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
English
Northern Territory. Legislative Assembly -- Periodicals
Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
Darwin
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Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
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https://hdl.handle.net/10070/221987
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/694289
QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE - Wednesday 8 December. 1976 1665 Mr DONDAS to Mr PERRON ANSWER Can he give any explanation for' the city area? These do not seem to be repairs. frequent power cuts in the central connected to normal maintenance The central city area has been subject to power cuts whenever the electricity supply has to rotate power cuts resulting from generation failure or from failure in the transmission system. Since the number 5 generator at Stokes Hill has been out of action, the gas turbine at Snell Street has been operating for about 12 hours a day. This generator has shut down several times lately as a result of low oil pressure. The city area is also affected by lightning strikes down the track. Since the cyclone in 1974, 'the electrical transmission system has not had the usual capacity to isolate power failures to one area. Therefore, although it may not be raining in Darwin, there could be an electrical strike down at the 20 mile.or 30 mile, which will put the Darwin city area out as well. 1666 Mr EVERINGHAM to Dr LETTS ANSWER I preface my question by remarking that, since this Assembly was elected in October 1974, we have seen in Darwin a cyclone of immense magnitude which resulted in an almost complete turnover in the population. We have seen in Darwin new areas developed as a result of that cyclone and, in Alice Springs and other Territory .centres, we have seen shifts in population by reason of new subdivisions being developed. I can think of 2 residential areas in Alice Springs which exist now and which did not exist in October 1974. What steps have been taken which might lead to a redistribution of electorates before the next election for this Assembly? I am aware that some citizens of Darwin and the Northern Territory have written to the Minister for the Northern Territory suggesting that this question of population balance and possible redistribution be looked at. I did receive a copy of a letter which a group of citizens in the Howard Springs area of the electorate of Tiwi had written, pointing out that there had been a significant growth of population in that area. We are all aware of the development of the new suburbs of Anu1a and Walagi on the eastern side of the Sanderson electorate. Having this. in mind, I have already discussed with the Minister for the Northern Territory, the almost certain need to have a redistribution. A census was taken this year which provides some basis for an electoral redistribution committee to work from plus other information which they would need. I pointed' these matters out to the Minister and he gave me an assurance that machinery would be set in motion to do so. I now propose to write to the Minister formally as Majority Leader later this week and ask for confirmation that the redistribution question will be officially examined .and for some idea of the timetable which he may have in mind, probably starting early next year, to make sure the necessary machinery is set up and the work carried out so that the people who are already members of the legislature or who have an interest in perhaps nominating before the next election may be aware, well in advance, of what the new boundaries might be.