THANK YOU DARWIN AND PALMERSTON!!!

While the result of the election in the seat of Solomon is still too close to call, David Tollner thanked all of those people who have supported him over the last 6 years and all of those people who voted for him again this time around. Irrespective of what the result will be David has said it has been a huge honor for him to represent Territorians in the Federal Parliament.

Kevin Rudd has highlighted the risk a Labor government would pose to Australia's $1.1 trillion economy.

In an interview with the Sun-Herald, Mr Rudd spelt out his five priorities for government. None of them included the economy.


In another interview with the Sunday Times, Mr Rudd revealed a Labor government would use "the expertise in Perth to manage retirement funds coming out of, say China, for third-country investments in, say, real estate in Latin America." (Sunday Times 18/11/07)


A strong economy is central to everything. Yet Mr Rudd and Labor have no plan to protect our economy and secure the continued growth of Australia's prosperity.


As the Treasurer said:


"...Mr Rudd said the first five things he would do if he became Prime Minister. None of them related to the economy, none of them related to tax, interest rates or jobs - a lot of stuff about what he would do on the international stage, Kyoto and Iraq. Nothing about what concerns mums and dads and what really worries them about their children's futures.


"...Mr Rudd thinks [our economy] runs itself. And he thinks that because he has never been part of the big economic debates in Australia.


"...Who would want to invest in Latin American real estate?


"And again it shows to me that he hasn't thought much about the economy. He hasn't been part of the big economic debates in Australia. He was never part of balancing the budget or paying off debt. He thinks that it all runs itself. What he wants to do is he wants to flit on the international stage, and when he's asked about the first five things that he would do, it's not about mortgages or jobs or Australians, it's about Kyoto and Iraq and all of the things that he's really interested in and not the things that the public of Australia are really interested in." (Sunday 18/11/07)


On Saturday, Australians will decide who is best able to protect our economy and jobs. They face a clear choice between an experienced Coalition team with a proven record of strong economic management, and the prospect of the most inexperienced government in a generation.

TRAVEL CONCESSIONS FOR
THE GHAN RAILWAY

In response to strong representations from David Tollner MP, Federal Member for Solomon, the Australian Government will provide additional funding to allow pensioners and veterans to access concessional fares on the Alice Springs to Darwin section of world famous Ghan railway.

This initiative will make travel on the Ghan more affordable for about 10,000 pensioners and veterans. It will provide around $1.5 million of additional concessions for travel each year.

Through initiatives such as the Seniors Concession Allowance and the Utilities Allowance, the Australian Government is helping senior Australians with concessions. The state Labor governments are eroding concessions and failing to provide uniform reciprocal travel concessions – despite these being largely state responsibilities.

The Australian Government already funds concessional rail fares on a number of rail lines that used to be part of the Australian National Railway, including the Adelaide to Alice Springs section of the Ghan. The Government also provides funding that allows concessional travel for holders of a Seniors Health Card on the Great Southern Railway network.

Funding will now be provided to Great Southern Railway through a variation to the existing contractual arrangements to extend the concessional travel arrangements to the Alice Springs to Darwin section of the Ghan.

The Commonwealth is disappointed that the Northern Territory Government has failed to meet its obligation to provide concessional travel on long distance rail services within its own borders.

The Australian Government’s initiative will provide valuable savings to pensioners and veterans travelling on the Ghan and provide a significant boost in tourist activity to the Northern Territory. This boost in tourism will also help in delivering more employment opportunities for indigenous Australians, an important element in breaking welfare cycles in the Northern Territory over the longer term.

I thank Dave Tollner MP for his advocacy on behalf of the people of the Northern Territory. His efforts played a large part in delivering this initiative.

The Government’s responsible economic management is ensuring that all Australians can share in the benefits of our strong economy – especially working families.
ABS data recently released showed that average households are now receiving more in government benefits than they pay in tax. The Australian reported:
“… only 40 per cent of households actually pay any net tax, after the value of all government benefits is counted. The average household pays total taxes of $360 a week, but gets back $375 in both cash benefits and government services.” – The Australian, 14/06/07
The Treasurer said:
"The government policy of cutting income tax and increasing family tax benefits has lifted real disposable incomes across the board and has benefited lower-income earners substantially. Increases in spending on health have been made possible by disciplined economic management. This illustrates the way in which good economic management leads to a social dividend."
– Treasurer, The Australian, 14/06/07
Only the Government has the discipline to keep our economy strong so that families can plan for the future with confidence.
Labor pose a serious risk to our strong economy because they remain controlled by union bosses and locked into a radical and intrusive union agenda. As the Treasurer said:
“… employment is strong, the economy is growing and more Australians are in work than ever before. But all of that could be at risk if we have a puppet government elected to do the bidding of the ACTU … Kevin Rudd … is the frontman that is being put up by people who are much more aggressive and much more threatening than him because they want a patsy in the Lodge to run their agenda. The decent people of Australia do not deserve to be treated like this and they do not deserve this deceitful campaign from the ACTU."
– Treasurer, Hansard, 13/06/07
Australia cannot afford a Labor Government captive to union bosses and with no plan to keep our economy strong.

Respected business commentator Terry McCrann highlighted the threat Federal and State Labor governments would pose to Australia's continued economic prosperity.

Mr McCrann wrote:


"Every state and territory premier has officially declared war on his - in the case of the Northern Territory's Clare Martin, her - very own citizens.


That is the astonishing reality of their commitment last Friday to a 60 per cent cut in carbon emissions by 2050.


For if 'achieved', it would wreak devastation across the national and individual state economies of such degree as to make the Great Depression of the 1930s look like a picnic in the park.


...If we 'achieve' that 60 per cent reduction target, we would reduce our contribution to less than 0.1 per cent of the global total.


...it'll be like someone in a leaky boat furiously bailing with an egg-cup while two fellow passengers are pouring water in with buckets.


Yet that comparative egg-cup in the global picture would nevertheless be big enough to destroy the Australian economy and make old-timers reminisce about the 'good old days' when Paul Keating was PM.


...Six of these eight [premiers and chief ministers] who at least purportedly want to give us Rudd and his wrecked economy, back in 2004 desperately wanted to give us Mark Latham. That should be enough to shred anyone's credibility.


...Apart from the empty devastation of what they have embraced - or the devastating emptiness - there's the sheer political stupidity of announcing the havoc that coast-to-coast federal and state Labor governments could wreak.


Vote for Rudd and we guarantee to make all your worst nightmares about incompetent Labor administrations come true." (Herald Sun 17/4/07)


Meeting Australia's environmental challenges requires practical solutions balanced with the needs of our economy.


