The long road to statehood Report of the inquiry into the federal implications of statehood for the Northern Territory

Alice Springs - 14 November 2006

Ellery Room

Alice Springs Convention Centre

Darwin - 15-16 November 2006

Strangers Lounge

Legislative Assembly

of the Northern Territory

Principal speakers

10 minutes per speaker

Questions from Committee members to the principal speakers

20-30 minutes

Comments from additional invited guests and public

20-30 minutes

Plus additional open discussion session at conclusion of each day

30-45 minutes

10:25am Welcome

The Hon Peter Slipper MP

10:30am

Future status of Commonwealth land in the Northern Territory and Aboriginal land rights

( 10:30am – 11:10am )

( 11:10am – 11:30am )

• The Hon Warren Snowdon MP (Member for Lingiari)
• Mr Bernie Kilgariff (former NT Senator)
• Mr John Liddle (Male Health Coordinator, Central Australian Aboriginal Congress) with
• Dr Martin Mowbray (Congress Research and Policy Officer)

(Questions from the Committee )

( 11:30am – 12:00pm )

Group discussion

• Members of the NT Statehood Steering Committee
• Members of the NT Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee

1:00pm

Session resumption

( 1:00pm – 1:40pm )

• Ms Shirley McPherson (Chairperson, Indigenous Land Corporation) with
• Mr Paul Hayes (ILC Principal Legal Officer)
• Ms Jayne Weepers (Policy Officer, Central Land Council)

( 1:40 – 2:00pm )

(Questions from the Committee )

( 2:00pm – 2:25pm )

Group discussion

• Members of the NT Statehood Steering Committee
• Members of the NT Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee

9:00am Session One

Seminar Opening and Welcome

Principal Speakers

• The Hon Peter Slipper MP - Welcome
• The Hon Syd Stirling MLA (Minister for Statehood, NT Government)

9:30am Session Two

Recent Northern Territory Developments on statehood and proposals to advance statehood

Principal Speakers

• Ms Barbara McCarthy MLA (Chair NT Statehood Steering Committee)
• Mrs Sue Bradley (Co-chair NT Statehood Steering Committee)
• The Hon Stephen Hatton ( Former Chief Minister , NT )
• Mr Jamey Robertson (Secretary, Unions NT)
• Senator Trish Crossin (NT Senator)

Other session participants

• Representative of the NT Local Government Association
• Members of the NT Statehood Steering Committee
• Members of the NT Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee

11:30am Session
Three

Commonwealth constitutional matters and achieving statehood

Principal Speakers

• The Hon Dean Mildren (Justice of the NT Supreme Court)
• Mr Graham Nicholson (Legal adviser to NT Statehood Steering Committee)
• Mr Tom Pauling QC (NT Solicitor-General)

Other session participants

• Representative of the Constitutional Policy Unit, Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department
• Representative of the NT Department of Justice
• Members of the NT Statehood Steering Committee
• Members of the NT Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee

2:15pm Session Four

Representation of the new state in the Federal Parliament and future status of Commonwealth legislation currently applying to the Northern Territory

Principal Speakers

• Mr David Tollner MP (Member for Solomon )
• The Hon Austin Asche AC QC (Chair, NT Law Reform Committee

Other session participants

• Representative of the Australian Electoral Commission
• Representative of the NT Electoral Commission
• Representative of the NT Department of Justice
• Members of the NT Statehood Steering Committee
• Members of the NT Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee

4:00pmSession Five

Open Public Discussion

9:00am Session One

Future control of industrial relations and financial relations between a new state and the Commonwealth

Principal Speakers

Financial Relations:

• Mr Alan Morris (Chairperson, Commonwealth Grants Commission)
• Ms Jennifer Prince (Under Treasurer, NT Department of Treasury)

Industrial Relations:

• Mr Justin Larkin (Employment Advocate of the Office of Commissioner for Public Employment)
• Mr Chris Young (CEO, Chamber of Commerce NT)
• Mr Joe Gallagher (President, Unions NT)

Other session participants

• Representative of the Commonwealth Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
• Representative of the NT Trades and Labour Council
• Representative of NT Department of Business, Economic and Regional Development
• Members of the NT Statehood Steering Committee
• Members of the NT Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee

11:00am Session
Two

Future Status of Commonwealth Land in the Northern Territory and Aboriginal land rights

Principal Speakers

• Mr Kelvin Costello (Coordinator, Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation)
• Mr John Daly (Chairman, Northern Land Council)
• Mr Dennis Bree ( Deputy Chief Executive , NT Office of Indigenous Policy)
• Mr Joe Procter (Managing Director, Indigenous Energy Pty Ltd)

Other session participants

• Representative of the National Native Title Tribunal
• Representative of the NT Local Government Association
• Representative of the NT Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines
• Members of the NT Statehood Steering Committee
• Members of the NT Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee

1:30pm Session
Three

Mineral and uranium resource issues, and future ownership and management of Commonwealth National Parks and Marine Protected Areas

Principal Speakers

• Ms Kezia Purick (Chief Executive, NT Minerals Council)
• Mr Graeme Neate (President, National Native Title Tribunal)

Other session participants

• Representative of the Northern Land Council
• Representatives of the NT Department of Natural Resources, Environment and the Arts
• Representatives of the NT Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines
• Representative of the Environment Centre of the NT
• Members of the NT Statehood Steering Committee
• Members of the NT Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee

3:30pm Session Four

Open Public Discussion

4:15pm Concluding
Remarks

The Hon Peter Slipper MP