Mr BAILEY - 1998-08-12
No concrete details have been given to Territorians on the terms of the move to statehood in relation to many issues, including Senate representation. When will he arrangements for the Territory’s representation in the Senate be finalised? Is it correct that his government has agreed that the Territory will have an increase of only one Senator? In accordance with what formula will the Territory’s Senate representation then increase?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is clear that members opposite are not aware of what is happening around them. They are not aware of the historic moment of this advance in the Territory’s ...
Members interjecting.
Mr REED: ... nor are they able to comprehend what the Prime Minister has said. They are matters to be negotiated and to be resolved in the period between now and the declaration of statehood. We have been given a commitment on declaration of statehood. What more does the member for Wanguri want? Does he support statehood ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: Madam Speaker, all we need to have it finalised is an unqualified commitment of support from the federal Australian Labor Party, a commitment to support us in the House of Representatives and in the Senate.
I have had the opportunity to sit in on meetings of the Council of Australian Governments and Premiers Conferences over the last few years. At the last one conducted by the Keating Labor government that I sat in on, Premiers supported statehood for the Northern Territory. Until that time, we had not heard a squeak from Prime Minister Keating in relation to statehood for the Northern Territory. He would talk about it, but he never gave a commitment and he would let the subject drop. It was only because, on that particular occasion, the Premiers of the states supported the Northern Territory that the Prime Minister very begrudgingly agreed to set up a working party. Where did that working party get to? Nowhere! The matter was sidetracked and pigeon holed. That was what the Australia Labor Party provided when it was in government federally for 13 years federally by way of advancing statehood for the Territory.
Prior to being elected 2 years ago, the present Prime Minister gave a commitment that the Territory would attain statehood under a federal Coalition government. Yesterday, he fulfilled that commitment. He set a date. However as the Minister for Territories indicated to the Assembly, some issues require negotiation. A process is now in place by which to resolve those issues. Yet the member for Wanguri stands here this morning, lacking the capacity to understand the moment in history that we are currently experiencing ...
Mr Bailey: You want us to vote in a referendum before we know the details. That is how thick you are.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: Madam Speaker, ...
Mr Bailey: Do you know the details?
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Wanguri.
Mr REED: I simply ask all Labor members opposite to grasp this moment and to take a step forward for Territorians. I urge them to stop looking behind them and crying in their beer and to become part of the process rather than an obstacle to it. I urge them to develop the same vision for the Territory that the business community has, that industry in the Northern Territory has and the mining and industrial sectors. All of those people are working to create jobs for Territorians, and to advance towards statehood now on a fixed date, in accordance with the commitment made by the Prime Minister. However, I fear all they are capable of is behaving as party spoilers.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is clear that members opposite are not aware of what is happening around them. They are not aware of the historic moment of this advance in the Territory’s ...
Members interjecting.
Mr REED: ... nor are they able to comprehend what the Prime Minister has said. They are matters to be negotiated and to be resolved in the period between now and the declaration of statehood. We have been given a commitment on declaration of statehood. What more does the member for Wanguri want? Does he support statehood ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: Madam Speaker, all we need to have it finalised is an unqualified commitment of support from the federal Australian Labor Party, a commitment to support us in the House of Representatives and in the Senate.
I have had the opportunity to sit in on meetings of the Council of Australian Governments and Premiers Conferences over the last few years. At the last one conducted by the Keating Labor government that I sat in on, Premiers supported statehood for the Northern Territory. Until that time, we had not heard a squeak from Prime Minister Keating in relation to statehood for the Northern Territory. He would talk about it, but he never gave a commitment and he would let the subject drop. It was only because, on that particular occasion, the Premiers of the states supported the Northern Territory that the Prime Minister very begrudgingly agreed to set up a working party. Where did that working party get to? Nowhere! The matter was sidetracked and pigeon holed. That was what the Australia Labor Party provided when it was in government federally for 13 years federally by way of advancing statehood for the Territory.
Prior to being elected 2 years ago, the present Prime Minister gave a commitment that the Territory would attain statehood under a federal Coalition government. Yesterday, he fulfilled that commitment. He set a date. However as the Minister for Territories indicated to the Assembly, some issues require negotiation. A process is now in place by which to resolve those issues. Yet the member for Wanguri stands here this morning, lacking the capacity to understand the moment in history that we are currently experiencing ...
Mr Bailey: You want us to vote in a referendum before we know the details. That is how thick you are.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: Madam Speaker, ...
Mr Bailey: Do you know the details?
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Wanguri.
Mr REED: I simply ask all Labor members opposite to grasp this moment and to take a step forward for Territorians. I urge them to stop looking behind them and crying in their beer and to become part of the process rather than an obstacle to it. I urge them to develop the same vision for the Territory that the business community has, that industry in the Northern Territory has and the mining and industrial sectors. All of those people are working to create jobs for Territorians, and to advance towards statehood now on a fixed date, in accordance with the commitment made by the Prime Minister. However, I fear all they are capable of is behaving as party spoilers.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016