Australia cannot afford a Federal Labor government working hand-in-hand with its State Labor counterparts to employ knee-jerk measures which jeopardise investment and jobs.

Not only are millions of new jobs being created, but real wages are rising and more money is being put into the pockets of Australian families

ABS data also show that the number of people looking for work declined by 9 400 over the month and is now 247 700 (or 33.5 per cent) lower than when the Government came to office.

With the unemployment rate at its lowest level in more than three decades, it has never been a better time to encourage the long-term unemployed and those on welfare who are able to work, to re-engage with the labour market and gain the security of paid employment.

IMPORTANT MEETING

WHERE: MALAK OVAL
WHEN: WEDNESDAY 30 AUGUST 2006

FEDERAL MINISTER FOR JUSTICE, SENATOR CHRIS ELLISON
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR SOLOMON, MR DAVID TOLLNER MP
DARWIN LORD MAYOR, MR PETER ADAMSON
ALDERMAN DOROTHY FOX
ALDERMAN ALAN MITCHELL
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
AND MORE....

GETTING THE COMMUNITY SAFE AGAIN

Australian troops are providing security in East Timor as part of the Government’s long-term plan to ensure stability in our region. This troop deployment has been possible because of the Coalition Government’s determination to build a more combat focussed, better equipped, more mobile and operationally ready Defence Force.
In addition to providing troops to help restore law and order, the Government has also responded quickly to the humanitarian aspect. $3 million has already been pledged to provide practical measures including urgently needed food, water, shelter and medical supplies.

The Federal Government’s decision on funding a dedicated cancer treatment unit in Darwin will be announced this week according to Federal Member for Solomon, David Tollner.

The establishment of a cancer treatment unit in the Northern Territory is estimated to cost between $15 and $20 million initially, and between $3.5 and $4.5 million to run annually.

Mr Tollner has asked the Federal Government to do whatever it can to cover the Martin Labor Government’s cruel neglect of Territorians suffering with cancer.

What David Tollner has asked the Commonwealth to consider is:

•A set-up with at least one and ideally two linear accelerators and their protective bunkers - ie the machinery that actually targets and destroys the cancer (two as a backup in case of a breakdown).

Failing that, one linear accelerator and guaranteed support to get people to facilities interstate if the accelerator is briefly off-line due to breakdown or maintenance.

“Discussions I had late last week Tony Abbott prove to me that his department has been doing an enormous amount of work over the past four months assessing the feasibility of such a unit in the Northern Territory”.

The Australian Government has made cancer a national health priority area and is focused on finding a cure for cancer as well as developing better treatment.

Before the 2001 Territory election, the Clare Martin ALP Opposition promised to provide an oncology unit in Darwin if elected. The same promise was again made by Clare Martin at the last election. Labor is failing to keep their promise.

The Martin Government needs to be held accountable for the lack of medical services existing in the NT, especially cancer treatment services.

“I have been lobbying the Prime Minister hard on the urgent need for an oncology unit since the nuclear waste repository decision last year. I am calling on the NT Government to at least advise if they are prepared to pay any of the establishment and recurrent costs associated with a new oncology unit” said Mr Tollner.

Royal Darwin Hospital is owned by the NT Government. As such any Federal Government involvement can only occur with the permission and support of the NT Government. It is however the Federal Government that funds travel for patients requiring transfer to interstate hospitals for cancer treatment.

“If the Martin Government has turned its back to cancer treatment and refuse to fulfil their long overdue election promise, they should say so. They should also tell Territorians whether or not they will allow the Commonwealth to have more involvement in their hospital.”

1. An oncology unit for Territorians suffering from cancer. A 2001 Labor election promise that has not yet been fulfilled. I believe that it is unacceptable that Territorians are treated as second class citizens when it came to cancer treatment services;
2. Increased funding for local community crime prevention groups to tackle the problem of itinerants, youth gangs and serious assaults;
3. Improved funding to help protect our unique Territory lifestyle and environment including more recreational fishing grants;
4. Making sure that road funding is delivered on time and in full and further, keeping the Territory Labor Government honest by ensuring their road spending matches the Commonwealth;
5. Delivering more childcare funding and therefore more providing for more places for our most important resource – local families.
6. The establishment of the Australian Technical College in Darwin to deliver increased practical training opportunities for local students.
7. Amending and then handing control of Northern Territory Land Rights laws to the Northern Territory Government. Land Rights laws currently exist on about half of the Territory land mass and the NT Government currently has no say in the administration of these laws.
Make no mistake, we will be taking these issues and more to Canberra and I will ‘fight tooth and nail’ to see they are delivered.
It’s my job to get the best deal for Solomon and have no doubt that I will be fighting for our interests in Canberra.

The projects include improving conditions for horticulture production, improving pastoral management practices and the implementation of weed management plans. The projects will assist in maintaining community linkages and a commitment to Landcare objectives.
National Landcare Program funds are directed at sustainable practices and productivity improvements through on-the-ground involvement of primary producers and local community Landcare groups. Around 75 percent of farmers and land managers are involved in Landcare activities or benefit from knowledge acquired through the Landcare movement.
The community support projects are funded from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program, with matching contributions (in cash or kind) from community and other organisations.
The Australian Government is committed to providing communities with support through the National Landcare Program to deal with natural resource management challenges in their area.

Projects awarded funding are:
Best practice for sustainable land use in the Northern Territory ($119 565)
This project aims to increase the use of sustainable horticulture/agriculture by developing Northern Territory Horticultural Association.

Development and implementation of integrated weed management planning processes for the pastoral industry, Top End Floodplains ($200 000)
This project involves developing and implementing pest management programmes on pastoral leases infested with the Mimosa pigra weed. The local cattle industry will integrate impact reduction measures into its activities relating to tackling key Weeds of National Significance, managing and establishing pastures and restocking treated areas.
Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association.

Adaptive management of ecologically sustainable development in the Douglas-Daly region ($210 000)
This project involves developing and implementing an adaptive management strategy for the pastoral sector based on mixed-farming in the Douglas-Daly region.
Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association

Creating small-scale enterprises based upon the utilisation of wildlife to achieve employment and natural resource management outcomes ($123 800)
This project involves helping Indigenous communities set up industries based on the sustainable and commercial use of a range of natural resources, including wildlife.
Northern Land Council.

