Mrs HICKEY - 1998-08-11
Does the Acting Chief Minister agree with the president of the Country Liberal Party, Suzanne Cavanagh, that Pauline Hanson and the One Nation Party are not culturally or racially divisive?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the opposition will have an opportunity to pursue these matters this afternoon in debate on one of its own motions. I guess it is raised now in the hope that the Leader of the Opposition will gain some political benefit as Question Time is broadcast.
May I say that the Central Council of the Country Liberal Party decided unanimously last Friday in Katherine to put One Nation last because of its divisiveness and because of the impact it could have on the Northern Territory if we did otherwise. That was a very responsible decision.
Ms Martin interjecting.
Mr REED: The honourable …
A member interjecting.
Mr REED: Who is the boss? Are you the boss? Are you the boss, or is she the boss? I know that John and Jack have said they might challenge, but you have made no mention of doing so. You might challenge too? Okay.
Members interjecting.
Mr REED: I will table it for the honourable member’s benefit, but we might just add Clare here and that she will not deny a leadership challenge, if simply by virtue of her actions.
If the Leader of the Opposition has any control over members opposite at all, and if she is the boss, on behalf of Territorians listening to this broadcast, would she ask them to stop being rude and let people hear the answer to the question that she asked? They are being as rude to her as they are to the people listening to this broadcast.
The Country Liberal Party decided unanimously at its meeting in Katherine last Friday, to put One Nation last. It was interesting that, that after all the brouhaha from members opposite about what the Country Liberal Party would do, and it should be borne in mind that it was for the party to decide, not the government …
Members interjecting.
Mr REED: … what did the maybe member for the Northern Territory, Warren Snowdon, have to say in relation to that. It was claimed repeatedly that the Country Liberal Party had to stand up and tell Territorians that it would put One Nation last and, after all the brouhaha, when the decision was announced, what did he say. He said that it does not really matter because CLP preferences will not be counted.
Mr Coulter: They will not be distributed.
Mr REED: They will not even be distributed to preferences. That shows that you have 2 faces …
Members interjecting.
Mr REED: That shows that you cannot be honest with Territorians …
Mrs Hickey interjecting.
Mr REED: … and it shows that you have been pursuing this matter, this racial cause for your political gain. That is where you are coming from. You are coming from using One Nation for political advancement of the Labor Party in the Northern Territory and completely ignoring the reality of where preferences might go.
Mrs Hickey interjecting.
Mr REED: You are caught doing what you accused us of doing. That is how cute you are. You have tripped up, you have fallen over and, because of that I can see why the member for Nhulunbuy mounted his challenge and why he said: ‘You never know what is around the corner with Maggie, and that is why I am challenging for the leadership’. Notwithstanding that he could not count past 1, we will forgive him for that.
Mrs HICKEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I guess this will continue for the next couple of weeks and we will have to grin and bear it. However, Madam Speaker, this is a very important question for Territorians. They have waited 14 months for the answer from this bunch opposite who could not make up their minds. Now, the Acting Chief Minister seems to be disagreeing with his party president. We want him to come clean with Territorians. Does he agree or does he not agree with her?
Mr REED: Madam Speaker, nothing I have said has contradicted the president of the Country Liberal Party. What it has contradicted is the stance taken on this issue by members opposite, particularly the Leader of the Opposition, who has now been exposed as using the racist approach and attitudes that she accuses us of, to her own political benefit and to that of the Labor Party. We, unanimously as a party, determined to put One Nation last. That is our strong stance.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the opposition will have an opportunity to pursue these matters this afternoon in debate on one of its own motions. I guess it is raised now in the hope that the Leader of the Opposition will gain some political benefit as Question Time is broadcast.
May I say that the Central Council of the Country Liberal Party decided unanimously last Friday in Katherine to put One Nation last because of its divisiveness and because of the impact it could have on the Northern Territory if we did otherwise. That was a very responsible decision.
Ms Martin interjecting.
Mr REED: The honourable …
A member interjecting.
Mr REED: Who is the boss? Are you the boss? Are you the boss, or is she the boss? I know that John and Jack have said they might challenge, but you have made no mention of doing so. You might challenge too? Okay.
Members interjecting.
Mr REED: I will table it for the honourable member’s benefit, but we might just add Clare here and that she will not deny a leadership challenge, if simply by virtue of her actions.
If the Leader of the Opposition has any control over members opposite at all, and if she is the boss, on behalf of Territorians listening to this broadcast, would she ask them to stop being rude and let people hear the answer to the question that she asked? They are being as rude to her as they are to the people listening to this broadcast.
The Country Liberal Party decided unanimously at its meeting in Katherine last Friday, to put One Nation last. It was interesting that, that after all the brouhaha from members opposite about what the Country Liberal Party would do, and it should be borne in mind that it was for the party to decide, not the government …
Members interjecting.
Mr REED: … what did the maybe member for the Northern Territory, Warren Snowdon, have to say in relation to that. It was claimed repeatedly that the Country Liberal Party had to stand up and tell Territorians that it would put One Nation last and, after all the brouhaha, when the decision was announced, what did he say. He said that it does not really matter because CLP preferences will not be counted.
Mr Coulter: They will not be distributed.
Mr REED: They will not even be distributed to preferences. That shows that you have 2 faces …
Members interjecting.
Mr REED: That shows that you cannot be honest with Territorians …
Mrs Hickey interjecting.
Mr REED: … and it shows that you have been pursuing this matter, this racial cause for your political gain. That is where you are coming from. You are coming from using One Nation for political advancement of the Labor Party in the Northern Territory and completely ignoring the reality of where preferences might go.
Mrs Hickey interjecting.
Mr REED: You are caught doing what you accused us of doing. That is how cute you are. You have tripped up, you have fallen over and, because of that I can see why the member for Nhulunbuy mounted his challenge and why he said: ‘You never know what is around the corner with Maggie, and that is why I am challenging for the leadership’. Notwithstanding that he could not count past 1, we will forgive him for that.
Mrs HICKEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I guess this will continue for the next couple of weeks and we will have to grin and bear it. However, Madam Speaker, this is a very important question for Territorians. They have waited 14 months for the answer from this bunch opposite who could not make up their minds. Now, the Acting Chief Minister seems to be disagreeing with his party president. We want him to come clean with Territorians. Does he agree or does he not agree with her?
Mr REED: Madam Speaker, nothing I have said has contradicted the president of the Country Liberal Party. What it has contradicted is the stance taken on this issue by members opposite, particularly the Leader of the Opposition, who has now been exposed as using the racist approach and attitudes that she accuses us of, to her own political benefit and to that of the Labor Party. We, unanimously as a party, determined to put One Nation last. That is our strong stance.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016