Mr McCARTHY - 1998-11-25
Madam Speaker, this morning the member for Stuart, Peter Toyne, claimed on ABC Radio that school nurses are to be removed from schools and will only visit schools on a random basis, operating from Territory Health Services. Is this yet another Labor lie?
ANSWER
The member for Goyder has only asked whether this is another Labor lie? It’s worse than that. This is a Labor lie that has been perpetuated by the ...
Mr BAILEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker. It is quite clear that if a member gets up and asks a question specifically relating to a comment by one of my colleagues and says is this comment a Labor lie, even if the minister does not refer to the member by name, referring to the quote is breaching standing orders because it specifically implies a member of this parliament has lied.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order. It is referring to a party.
Mr REED: People listening to this parliamentary Question Time will appreciate that the use of a public petition for these purposes is to be considered purely in the context of political advantage and spreading a Labor lie that nurses are going to be withdrawn from schools. As I have given the assurance many times, nurses will not be withdrawn from schools. Nurses will have linkages developed between their contemporaries in Territory Health Services so that better nursing services can be provided in our schools.
In addition to that, the Labor lie over the last couple of months has attempted to create the false impression out there in the community, and particularly with the parents of children attending our schools, that the level of services will diminish. That is not the case. In fact, the intention is to spread the services to our primary schools.
You, are part of the collective of this House. You happen to be a part of a parliamentary system here, and if you cannot honour it, then that demonstrates why Gary Gray is here trying to fix you up.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The minister has the floor. He is answering the question.
Mr REED: Not only are we seeking to improve the nursing services in secondary schools, we are seeking to extend them to primary schools, which by and large are uncovered. That will be an absolute benefit to students in our primary schools. In addition to that, can I say...
A member: Smoke and mirrors.
Mr REED: You see, the Labor Party does go out perpetuating lies in the community and when they have the opportunity to hear the facts, and to be able to go out and explain the situation to people in a factual and truthful way, they do not want to hear it. That is the message to the people listening to this broadcast.
In addition to that, the process the government will be putting in place will enable schools - individual schools and their school councils - to determine the service agreements to be put in place which will enable them to model the nursing services that will be available in their schools. This is a very democratic and a very positive process. I think schools, the principals, and the school councils, will welcome that process. The other thing that they, and students’ parents, will welcome are the additional resources that government will direct towards nurses in schools in the Northern Territory.
It was this government that established nurses in schools in Australia, and it is this government that is the only one in Australia...
Ms Martin: You are going to take them away.
Mr REED: Motor mouth from Fannie Bay does not want to hear the facts, but she can go on motor-mouthing. It is this government which will maintain nurses in public schools, as the only government in Australia that does it. We will improve that service and we will extend it to primary schools wherever possible, and we will be directing additional resources to it.
Ms Martin: More nurses!
Mr REED: I can give that assurance to people listening who will no doubt accept it, but the Labor lies will probably continue, because that is all the members opposite are good at.
ANSWER
The member for Goyder has only asked whether this is another Labor lie? It’s worse than that. This is a Labor lie that has been perpetuated by the ...
Mr BAILEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker. It is quite clear that if a member gets up and asks a question specifically relating to a comment by one of my colleagues and says is this comment a Labor lie, even if the minister does not refer to the member by name, referring to the quote is breaching standing orders because it specifically implies a member of this parliament has lied.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order. It is referring to a party.
Mr REED: People listening to this parliamentary Question Time will appreciate that the use of a public petition for these purposes is to be considered purely in the context of political advantage and spreading a Labor lie that nurses are going to be withdrawn from schools. As I have given the assurance many times, nurses will not be withdrawn from schools. Nurses will have linkages developed between their contemporaries in Territory Health Services so that better nursing services can be provided in our schools.
In addition to that, the Labor lie over the last couple of months has attempted to create the false impression out there in the community, and particularly with the parents of children attending our schools, that the level of services will diminish. That is not the case. In fact, the intention is to spread the services to our primary schools.
You, are part of the collective of this House. You happen to be a part of a parliamentary system here, and if you cannot honour it, then that demonstrates why Gary Gray is here trying to fix you up.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The minister has the floor. He is answering the question.
Mr REED: Not only are we seeking to improve the nursing services in secondary schools, we are seeking to extend them to primary schools, which by and large are uncovered. That will be an absolute benefit to students in our primary schools. In addition to that, can I say...
A member: Smoke and mirrors.
Mr REED: You see, the Labor Party does go out perpetuating lies in the community and when they have the opportunity to hear the facts, and to be able to go out and explain the situation to people in a factual and truthful way, they do not want to hear it. That is the message to the people listening to this broadcast.
In addition to that, the process the government will be putting in place will enable schools - individual schools and their school councils - to determine the service agreements to be put in place which will enable them to model the nursing services that will be available in their schools. This is a very democratic and a very positive process. I think schools, the principals, and the school councils, will welcome that process. The other thing that they, and students’ parents, will welcome are the additional resources that government will direct towards nurses in schools in the Northern Territory.
It was this government that established nurses in schools in Australia, and it is this government that is the only one in Australia...
Ms Martin: You are going to take them away.
Mr REED: Motor mouth from Fannie Bay does not want to hear the facts, but she can go on motor-mouthing. It is this government which will maintain nurses in public schools, as the only government in Australia that does it. We will improve that service and we will extend it to primary schools wherever possible, and we will be directing additional resources to it.
Ms Martin: More nurses!
Mr REED: I can give that assurance to people listening who will no doubt accept it, but the Labor lies will probably continue, because that is all the members opposite are good at.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016