Improved community awareness of biodiversity through the creation of a flora field guide of the Barkly region ($10 450)
This project, which will involve the cooperation of industry, will raise awareness among pastoralists, land managers and local organisations of the Barkley region's unique flora by producing a comprehensive field guide. This will help the pastoral industry better identify and quantify local vegetation resources and manage them appropriately.
Barkly Landcare and Conservation Association

Grazing land management ($124 500)
This project involves improving the skills of graziers by promoting the use of tools and techniques that will help boost sustainability. It will encourage a ‘systems’ approach to farm production, and include fire and weed management.
Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association

Best practice erosion control in the Roper catchment ($44,000)
This project involves implementing best practice erosion control in the Roper catchment, and will involve workshops, demonstrations and the production of a manual.
Roper River Landcare group

NRM Links: Linking people, knowledge and action in NRM ($53 500)
This project involves increasing the use of research findings and best management practices by all land managers in the region. It also aims to improve the links between research and on-ground works.
Roper River Landcare Group

Healthy, diverse and productive grasslands in the Semi-arid Tropics of the Northern Territory ($118 450)
This project will continue the re-establishment of native pastures, and help landholders and other managers in the semi-arid tropics boost their sustainability by enhancing their understanding of native grasslands and their skills managing them.
Greening Australia NT

Vegetation management training resources for remote Aboriginal communities ($40 000)
This project involves developing and testing resources for Aboriginal trainers to deliver practical, project-based training in managing vegetation in remote communities.
Greening Australia NT

Land & learning resources extension ($57 000)
This project involves developing and testing key sustainable land resources under the Tangentyere’s Land & Learning project. The resources will be mass-produced and used in schools (with a particular focus on those in Indigenous communities and the School of the Air), as part of local teaching courses and to boost capacity building in a range of organisations across the arid zone.
Tangentyere Council

Sustainable development of the Wagiman cattle and plant harvesting businesses ($144 000)
This is the next stage of an integrated programme of sustainable natural resource management and enterprise development by the traditional owners of the Wagiman country in the Upper Daly. It will involve improving their resource management skills and business practices, and consolidating a practical, 10-year plan for their cattle and plant-harvesting businesses.
Pine Creek Aboriginal Advancement Association

Production of education media for erosion prevention, control and rehabilitation ($37 316)
Building on the success of the production of an erosion control video, this project aims to document erosion prevention and remedial works, ensuring catchment-wide benefits in rehabilitating productive lands and protecting surface water.
Victoria River District Conservation Association.

The office is open from 8.30am until 4.30pm Monday to Friday and always welcomes people to drop by and and have a chat or help with any issues that you may have.
All the best for the upcoming year.

ADJOURNMENT
Tiger Airways
Speech
Mr TOLLNER (Solomon) (12.16 p.m.)—I rise today to speak about an announcement made in my electorate of Solomon by the Singaporean based airline Tiger Airways that they will commence service between Darwin and Singapore. The service will commence on Monday, 19 December with four flights per week planned. This will add an additional 37,000 seats per year into Darwin, representing a huge boost in international visitor numbers for the Northern Territory. This will be the greatest number of international seats to Darwin since April 2001.

Tiger Airways is a very, very low-cost airline that has a network into other Asian destinations such as Vietnam, Thailand, Macau, India and the Philippines. I believe that Tiger will be able to market Darwin as the gateway to both Asia and Australia. The unique place that is Darwin has many selling points that appeal to both Asian and Australian tourist and visitors alike. I had the opportunity to meet with Tiger’s CEO, Tony Davis, while stopping in Singapore in July this year. In our discussions, I pointed out to him the potential tourism opportunities of the Northern Territory and the fact that there was plenty of scope for new airlines to fly into Darwin. Mr Davis believed that, because of the increased demand for low-cost airfares in both Asia and Australia, they were in a perfect position to capitalise on both tourist and business-related travellers between Asia and Australia.

Mr Davis also said that he will be marketing Darwin as the gateway to Asia through Tiger’s flying network, and this will provide a stimulus to people interested in travelling to the Northern Territory. This will provide greater awareness of the Territory as an icon tourist destination throughout Australia. At the same time, the airline will assist in building and enhancing relationships with our near neighbours, which can only be good for all of us. As many people are aware, tourism is the second-largest industry in the Territory and the largest-employing sector. The continuing economic development of the NT depends heavily on increases in tourism numbers, and this announcement can only provide a boost to our tourism industry.

Over the years we have seen a decline in international tourism numbers to the Northern Territory, and it is something I have been working very hard with many ministers in this government to improve for the benefit and success of our local tourism operators. For example, the Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment and Heritage recently announced that over $1½ million would be spent on infrastructure upgrades in Kakadu National Park, with much more to come. As well, a Darwin based tourism company recently received funding to help establish safari style camps in three locations across the Northern Territory. These are the sorts of measures which will help attract tourists to the Northern Territory.

As I said, I met with Tony Davis late in July this year in Singapore. Following that meeting, Mr Davis made connections with our international airport in Darwin and also the Northern Territory Tourist Commission. He is now ready to go by 19 December. It gives you a pretty good idea of how quickly these fellows work—how quickly they can get their act together and the professionalism that they have.

I should also acknowledge the very hard work that has been done by the Northern Territory Tourist Commission in promoting the Territory. They have been instrumental in their involvement with this arrangement and they have done a very good job, as has the Darwin International Airport. The CEO there, Mr Ian Kew, and his offsider and great supporter, Peter Roberts, have done a fantastic job in their negotiations with Tiger Airways. They have done a lot of hard work behind the scenes in securing this investment for the Territory.

Finally, I want to thank Tiger Airways and Tony Davis for their belief in the Northern Territory as a low-cost gateway to Asia. They have done an absolutely fantastic job in pulling things together so quickly. I believe that many Territorians will be rushing to get tickets. I will definitely be one of those, and I am sure my family will as well. (Time expired)

