The Northern Territory news Thu 13 May 2010
NT news
The Northern Territory news; NewspaperNT
2010-05-13
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English
Community newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Darwin; Australian newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Darwin
Nationwide News Pty. Limited
Darwin
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Nationwide News Pty. Limited
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/221223
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/696707
4 Northern Territory News, Thursday, May 13, 2010 www.ntnews.com.au P U B : N T N E W S D A T E : 1 3 -M A Y -2 0 1 0 P A G E : 4 C O L O R : C M Y K REPORT FAMILY VIOLENCE. BE SOMEONE. Now you must say something its the law. Its no good thinking, Someone should do something about family violence. That someone is you. Because now, if you think a person could be seriously hurt by somebody in their family, the law says you have to tell the Police. You can: Ring straight away Get somebody you trust to ring for you Or report it later when its safe. So dont turn your back when you could be saving a life. Police 131 444 I Emergency 000 www.stopfamilyviolence.nt.gov.au GRE Y 1 9 6 8 2 m g 4 6 0 4 0 2 NEWS Pay rise offer up to 3pc for public servants ByNICKCALACOURAS PUBLIC servants have been offered a 3 per cent pay rise as part of the governments first round of pay negotiations. Public Employment Commissioner Ken Simpson yesterday offered public servants a salary increase of 9 per cent over three years. He said the offer was a financially responsible and sustainable approach to bargaining based on tight financial circumstances facing the Territory. The offer is a backflip on the governments previously announced wages policy of 2.5 per cent. But Community and Public Sector Union regional director Paul Morris said the government was being mischievous by lowering expectations with the 2.5 per cent offer. We think the 3 per cent is the starting point, he said. We are profoundly disappointed, because the increase will be less than inflation. Union members across the sector say they want 5 per cent and that is not something we made up. That is genuine. The pay offer also included new efficiency measures, a pay structure to address market issues, improved parental leave and better benefits for employees living and working in remote and regional areas. Mr Morris said the package was a mixed bag. There are good offers on attracting and retaining staff, but some of the efficiency measures could include a reduction in conditions. Mr Simpson said it was a fair package. (It) provides a balance of improvements to salaries and employment conditions, and efficiencies for government, he said. We look forward to reaching a timely agreement with the unions. Mr Simpson said he had offered the same pay rise to Power and Water employees, and teachers. CLP slams lack of NT infrastructure funds ByNICKCALACOURAS Budget to ease rate pressure: P14 THE Territory missed out on major infrastructure spending in the federal budget, the NT Opposition said. Opposition Treasury spokesman John Elferink said the Federal Government was more concerned with allocating large sums of money for welfare quarantining than boosting the Territorys beleaguered infrastructure stock. But Treasurer Delia Lawrie welcomed the budget and said it offered plenty for NT families. The Australian and Territory economies have weathered the worst of the global economic downturn and this budget will ensure our nation continues to prosper, she said. Mr Elferink said the Commonwealth was withholding crucial infrastructure money from the countrys least established jurisdiction. Is it any wonder that some indigenous communities are still isolated more than a month after being cut off by torrential rains or that bulk loading facilities at the wharf fall way below expectation? he asked. But Solomon MHR Damian Hale defended the budget. We always knew that it was going to be a tough budget, he said. When you have enough stimulus spending to get you through the global financial crisis, there wont be enough for more infrastructure. Ms Lawrie said the NT would fight for one of the 23 new GP super clinics. This is on top of the GP super clinic in Palmerston, which is already helping Territory families access after-hours, bulk-billed health services and relieve the burden on the Royal Darwin Hospital emergency department, she said. Ms Lawrie said the NT would also receive $38.5 million over four years to expand the rollout of Opal fuel. There was also $9.2m to support Australian Federal Police in the NT and $6.6m over two years for the National Indigenous Child Abuse and Violence Intelligence Taskforce. PUCKER UP: Antonios Mastroivilis gives a model leaellynasaura more than it bargained for. The life-like dinosaurs were brought to Millner Primary School by visual theatre company Erth. Picture: STUART WALMSLEY Dinosaurs help create Festival buzz By ELISHANARTA THE Darwin Festivals schools program was launched at Millner Primary School yesterday. Darwin Festival artistic director Jo Duffy revealed eight shows that will be performed during August. What we are announcing here today is a real opportunity for schools and kids to get involved in the Darwin Festival and to benefit their education, Education Minister Chris Burns said. A curriculum was organised by the Darwin Festival that integrated a range of creative subjects kids are learning about. A Sydney-based group called Erth, who are known for their life-like dinosaurs, interacted with the students during the launch. Erth was asked by the Darwin Festival to create, larger than life magpie geese puppets that will be featured in the premiere of Gary Langs Goose Lagoon. NT students will receive discounts of $10 a ticket for the shows performed during August. Tickets can be purchased at schools or at Darwin Entertainment Centre box office. Limit on liquor sales given nod CASUARINA liquor retailers have been given the OK to limit sales of certain wine and spirits. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has authorised proposed alcohol supply restrictions in an agreement among liquor licensees at Casuarina. They restrictions will limit the supply of certain takeaway products, including large-volume wine, fortified wine and pre-mixed drinks. The ACCC accepts the advice of the Casuarina Business Precinct Stakeholders Committee that the supply restrictions are likely to assist in efforts to reduce anti-social behaviour in the Casuarina precinct, with associated enhanced crime prevention and improved public safety, ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel said. Defence systembeats five-year delay A DEFENCE communications upgrade program is now operational five years late. The $637 million High Frequency Modernisation program (HFMOD) has been formally accepted from Boeing. Junior defence minister Greg Combet said that HFMOD had suf fered technical problems and delays. HFMOD is the 21st century successor to the system developed early last century to communicate over long distances using morse code. The modernisation process started in the 1990s to combine three single-service systems, some with elements dating back to the 1960s, into a single national network to handle secure voice, data and facsimile communications. There are four major facilities at Darwin, N o r t h - W e s t C a p e , Townsville and the NSW Riverina all controlled from Canberra. Preparing for $11m safe haven at Alice WORK has begun on an $11 million accommodation park at Alice Springs. The Alice Springs Accommodation Park will provide safe short-term accommodation for indigenous people who visit the town. Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin and the NT Minister for Central Australia yesterday announced Sitzler Bros had been selected to build the park. Aboriginal Hostels Limited will manage the park for the first two years of operation.