Six months ago, Labor asked the Country Liberal Party how much it spent on the failed statehood referendum. Until now, the Chief Minister said the cost was in the order of $500 000. The written response provided by the Chief Minister, received yesterday, reveals the cost was $1 057 976.

The response also details the payments made to the contractors who provided services in relation to the referendum.

I ask the Chief Minister, why did he understate the referendum cost by more than $0.5m, and why did his answer fail to specify that a significant sum of taxpayers’ money was paid to the Country Liberal Party’s pollster, Mark Textor.

ANSWER

Mr Speaker, firstly, there has never been any secret about the amount of money that was spent on the statehood campaign. I believe I ...

Mr Stirling interjecting.

Mr BURKE: Well, it’s certainly a secret for you too, if you’re just revealing it now. But the indicative figures we gave were around, I believe, $500 000 or $600 000. We gave an undertaking at the time that we would provide the detailed answer when the information was known to us. I signed off on the detailed answer the other day, and provided it to the Leader of the Opposition. That’s why she can quote those detailed figures back in this House. So, there’s certainly no secret on the detail of those figures. The opposition has the opportunity to explore those figures in more detail over 3 days of sittings next week. So essentially, fill your boots, I’ve got nothing to hide.

Notwithstanding the fact it was a failed campaign, notwithstanding the fact that we had a Labor Party lying limp in the water in a campaign that could have been successful, it was money well spent.

Members interjecting.

Mr BURKE: It was money well spent.

Mr SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Bailey interjecting.

Mr SPEAKER: Order! Member for Wanguri.

Members interjecting.

Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Chief Minister has the floor.

Mr BURKE: I could say as an aside that I hope he doesn’t get that opportunity until the next election because I value the contribution of the member for Port Darwin to his seat. Territorians will remember what Mr Ian Fraser, a noted member of the Labor Party, did. On the one hand saying they supported statehood and on the other hand busily handing out how to vote ‘no’ cards. I’ll tell you something else about Statehood. $1.2m …

Mr Bailey: We are waiting for your statement in response to the Reeves report.

Mr SPEAKER: Order!

Mr BURKE: $1.2m was money well spent because I tell you this: Territorians and this government have an appointment with history.

Mr STIRLING: A point of order, Mr Speaker! I just draw the Chief Minister’s attention to the fact that the last part of the question asked him why he failed to specify that a significant sum was paid to Mark Textor, and he hasn’t sought to address that part of the question at all.

Mr SPEAKER: There is no point of order. The Chief Minister is still on his feet answering the question.

Mr BURKE: I’ll just pick up on that. The inference you are making is that somehow Mr Mark Textor is some black-ball pollster of government. He might be black ball in your opinion but he is a great Territorian, and highly valued by this government.

Mr Stirling interjecting.

Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Nhulunbuy.

Mr BURKE: And the efforts of Mr Mark Textor, whether it is in the statehood campaign or in other campaigns, will be something that we will continue to utilise.