Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Community Services) Share this | Hansard source

Perhaps for further clarification, I could go to clause 68(1)(c) where it states that the minister has to be satisfied that the asset’s use is required for providing services in the area, but most importantly subclause (c)(ii) states that funding has been provided by the Commonwealth or the Northern Territory that could be used to provide such services.

I have been at some pains to explain that these are reserve powers. The notion from Senator Siewert is that suddenly this will be a disincentive for people coming there to provide services. This is simply a mechanism to ensure that a service paid for by either the Commonwealth or others is supplied. The challenge normally is that the service provision is not up to standard and this legislation gives the minister capacity, as a reserve power, to act to ensure that that service will be supplied. The underpinning process of this whole matter is that the intent is to provide a service to a high level of amenity and provide a sense of wellbeing throughout the community so that the community can enjoy access to amenities available to every other Australian. That is the intent of this and, as I have gone to some pains to explain, this is a reserve power that enables the minister to take action in the circumstances where other negotiated processes and arrangements have not reached agreement.