Minutes of Proceedings - 1996-10-10
Seventh Assembly First Session 08/10/1996 Parliamentary Record No. 26
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Date : 10/10/1996__________________________________________________________________________________
1. MEETING:
2. PRAYERS.
3. STATEMENT BY THE CHIEF MINISTER:
7. SENTENCING AMENDMENT BILL 1996 (Serial 176):
8. MT TODD PROJECT AGREEMENT RATIFICATION ACT - FURTHER AGREEMENT - PAPER NOTED:
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Date : 10/10/1996
1. MEETING:
- The Assembly met at 10.00 a.m., pursuant to adjournment. The Speaker, the Honourable T.R. McCarthy, took the Chair.
2. PRAYERS.
3. STATEMENT BY THE CHIEF MINISTER:
- The Chief Minister (Mr Stone), by leave, made a statement relating to a proposed motion for a remonstrance which he proposed to move after Question Time this day.
- A questions was asked of a Minister.
Papers tabled: The Member for Macdonnell (Mr Bell), by leave, laid on the Table the following Papers -
- Letter, Mr John Popper, Chief Executive Officer, Department of Health to Secretary for Health, dated 23 December 1986 (Paper 2729); and
Memorandum, Attorney-General to Minister for Health, re Forensic Pathologist, dated 14 October 1986 (Paper 2730).
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- Visitors: The Speaker (Mr McCarthy) drew the attention of Honourable Members to the presence in the gallery of Year 9 students from Marrara Christian School and their teacher, Mr Robert Mehigan.
- On behalf of Honourable Members, the Speaker extended a warm welcome to the visitors.
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- Further questions were asked of Ministers.
- Paper tabled: The Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Mr Bailey), by leave, laid on the Table the following Paper -
- Memorandum, Dr Kevin Lee, Forensic Pathologist to Dr Len Notaras, General Manager, Territory Health Services, dated 2 July 1996 (Paper 2731).
A further question was asked of a Minister.
Statement by Speaker - suspension of the Leader of the Opposition: The Speaker made a statement relating to the suspension of the Leader of the Opposition during Question Time on Wednesday 9 October 1996. The Speaker addressed Members as follows:
- “Honourable Members, it has been drawn to my attention that a number of comments have been made by the Leader of the Opposition relating to proceedings in the Assembly yesterday to the effect that I have supported the Chief Minister in using his position unfairly in the Parliament.
- Further, the Leader of the Opposition stated that I took it upon myself to name her ‘straight away’ and that ‘the Speaker threw me out of the House’.
I point out that the Proceedings, accurately recorded in Hansard, indicate that the Leader of the Opposition was named for refusing to withdraw an interjection following a point of order by the Chief Minister. In asking Mrs Hickey to withdraw, I was following established practice of the House and she was named pursuant to Standing Order 239 for using objectionable words which she had refused to withdraw.
Honourable Members would be aware that the Speaker’s actions may only be criticised by substantive motion and any reflection on the Speaker’s character or actions inside or outside the House is a most serious matter, I regard the Leader of the Opposition’s reported allegations as an unwarranted reflection on the chair and that an apology is in order.”.
Leave denied: The Chief Minister (Mr Stone) sought leave to make a personal explanation in relation to comments made by the Leader of the Opposition (Mrs Hickey).
- Objection being raised, leave denied.
Further questions were asked of Ministers.
- Photographs of tributary of Hudson Creek polluted by human effluent (Papers 2732, 2733 and 2734).
Personal explanation: The Chief Minister (Mr Stone), by leave, made a personal explanation relating to comments made by the Leader of the Opposition (Mrs Hickey) this day regarding the restriction of debate in the Assembly.
Supplementary answer: The Minister for Sport and Recreation (Mr Hatton) gave a supplementary answer to a question asked by the Member for Arafura (Mr Rioli) during the Committee stage of the Appropriation Bill 1996-97.
- The Chief Minister (Mr Stone) laid on the Table the following Paper -
- A proposed Remonstrance for presentation to the Federal Parliament (Paper 2743).
- Question - put and passed.
- Debate ensued.
- Letter, Maggie Hickey, MLA, Leader of the Opposition to Hon Kim Beazley, MP, Leader of the Opposition, dated 27 June 1996 (Paper 2735); and
Letter, Maggie Hickey, MLA, Leader of the Opposition to the Hon John Howard, MP, Prime Minister, dated 27 June 1996 (Paper 2736).
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- Suspension of sitting: The sitting was suspended between 11.54 a.m. and 2.00 p.m.
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- Debate resumed.
- And the Member for Macdonnell (Mr Bell) having made comments concerning the motives of the Chief Minister relating to decisions relating to the Rights of the Terminally Ill Legislation-
Speaker’s ruling: The Speaker ruled that the comments made by the Member for Macdonnell reflecting on alleged motives of the Chief Minister (Mr Stone) could only be made by way of a substantive motion.
Mr Bell withdrew the remarks.
Dissent from Speaker’s ruling: Mr Bell thereupon moved dissent from the Speaker’s ruling and submitted such dissent in writing.
Debate ensued.
The Leader of Government Business (Mr Coulter) moved - That the question be now put.
Question - That the question be now put - put and passed.
Question - That the motion be agreed to - put and negatived.
Debate on the motion for the presentation of the Remonstrance continued.
Paper tabled: The Chief Minister (Mr Stone) laid on the Table the following Paper -
- Letter, Ms Clare Nairn, Senior Adviser, Office of the Prime Minister to Ms Lynda Cracknell, President, NT Voluntary Euthanasia Society Inc., dated 9 February 1996 (Paper 2737).
Question - That the motion be agreed to - put and passed by unanimous vote.
- The Minister for Power and Water (Mr Manzie) made a statement regarding the establishment of a demand management unit within the Power and Water Authority (Paper 2738).
- Mr Manzie moved - That the Assembly take note of the Statement.
Debate ensued.
Question - put and passed.
7. SENTENCING AMENDMENT BILL 1996 (Serial 176):
- The order of the day having been read for the resumption of the debate on the question - That the Bill be now read a second time -
- Debate ensued.
- Law and Order (Executive Summary), Territory Labor’s Strategy for a Safer Community (Paper 2739).
Debate continued.
Question - put and passed.
Bill read a second time.
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In the Committee
(Chairman - Mr Setter)
In the Committee
(Chairman - Mr Setter)
- Bill, by leave, taken as a whole.
- On the motion of the Attorney-General (Mr Burke) the following amendment was agreed to, after debate -
- Omit from proposed section 106B(6) of Clause 5 all words after “because” and insert in their stead “a victim impact statement or victim report is not presented to the court.”.
Bill, as amended, agreed to.
Bill to be reported with an amendment.
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- The Acting Speaker (Mr Adamson) resumed the Chair; the Chairman (Mr Setter) reported accordingly; and the report was adopted.
On the motion of the Attorney-General (Mr Burke) the Bill was read a third time and passed to be a proposed law.
8. MT TODD PROJECT AGREEMENT RATIFICATION ACT - FURTHER AGREEMENT - PAPER NOTED:
- The order of the day having read for resumption of debate on the question - That the Assembly take note of the Paper -
- Debate ensued.
Question - put and passed.
- The order of the day having been read for resumption of debate on the question - That the Assembly take note of the Statement -
- Debate ensued.
Paper tabled: The Attorney-General (Mr Burke) laid on the Table the following Paper -
Letter, Hon Denis Burke, MLA, Attorney-General to Mr Chris Sidoti, Human Rights Commissioner, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, dated 8 October 1996 (Paper 2740).
Question - put and passed.
- The Chief Minister (Mr Stone) moved - That the Assembly do now adjourn.
- Debate ensued.
- Letter, Hon Steve Hatton, MLA, Minister for Correctional Services to Ms Clare Martin, MLA, Member for Fannie Bay, dated 20 August 1996 (Paper 2741); and
Media Release, “Corrections Audit must be revealed”, Clare Martin, MLA, Member for Fannie Bay, dated 6 August 1996 (Paper 2742).
Debate continued.
Question - put and passed.
And the Assembly adjourned at 10.08 p.m. until 10.00 a.m. on Tuesday 15 October 1996.
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- ATTENDANCE:
All Members attended the sitting.
Ian McNeill
Clerk of the Legislative Assembly
Last updated: 04 Aug 2016