Ms MARTIN - 2000-08-15
Over the last month, extensive political polling on behalf of the government has been carried out across Darwin and Alice Springs, with respondents being asked whether they think the government is standing up to Canberra, whether the government is defending the Territory lifestyle and what they thought of Foundations For Our Future, as well as their views on Aboriginal issues. The NT News points out today in its editorial:
The pattern of the questions follows themes used by the CLP in past general elections, such as land rights and state rights …
If the CLP wants political polling - as it should - then it should be paying for it from party donations. Anything else is misuse of taxpayers’ money.
The NT News points out that this is the …
Mr Reed: A profound statement.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition has the floor.
Ms MARTIN: The NT News points out that this is the same old trick as exposed by Andrew Coward. Is it not it true that under the Chief Minister’s leadership the CLP is still up to its old tricks, with its hands firmly in taxpayers’ pockets?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the answer is absolutely no. I will defend the Department of the Chief Minister. I will defend the right of the Secretary of the Department of the Chief Minister to give instructions to his staff to conduct market research independent of any political interference.
I can give Territorians an absolute assurance that the taxpayers’ funds are being expended on market research to position the Northern Territory in a competitive way against other jurisdictions. I don’t know the details of the questions that are being asked. I spoke to Col Newman on radio yesterday. He told me he was one who was polled and he saw nothing untoward in the questions that were being asked.
I hear the allegations from the Leader of the Opposition. The essence of the allegations is that Mr Paul Tyrrell is a corrupt public servant. I challenge her to walk outside of Coward’s Castle and make that allegation against the Secretary of the Chief Minister’s Department.
I will give an undertaking here. I will take my chances with the taxpayers and Territorian voters, thank you very much. I will tell them that the market research is being conducted outside of political interference. It is being conducted by public servants. It is legitimate market research, and I as the Chief Minister do not intend to interfere in any way with that market research, because I have faith in the integrity of our public servants.
If we want to talk about how taxpayers’ money is being wasted, we might reflect on the highest-spending Leader of the Opposition who has ever been seen in the Northern Territory. We might reflect on whether or not it is appropriate for the ALP in the Northern Territory to use taxpayer’ funds to put their Labor position on business into every post office box in the Northern Territory. That Labor business policy was even sent to my electoral office saying, ‘Dear Box Holder’ - the taxpayer who is paying for all of this. The policy, which is a bucketing tirade against the CLP, is about half an inch thick, so it’s pretty expensive to get out. It has gone, I am advised, to every post office box in the Northern Territory, including mine, with a covering letter signed by the Leader of the Opposition saying: ‘I would welcome your comments and feedback on this position paper.’
Well, I will respond because you obviously need some advice. I am very pleased, actually, that you have so incisively thought about how the taxpayers’ money is being spent that you have targeted your letter for comments to those who can make a constructive response. I will respond constructively and give you every assistance I can in improving your Labor business policy.
The point I am making is that this is the joke of the Labor Party, not only in the Northern Territory but federally. Frankly, the Labor Party in the Northern Territory to my mind are an absolute irrelevance. If I were to be concerned about the Labor Party, my concern would be the federal Labor Party getting into government, because they would be a great danger to Territorians.
This mob are not only incompetent, but they are morally bereft. This incompetent Leader of the Opposition, this Peter Principle Leader of the Opposition who is paid far beyond her level of competence, has only one capability and that is to run a lie at every opportunity she can run it.
Mr STIRLING: A point of order, Mr Speaker!
Mr SPEAKER: Yes. Again, the Chief Minister cannot imply that the Leader of the Opposition is running a lie.
Mr BURKE: Mr Speaker, I said ‘run a line’.
Mr SPEAKER: I am sorry.
Mr BURKE: Run a line at every opportunity that is a mistruth. There is a misrepresentation of everything that happens in the Northern Territory covering police. She has no concern about bucketing on public servants.
With regard to this polling, let us understand the allegation. The allegation is this, you excuse for a leader …
Ms MARTIN: A point of order, Mr Speaker!
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! There are some members on the opposition benches right now who are in danger of going out for an hour.
Ms MARTIN: A point or order, Mr Speaker! The Chief Minister is pointing at me. He should be directing his answer through the Chair.
Mr SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Mr PALMER (Leader of Government Business): Mr Speaker, for a number of sittings now - indeed, the whole of this parliamentary session - the opposition has run a constant line of interjection and rowdy behaviour during Question Time. Many Territorians wish to listen to this Question Time. I would remind you that standing order 240A was introduced so as not to allow these people to get away with this sort of behaviour on a constant and incessant basis. I ask you to look at the provisions of standing order 240A in an attempt to restore some order into this House and allow Territorians the opportunity to listen to their parliament in action.