ANTI-TERRORISM BILL (NO. 2) 2005
Second Reading
Mr TOLLNER (Solomon) (7.36 p.m.)—Today I want to speak on the Anti-Terrorism Bill (No. 2) 2005 before us. I urge all members of this parliament to support this important legislation. As leaders in our community, we have a responsibility to protect and defend the key institutions and values that we hold dear. When I was considering what to say on this bill today, I noticed a quote on my desktop calendar. It is a quote from John Philpot Curren, the Irish parliamentarian. It says:
Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.
I think that sums it up perfectly for me. I want Australians, and especially Territorians, to be eternally vigilant and to constantly be aware of any threat to our way of life. We must be vigilant. If that means accepting some restrictions on what we do and the introduction of legal measures designed to ensure that those protecting us have the power to act in a responsible and informed way, then that is the price we have to pay.
In my electorate of Solomon, we are on the doorstep of Asia. Darwin is closer to Jakarta than to Canberra. We have twice now had direct experience with the results of terror attacks. I have in the past—and I do so again today—paid tribute to the men and women who, along with the families of those who were injured or killed and who have had to endure so much pain and loss, gave so much of themselves to help and care for the victims of the attacks. Territorians have experienced first-hand the devastation, the wounds and the carnage of these attacks on Australian families. We have struggled, and we continue to struggle, to understand why someone would do this.
In the Top End of the Northern Territory, we have many different cultural groups who have a very proud history in the development of our community. Contrary to what is often promoted in the southern media, we are a tolerant and understanding people who take pride in the make-up of our society. We do not have ethnic ghettos. Soccer matches are not marred by ethnic brawls. We do not have whole suburbs of one ethnic or cultural group that go to war with other ethnic groups, as occurs in places like Sydney or Melbourne.
In the Territory, we get on with one another. People of different ethnic origins are scattered throughout the community. In the street where I live—a very small street—there are probably a dozen families from different cultural and ethnic origins. Where I come from, we all mix together because we have to—we do not have a choice—and we get on well with each other. However, just because our community has this special trait does not mean that we can take it for granted. We must be constantly aware of, and on guard against, any threats to our very cosmopolitan community.
I want to comment on some of the language being used in response to both the introduction of the Anti-Terrorism Bill (No. 2) 2005 and the terror raids that took place a couple of weeks ago in New South Wales and Victoria. I think everybody—in particular, public figures and journalists—has a responsibility to use their words carefully. I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt in the right of every person to free speech. Free speech is an important right for all Australians. While there have been calls for Australia to introduce a bill of rights, I do not think we need one. Our rights are well understood by all and there are enough social mechanisms to make sure that they are protected and policed.
However, I also argue that with every right comes a responsibility. While rights give us certain powers and status, they also give us certain responsibilities, and one of the responsibilities that we have in times like this is to make sure that we use our words responsibly. All due care and attention should be given by those speaking and reporting in the public domain to the effect that their words might have on someone else. I believe in our justice system and I am aware that much of the public discussion surrounding the arrests in Sydney and Melbourne has the potential to harm the process of justice. Every person is entitled to a fair trial, and we must keep this sacrosanct.
Our right to free speech and the responsibilities that flow from it must apply to every person. That is why I believe the comments by some in the Muslim community who say that they will be targeted by rednecks are wrong. I will mention some of the public comments that do not fit well with me. The director of Forum on Australia’s Islamic Relations, Kuranda Seyit, was quoted in the Canberra Times on Thursday, 10 November, as saying that the raids were the Muslim communities’ ‘worst nightmares come true’. The article continues:
“They (the raids) are creating the impression that there are Muslim baddies crawling all over the place,” Mr Seyit said. “We work to create a positive climate (between Muslims) and the non-Muslim community, but that’s been put back seriously in the last couple of days.”
I have to say to Mr Seyit that this is not our worst nightmare come true. Our worst nightmare come true would have been if those people had not been caught and the attacks had occurred, as was alleged to have been their desire.
That takes me back a few years to when the Northern Territory government introduced a mandatory sentencing regime. There were all sorts of outcries that that regime was racist in its intent. People said that, because the jails were full of Aboriginal people, the mandatory sentencing laws targeted Aboriginal people. It was clearly not the case. Those laws targeted people who committed property crimes. If you were committing a property crime at the time, you were deemed to come under the mandatory sentencing regime. The laws have been dropped by the current Northern Territory government because they were deemed to be harsh, not because they were deemed to be racist.
Another article that I read says:
... sheik Abdul Nacer Benbrika told the ABC two months ago: “I am telling you that my religion doesn’t tolerate other religion. It doesn’t tolerate. The only one law which needs to spread, it can be here or anywhere else, has to be Islam.”
They are scary words. If that is the case, we should all be classed as rednecks. I will not back away from saying to Sheik Abdul Nacer Benbrika: you should not be encouraging any act that is not in the interests of Australia. Australians who follow Islam must adhere to and acknowledge the predominant social norms and customs of Australia. We are a pluralist society but we must preserve our Australian way of life. That is what the anti-terrorism legislation aims to protect.
The other point that I want to make today is about the sedition elements of the legislation. I am not totally convinced that we need to pursue a strict approach when it comes to sedition. We must be free to engage in critical comment but, as I said before, it must take note of our responsibilities. As many people know, I have a reputation for being a bit of a straight talker, a reputation that I think most politicians would aim for. My constituents do not want me to hide my opinions under a bushel. They want me to stand up and shout out for their interests and, if that means criticising something or someone, I am all for it. That is the essence of my concerns: I do not want any limitation placed on my ability to stand up and say what the people I represent believe in. I do not want any limitations on what I can and cannot say as to what is in my best interests and the interests of my constituents, Territorians and all Australians.
I support the bill and I understand that it will play a role in safeguarding our society. We must always be aware of threats to our Australian way of life, both externally and internally. In times of threat and intimidation from those who do not agree with our decisions or actions, we must move to introduce legal measures that will enable our law enforcement officials to act decisively and in anticipation. It is no good after the fact if we, as leaders of the community, sit around thinking that we should have done something to prevent a terrorist act. For that reason, I urge all members to support this very critical legislation.

SPEECH
Date Tuesday, 1 November 2005 Database House Hansard
Page 35 Proof Yes
Questioner Responder
Source House Speaker Tollner, David, MP (Solomon,
CLP, Government)
Type Speech In Main Committee
No
Cognate bill:
Mr TOLLNER (Solomon) (6.31 pm)—I rise today to speak on a very important and emotive topic in the Northern Territory—the introduction by the Commonwealth of the Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Bill 2005 and the Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management (Related Amendment) Bill 2005. In introducing these bills, the government is moving to put beyond doubt the establishment of a waste management facility for the storage of low- and medium-level radioactive waste generated by the Commonwealth. The topic of the storage of nuclear waste, like all discussions of the nuclear cycle, is built around fear, emotion, scaremongering and misinformation.
This is very unfortunate in my opinion, because Australia is at a crossroad in respect of its future energy requirements and what effects those requirements will have on future generations of Australians. Members may or may not be aware that the introduction of this legislation has created much discussion and comment in the Northern Territory. The majority of it is being driven by the Territory Labor government, hell-bent on misleading the general public. I have a reputation for being a bit of a straight talker. During this time, I have advocated strongly for the safe and responsible storage of radioactive waste, and I still hold that view. I have also said that the whole issue of a waste facility is of national importance. I do not resile from that fact, and it has guided me in my decision making.

