Ms MARTIN - 1997-12-01
He has said in this place that homosexuals will weaken Australia’s defence forces. He has suggested that lesbian couples will abort male children because of their hatred of men. He has suggested openly that homosexual teachers should not be allowed to teach. Homosexual Territorians have been hounded by him. Doesn’t his purchasing of homosexual erotic videos and magazines expose him for the hypocrite that he is?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, in the member for Fannie Bay’s feeble little mind, it would. However, there are people who look beyond the muck in relation to these issues and who are concerned about the matters that I have raised. In the member for Fannie Bay’s former life as an interviewer on ABC radio, I can recall some interviews of rather an adversarial nature in relation to these matters - in particular, drug abuse, on which the Labor Party often takes the soft line. It defends those in society who want to do everything at the taxpayers’ expense, including avail themselves of drugs. She clearly showed her stance in the course of those interviews. As I have my views on these issues, she has hers.
I am on the public record with many and varied comments. I do recall once questioning whether an overt homosexual, who could perhaps influence children, should be a teacher. I think that is a very valid question. Mind you, I have also expressed the same concerns about a heterosexual trying to impose his or her desires on a school student. It is simply a matter of commonsense. As a parent and as a member of parliament, one should be concerned about those things. If the member for Fannie Bay is not, that is her problem.
It is an amazing fact - and there are pages of it in the Parliamentary Record and in ALP press releases from pretty well every member opposite over years past - that every time someone espouses a point of view that is opposite to the views of the Labor Party or the lobby groups or the gay groups, all the vilification, vitriol, criticism and public embarrassment possible is thrown at that person. That is one of the problems that society faces these days because the silent majority is worried about speaking out on some of these issues. The lobbyists and the ghouls opposite will criticise them for simply expressing their point of view.
Ms Martin: You have lied to parliament.
Mr REED: Madam Speaker, the member for Fannie Bay should be asked to withdraw that remark.
Madam SPEAKER: The member for Fannie Bay will withdraw.
Ms MARTIN: I withdraw the remark.
Mr REED: Madam Speaker, she very coyly retracts the statement. That is another
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demonstration of how they operate. They try to put on the public record that I lied and, if I overlook it, it merely adds force to their argument.
Mrs HICKEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member for Fannie Bay did retract and the member for Katherine persists with this matter.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Mr REED: I do not resile for a moment from the stand I have taken in years past on issues I consider to be of concern to the public and to parents. The member for Fannie Bay can sit there and nod her head ...
Ms Martin: I am shaking my head, not nodding.
Mr REED: I will continue to pursue these matters in the future, and present alternative points of view to the Territory community. It is that Territory community and Territory parents who will make the assessment of me. I do not care what members opposite think of me. Just let the information be provided and the people can work out what they think. I will live with that judgment. I do not care one iota about the judgment of members opposite.
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ANSWER
Madam Speaker, in the member for Fannie Bay’s feeble little mind, it would. However, there are people who look beyond the muck in relation to these issues and who are concerned about the matters that I have raised. In the member for Fannie Bay’s former life as an interviewer on ABC radio, I can recall some interviews of rather an adversarial nature in relation to these matters - in particular, drug abuse, on which the Labor Party often takes the soft line. It defends those in society who want to do everything at the taxpayers’ expense, including avail themselves of drugs. She clearly showed her stance in the course of those interviews. As I have my views on these issues, she has hers.
I am on the public record with many and varied comments. I do recall once questioning whether an overt homosexual, who could perhaps influence children, should be a teacher. I think that is a very valid question. Mind you, I have also expressed the same concerns about a heterosexual trying to impose his or her desires on a school student. It is simply a matter of commonsense. As a parent and as a member of parliament, one should be concerned about those things. If the member for Fannie Bay is not, that is her problem.
It is an amazing fact - and there are pages of it in the Parliamentary Record and in ALP press releases from pretty well every member opposite over years past - that every time someone espouses a point of view that is opposite to the views of the Labor Party or the lobby groups or the gay groups, all the vilification, vitriol, criticism and public embarrassment possible is thrown at that person. That is one of the problems that society faces these days because the silent majority is worried about speaking out on some of these issues. The lobbyists and the ghouls opposite will criticise them for simply expressing their point of view.
Ms Martin: You have lied to parliament.
Mr REED: Madam Speaker, the member for Fannie Bay should be asked to withdraw that remark.
Madam SPEAKER: The member for Fannie Bay will withdraw.
Ms MARTIN: I withdraw the remark.
Mr REED: Madam Speaker, she very coyly retracts the statement. That is another
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demonstration of how they operate. They try to put on the public record that I lied and, if I overlook it, it merely adds force to their argument.
Mrs HICKEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member for Fannie Bay did retract and the member for Katherine persists with this matter.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Mr REED: I do not resile for a moment from the stand I have taken in years past on issues I consider to be of concern to the public and to parents. The member for Fannie Bay can sit there and nod her head ...
Ms Martin: I am shaking my head, not nodding.
Mr REED: I will continue to pursue these matters in the future, and present alternative points of view to the Territory community. It is that Territory community and Territory parents who will make the assessment of me. I do not care what members opposite think of me. Just let the information be provided and the people can work out what they think. I will live with that judgment. I do not care one iota about the judgment of members opposite.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016