Mr AH KIT - 1997-12-01
When first confronted with the revelation about his purchases at Kings Cross sex shops, the minister said he had purchased the X-rated video Hot Firemen because it ‘relates to the workplace, which demonstrates that even in the workplace this is considered reasonable behaviour’. Doesn’t this idiotic explanation ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Let us have order so that we can all hear the question.
Mr AH KIT: Doesn’t this idiotic explanation demonstrate that his whole story is a fraud? Why doesn’t he tell the truth about why he purchased those videos?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it looks as if it will be 7 questions from 7 dwarfs. I believe the material I will be tabling when I deliver my presentation on the age of consent will demonstrate to some people that, first of all, this material does exist. There are some people who may not be aware of that ...
Mr Stirling interjecting.
Mr REED: Not everybody knows it because, in fact ...
Mr Stirling: You know where to get it.
Mr Ah Kit interjecting.
Mr REED: If you had a raid on the office at Katherine, you would find in a drawer there some material that someone - in fact, a fairly well-known Katherinite - brought to me on one occasion. When you compare it with the sort of information that we are talking about today, it is pretty mild. It was presented to me as a demonstration of the concern that this person had when they found that the
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material was available and could be used to influence kids.
I am not sure that many people in the community are aware that this sort of material is available. In the event that the material that I table is not of interest to them or they do not think it is of relevance to the age of consent issue, that is their decision. However, they will be better informed. Some people will find the material of some concern. I simply purchased it to reinforce my argument.
As for the point made by the member for Arnhem, I think the video does clearly depict that activities of this kind can happen in the workplace.
Mr Stirling: You have to be joking. Tell the firies that.
Mr REED: If you let me finish, they can happen in the workplace ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! I ask the Deputy Chief Minister to resume his seat. I warn the member for Nhulunbuy. He has been warned a couple of times this morning, and this is the last time. His interjections are over the top. The Deputy Chief Minister is still answering the question.
Mr REED: They can be portrayed to a youngster as happening in the workplace, by an adult who is trying to bring influence to bear.
Ms Martin interjecting.
Mr REED: You may think it is absolute rubbish, and that is your prerogative, but adults in the community may not. That will be for them to determine. It is clear that the honourable members opposite will not take the issue seriously. It is a highly recognisable service. It could be portrayed to an impressionable and vulnerable youngster that these sorts of things are nothing to be concerned or embarrassed about - ‘Let’s just get on with it’. Some adult, who wants to indulge his sexual desires, could use it as a means of convincing kids that things like this happen in the workplace, even in a highly-recognisable service organisation such as a fire service.
If members opposite do not accept that contention, that is fair enough. That is their point of view. I intend simply to provide information to create an awareness in the community that this sort of material is available and could be used to try to influence children. If members opposite do not think kids should be protected and if they think the age of consent should be reduced from 18 to 16 years of age so that kids in their most vulnerable teenage years are exposed to these kinds of pressures, given all the material that is available and the changes with the contemporary circumstances that we now face following the liberalisation of community standards over the last 20 or 30 years, that is fine. They should tell Territorians that they do not think that it is an issue and that they do not think that kids have to be protected. I do, and I want to present to Territorians a level of information and awareness whereby they can make judgments on these issues. Members opposite can do what they want. I will sing my song to my tune. I will not be influenced by the rabble opposite.
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Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Let us have order so that we can all hear the question.
Mr AH KIT: Doesn’t this idiotic explanation demonstrate that his whole story is a fraud? Why doesn’t he tell the truth about why he purchased those videos?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it looks as if it will be 7 questions from 7 dwarfs. I believe the material I will be tabling when I deliver my presentation on the age of consent will demonstrate to some people that, first of all, this material does exist. There are some people who may not be aware of that ...
Mr Stirling interjecting.
Mr REED: Not everybody knows it because, in fact ...
Mr Stirling: You know where to get it.
Mr Ah Kit interjecting.
Mr REED: If you had a raid on the office at Katherine, you would find in a drawer there some material that someone - in fact, a fairly well-known Katherinite - brought to me on one occasion. When you compare it with the sort of information that we are talking about today, it is pretty mild. It was presented to me as a demonstration of the concern that this person had when they found that the
Page 41
material was available and could be used to influence kids.
I am not sure that many people in the community are aware that this sort of material is available. In the event that the material that I table is not of interest to them or they do not think it is of relevance to the age of consent issue, that is their decision. However, they will be better informed. Some people will find the material of some concern. I simply purchased it to reinforce my argument.
As for the point made by the member for Arnhem, I think the video does clearly depict that activities of this kind can happen in the workplace.
Mr Stirling: You have to be joking. Tell the firies that.
Mr REED: If you let me finish, they can happen in the workplace ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! I ask the Deputy Chief Minister to resume his seat. I warn the member for Nhulunbuy. He has been warned a couple of times this morning, and this is the last time. His interjections are over the top. The Deputy Chief Minister is still answering the question.
Mr REED: They can be portrayed to a youngster as happening in the workplace, by an adult who is trying to bring influence to bear.
Ms Martin interjecting.
Mr REED: You may think it is absolute rubbish, and that is your prerogative, but adults in the community may not. That will be for them to determine. It is clear that the honourable members opposite will not take the issue seriously. It is a highly recognisable service. It could be portrayed to an impressionable and vulnerable youngster that these sorts of things are nothing to be concerned or embarrassed about - ‘Let’s just get on with it’. Some adult, who wants to indulge his sexual desires, could use it as a means of convincing kids that things like this happen in the workplace, even in a highly-recognisable service organisation such as a fire service.
If members opposite do not accept that contention, that is fair enough. That is their point of view. I intend simply to provide information to create an awareness in the community that this sort of material is available and could be used to try to influence children. If members opposite do not think kids should be protected and if they think the age of consent should be reduced from 18 to 16 years of age so that kids in their most vulnerable teenage years are exposed to these kinds of pressures, given all the material that is available and the changes with the contemporary circumstances that we now face following the liberalisation of community standards over the last 20 or 30 years, that is fine. They should tell Territorians that they do not think that it is an issue and that they do not think that kids have to be protected. I do, and I want to present to Territorians a level of information and awareness whereby they can make judgments on these issues. Members opposite can do what they want. I will sing my song to my tune. I will not be influenced by the rabble opposite.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016