Mr BALCH - 1998-02-25
The federal government has reaffirmed that it has done all the compromising it intends to on the Wik native title legislation. Will Prime Minister Howard have the opportunity during his visit this week to see at first hand some of the key areas of Darwin that have now been claimed under the guise of native title?
Mr Ah Kit: You sat on that, Shane. Tell him the truth.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the question is treated with the usual mirth from members opposite who are not prepared to take the issue of native title seriously.
Mr Ah Kit: I spoke about it in the adjournment debate.
Mr STONE: It is interesting that the member for Arnhem interjects that he spoke about it in the adjournment debate - in the dead of night, when nobody is here, when the proceedings are not being broadcast. It is open to members opposite to ask questions in Question Time to highlight their concerns about the businesses and the jobs that are being lost as a result of a series of native title claims. It is like the Yunupingu issue. There is absolute silence from that side of the House. They run a million miles from anything that is a little too hard. It is like that with native title. They run a million miles. They do not want to tell Territorians where they stand on the issue.
When the Prime Minister comes here tomorrow, he will have an opportunity to see those areas of Darwin that have been claimed. I remind members of some of those. They include Darwin's Shoal Bay waste disposal centre, the Buffalo Creek boat ramp and recreation area, Shoal Bay, Micket Creek, King Creek, Cameron Beach and Casuarina Beach Recreation Reserve. I could read on and remind members of the extensive claims that have been made ...
Mr Ah Kit: Have you talked to the Larrakia people? No, you do not want to.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
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Mr STONE: The member for Arnhem continues to interject because he is an accomplice in all of this. He comes into this Chamber carrying with him the agenda of the Northern Land Council, and makes no apology at all for the fact that he is not prepared to stand up and tell it as it is. When the Prime Minister comes here, he will see for himself ...
Mr Ah Kit interjecting.
Mr STONE: The member for Arnhem can laugh. He thinks it is all a laughing matter. He thinks it is a joke that the land at the East Arm port has been claimed because, in their own words, it was the 'best bet'.
I hope the member for Fannie Bay has now had an opportunity to read the transcript that I sent to her yesterday. She is nodding to indicate that she has read it. She will have seen the submissions from the Northern Land Council that freehold title does not necessarily extinguish native title.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The Chief Minister is on his feet and members of the opposition are interjecting continually. I warn the member for Arnhem who has been interjecting continually. The member for Stuart has been spoken to twice. The member for Fannie Bay will keep quiet.
Mr STONE: People listening to this broadcast know that, every time the government raises an issue of concern, particularly as it pertains to ...
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: ... native title and land rights - here they go again! The interjections start because the Labor Party does not want the people listening to the radio broadcast to hear the answer.
Mr Bailey: With no opportunity for us to respond.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The member for Wanguri.
Mr STONE: It is a tactic ...
Mr Bailey: It is a tactic you use over and over again.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! This is the last time I will speak to any member of the opposition. Next time will be a warning and then they will be out. They are going over the top this morning. The Chief Minister has the floor and he cannot give his answer with the continual interjections.
Mr STONE: It is a tactic used by the Labor Party. Members opposite do not want Territorians to hear the truth. They do not want the story told. Therefore, they will interject continuously to stop people at home or in their workplaces hearing the gravity of the situation as it exists.
The Prime Minister will have an opportunity to go to East Arm. He will see for himself the spurious claims that have been made, both under native title and under the Land Rights Act. He will be able to see for himself the very businesses that are now at risk and the jobs that will be lost because of these ambit claims that have, as their underlying criteria, 'pay me and I will go away'. There is nothing more un-Australian than that. It is time that those people opposite were prepared to stand up and defend those Territory businesses that have been brought to a grinding halt because of spurious land claims.
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Mr Ah Kit: You sat on that, Shane. Tell him the truth.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the question is treated with the usual mirth from members opposite who are not prepared to take the issue of native title seriously.
Mr Ah Kit: I spoke about it in the adjournment debate.
Mr STONE: It is interesting that the member for Arnhem interjects that he spoke about it in the adjournment debate - in the dead of night, when nobody is here, when the proceedings are not being broadcast. It is open to members opposite to ask questions in Question Time to highlight their concerns about the businesses and the jobs that are being lost as a result of a series of native title claims. It is like the Yunupingu issue. There is absolute silence from that side of the House. They run a million miles from anything that is a little too hard. It is like that with native title. They run a million miles. They do not want to tell Territorians where they stand on the issue.
When the Prime Minister comes here tomorrow, he will have an opportunity to see those areas of Darwin that have been claimed. I remind members of some of those. They include Darwin's Shoal Bay waste disposal centre, the Buffalo Creek boat ramp and recreation area, Shoal Bay, Micket Creek, King Creek, Cameron Beach and Casuarina Beach Recreation Reserve. I could read on and remind members of the extensive claims that have been made ...
Mr Ah Kit: Have you talked to the Larrakia people? No, you do not want to.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
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Mr STONE: The member for Arnhem continues to interject because he is an accomplice in all of this. He comes into this Chamber carrying with him the agenda of the Northern Land Council, and makes no apology at all for the fact that he is not prepared to stand up and tell it as it is. When the Prime Minister comes here, he will see for himself ...
Mr Ah Kit interjecting.
Mr STONE: The member for Arnhem can laugh. He thinks it is all a laughing matter. He thinks it is a joke that the land at the East Arm port has been claimed because, in their own words, it was the 'best bet'.
I hope the member for Fannie Bay has now had an opportunity to read the transcript that I sent to her yesterday. She is nodding to indicate that she has read it. She will have seen the submissions from the Northern Land Council that freehold title does not necessarily extinguish native title.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The Chief Minister is on his feet and members of the opposition are interjecting continually. I warn the member for Arnhem who has been interjecting continually. The member for Stuart has been spoken to twice. The member for Fannie Bay will keep quiet.
Mr STONE: People listening to this broadcast know that, every time the government raises an issue of concern, particularly as it pertains to ...
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: ... native title and land rights - here they go again! The interjections start because the Labor Party does not want the people listening to the radio broadcast to hear the answer.
Mr Bailey: With no opportunity for us to respond.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The member for Wanguri.
Mr STONE: It is a tactic ...
Mr Bailey: It is a tactic you use over and over again.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! This is the last time I will speak to any member of the opposition. Next time will be a warning and then they will be out. They are going over the top this morning. The Chief Minister has the floor and he cannot give his answer with the continual interjections.
Mr STONE: It is a tactic used by the Labor Party. Members opposite do not want Territorians to hear the truth. They do not want the story told. Therefore, they will interject continuously to stop people at home or in their workplaces hearing the gravity of the situation as it exists.
The Prime Minister will have an opportunity to go to East Arm. He will see for himself the spurious claims that have been made, both under native title and under the Land Rights Act. He will be able to see for himself the very businesses that are now at risk and the jobs that will be lost because of these ambit claims that have, as their underlying criteria, 'pay me and I will go away'. There is nothing more un-Australian than that. It is time that those people opposite were prepared to stand up and defend those Territory businesses that have been brought to a grinding halt because of spurious land claims.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016