DEBATES – Thursday 23 March 2017 CONTENTS VISITORS ................................................................................................................................................. 1347 Moulden Primary School ....................................................................................................................... 1347 Speaker’s statement ................................................................................................................................. 1347 Terror Attacks in London ....................................................................................................................... 1347 LEAVE OF ABSENCE .............................................................................................................................. 1347 Deputy Chief Minister ............................................................................................................................ 1347 MINISTERIAL ARRANGEMENTS ............................................................................................................ 1348 Question Time ....................................................................................................................................... 1348 MINISTERIAL STATEMENT ..................................................................................................................... 1348 Supporting Territory Women ................................................................................................................. 1348 VISITORS ................................................................................................................................................. 1367 Wulagi Primary School .......................................................................................................................... 1367 PETITION .................................................................................................................................................. 1369 Petition No 10 – Provision and Availability of Improved Health Services in the Coomalie Shire ........... 1369 REORDER OF BUSINESS ....................................................................................................................... 1369 MOTION .................................................................................................................................................... 1369 Note Statement – Supporting Territory Women .................................................................................... 1369 PAPERS TABLED ..................................................................................................................................... 1403 Annual Report on Members’ Travel and Government Payments for Satellite Telephones ................... 1403 Annual Return of Members’ Interests .................................................................................................... 1403 Members’ Fuel Transaction Report ....................................................................................................... 1403 Travel Report – Member for Karama ..................................................................................................... 1403 MOTION .................................................................................................................................................... 1404 Note Paper – Auditor-General for the Northern Territory’s November 2016 Report to the Legislative Assembly ............................................................................................................................................... 1404 ADJOURNMENT ....................................................................................................................................... 1405 DEBATES – Thursday 23 March 2017 Madam Speaker Purick took the Chair at 10 am. VISITORS Moulden Primary School Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise of the presence in the gallery of Year 5/6 students from Moulden Park Primary School accompanied by their teachers, Julie Craighead, Vicky McDonald, and Laura Morgan. On behalf of honourable members, welcome to Parliament House. I hope you enjoy your time here. Members: Hear, hear! SPEAKER’S STATEMENT Terror Attacks in London Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, with the news coming in this morning of the death of four innocent people and more than 40 injured at the gates of the Houses of Parliament in London, our thoughts go to our friends and colleagues in the United Kingdom. In my role on the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, I have been privileged to walk over the Westminster Bridge to meetings at the parliament in Westminster Palace and Portcullis House. Along with many of you, I know how busy the pedestrian area is outside near Big Ben as people are getting to work, and tourists are taking photos and enjoying the history of the location. At home we must remain vigilant, and I am receiving advice from law enforcement authorities. We will not give in to fear or allow those who want to destroy our way of life to prevail. On behalf of all members, I express our condolences and support to the UK from their parliamentary colleagues in the Northern Territory. Members: Hear, hear! Mr GUNNER (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, the Northern Territory woke this morning to the tragic news of the terrorist strike on our oldest friend. We know many from our local community, visitors and local residents have their hearts in London, and I say to them that our hearts are in London today as well. We must always be vigilant so the Northern Territory remains a strong, vibrant, diverse and safe community. We stand strong with the UK. Mr HIGGINS (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, thank you very much for those words. I thank the Chief Minister and accept that he is speaking on behalf of all of us in this Chamber and the Northern Territory population in general. Mr MILLS (Blain): Madam Speaker, when we hear news of and see an assault such as this against an institution and what it represents—the mother of all parliaments, the cornerstone of the freedoms we enjoy and are able to thrive in as a result—we see this as an attack on the very foundations of our society, civilisation and the values which we hold dear, which undergird everything we say in this parliament. For those who may be intimidated or who seek to harm or to challenge the things we hold dear, which are the foundations of modern civilisation, we stand strong and say that the attack will make us stronger. LEAVE OF ABSENCE Deputy Chief Minister Ms FYLES (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move that leave of absence be granted to the Deputy Chief Minister for today on account of government business interstate. Motion agreed to. 1347 DEBATES – Thursday 23 March 2017 MINISTERIAL ARRANGEMENTS Question Time Ms FYLES (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I advise that for Question Time today any questions normally directed to the Minister for Children and Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics should be directed to me, and any other questions normally directed to the Treasurer should be directed to the Chief Minister. I note that the Deputy Chief Minister advised the opposition and Independents yesterday at Question Time yesterday that she would be absent today on government business. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Supporting Territory Women Ms WAKEFIELD (Territory Families): Madam Speaker, pursuant to Sessional Order 7, I make a ministerial statement on supporting Territory women, as circulated yesterday. Today I wish to talk about my vision for women and achieving gender equality in the Northern Territory. The Territory has a history of embracing strong women. Thousands of generations of Aboriginal women have fed their families and brought up their children on this land in some of the toughest environments in the world. I also think of the early pioneers, like Olive Pink and Frieda Strehlow, in their heavy brown skirts, venturing into country few non-Aboriginal men would go, bringing with them a curiosity and passion for forging relationships with Aboriginal women. I love hearing stories of our older women on the land, such as Josie Petrick, Jan Hayes or Jan Heaslip, who had incredibly tough lives by today’s standards, but who all have such a strong sense of community and respect for other women. I also think of the incredibly strong Aboriginal women who taught me when I first came to the Territory— women from the Centre who had a wonderful mix of determination, courtesy and love, and who embraced me, supported me and taught me how to achieve in the tough environment in which they live. Today so many Territorian women are leaders in their field, such as Tracey Hayes, who is the CEO of the NT Cattlemen’s Association, and Andrea Mason, who is the CEO of the NPY Women’s Council as well as NT Australian of the Year and NT Businesswoman of the Year. I was delighted to hear from the Member for Port Darwin yesterday when he informed the House that a female apprentice electrician had been nominated to represent us in the national training awards. But we still have a long way to go and many challenges to overcome to achieve gender equity. Last week we celebrated International Women’s Day, a day that grew out of a struggle by women for better working conditions and the vote. It evolved into a movement that sought equality and justice for women. It seems fitting to reflect on how far we have come and what we need to do in the future to achieve equality for women. Women