Mr DUNHAM - 1998-04-23
I am aware that a number of teachers and educators further their careers by undertaking courses at our own Northern Territory University. What courses are available for teachers and educators at the faculty of education at NTU?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, recently I had the opportunity to pay another visit to the faculty of education at Northern Territory University and to discuss matters with the staff and some of the students. I commend the university for the quality of its programs, and I commend the students for the quality of the work that is put in. For the benefit of honourable members, I am quite happy to table copies of the many brochures that explain the quite varied range of study courses that are available at the university.
Mr Toyne: What are the student numbers like?
Mr ADAMSON: I pick up the interjection from the member for Stuart about student numbers ...
Ms Martin interjecting.
Mr Coulter: There is one possible extra student it could have had.
Mr Toyne interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Stuart, would you like a reply to your interjection? If so, I suggest you be quiet.
Mr ADAMSON: Madam Speaker, the member for Stuart asked about student numbers. In fact, I have a strategy that could increase student numbers today by at least one - that is, if the member himself would consider furthering his education through NTU instead of, as he is proudly boasting at the moment ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr ADAMSON: The member for Stuart is quite happy to place in his biography that he is undertaking a PhD in education through La Trobe University. I am sure there are a number of reasons why the member is doing this. Are you still doing it?
Mr Toyne: Yes.
Mr ADAMSON: There are probably many reasons why the member finds it better to do it through La Trobe University than through NTU. It probably has a better wine of the month club for example,
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, please resume your seat for a moment. Members on my left, you are at it again. Let us have some order.
Mr ADAMSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker. The NTU Course and Admission Guide for 1998 mentions its PhD course and notes the highlights: Aboriginal education, language in education, and teaching in difficult educational contexts. I think that would be a very appropriate area of study for the member to undertake. As they say in the classics, there is more. The member for Stuart has confirmed ...
Ms Martin: You are jealous. You have never qualified.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The member for Fannie Bay.
Mr ADAMSON: Neither has the member for Stuart. That is the problem. The member for Fannie Bay has just made the comment that I am jealous.
Ms Martin: You are not bright enough for a PhD.
Mr ADAMSON: No, I have not qualified for a PhD. We need to get something quite clear. The member for Stuart has confirmed this morning that he is working towards his PhD. However, the member for Stuart told Territorians before the last election that he already had a PhD.
Mr Toyne: No!
Mr ADAMSON: I shall table ...
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Mr Stirling: The Chief Minister tells us he is a QC!
Mr Stone: I am a QC.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Nhulunbuy.
Mr Bailey: But you are not qualified to be one.
Mr Stone: Yes, I am.
Mr Bailey: Yours is a dishonorary QC.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Wanguri.
Mr Stone: This is a fraud. Listen to it.
Mr Bailey: Like you.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Wanguri, I think I have warned you often enough. Under standing order 240A, I direct the member for Wanguri to leave this House for one hour. I remind other members of the opposition that their behaviour has been somewhat out of order today. Member for Nhulunbuy, you will probably be next. I spoke to you yesterday, as the Whip, to ask your members not to interject but to allow that ministers to give their answers. This has been continuing all morning.
Mr ADAMSON: Madam Speaker, I table for honourable members a few official ALP documents that highlight what is, at best, a barefaced misrepresentation of the facts. I table first a press release from the Leader of the Opposition, dated 10 February, headed 'Hickey Launches Alice Springs Candidates'. It gives the biographies of Mr Kavanagh, Mr Brooke and Mr Toyne. That release stated that Mr Toyne was educated in Victoria, with a PhD (Education) in progress. However, as everyone knows, the member is a great fan of the Internet. If anyone had bothered to call up the ALP home page - www.ant.al.*.organisation - before the election, they would have found: 'Peter was educated in Victoria and has achieved the qualification of PhD (Education) at La Trobe University'. That was on 27 August 1997 - pre-election - claiming he had a PhD. I invite honourable members and anyone else to call up that Internet address today. Again today, 23 April 1998, they will find: 'Peter was educated in Victoria and has achieved the qualification of PhD (Education) at La Trobe University'.
The member stands condemned, as the opposition education spokesman, for not supporting Northern Territory University. He is at least consistent with ALP policy and the ALP track record on this until now. The member stands condemned for misleading not only this House but also the voters of his electorate. I table those 6 documents. I would like the member to confirm that those documents are basically correct. Will the honourable member reconsider his decision and support Northern Territory University, as he should as opposition education spokesperson?
Of course, the previous member for MacDonnell, Neil Bell, did the same sort of thing. He studied interstate and, as soon as he got out of politics, he left town. I wonder if we will see the same happen with the member for Stuart. He has misled the people of the Northern Territory and he has certainly shown his total lack of support for Northern Territory University. The facts are indisputable.
