Newsroom

The Statehood News Room contains a collection of our media releases, media clippings and speeches to date.

Media releases

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

Media clippings

Have a say in Territory future

 

NT News 11 November 2008 Section: News, pg. 012

TERRITORIANS still have time to raise their voice on the constitutional

future of the NT.The Statehood Steering Committee is calling for submissions to the Constitutional Paths to Statehood discussion paper.

Submissions will shape the future debate of the Territory’s progress

to statehood. Committee co-chair Fran Kilgariff said responses so far had been inspiring.

“We’ve received a total of 25 submissions, but we want to make sure

we have not missed anyone and that more people have the chance

to have their say on proposed options for a new constitution,”

she said.

Ms Kilgariff said last Sunday was the 10th anniversary of the last

Statehood referendum.

“We don’t want a repeat of what happened last time,” she said.

Submissions close on November 15. For further information, or a copy of Constitutional Paths to Statehood or visit www.statehood.nt.gov.au

Copyright 2008 / Northern Territory News

 

 

Statehood Minister On Costello

 

Sunday Territorian 05 October 2008, Section: News, pg. 004

STATEHOOD minister Malarndirri McCarthy has criticised former federal

treasurer Peter Costello over comments he made about the financial

implications of statehood.

Liberal backbencher Peter Costello told ABC Radio this week that while

the funding arrangement for the Territory would be unlikely

to change with a grant of statehood, occasional funding like the

Northern Territory Intervention would not have been possible.

“People in the Territory voted against becoming a state, I can see

why by the way, I think you would probably get a worse deal from

the Commonwealth as a State then as a Territory,” he said.

“There is a formula which distributes money, and the Territory does

quite well out of that formula. If the Territory were a state,

most probably the formula would stand.”

Ms McCarthy said statehood would not compromise the Territory’s funding.

“In fact, statehood will preserve the right for the Northern Territory

to receive current payments guaranteed to other states under

the Federal Constitution,” she said.

Ms McCarthy said his comments clouded the statehood debate.

“It is uninformed comment like this that creates uncertainty and

confusion for Territorians.

“Money provided to the Territory by the Federal Government as part

of the intervention process could be provided to any State or Territory.

“The problem with being a Territory is that Territorians have no

say in what and how those Federal funds are being spent.

“If we were a State we could still accept money for indigenous issues

but on our terms and in consultation with the community as is

now happening in Western Australia.”

Copyright 2008 / Sunday Territorian

 

Statehood could cost the Territory millions: Costello

 

ABC Premium News; 02 October 2008

The former treasurer Peter Costello says the Northern Territory could miss out on millions of dollars in resources if it was to become a state.

Mr Costello says the Territory would probably get a worse deal from the Commonwealth as a state.

He says extra resources for Indigenous Australians through policies like the federal intervention wouldn’t be possible.

“If the Territory had been a state it probably wouldn’t have happened.

“I just use that as an illustration of examples where massive resources are needed and the Commonwealth mobilises them.

“The fact that the Territory is a Territory makes it easier to mobilise those resources.”


2020 summit puts NT statehood back on agenda

 

ABC Online News

Posted Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:00am AEST
Updated Mon Apr 21, 2008 1:28pm AEST

Ten years since the Northern Territory voted against to becoming a state, the statehood debate has resurfaced following the 2020 summit in Canberra on the weekend.

The idea to hold a constitutional convention on statehood as early as 2010 has been put forward by the Territory’s Statehood Steering Committee and has the full support of the Territory Government.

The committee has been working on the latest statehood push for three years. Committee Chair and Member for Arnhem Malarndirri McCarthy says Territorians are demanding the same constitutional rights as other Australians.

“For us, statehood is about constitutional equity so that we do feel as citizens of Australia that we have the same constitutional rights as our fellow Australians in the six states.”

Constitutional lawyer Professor George Williams says a convention is a step forward, but the biggest challenge to statehood is finding a model that all Territorians agree on.

“I think the biggest hurdle is just Territorians themselves … The people of the Territory must want it. It can’t be imposed upon them, it shouldn’t be imposed upon them.”

The Northern Territory Chief Minister Paul Henderson, who was at the weekend’s confernce, says the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd accepts that the Territory should become a state.

Mr Henderson says he wasn’t able to talk to Mr Rudd personally about the issue at the conference, but has spoken to him about it before.

“He certainly accepts that the Territory should become a state some time into the future. But there are key constitutional issues that need to be addressed.”

The committee is also looking at models for a new parliament including dedicated Indigenous seats.

(c) 2008, Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved.