Mr RIOLI - 1998-04-28
How would her proposed freedom of information legislation operate? Would it provide Territorians with a greater insight into the workings of this government?
Mr Coulter: Remember, I said I would close Question Time down if the opposition has no further questions for us. You do not listen.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this question is timely because we saw only this week that, if freedom of information legislation had been in place in the Northern Territory, the opposition would have been able to access the raw data from the police force relating to mandatory imprisonment. The Country Liberal Party administration says that there is no need for freedom of information because it has nothing to hide. We and Territorians generally know increasingly that that is not the case. Occasionally, we come across information about what is really happening behind the scenes in this administration. Occasionally, we cite the sorts of documents that would be accessible under my freedom of information legislation.
Madam Speaker, I seek to table a memorandum, prepared by the then Under Treasurer, Neil Conn, to
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the Country Liberal Party Treasurer in relation to the BTEC matter.
Leave granted.
Mrs HICKEY: This memorandum gives us an insight into how this administration goes about setting budget priorities and its attitudes to teachers and children in the system. There is a callous disregard for the job security of 200 teachers and for education in the Northern Territory. What a joke it is!
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, I ask you to keep your answer relevant to the question.
Mrs HICKEY: Madam Speaker, I quote from the memorandum which has to do with the BTEC funding arrangements:
I suggested to Mr Reed that we might, as you indicated this morning, add the additional amount sought to our 'shopping
list' with the Commonwealth ... If we haven't got the money, we cannot participate in an expanded program. I know this
puts us between a rock and a hard place, but I did suggest that finding the additional funds for BTEC could be achieved
by firing 200 teachers.
That sort of childish and irresponsible memorandum would, of course, have deserved censure and rebuke.
Mr STONE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! We are endeavouring to follow the line that the Leader of the Opposition is laying out. We have finally received a copy of the memorandum. The problem is that the Labor Party has a very bad track record in this Assembly of tabling either doctored or false documents. The Leader of the Opposition is reading now, but we are unable to find these words in the memorandum. I would have thought it a matter of courtesy that we would be allowed to see these to enable us to give a considered response. The opposition has previously used false documents and doctored documents.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, I am a little confused about your answer to the question. It seems to be becoming detailed, but I am not quite sure what the relevance is. Could you get to the point?
Mrs HICKEY: Madam Speaker, this gives a clear example of the sort of documentation that would be available under freedom of information legislation but that is not available now. The sort of information that is contained in this document puts the lie to the claim of 'open and accountable' administration of the Northern Territory. It also reveals how this administration would deal with teachers if it had its own way. It talks about the possible sacking of 200 teachers in order to fund a BTEC program. This document reveals the way in which members opposite deal with Territory matters.
The author of this document, the then Under Treasurer, Dr Neil Conn, far from being disciplined by the Treasurer on this matter, was ultimately promoted by the Country Liberal Party government and is now, as everybody knows, the Administrator of the Northern Territory. It is clear that the Country Liberal Party government endorses this sort of callous and amateur discussion of serious issues. Territorians deserve to be able to find out this sort of thing. They need to know ...
Mr Stone: If I were on that side of the House, I would be asking many questions of you too.
Mrs HICKEY: What a silly joke you are! You have been caught, talking flippantly about the sacking of 200 teachers, and the author of that document now sits over there.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition, I draw your attention to standing order 61 which states that you should not reflect upon the Administrator. You should not continue along those lines.
Mr Stone interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The Chief Minister.
Mrs HICKEY: Madam Speaker, this document reveals what was said by the then Under Treasurer. Under freedom of information, the lid would be lifted. Memoranda like this would be out in the open for all to see, and Territorians would be able to make their own judgments on the way in which this administration operates.
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Mr Coulter: Remember, I said I would close Question Time down if the opposition has no further questions for us. You do not listen.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this question is timely because we saw only this week that, if freedom of information legislation had been in place in the Northern Territory, the opposition would have been able to access the raw data from the police force relating to mandatory imprisonment. The Country Liberal Party administration says that there is no need for freedom of information because it has nothing to hide. We and Territorians generally know increasingly that that is not the case. Occasionally, we come across information about what is really happening behind the scenes in this administration. Occasionally, we cite the sorts of documents that would be accessible under my freedom of information legislation.
Madam Speaker, I seek to table a memorandum, prepared by the then Under Treasurer, Neil Conn, to
Page 205
the Country Liberal Party Treasurer in relation to the BTEC matter.
Leave granted.
Mrs HICKEY: This memorandum gives us an insight into how this administration goes about setting budget priorities and its attitudes to teachers and children in the system. There is a callous disregard for the job security of 200 teachers and for education in the Northern Territory. What a joke it is!
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, I ask you to keep your answer relevant to the question.
Mrs HICKEY: Madam Speaker, I quote from the memorandum which has to do with the BTEC funding arrangements:
I suggested to Mr Reed that we might, as you indicated this morning, add the additional amount sought to our 'shopping
list' with the Commonwealth ... If we haven't got the money, we cannot participate in an expanded program. I know this
puts us between a rock and a hard place, but I did suggest that finding the additional funds for BTEC could be achieved
by firing 200 teachers.
That sort of childish and irresponsible memorandum would, of course, have deserved censure and rebuke.
Mr STONE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! We are endeavouring to follow the line that the Leader of the Opposition is laying out. We have finally received a copy of the memorandum. The problem is that the Labor Party has a very bad track record in this Assembly of tabling either doctored or false documents. The Leader of the Opposition is reading now, but we are unable to find these words in the memorandum. I would have thought it a matter of courtesy that we would be allowed to see these to enable us to give a considered response. The opposition has previously used false documents and doctored documents.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, I am a little confused about your answer to the question. It seems to be becoming detailed, but I am not quite sure what the relevance is. Could you get to the point?
Mrs HICKEY: Madam Speaker, this gives a clear example of the sort of documentation that would be available under freedom of information legislation but that is not available now. The sort of information that is contained in this document puts the lie to the claim of 'open and accountable' administration of the Northern Territory. It also reveals how this administration would deal with teachers if it had its own way. It talks about the possible sacking of 200 teachers in order to fund a BTEC program. This document reveals the way in which members opposite deal with Territory matters.
The author of this document, the then Under Treasurer, Dr Neil Conn, far from being disciplined by the Treasurer on this matter, was ultimately promoted by the Country Liberal Party government and is now, as everybody knows, the Administrator of the Northern Territory. It is clear that the Country Liberal Party government endorses this sort of callous and amateur discussion of serious issues. Territorians deserve to be able to find out this sort of thing. They need to know ...
Mr Stone: If I were on that side of the House, I would be asking many questions of you too.
Mrs HICKEY: What a silly joke you are! You have been caught, talking flippantly about the sacking of 200 teachers, and the author of that document now sits over there.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition, I draw your attention to standing order 61 which states that you should not reflect upon the Administrator. You should not continue along those lines.
Mr Stone interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The Chief Minister.
Mrs HICKEY: Madam Speaker, this document reveals what was said by the then Under Treasurer. Under freedom of information, the lid would be lifted. Memoranda like this would be out in the open for all to see, and Territorians would be able to make their own judgments on the way in which this administration operates.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016