Nova Peris (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I too rise to speak on this matter of public importance, the Prime Minister's failed leadership. No prime minister has ever let down the people of Australia and the people of the Northern Territory as badly as Mr Abbott has, and he is being challenged, right now, because of it. Mr Abbott's leadership has been two years of unfairness, broken promises, negativity, fear and loathing.

On some levels, the Prime Minister seems to have offended most of the country. In Mr Abbott's world, women seem to do nothing but iron clothes, Australia was empty before the First Fleet arrived and Aboriginal people living on their traditional lands is just a lifestyle choice. Mr Abbott's world is full of misunderstanding of the people he was elected to govern. He thought Australians would put up with a Medicare co-payment, $100,000 university degrees and a knighthood for Prince Philip. The reactions of Australians have shown the Prime Minister just how out of touch he is. They have shown him that they will not put up with unfairness, fearmongering or ministers who mislead.

I want to tell the Prime Minister—if it is still Mr Abbott!—how he has hurt Territorians and why the Northern Territory will not put up with him any longer. By the sound of it, neither will his own cabinet. The people of the Northern Territory and the whole of northern Australia are smarter than the coalition give them credit for. Contrary to what Mr Dutton thinks, we do not operate on 'Cape York time' or 'Territory time'. The people of the Northern Territory have suffered under the double whammy of the woeful—I repeat: woeful—Country Liberal government in the Northern Territory and the Abbott government here in Canberra. The woeful Country Liberal government in the Northern Territory have become a laughing stock in Australia, and I will tell you why, Mr Acting Deputy President Williams—because we have had 14 cabinet reshuffles, 2½ chief ministers, four treasurers, and four members who have defected, all in the space of three years. You could not make that up if you tried.

Territorians have been slugged by the Abbott government's cuts, delays and incompetence. Much of the funding under the Indigenous Advancement Strategy is needed in the Northern Territory, but it was cut in half; half a billion dollars for Aboriginal services across this country have been ripped out of the IAS. People in the Northern Territory bush and outstations have been let down by this government. Health, education and nutritional organisations have all been hurt. Legal aid services have suffered and face continued uncertainty. Hundreds of people are wondering whether they will have a job in the coming months, the next six months or next year. Hundreds face the possibility of having to represent themselves in court because of the funding cuts. Childcare centres have closed, school attendance is not getting any better and homelands face closure under the CLP and the coalition government. The people of the Northern Territory have been let down by this government. Since coming into office in 2012, the Northern Territory Country Liberal government has been characterised by division, chaos and lies.

Since coming into government in 2013, the Abbott government has made it worse for the people of the Northern Territory. The cost of living has gone up. Power and water prices have gone up. Unemployment is up. There are big delays to all kinds of government programs and infrastructure projects.

Under these two governments, there have been two major delays. One is to the Palmerston hospital, which is now years behind. The member for Solomon in the other place promised her electorate that the construction of the hospital would start in 2014. It is almost the end of 2015, and nothing has started. The other is the children's wing at Royal Darwin Hospital, which is also now not going ahead, again thanks to the total lack of commitment to the health of Territorians from both the CLP and the federal coalition government.

The Abbott government failed on school funding. Labor committed to proper schools funding in the Northern Territory. The Abbott government backed down on Gonski funding, and the CLP has slashed teachers like you would not believe, including support staff across Territory schools. Class sizes are up and workloads for teachers are up. It is no wonder that the people of the Territory are turning their backs on Mr Adam Giles and Mr Abbott. They have failed to take notice of the very real struggles faced by everyday Territorians. They are completely out of touch with Territory communities.

This is all occurring against the backdrop of constant talk about the development of northern Australia. Labor support the meaningful development of northern Australia. We support sustainable economic development in the Top End. We support increased employment opportunities for Aboriginal people and all Territorians. But how can the Abbott government honestly say that they are taking Northern Territory development seriously when they are slashing and burning their way through the north? They talk about great big, new projects, but guess what, Mr Acting Deputy President Williams? Not a single new project in the Top End has been delivered by the Abbott government, not even projects started by the previous Territory and federal Labor governments, like the Palmerston hospital and the children's wing at the Royal Darwin Hospital, as I said before, which have both been delayed. The member for Solomon has failed to lobby the Prime Minister to move any of this forward; and, if she did lobby him, she too has failed miserably. The people of Lingiari are fortunate to have my colleague Warren Snowdon to stand up for them here in Canberra. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about Mrs Griggs.

It is not just the Prime Minister who has failed the people of the Territory; most of his cabinet have too. The Treasurer, Mr Hockey, told Australia that poor people do not drive cars, at a time when Territorians were paying more for fuel than people anywhere else in Australia. Mr Pyne has slashed education funding while the Northern Territory struggles to catch up with the rest of Australia in our education standards. And, on Friday, Mr Dutton referred to 'Cape York time' as if he thinks northern Australia is behind the times. He seems to think that the north cannot keep up. This represents a major problem in the Abbott government, and we are seeing things unravel today. They simply do not have the respect of northern Australia. They do not trust that the north of Australia can look after itself. It makes a complete mockery of their so-called commitment to northern Australia, as I have previously said.

Mr Tony Abbott's leadership lacks compassion and creativity—and love from his own party, by the sound of what is happening right now. Every time he is asked about his government's record to date, he starts telling us about the things he has stopped, banned or pulled down. He has not created anything good that Australia can feel proud of. He is a wrecker, not a builder.

This government has failed the people in the north. Territorians are sick and tired of the broken promises, chaos and dysfunction that have just gotten worse since Adam Giles and Mr Abbott took over. The member for Solomon has failed to protect Darwin and Palmerston from her boss in Canberra. The CLP have failed to deliver for Territorians since they were elected in 2012.

The Prime Minister's failed leadership has cost the Territory jobs and perhaps cost him his own job. It has cost money. It has cost us health and education outcomes. The end cannot come soon enough.