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ANSWER
Madam Speaker, recently I had the opportunity to pay another visit to the faculty of education at Northern Territory University and to discuss matters with the staff and some of the students. I commend the university for the quality of its programs, and I commend the students for the quality of the work that is put in. For the benefit of honourable members, I am quite happy to table copies of the many brochures that explain the quite varied range of study courses that are available at the university.
Mr Toyne: What are the student numbers like?
Mr ADAMSON: I pick up the interjection from the member for Stuart about student numbers ...
Ms Martin interjecting.
Mr Coulter: There is one possible extra student it could have had.
Mr Toyne interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Stuart, would you like a reply to your interjection? If so, I suggest you be quiet.
Mr ADAMSON: Madam Speaker, the member for Stuart asked about student numbers. In fact, I have a strategy that could increase student numbers today by at least one - that is, if the member himself would consider furthering his education through NTU instead of, as he is proudly boasting at the moment ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr ADAMSON: The member for Stuart is quite happy to place in his biography that he is undertaking a PhD in education through La Trobe University. I am sure there are a number of reasons why the member is doing this. Are you still doing it?
Mr Toyne: Yes.
Mr ADAMSON: There are probably many reasons why the member finds it better to do it through La Trobe University than through NTU. It probably has a better wine of the month club for example,
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, please resume your seat for a moment. Members on my left, you are at it again. Let us have some order.
Mr ADAMSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker. The NTU Course and Admission Guide for 1998 mentions its PhD course and notes the highlights: Aboriginal education, language in education, and teaching in difficult educational contexts. I think that would be a very appropriate area of study for the member to undertake. As they say in the classics, there is more. The member for Stuart has confirmed ...
Ms Martin: You are jealous. You have never qualified.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The member for Fannie Bay.
Mr ADAMSON: Neither has the member for Stuart. That is the problem. The member for Fannie Bay has just made the comment that I am jealous.
Ms Martin: You are not bright enough for a PhD.
Mr ADAMSON: No, I have not qualified for a PhD. We need to get something quite clear. The member for Stuart has confirmed this morning that he is working towards his PhD. However, the member for Stuart told Territorians before the last election that he already had a PhD.
Mr Toyne: No!
Mr ADAMSON: I shall table ...
Page 198
Mr Stirling: The Chief Minister tells us he is a QC!
Mr Stone: I am a QC.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Nhulunbuy.
Mr Bailey: But you are not qualified to be one.
Mr Stone: Yes, I am.
Mr Bailey: Yours is a dishonorary QC.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Wanguri.
Mr Stone: This is a fraud. Listen to it.
Mr Bailey: Like you.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Wanguri, I think I have warned you often enough. Under standing order 240A, I direct the member for Wanguri to leave this House for one hour. I remind other members of the opposition that their behaviour has been somewhat out of order today. Member for Nhulunbuy, you will probably be next. I spoke to you yesterday, as the Whip, to ask your members not to interject but to allow that ministers to give their answers. This has been continuing all morning.
Mr ADAMSON: Madam Speaker, I table for honourable members a few official ALP documents that highlight what is, at best, a barefaced misrepresentation of the facts. I table first a press release from the Leader of the Opposition, dated 10 February, headed 'Hickey Launches Alice Springs Candidates'. It gives the biographies of Mr Kavanagh, Mr Brooke and Mr Toyne. That release stated that Mr Toyne was educated in Victoria, with a PhD (Education) in progress. However, as everyone knows, the member is a great fan of the Internet. If anyone had bothered to call up the ALP home page - www.ant.al.*.organisation - before the election, they would have found: 'Peter was educated in Victoria and has achieved the qualification of PhD (Education) at La Trobe University'. That was on 27 August 1997 - pre-election - claiming he had a PhD. I invite honourable members and anyone else to call up that Internet address today. Again today, 23 April 1998, they will find: 'Peter was educated in Victoria and has achieved the qualification of PhD (Education) at La Trobe University'.
The member stands condemned, as the opposition education spokesman, for not supporting Northern Territory University. He is at least consistent with ALP policy and the ALP track record on this until now. The member stands condemned for misleading not only this House but also the voters of his electorate. I table those 6 documents. I would like the member to confirm that those documents are basically correct. Will the honourable member reconsider his decision and support Northern Territory University, as he should as opposition education spokesperson?
Of course, the previous member for MacDonnell, Neil Bell, did the same sort of thing. He studied interstate and, as soon as he got out of politics, he left town. I wonder if we will see the same happen with the member for Stuart. He has misled the people of the Northern Territory and he has certainly shown his total lack of support for Northern Territory University. The facts are indisputable.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016