Mrs HICKEY - 1998-10-13
Madam Speaker, I seek leave to table a copy of a letter which was sent to my chief of staff, and I presume to many other Territorians, during the recent federal election campaign.
Leave granted.
Madam Speaker, in his letter the Chief Minister makes a variety of dubious claims about the former ‘one term wonder’ Nick Dondas, the Country Liberal Party’s member. The Chief Minister repeats the line that Nick Dondas and John Howard have delivered $100m for the railway. I ask the Chief Minister, when did he become aware of the Howard government’s plans to recoup $100m in tax from the $300m of government grants and when did he realise that John Howard and Nick Dondas had given us absolutely nothing?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, let me first say to the Leader of the Opposition that it would be mean-spirited in the extreme to not attribute any role to Nick Dondas ...
A member: Be honest.
Mr STONE: I am being honest. You would have it that he never did anything in the time that he was there and that is far from the truth. We had more out of Nick Dondas than we had out of Warren Snowdon in 3 terms. We certainly did not get the railway out of Warren Snowdon and we certainly did not get an opportunity for Statehood out of Warren Snowdon. We did not get the additional funding that we have enjoyed in 2 years of Nick Dondas with Warren Snowdon. Let us get the facts right before you launch into attacking Nick Dondas. The question related to the railway funding. That is a matter of continuing discussion and negotiation and I can assure the Leader of the Opposition that once it has been resolved she will be one of the first to know.
Leave granted.
Madam Speaker, in his letter the Chief Minister makes a variety of dubious claims about the former ‘one term wonder’ Nick Dondas, the Country Liberal Party’s member. The Chief Minister repeats the line that Nick Dondas and John Howard have delivered $100m for the railway. I ask the Chief Minister, when did he become aware of the Howard government’s plans to recoup $100m in tax from the $300m of government grants and when did he realise that John Howard and Nick Dondas had given us absolutely nothing?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, let me first say to the Leader of the Opposition that it would be mean-spirited in the extreme to not attribute any role to Nick Dondas ...
A member: Be honest.
Mr STONE: I am being honest. You would have it that he never did anything in the time that he was there and that is far from the truth. We had more out of Nick Dondas than we had out of Warren Snowdon in 3 terms. We certainly did not get the railway out of Warren Snowdon and we certainly did not get an opportunity for Statehood out of Warren Snowdon. We did not get the additional funding that we have enjoyed in 2 years of Nick Dondas with Warren Snowdon. Let us get the facts right before you launch into attacking Nick Dondas. The question related to the railway funding. That is a matter of continuing discussion and negotiation and I can assure the Leader of the Opposition that once it has been resolved she will be one of the first to know.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016