The reason I entered parliament was to do something good for my community. I believe that an elected public official is there to represent people’s views. I also believe that elected politicians have to see themselves as part of the whole Australian community and that at times there are issues out there that are bigger than all of us. The issue of a radioactive waste facility is one of those. I believe that it is in the best interests of all Australians that we have the latest nuclear equipment and scientific and research capabilities. Sadly, we used to be far more progressed and enlightened about the potential benefits of things nuclear. In the 1950s and 1960s we used to have a nuclear program that was one of the most advanced in the world. We had world-class scientists and researchers in Australia pushing the boundaries of nuclear medicine and research. Unfortunately, over time the scaremongering and downright misinformation peddled by those who could not see the long-term benefits of a nuclear program slowly took over and hijacked the debate—and Australia has been the loser for it.
However, not all was lost. We were long-sighted enough to maintain the Lucas Heights HIFAR research reactor, which produces life-saving radioisotopes and radiopharmaceuticals. It is also used for the production of materials commonly used in our everyday lives. I think everybody is becoming well aware of the benefits that these provide, including that on average every single Australian will benefit at least once in their lifetime from a medical procedure that involves radiopharmaceutical production from Lucas Heights. After about 50 years, we are on the verge of switching on a new nuclear research reactor. The OPAL reactor is due for commissioning in 2006, and I am hopeful that this will herald a new understanding and awareness of the benefits that all Australians receive from the Australian nuclear program. It is a state-of-the-art facility, where production of nuclear products will be continued. I took up an invitation to visit the facility a couple of weeks ago, and I have previously thanked the scientists and employees there for sharing their knowledge with me. However, it has become known to me that the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, Clare Martin, and her ministers have not accepted an invitation to visit the facility to gain more information for themselves. People in their positions, who are driving a debate on the supposed dangers of nuclear waste, should have seen at least first-hand and received the finest information on what happens at Lucas Heights. But, no, Clare Martin and her ministers are not interested in understanding this issue. The knowledge and skill of the people at Lucas Heights astounds me. I feel real regret when I think of the scientific knowledge and skill that we have lost over the last four or five decades. We have the noisy, loony Left, like the member for Lingiari and his mates, to thank for that. So let us move on to some more facts, which have been very much missing in the debate so far.
The Australian government will construct a state of- the-art purpose-built facility on Commonwealth land for the management of its radioactive waste. No expense will be spared in the construction of the facility, and it will be the best that money can buy. Low level radioactive waste will be stored or disposed of in a near-surface repository that will cover at least five metres in depth. There are over 30 near-surface repositories in operation around the world. Indeed one of the world’s largest disposal facilities for low level radioactive waste is in the Champagne-Ardennes region of France, the home of world renowned champagne sparkling wine and camembert cheese.
Intermediate-level waste will be stored in a purpose- built facility and will be very securely packaged.
Beyond the repository buffer area, radiation levels will be no greater than normal background radiation. This means that no members of the general public, animals or crops will be exposed to any excess radiation whatsoever from the repository. Transport to the proposed site will be regulated according to the Code of Practice for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material. The low-level waste will require little in the way of special provisions. In fact over the last 40 years, involving the transport of millions of packages of radioactive material, there has not been an incident anywhere in the world involving the transport of this material that has resulted in an adverse radiation related health outcome. Low- and intermediate-level radioactive materials are transported in Australia every day, and the transportation of these materials is less hazardous than the transportation of flammable and toxic liquids such as petrol. Dr Ian Smith, the executive director of ANSTO, at a House of Representatives
Standing Committee on Industry and Resources hearing, said:

In the OECD countries in the last 30 years more than 2,000
people have been killed in transportation accidents shifting
LPG around the country. For the nuclear industry 20 million
packages have been sent 30 billion kilometres without
an accident.

Further, over 30,000 packages of radioactive material are safely transported in Australia every year. Successive Australian governments have agreed that Australia will not accept radioactive waste generated by other countries. This position is based on the principle that countries deriving benefit from radioactive materials and nuclear power should make their own arrangements to manage and dispose of their radioactive waste safely.
I now want to comment on the response of the Northern Territory Labor government to the introduction of this bill. In late 2004 Territory Labor introduced the Northern Territory Nuclear Waste Transport, Storage and Disposal (Prohibition) Act 2004—the best bit of political soapbox grandstanding and hysteria that we have ever seen in the Northern Territory.
They introduced this piece of legislation, knowing full well that it was invalid to the extent that it was inconsistent with existing Commonwealth legislation. They knew it was nothing more than cheap political posturing; they knew it was worthless. They knew that it was completely invalid. However, the grandstanding of Territory Labor has continued with the introduction of the bills we are debating now. Clare Martin and Labor have shamelessly used taxpayers’ funds as a means to attempt to turn this into a statehood issue. As the member for Fairfax rightly pointed out: if Clare Martin and Labor had not actively worked against the 1998 referendum on statehood, the NT government would not be in this position.
In the Northern Territory we have seen public servants being seconded to hand out blatantly political propaganda at local shows; we have seen full-page advertisements in print media, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars; we have seen political staffers using the government email system for political purposes; and, last week, the Labor government sent out about 90,000 reply-paid party political flyers—all at taxpayers’ expense. This is not a public information campaign of any kind. I can guarantee that. It is a scandalous waste of hard-working taxpayers’ money in an attempt to garner nothing more than political points.
The Northern Territory Labor Party need to remember that it was their own colleague the member for Hotham who first began this process of establishing a dedicated nuclear waste facility. It continues to amaze me that the Australian Labor Party does not support this bill, when they began the process in the first place. The member for Jagajaga quite obviously has a severe case of amnesia.
On 7 October 1992 the member for Hotham, in response to a question about whether the government would be forced to acquire the land for this facility, replied,

‘That may be the case.’

Labor’s criticism of the federal government’s decision should be considered in this context. Further, federal Labor should be keeping a better eye on their Territory colleagues if they ever want to establish any sort of credibility. Actually, the member for Lingiari should be keeping a better eye on their irresponsible use of public money, seeing that he is now the ‘factional war lord’ of the Northern Territory ALP in his position as NT president.I would also like to highlight the hypocrisy that is the Northern Territory Labor government’s policy.
Clare Martin and her government have categorically said that there will be no new uranium mines in the Northern Territory. That is based on an outdated and antiquated federal platform. However, Clare Martin is more than happy to receive royalties from uranium mining in the Northern Territory that amount to $9 million to $10 million per year. That is quite an astounding policy position and complete hypocrisy. But it goes further. The same Labor government that does not want or believe in the increased benefits that increased uranium mining could bring to the Northern Territory allows the transport of yellowcake on the Adelaide to Darwin railway and allows all of Australia’s yellowcake to go across the Darwin port. Indeed, Clare Martin is all for it because, as she said, ‘It will help the viability of the railway.’ That is complete hypocrisy. It is quite an astounding policy position.

However, I am very pleased to alert the House that not all people in the Territory are hell-bent on jumping on Labor’s 5c soapbox and running this misleading and quite astoundingly incorrect information. In fact those people are in the minority. The Northern Territory Chamber of Commerce, the Northern Territory Minerals Council, the majority of letters to the editor and the majority of letters, phone calls, faxes and emails to my office have been in favour of this facility. Last week, a press conference was held by the Northern Land Council which a local political commentator described as one of the more important in the Territory’s 27-year history of self-government. At this media conference, the NLC Chairman, John Daly, made public its full council’s view that the NLC had decided that the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory had adopted a position that is ‘irresponsible, irrelevant and an abject failure of leadership’. Further, the Northern Land Council rejected the Chief Minister’s position that the siting of the facility in the Northern Territory is a statehood issue. I seek leave to table that press release.

Leave granted.

Mr TOLLNER—Those are damning words from a major land owner in the Northern Territory. However, what was very positive was that the NLC wanted to be part of the decision-making process and asked that an amendment be proposed to allow the NLC to nominate an alternative site provided that traditional owners agree and that sacred site and environmental issues are protected. Funnily enough, I and my colleague Senator Scullion had just flagged that we were going to do just that. Further, last week the former Chairman of the Northern Land Council, Mr Galarrwuy Yunupingu, issued a press release in which he welcomed the NLC’s comments and supported their call to allow for nomination of a proposed site. MrYunupingu also said,

‘This is not about Statehood.
This is a national interest issue.’

I seek leave to table that document.

Leave granted.

Mr TOLLNER—These are representatives and leaders in the electorate of the member for Lingiari. In fact, it would be fair to say that they are largely responsible for his election to this place. These are his own constituents, who want to be involved in the siting of the facility. The member’s claim that his constituents do not want the facility is absolute rubbish. It is also interesting to note an editorial in the Northern Territory News yesterday that argued that it is time for a reasonable and rational debate about the waste facility. In fact, I believe it was such a good editorial that the House should hear it:

It’s time for the hysteria surrounding the building of a nuclear waste facility in the Northern Territory to stop. Callers to radio talkback shows are regularly saying they fear a new generation of deformed babies.
That is the kind of arrant nonsense being pedalled by fanatical greenies.
The truth is low-level waste can be stored safely in concrete bunkers. Medium and high-level waste can be stored underground by a process called Synroc. In fact, nuclear waste could be stored next to Darwin’s municipal rubbish dump—and would be safer than where it is now. The campaign against the waste depository is being driven by the Territory Government. The Government has every right to oppose the facility— even if putting the dishonest spin of State rights on the issue.
But that doesn’t give the Government carte blanche to abuse its position of authority by encouraging public servants to join the campaign. Emails obtained by the Northern Territory News show this is exactly what is happening. And the Government should not contemplate a legal challenge to the waste facility. Such a court challenge would cost millions of dollars and would have no chance of success. The Northern Land Council and the Yolngu of northeast Arnhem Land have offered to take the depository. They understand that by engaging the Federal Government they will be able to have some control over the siting of the facility—and, possibly, pick up development dollars along the way.
At least some are being mature and sensible.
The waste centre will be built in the Territory no matter what—and Territorians have a right to an informed, rational debate about the subject.

In conclusion, I want to pose serious questions to the federal Labor Party. Why did the amendment proposed by the member for Jagajaga not comprehensively rule out the siting of a radioactive waste facility in the Northern Territory? Why couldn’t you and your party rule out, in black and white, exactly what Clare Martin was calling for? I reckon I have got the answer. The answer is that you actually support the siting of the Commonwealth radioactive waste facility in the Northern Territory. That is why you have failed to rule out the possibility of the site in the NT—you actually support it. I can understand this. Even though you failed to establish this facility after many years of trying, you, the federal Labor Party, actually believe that this facility should be established and, since your mates in South Australia and every other state oppose it being in their state, you would be moving to place the facility in the Northern Territory if ever you were elected to government. I would like you to tell Clare Martin and her Labor colleagues in the Northern Territory that this issue is bigger than her attempt at cheap political grandstanding and it is in the best interests of all Australians that this facility is built. And, finally, I want you to support these bills with the amendments that I will propose when the bills are considered in detail in this place.

And it’s working.
- Fewer people are engaging in drug abuse – from 22% in 1998 to 15.3% in 2003.
- Fewer people are dying of drug overdoses – from 1,100 in 1999 to under 400 in 2002; and
- More parents are talking to their children about drugs –78% of parents spoke to their children about drugs as part of the 2001 Illicit Drugs Campaign.
Law enforcement efforts continue to disrupt criminal drug importation following the Coalition’s increased assistance for Customs and the Australian Federal Police. There have been record drug seizures with over 11 tonnes of illicit drugs seized since late 1997.


We’re getting real results but drugs remain a problem that we all must work to fix. We all have a responsibility to help our law enforcement agencies.

To report any information regarding the growing, production or sale of illegal drugs like marijuana, heroin, cocaine or amphetamines such as ecstasy, please call your local police station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Parents who would like more information about how they can protect their children from drugs, including a brochure with 10 ways to encourage their children to talk about drugs should call my office on (08)8981 3434 or visit www.drugs.health.gov.au online.

...and to successfully working with the Traditional Owners in preserving and promoting the important cultural and environmental values of this World Heritage listed park.
Upgrades announced include:
Ubirr - $135,000 to upgrade the walking track and handrails at the art site;
Manngarre - $70,000 to replace timber decking with aluminium material;
Mamukala - $60,000 to upgrade the wetlands walkway;
Campgrounds - $206,000 to paint and upgrade toilet facilities/ablution blocks;
Anbangbang - $25,000 to improve safety measures along the Anbangbang Picnic Road;
Northern Information Bay - $30,000 to improve signage and visitor information;
Bowali Visitor Centre - $80,000 to upgrade audio visual equipment and air-conditioning at the theatrette.