Mr SPEAKER: I take note of what the Leader of Government Business has to say, but I will be the only and best judge of whether in fact somebody should go from the House. I am very much aware of the terms of 240A. I have already warned the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. I expect to have reasonable silence during Question Time.
Mr BURKE: Mr Speaker, I do apologise for raising my voice. I had to to get over the shouts of interjection from the Leader of the Opposition and members on that side. I do find it intriguing that the Leader of the Opposition would make a point of order about finger-pointing, when during the point of order she is pointing with her finger and her pen at you.
I simply say that this allegation is an absolute disgrace. The allegation is that the Secretary of the Chief Minister’s Department, the chief executive officer of the Northern Territory Railway, the most trusted and highest public servant in the Northern Territory, is corrupt. That is the allegation. He is so corrupt that he is in the hands of the government. He is nothing but a toy of mine in conducting …
Mr Ah Kit interjecting.
Mr BURKE: Listen to the allegation! It is an absolute disgrace the way this excuse for an opposition can run a lie in this Coward’s Castle. The media caravan will pick it up for a day or so …
Ms Martin: It’s in the NT News today, you idiot!
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BURKE: And who raised it? Who raised the allegation? Let us sort this out very quickly. The Leader of the Opposition can go out there and make the allegation outside the House. Go and make the allegation outside the House that the Secretary of the Chief Minister’s Department is corrupt.
The procurement process leading to this tendering, the scope of the work that is to be done, is done by public servants. It has nothing to do with me - no instructions, nothing. It is done by the Department of the Chief Minister, a public service department headed by the Secretary of the Department of the Chief Minister. If you want to make allegations about wasted taxpayers’ money, if you want to make allegations about political corruption, which is the allegation, go and make it. Stand out there and call Mr Paul Tyrrell corrupt. On the way, you might want to add a few other public servants who are diligently working to position the Northern Territory to the forefront of Australia.
Against that, Territorians might wish to ask this question. Is it legitimate for the ALP, under the guise of a covering letter from the Leader of the Opposition, to send out the ALP business policy, a blatant political document, to every post office box in the Northern Territory? So unconcerned are they about the way that money is spent that she has even included the Chief Minister in her distribution. I suggest that, firstly, they are morally ...
Ms Martin interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition will please refrain from constant interjection.
Mr BURKE: This is a clear example of an opposition leader who when left to her own devices will go to any extent to waste taxpayers’ money, yet has no problems at all in walking out and destroying the reputation of honest public servants.
The pattern of the questions follows themes used by the CLP in past general elections, such as land rights and state rights …
If the CLP wants political polling - as it should - then it should be paying for it from party donations. Anything else is misuse of taxpayers’ money.
The NT News points out that this is the …
Mr Reed: A profound statement.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition has the floor.
Ms MARTIN: The NT News points out that this is the same old trick as exposed by Andrew Coward. Is it not it true that under the Chief Minister’s leadership the CLP is still up to its old tricks, with its hands firmly in taxpayers’ pockets?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the answer is absolutely no. I will defend the Department of the Chief Minister. I will defend the right of the Secretary of the Department of the Chief Minister to give instructions to his staff to conduct market research independent of any political interference.
I can give Territorians an absolute assurance that the taxpayers’ funds are being expended on market research to position the Northern Territory in a competitive way against other jurisdictions. I don’t know the details of the questions that are being asked. I spoke to Col Newman on radio yesterday. He told me he was one who was polled and he saw nothing untoward in the questions that were being asked.
I hear the allegations from the Leader of the Opposition. The essence of the allegations is that Mr Paul Tyrrell is a corrupt public servant. I challenge her to walk outside of Coward’s Castle and make that allegation against the Secretary of the Chief Minister’s Department.
I will give an undertaking here. I will take my chances with the taxpayers and Territorian voters, thank you very much. I will tell them that the market research is being conducted outside of political interference. It is being conducted by public servants. It is legitimate market research, and I as the Chief Minister do not intend to interfere in any way with that market research, because I have faith in the integrity of our public servants.
If we want to talk about how taxpayers’ money is being wasted, we might reflect on the highest-spending Leader of the Opposition who has ever been seen in the Northern Territory. We might reflect on whether or not it is appropriate for the ALP in the Northern Territory to use taxpayer’ funds to put their Labor position on business into every post office box in the Northern Territory. That Labor business policy was even sent to my electoral office saying, ‘Dear Box Holder’ - the taxpayer who is paying for all of this. The policy, which is a bucketing tirade against the CLP, is about half an inch thick, so it’s pretty expensive to get out. It has gone, I am advised, to every post office box in the Northern Territory, including mine, with a covering letter signed by the Leader of the Opposition saying: ‘I would welcome your comments and feedback on this position paper.’
