Natasha Griggs (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There are now just three days until Territorians go to the polls. There is a clear choice for Territorians—a tired and deceptive Henderson Labor government that support Prime Minister Julia Gillard's toxic carbon tax or the Country Liberals government led by Terry Mills, who has a solid plan for a secure future for Territorians. Terry Mills and the Country Liberals do not support a carbon tax. The Country Liberals are very proud to have my leader, the honourable Tony Abbott, visit the Northern Territory. This is in stark contrast to Territory Labor, who have abandoned their Labor heritage and their Labor brand, and who definitely do not want Prime Minister Gillard to visit the Territory.

One of the common issues raised with me, despite it not being a federal issue, is anti-social behaviour and the high number of drunk itinerants in our parks, gardens and streets. As far as I am concerned Labor has had 11 years to remove the itinerant drunks from our parks and gardens, but what have they done? Nothing. It is just another Labor failure. In terms of fixing the itinerant drunks Territorians know that it is not rocket science.

A Terry Mills Country Liberals government will wage a war on itinerant drunks on our streets on Sunday, 26 August. This will be known as Crime Ground Zero in our parks and gardens. We all know that Labor are soft on crime. In contrast the Country Liberals are not. As each day passes during the campaign Territory Labor seem to have become faker and faker. We learnt that they were so desperate to hold onto power, just like the Gillard Labor government, that the Territory Henderson Labor government will do and say anything to stay in power.

Let us face it, they have been deceiving Territorians for 11 years. The latest deception uncovered was that they had been diverting police officers from day-to-day policing to the job of removing itinerant drunks from the streets just to give the impression they were doing something about antisocial behaviour. This follows them being caught out spinning the truth about their record on crime. No amount of spin from the Henderson Labor government will change the fact that crime in the Territory is becoming out of control. Don't Territorians deserve the right to feel safe? Territorians tell me they do not want drunken itinerants on the street. Surely, they deserve that.

A Country Liberals government will give Territorians a government that has a plan to secure the Territory's future. Let us face it, Labor Chief Minister Paul Henderson has already cast his vote by not inviting the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, to Darwin to support his election campaign. She should have come to the Territory to apologise to the small business operators, the backbone of the Territory, for the impact her toxic carbon tax has had on their businesses. I have been contacted by crocodile farmers, mango farmers, builders, auto gas electricians, cold store operators and air-conditioner retailers who told me that their businesses are significantly under strain because of the carbon tax that Paul Henderson's Labor team support.

We saw in the past dodgy campaign tactics by the Labor Party from the phoney sacking of a senior adviser who tried to stop a story running in the paper to the release of fake crime statistics to cover up the Henderson Labor government's failed banned drinking register. Then there are the claims that the Country Liberals will sack public servants and can the BASSINTHEGRASS festival, how ridiculous—all serious mistruths. Instead of wasting time making up false accusations, the Henderson Labor team should pay more attention to its candidates. This week Labor's Ken Vowles said that the high cost of housing in the Territory was not a concern for locals—what a joke. His comments clearly indicate just how out of touch Labor and Kenny Vowles are with the community and with our cost-of-living pressures. The Country Liberals are serious about the Territory's future and they know what Territorians want. Now is the time to change. It is time for a Country Liberals government.