Northern Territory lashes AusLink stagnation

<p>Northern Territory transport minister Kon Vatskalis has hit out at the Federal Government for dragging its heels on the AusLink white paper.</p> <p>"The Federal Government announced some time ago plans to change the way land transport in Australia is planned and funded into the future," Mr Vatskalis said. </p> <p>The AusLink white paper is supposed to give the states and territories a better understanding of exactly what this will be, he said.</p> <p>"Now we’re told the white paper is not ready, and it is not clear when it will be," he said.</p> <p>"It’s just not good enough."</p> <p>The territory had also been "short-changed $20m" on the federally funded Road to Recovery plan, Mr Vatskalis said.</p> <p>Mr Vatskalis also criticised federal transport minister John Anderson for failing to attend Friday’s (November 7) Australian Transport Council meeting in Adelaide.</p> <p>The Northern Territory also wants the Federal Government to convince aviation industry that its new air space system is safe.</p> <p>"Small aircraft operators in the territory, and in other jurisdictions, have expressed concerns about the Federal Government’s national air space system for controlling aircraft movements," Mr Vatskalis said. </p> <br />