ESTIMATES COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS – 17 JUNE 2010
Mr HAMPTON: No. I am happy to answer questions on climate change as Minister for Climate
Change.
Mr CHANDLER: Well, I will go back to the original questioning. Can you
explain how you will achieve
some of the goals in relation to environment sustainability with recent announcements about securing
two gas-fired generators to provide capacity for the next eight years? How does this demonstrate your
government’s stated commitment to renewables? Is your government not addicted to popular spin but
have no real plan to tackle climate change or commitment to renewable energy?
Mr HAMPTON: Again, there might be some there related to climate change.
Mr CHANDLER: I only mentioned climate change. I can remove the term ‘climate change’.
Mr HAMPTON: In terms of Power and Water, they are questions that should have been asked of the
Minister for Power and Water, or it can be tomorrow.
Mr CHAIRMAN: We have a Government Owned Corporations Scrutiny Committee that comes in
tomorrow. We actually have extra time for the scrutiny committee
than last year, we have three hours
for Power and Water, the Power and Water Chairman and the CEO come in, and so that is where
questions for power and water belong.
Mr CHANDLER: Actually, the next question does relate to Power and Water, and perhaps I could
(inaudible), but it does talk about sustainable, and it basically talks about how different government
departments state they intend to achieve certain targets.
A member: Climate change.
Mr CHANDLER: No, not climate
change targets, I have not said it yet. And yet, in this case here, we
have a department that has stepped in and put in place old technology, taking up capacity for
generation for the next eight years, as the minister in charge of the Environment, how do you now
attract private companies to invest in renewable energy here in the Northern
Territory if there is no
capacity?
Mr HAMPTON: Member for Brennan, I am not sure what you are trying to get at. Obviously, there
have been questions this week to all particular ministers in terms of those issues related to their
portfolios and agencies, in terms of what they are doing, their efforts are, to meeting some of our
climate change targets and actions in terms of energy, renewable energy targets, so I am not sure …
Mr CHANDLER: My question, perhaps is, as the minister for a sustainable future for our environment,
for climate change, we all have these aspirational goals about heading down
the renewable track, but
if you have got another department, such as Power and Water, and I know they are a business
enterprise, but they are investing in older technology and taking up any capacity in the future, how do
you as the minister then attract another company to come in here and perhaps invest in renewable
energy when there is no market for it?
Mr HAMPTON: Well, once again, I think it is a different output group area that you are
talking about in
terms of climate change, and I am happy to talk about then, and in relation to each individual agency,
there have been questions directed to ministers about what they are doing.
Mr CHANDLER: And I appreciate that.
Mr HAMPTON: I, as the Environment minister, cannot speak for what those individual agencies are
doing.
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS – 17 JUNE 2010
Mr CHANDLER: And I am not asking you to speak on their behalf, I am asking you here.
Mr HAMPTON: I think it is something that I can talk about in the
climate change output group, unless
you do not have any further questions in terms of environment and sustainability.
Mr CHANDLER: No, I am happy to …
Mr CHAIRMAN: Member for Nelson, do you have any questions to Output 4.1, Environment and
Sustainability?
Mr WOOD: No.
Mr CHAIRMAN: In that case, that concludes consideration of Environment and Sustainability.
OUTPUT GROUP 5.0 – HERITAGE
Output 5.1- Heritage Conservation
Mr CHAIRMAN: We will move on to Output 5.0 Heritage, 5.1 Heritage Conservation.
Mr CHANDLER: Minister, how can you suggest this government cares about our heritage when we
see reduced budgets, unkempt monuments and a lack of a real plan to deal with much of the
Territory’s history?
Mr WOOD: That is a broad question.
Mr HAMPTON: Member for Brennan, in terms of heritage, there is certainly a lot of fantastic highlights
that I can certainly be happy to say in Estimates here. I
In 2009-10, we have provided $375 000 to support community-based heritage initiatives, including
$200 000 for the annual Heritage Grants Program to assist private
owners of heritage places, and
$120 000 for annual grants to the National Trust of the Northern Territory, again, a highlight of the
budget in 2009-10. We also continue to implement the government’s Heritage 2010 initiative, which
provides $1m per annum for repairs and maintenance of publicly-owned heritage properties. In
Budget 2010-11, we have got $375 000 to support community-based heritage initiatives, again
including $200 000 for the annual Heritage Grants Program to assist owners of heritage places, and
$120 000 for the annual grants of the National Trust of the Northern Territory.
Member for Brennan, we continue to implement the government’s Heritage 2010 initiative, which
provides $1m per annum for repairs and maintenance of publicly-owned heritage properties. So I
think, in terms of those, what we need to also remember is that we do attract some external funding,
and this was received in 2009-10. That was $737 for the
Hermannsburg historic precinct, and $46 000
for the historic shipwrecks programs. There is also a carry over of historic shipwrecks external
program funding from 2008-09 to 2009-10 of $2000, and a division budget realignment as well as
reprioritisation. So, member for Brennan, I think this government has a fantastic record when it comes
to our heritage and preserving it.
Mr CHANDLER: I did have quite a few questions on Heritage but I will just ask one last question
before the member for Nelson would like to ask a question.
Minister, can you advise if the old Catalina flying boat ramp at East Arm will be given any protection or
listed as a Heritage site and, if not, why not given its World War II importance?
Mr HAMPTON: Member for Brennan, I am happy to get Mr Darcey to answer that.
Mr DARCEY: Unfortunately I am unable to answer that question. I am happy to take it on notice.
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