Despite making significant inroads into the legacy of high regional unemployment left by previous Labor Governments, the Howard Government is continuing to promote employment programmes in regional areas.

There are now over 1,100 Job Network services sites across Australia to further improve job outcomes for people in both metropolitan and regional areas.

With the unemployment rate at a 28 year low, it has never been a better time to encourage those on welfare who are able to work, to re-engage with the labour market and gain the security of paid employment.

Further, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently released a report noting that the Australian economy is now in its 14th year of growth and that the income per capita of Australians, and Territorians, has increased to almost 10% above the other developed nations average.

The IMF also supports the case for further industrial relations reforms that the Howard government is considering. It said that these proposed chages would increase the ability of people to get a job and that increased productivity would benefit the whole nation.

As part of the Howard Government, I believe that all Australians and Teritorians benefit from a growing economy and I will working hard to deliver job opportunities for the Territory.

Sections of the union movement have recently tried to cast doubt on the assertion that real wages have increased by 14 per cent under the Howard Government.

However, the facts are clear:

"The Government’s assertion that real wages have risen by 14 per cent is based on the Australian Bureau of Statistics Average Earnings measure published in its quarterly National Accounts. It covers the nine-year period from March 1996 to March 2005.

Data from the March Quarter 2005 National Accounts shows that average earnings have, in fact, risen by 38 per cent in nominal terms over the period since March 1996. After taking account of the corresponding National Accounts indicator of inflation, measured real wages across Australia have increased by 14.7 per cent under the Coalition.

The comparable figure under 13 years of the previous Labor Government was a mere 1.2 per cent rise in real wages.

Separately, Australian Bureau of Statistics analysis on household incomes shows that over the ten-year period from 1994-95 to 2003-04 the real incomes of low and middle income households have increased by a proportionately greater amount than the richest households.

On any reading, the workers of Australia have prospered under the good economic management of the Coalition Government, seeing their wages grow, their interest rates lowered and their disposable incomes and living standards rise. "

The 26th of May is significant because the Prime Minister announced a number of significant changes to Australia’s workplace relations system.

These reforms are part of the Howard Government’s practical plan to ensure that our economy remains strong, jobs continue to grow and remain secure, and the real wage growth Australia has enjoyed in recent years continues.


Real wages have increased by 14% under the Howard Government, compared with an increase of only 1.2% during Labor’s 13 years in power.


The Prime Minister has announced that the Government will:



• introduce a national system of workplace relations;
• establish the Australian Fair Pay Commission to protect minimum and award classification wages;

• enshrine minimum conditions in legislation for the first time;

• introduce the Australian Fair Pay and Conditions Standard to protect workers in the bargaining process;

• simplify the agreement making process at the workplace;

• provide modern award protection for those not covered by agreements;

• ensure an ongoing role for the Australian Industrial Relations Commission; and

• fix Labor’s ‘unfair’ unfair dismissal laws.





The Government’s reforms do not:



- cut minimum and award classification wages

- abolish awards

- remove the right to join a union

- take away the right to strike

- outlaw union agreements

- abolish the AIRC

THANK YOU TO SOLOMON VOTERS: First of all, thanks to all voters in Solomon for supporting both me and the Prime Minister with your vote. I take my hat off to the PM. He is a great leader and is leading a great team of people. I think Territorians really have a soft spot for him. He's the bloke who delivered the hundred year promise of our railway line, he's the bloke whose government oversaw getting gas onshore and ensure the Territory continues with the strong defence build up in the north. And he visits the Territory regularly. I don't think there has been a Prime Minister in history who has been up here as much as this PM has been and I think Territorians respect him for that. As the PM said on Saturday night, we dedicate ourselves to delivering good government for you over the coming term. I look forward to helping you in any way that I can over that time.

As the election campaign begins to draw out Labor policies the news from Mark Latham is worse than even I thought it would be. We already know that if interest rates rise under inexperienced Latham Labor Government then we’ll all end up paying more for a home mortgage.

For example if you have a $190,000 mortgage and interest rates rise from their average under the Coalition to the average under Labor when they were in office, your payments would rise by $545 a month!

Over the past few years the Coalition has brought about personal income tax cuts and introduced a number of benefits to support families.

But Labor has said it will abolish the Family Tax Benefit Part B, making many single income families worse off. For instance a single income couple with two children, one under 5, earning $30,000 a year would be $208 worse off under Labor.

Sole parents, including those who are working part time, would be even worse off - a sole parent with a four-year-old and a six-year-old, working part time for $10,000 a year, would be $443 worse off under Labor’s proposed tax system.

Labor has also said it will scrap the Coalition’s $600 Family Tax Benefit Supplement per child, per year - meaning that under Labor, the more children you have, the more money you lose.

With one child, you lose $600, with two you lose $1200, with three you lose $1800 of the Coalition’s Family Tax Benefit.

On top of that Mark Latham is raiding the future to pay for his policies. Labor would claw $3.8 billion out of superannuation in its first three years, scrapping the Coalition’s co-contributions scheme under which the Government pays $1.50 for every $1 invested by low and middle income earners. Someone earning $25,000 per year over 30 years would lose more than $100,000 under Labor’s disastrous superannuation proposals.

There is no doubt that good economic management is the key to our collective future as it allows us to invest even more in health, education and families including strengthening Medicare, restoring and protecting our environment keeping mortgage repayments low, providing more support for families and providing more jobs & better opportunities for local job seekers.

This election people should vote selfishly – that is, in your own best interests to preserve the benefits of low interest rates, better family payments and sound economic management.

The announced $2 billion plus expansion plans at Gove are great news for the Territory, creating jobs and lifting the Territory’s export performance even higher.

The announcement (http://www.alcangove.com.au/) states that production capacity will increase from 2 to 3.8 million tonnes per annum by 2007, with the potential for additional capacity in the future through continuous improvement.

The increase in alumina production will allow Alcan to meet increasing worldwide demand for alumina, and represents a significant investment in the economic development of Nhulunbuy and the Northern Territory.

It is the latest in a series of good news for the Territory that is all about a diverging and expanding economic base. This election is about securing that future – with Latham Labor threatening an end to workplace agreements and other industrial relations reforms that could see such developments grind to a halt as employers and employees find themselves having to accommodate new Labor - labour laws.

I’ll have more to say on that at my address to the North Darwin Business Association on Tuesday evening.

