Chief Minister ignores senate inquiry into privatisation; expects a long-term lease to be signed this year
The NT government is pushing ahead with its long-term lease of the Port of Darwin, despite a public backlash against its privatisation.
Chief Minister Adam Giles says the proposed model of a long-term lease, rather than an outright sale, has been referred to a Parliamentary Committee to ensure it offers a positive outcome for the Territory.
He says a number of length terms will be considered, including a 99-year deal.
“I have heard loud and clear that people don’t want the port sold and I want to reiterate that what we are talking about is a lease, not a sale,” he says.
“Our port must grow so that it can meet the needs and opportunities of the future and I want Territorians to be confident that any lease arrangement we enter into is in their best interests.”
That NT parliamentary inquiry is due to report its findings on March 20, which could see the lease arrangements completed by the end of this year.
Giles was less cooperative with a federal parliamentary inquiry that visited Darwin this week.
He refused to attend the hearing of the Senate economics references committee, which is looking into the privatisation of state assets, during its day at the Darwin Convention Centre on Monday.
“[Committee chairman Labor Senator] Sam Dastyari has no business jetting into Darwin on a 24 hour stop-over and telling Territorians what to do with their port,” Giles says, adding that the committee had already drawn a conclusion that governments should maintain control over owned assets
“Even when we’re talking about a highly specialised field such as running a port, they [the Senate committee members] refuse to concede that the private sector might have the skills and finances to assist in growing the port.”
Independent member of the NT Parliament Gerry Wood tells the Senate committee the port process appears to be being rushed through.
“Perhaps the government has been doing some work in the last few months and we might be just at the end of something that’s already a fait accompli,” he says.
“I hope it’s not that.”