Well, I will respond because you obviously need some advice. I am very pleased, actually, that you have so incisively thought about how the taxpayers’ money is being spent that you have targeted your letter for comments to those who can make a constructive response. I will respond constructively and give you every assistance I can in improving your Labor business policy.
The point I am making is that this is the joke of the Labor Party, not only in the Northern Territory but federally. Frankly, the Labor Party in the Northern Territory to my mind are an absolute irrelevance. If I were to be concerned about the Labor Party, my concern would be the federal Labor Party getting into government, because they would be a great danger to Territorians.
This mob are not only incompetent, but they are morally bereft. This incompetent Leader of the Opposition, this Peter Principle Leader of the Opposition who is paid far beyond her level of competence, has only one capability and that is to run a lie at every opportunity she can run it.
Mr STIRLING: A point of order, Mr Speaker!
Mr SPEAKER: Yes. Again, the Chief Minister cannot imply that the Leader of the Opposition is running a lie.
Mr BURKE: Mr Speaker, I said ‘run a line’.
Mr SPEAKER: I am sorry.
Mr BURKE: Run a line at every opportunity that is a mistruth. There is a misrepresentation of everything that happens in the Northern Territory covering police. She has no concern about bucketing on public servants.
With regard to this polling, let us understand the allegation. The allegation is this, you excuse for a leader …
Ms MARTIN: A point of order, Mr Speaker!
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! There are some members on the opposition benches right now who are in danger of going out for an hour.
Ms MARTIN: A point or order, Mr Speaker! The Chief Minister is pointing at me. He should be directing his answer through the Chair.
Mr SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Mr PALMER (Leader of Government Business): Mr Speaker, for a number of sittings now - indeed, the whole of this parliamentary session - the opposition has run a constant line of interjection and rowdy behaviour during Question Time. Many Territorians wish to listen to this Question Time. I would remind you that standing order 240A was introduced so as not to allow these people to get away with this sort of behaviour on a constant and incessant basis. I ask you to look at the provisions of standing order 240A in an attempt to restore some order into this House and allow Territorians the opportunity to listen to their parliament in action.
Mr SPEAKER: I take note of what the Leader of Government Business has to say, but I will be the only and best judge of whether in fact somebody should go from the House. I am very much aware of the terms of 240A. I have already warned the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. I expect to have reasonable silence during Question Time.
Mr BURKE: Mr Speaker, I do apologise for raising my voice. I had to to get over the shouts of interjection from the Leader of the Opposition and members on that side. I do find it intriguing that the Leader of the Opposition would make a point of order about finger-pointing, when during the point of order she is pointing with her finger and her pen at you.
I simply say that this allegation is an absolute disgrace. The allegation is that the Secretary of the Chief Minister’s Department, the chief executive officer of the Northern Territory Railway, the most trusted and highest public servant in the Northern Territory, is corrupt. That is the allegation. He is so corrupt that he is in the hands of the government. He is nothing but a toy of mine in conducting …
Mr Ah Kit interjecting.
Mr BURKE: Listen to the allegation! It is an absolute disgrace the way this excuse for an opposition can run a lie in this Coward’s Castle. The media caravan will pick it up for a day or so …
Ms Martin: It’s in the NT News today, you idiot!
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BURKE: And who raised it? Who raised the allegation? Let us sort this out very quickly. The Leader of the Opposition can go out there and make the allegation outside the House. Go and make the allegation outside the House that the Secretary of the Chief Minister’s Department is corrupt.
The procurement process leading to this tendering, the scope of the work that is to be done, is done by public servants. It has nothing to do with me - no instructions, nothing. It is done by the Department of the Chief Minister, a public service department headed by the Secretary of the Department of the Chief Minister. If you want to make allegations about wasted taxpayers’ money, if you want to make allegations about political corruption, which is the allegation, go and make it. Stand out there and call Mr Paul Tyrrell corrupt. On the way, you might want to add a few other public servants who are diligently working to position the Northern Territory to the forefront of Australia.
Against that, Territorians might wish to ask this question. Is it legitimate for the ALP, under the guise of a covering letter from the Leader of the Opposition, to send out the ALP business policy, a blatant political document, to every post office box in the Northern Territory? So unconcerned are they about the way that money is spent that she has even included the Chief Minister in her distribution. I suggest that, firstly, they are morally ...
Ms Martin interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition will please refrain from constant interjection.
Mr BURKE: This is a clear example of an opposition leader who when left to her own devices will go to any extent to waste taxpayers’ money, yet has no problems at all in walking out and destroying the reputation of honest public servants.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016