Mr BAILEY - 1998-12-02
Last week, he tried to fob off Labor’s serious allegations regarding the questionable conduct of himself and Mark Textor in relation to party political opinion polling. He quoted from the Market Research Society’s code of conduct, subscribed to by reputable polling companies. Will he admit that Mark Textor and his business, Territory Focus Consulting, are not registered members of the Market Research Society and are therefore not obliged to subscribe to its code of conduct? Will he continue to use the services of Mark Textor and Territory Focus Consulting in the light of this knowledge?
ANSWER
Is that it? Is that your best shot? They saved you up until 10.45 on the second-last day for their coup de grce? They’ve saved you up until 10.45 on the second-last day of the sittings before Christmas, and you stand up and ask me what would have to rate as one of the silliest questions that I’ve had in the whole time I’ve been in here, about whether Mark Textor was or was not a member of some organisation in 1990, at a time when I was not even in the parliament, and then try to draw the inference that because he’s not a member of an organisation he may not abide by their code of conduct. Then he tries to draw the bow and asks: ‘Will you or won’t you use him?’
Mark Textor is one of the most brilliant market researchers and pollsters in this country. He is a Territory boy. He went to Darwin High School. There’s this great photograph of Everingham on Self-Government Day and there’s this little boy standing there proudly looking at the Territory flag. That’s Mark Textor! And I’m as proud as Punch about him, because he’s already one of the most professional market researchers in Australia. He’s one of the best in the world. If I can get the services, in government, of one of the best in the world to get the best information to make sure that we’ve got the best policies, to ensure that the Territory remains the terrific, outstanding place it is, then I will use Mark Textor on each and every occasion.
Make no mistake about this. This bunch of grubs opposite, together with their mates in Canberra, want Mark Textor off the scene. I’m not the target in this. It’s Textor, because he did so much damage in his research that he sent Keating down the gurgler. He robbed you of a by-election in Canberra. You’ve never forgiven him for that. And he just sent Kim Beazley packing in almost the unlosable election. That’s what this is all about. It’s about getting rid of Textor. Well, I hope that Textor’s around for a long time so he can continue to provide professional expertise to the Liberal/National Coalition and the CLP to keep mugs like you out of office.
Mr BAILEY: A supplementary question, Madam Speaker. Mark Textor, the Chief Minister and the Country Liberal Party have denied that Textor has ever had anything to do with the despicable practice of push-polling. I seek leave …
Mr PALMER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! This is not a supplementary question. A supplementary question seeks clarification of a minister’s previous response.
Mr Bailey: It is seeking clarification in relation to the Chief Minister,
Mr PALMER: This is not a supplementary question. This is a new question. It is the practice of the House that the government has …
Mr Bailey: You haven’t heard the question yet.
Mr PALMER: We have a large backbench with many questions that they would like to put and like to have answered.
Madam SPEAKER: The member is right. You know the rules. A supplementary question must not introduce new material. It must tie to an answer that you have already heard.
ANSWER
Is that it? Is that your best shot? They saved you up until 10.45 on the second-last day for their coup de grce? They’ve saved you up until 10.45 on the second-last day of the sittings before Christmas, and you stand up and ask me what would have to rate as one of the silliest questions that I’ve had in the whole time I’ve been in here, about whether Mark Textor was or was not a member of some organisation in 1990, at a time when I was not even in the parliament, and then try to draw the inference that because he’s not a member of an organisation he may not abide by their code of conduct. Then he tries to draw the bow and asks: ‘Will you or won’t you use him?’
Mark Textor is one of the most brilliant market researchers and pollsters in this country. He is a Territory boy. He went to Darwin High School. There’s this great photograph of Everingham on Self-Government Day and there’s this little boy standing there proudly looking at the Territory flag. That’s Mark Textor! And I’m as proud as Punch about him, because he’s already one of the most professional market researchers in Australia. He’s one of the best in the world. If I can get the services, in government, of one of the best in the world to get the best information to make sure that we’ve got the best policies, to ensure that the Territory remains the terrific, outstanding place it is, then I will use Mark Textor on each and every occasion.
Make no mistake about this. This bunch of grubs opposite, together with their mates in Canberra, want Mark Textor off the scene. I’m not the target in this. It’s Textor, because he did so much damage in his research that he sent Keating down the gurgler. He robbed you of a by-election in Canberra. You’ve never forgiven him for that. And he just sent Kim Beazley packing in almost the unlosable election. That’s what this is all about. It’s about getting rid of Textor. Well, I hope that Textor’s around for a long time so he can continue to provide professional expertise to the Liberal/National Coalition and the CLP to keep mugs like you out of office.
Mr BAILEY: A supplementary question, Madam Speaker. Mark Textor, the Chief Minister and the Country Liberal Party have denied that Textor has ever had anything to do with the despicable practice of push-polling. I seek leave …
Mr PALMER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! This is not a supplementary question. A supplementary question seeks clarification of a minister’s previous response.
Mr Bailey: It is seeking clarification in relation to the Chief Minister,
Mr PALMER: This is not a supplementary question. This is a new question. It is the practice of the House that the government has …
Mr Bailey: You haven’t heard the question yet.
Mr PALMER: We have a large backbench with many questions that they would like to put and like to have answered.
Madam SPEAKER: The member is right. You know the rules. A supplementary question must not introduce new material. It must tie to an answer that you have already heard.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016