Senator TAMBLING (7:38 PM) —I would like to take the opportunity this evening to welcome to the Senate my new Territory colleague, Labor Senator Trish Crossin. She was sworn in on Monday of this week and today in this place made her first speech which, as we came to know, was not without controversy and certainly created interest in the various issues she brings from the Territory.

I acknowledge that Senator Crossin is the first female to represent the Northern Territory in federal parliament, and this is an important precedent. I have a preselected running mate this year in Maisie Austin, who I am sure at the next federal election will give Senator Crossin a very tough and hard fight in that election campaign.

I noticed Senator Crossin's identification with the many complex and difficult issues and sociology of the Northern Territory. Particularly there is the ethnic mix of the Northern Territory, where Aboriginal Territorians and the migrants—I say that quite openly—from other Australian states and from overseas countries now clearly comprise the majority of Territorians.

It is indeed a pity that the Australian Labor Party processes in selecting Senator Crossin reflected an extreme weakness. It took five months for her to replace the able and hardworking Bob Collins. It took five months—19 weeks—to make that change in this place, so the Northern Territory was unrepresented for that period. I think that that is indicative of the very serious internal problems in a Labor socialist party that is racked with tension, controversy and the inability to identify with what is a very unique Northern Territory community. Despite the attempted ALP federal intervention to install an Aboriginal senator into the parliament part way through that preselection process, the factions obviously came into play and the left triumphed over Bob Collins's previously moderate right-wing position. I humorously say to Senator Crossin that she is obviously well- placed here now because the exhaustive and thorough preselection process took so long, and it must have been an extreme test for her.

From her first speech, it is obvious that Senator Crossin will be concentrating on social justice, the indigenous and radical and trade union oriented issues. I sincerely hope that she can reconcile these priorities against the very different Northern Territory demands which will be made of her by Territorians. I acknowledge that there were important parts in her speech, but the omissions are equally important. To me, they were patently obvious and reflect both her background and her interests. For example, probably the first and major issue that was omitted was the pioneering ventures by the Northern Territory for jobs and employment related to the important Asian and trade relationships that have been created and built up out of the Northern Territory.

The second issue that I felt was an omission was the fact that Senator Crossin did not refer to the underpinning of Australia by our focus, very properly, on defence issues. The build-up of defence in northern Australia is vital, not only for security reasons in what is an unstable regional environment but also because of the economic importance of issues such as capital works, the employment of thousands of personnel who are now Territorians, and the social integration of defence as part of the Northern Territory. Defence were equally involved in the civilian community of the Northern Territory this year in the issue of the Katherine floods trauma. I think that was a major issue that ought always to be acknowledged.

The third omission was the important and underpinning Northern Territory industry of tourism and its major impact on employment and the economy. Transport did not rate much of an interest in the speech Senator Crossin gave. Senator Crossin tabled some of her speech that she was not able to give and I know that, in those parts of her speech that were tabled, there is recognition of the railway initiatives being taken for a Darwin to Adelaide railway which reflect the other transport needs of the region.

I was also astounded that Senator Crossin made no reference to important issues of tax reform or interest rates. Both are vitally important for Territory families. There have been family tax initiatives in the last two years which have benefited the Northern Territory and, as we know, the coming tax reforms will benefit the Territory even further. The five reductions in interest rates in two years has provided the business community of the Northern Territory with a major stimulus. Every home buyer and every home owner that has built in the last two years has gained a tremendous advantage.

It is also concerning that a new senator would cut off the lifeline to jobs and industry in the Northern Territory by lining up with senators like Senator Brown and Senator Margetts against uranium mining. Uranium has been successfully mined and exported from the Territory for decades, and now promises to produce, in the next 20 years, $6 billion in income to the Northern Territory and $200 million in royalties for Aboriginal Territorians.

It is also important that I rebut Senator Crossin's criticisms of the CLP government in the Northern Territory and the Howard government's support for the Northern Territory. No government can continually be so overwhelmingly endorsed by the electorate if the results are not on the table and the social needs are not being met. The history of a proud and vibrant community such as the Territory can only reflect on good government that is in touch with its electorate. The Northern Territory government does not deserve to be criticised in a blatantly political manner without reference to the credits that certainly are reflected.

I would also remind Senator Crossin that, while she identified a number of changes made by the Howard government in public administration, in all of these functional areas of activity the government's support has, in effect, been better carried out by other departments and agencies of both the federal government and the Northern Territory government—a very significant change and move of resources. No-one can argue that development or services have, in any way, been impeded in the Northern Territory.

The federal member for the Northern Territory, Nick Dondas, and I are very proud that the federal government budget, across some 55 Commonwealth departments and agencies, has increased by more than 10 per cent in each of the last Howard budgets in the Northern Territory at a time when national budgeting has necessarily had to be severely constrained because of the past delinquency and profligacy of the Hawke and Keating Labor administrations, which produced such disastrous economic underpinning of the Northern Territory. Young people, Northern Territory families, businesses and industry can rely on the efforts of the Country Liberal Party in the Northern Territory and the Liberal and National Party polices that have been and are being implemented nationally that impact on the Northern Territory.

I am pleased to welcome Senator Crossin to this place. I look forward to engaging with her in lively debate in the interests of all our constituents.