are Commonwealth public servants and'therefore it is appropriate for the Commonwealth agency established for this purpose to look at such complaints. I do not accept the validity of that argument or the actions which the Commonwealth has taken. I can only say that, as the new Northern Territory Public Service comes into existence and expands" any case which formerly existed for having our complaints for Northern Territory people put before a Canberra based ombudsman will soon disappear. I have made this point of view known to the Minister for the Northern Territory and I would hope that some sort of local appeal will be instituted as soon as possible in the Northern Territory. 1638 Mrs LAWRIE to Mr TAMBLING ANSWER This is a question that I have asked for the past 6 months. Can he yet indicate when the sale of Government homes will recommence in the Darwin area and upon what terms and conditions? As I have repeatedly replied to the honoura1>le member for Nightc1iff for the last 6 months, I have again referred this matter to the Minister for the Northern Territory and to the Department of the Northern Territory. I understand that the settlement of the details is bogged somewhere between the senior officers of the Department of the Northern Territory and the Department of Treasury. I am unable to provide an answer to her question. 1639 Mr MANU ELL to Mr RYAN ANSWER Can he advise this Assembly of the determination by the Department of Transport for resiting of the railway marshalling yards and passenger terminal in A1ice Springs? If not, when does he expect to be in a position to advise this Assembly of a new railway site? I do not have any information relating to the proposed new site. I will contact the Minister fo.r, Transport and ask what the situation is.