Alcan’s announcement is particularly significant as it is a prerequisite for Alcan’s involvement in the proposed $500 million Trans Territory Pipeline Project, and as the foundation customer of the $500 million Blacktip Gas project. In March 2004 the Howard Government granted Major Project Facilitation Status to both projects – securing important support from Invest Australia in recognition of the projects’ long-term benefits. Alcan and the Blacktip Joint Venture participants (Woodside Energy and Eni Australia) are planning the 1000km gas pipeline across the Northern Territory to supply natural gas to the Gove alumina refinery and the North East Arnhem region.

The Trans Territory Pipeline will carry gas from the Blacktip gas field in the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf, south west of Darwin, improving power supply and infrastructure for Gove, and providing opportunities for new and existing businesses in the region. If the gas project is approved, construction of the Trans Territory Pipeline would commence in 2005, potentially delivering natural gas to the Gove Peninsula as early as 2007.

I see this project as an opportunity to simultaneously open up Arnhemland to other economic prospects and have agreement in principle from the Northern Land Council who are keen to see new investment in the region and new opportunities for Aboriginal communities and landholders.

Defence Minister Robert Hill visited Darwin Tuesday to both meet with business representatives in the Territory’s defence support industry and announce $20 million of extensions at the Larrakeyah harbour side base.

Labor has tried to whip up hysteria about the impending arrival in Darwin of TenixToll Defence Logistics Pty Ltd, a joint venture between Tenix Defence Pty Ltd and Toll Holdings Limited, which won the national tender for defence logistics services under the Defence Integrated Distribution System contract. Senator Hill told representatives of local companies that he understood their concerns but believed the contract would mean more work in Darwin for people in the industry.

Labor has been claiming that jobs will be lost, businesses would go broke and millions will be lost from Top End industry. I’ve been in close touch with the Minister about their concerns and there’s no doubt that Labor are merely trying to exploit the situation for short term political gain. However there are a few existing Territory businesses that may end up in direct competition with the TenixToll newcomers so I’m working hard to make sure their interests are protected.

The idea that the Territory should be ‘quarantined’ from the national contract as suggested by Labor would only see the defence support industry in the Top End strangled at birth. More to come on this issue when Senator Hill has had a close look at TenixToll’s business plans.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the jobless rate is set to fall yet again before the end of the year to a 30 year low of just 5.25% on the back of a strong economy, boosting the Coalition's credentials as the "superior manager of the economy."

Commenting on the achievement, Federal Treasurer Peter Costello said: "Labour market conditions are currently the strongest sustained in over 26 years which is the pay-off from the wide range of macroeconomic and micro-economic reforms implemented by the Coalition Government."

To read the full article visit the SMH website at:
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/09/06/1094322717439.html

From 1 January 2005, the rebate for all GP services will be increased from 85 per cent to 100 per cent of the Medicare Schedule Fee. For a standard 15 minute surgery consultation, this would mean an additional rebate of $4.50 a visit for the patient.
Where the service is bulk-billed, this will be paid to the doctor as well as the bulk-billing incentives of Strengthening Medicare where these apply.

This will apply to services provided in GPs’ surgeries, after-hours, home and aged care facility visits, and services provided by GPs to their patients in a hospital.

This initiative will cost $1.8 billion over four years.

The Howard Government is able to deliver this benefit to all Australians because competent and focussed economic management over the past 8½ years has produced a strong economy and a strong Budget. This means that health services can be made more affordable for all Australians while keeping the Budget in surplus and keeping pressure off interest rates.

First up my thanks to the hundreds of Territory residents who have written, called in or emailed me over the past (nearly) three years since I was elected to Parliament.

Where I have been able to put in a word or give a helping hand I’ve been proud and pleased to do so. I’ve appreciated the advice, the information and the concerns that you have expressed. It was the high level of interest from constituents that prompted me to organise a new website with much greater interactive features so that you can more easily get your points of view across to me. I am sure you will find it a useful tool and I hope to hear even more from you all.

My first three years as the representative of the people of Darwin and Palmerston have been both rewarding and frustrating. The House of Representatives is a place where the bigger States have up to 50 members to represent their interests – while the Northern Territory has just two voices – and the other voice, from the electorate of Lingiari, speaks primarily for the left wing faction of the Labor Party. Warren Snowdon and I, therefore, have our disagreements about what Territorians want and expect from their representatives.

Despite that, the experience has been good. I have had the advantage of sitting with those on the Howard Coalition Government side of the Chamber and that has opened up doors to Ministers’ offices to achieve results that would be impossible from the Opposition benches. There have been a number of wins – getting the Prime Minister to end gate fees into Kakadu National Park, agreement to put a Medicare Office in Palmerston, winning the fight to retain two Lower House seats for the Territory, a big lift in Commonwealth road funding, ending the uncertainty for residents from East Timor, special regional funding status for the Charles Darwin University, special grants and financial support for key community and charitable organisations – all these and more make the job even more rewarding.

But there is much more to be done and I’m asking for your support to help make it happen. I see the re-election of a Howard Government as absolutely vital to our interests in the Territory and Australia. John Howard has shown himself to be a true friend of the Territory. He was of course Treasurer way back in 1978 when the Territory gained self government and it wasn’t until the arrival of a Labor Government in Canberra that we saw big cutbacks in Federal funding to the Territory. Famously the Labor Finance Minister’s office once advocated depopulating the Territory ‘with a machine gun if necessary’ because Labor believed Territorians were getting too good a financial deal. It took the return of a Coalition Government to see the Territory once again figure in national decision-making – the construction of the long awaited Adelaide-Darwin Railway being the most visible sign of that change of attitude at the top. In my talks with the Prime Minister he has often stated his belief in the future of the Territory and the importance of key economic areas, particularly the gas fields in the Timor Sea.

But, Territory considerations aside, this election comes down to a choice between a proven team of experienced leadership and good economic managers or the risk of Latham Labor. That risk is not just about managing an $800 billion economy in a way which keeps interests rates, inflation and unemployment at record lows, but also the management of key economic areas such as labour markets, taxation, industrial relations and even education and health.

Commentators have said there’s little difference between the parties. The media focuses on who wins debates, who made a gaffe, who looked best – and generally consigns policy reports to the inside pages, if at all. But it is policies that will make the future – and it is on their policies that political parties must be judged. For instance, voters should be aware that the Greens advocate voting rights for convicted criminals in our prisons and that the Democrats argue for taxpayer funded sex change operations for those who want them. And small business needs to know that a Latham Labor Government will introduce a payroll tax to fund workers’ entitlements in the event of insolvency, give union officials ‘right of entry’ to any small business at any time and abolish Workplace Agreements. That’s just for starters. There’s plenty more to come in this campaign.