Mr LUGG - 1999-04-22
My question is to the Chief Minister. It follows from a question I asked yesterday, since it’s now been apparently confirmed that the Labor Party President, Barry Jones, is travelling from Melbourne to talk to Territorians about Labor Party policy. Not only that, but there’s another star on the wane from the Labor field coming too, Mr Michael Field. Now under his stewardship, Tasmania suffered disastrously.
These are the resources that are coming to the Territory to help the Labor Party. Now the Chief Minister can give them all this advice for free. Can the Chief Minister help the Labor Party out and tell them how to go about the business of winning an election?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, it does appear that Mr Barry Jones is coming here for 3 days. I hope his 3 days in the Northern Territory are more productive than the visit of Mr Graham Richardson some years ago, when he came into the Northern Territory for a very short period, tutt-tutt-tutted about the conditions that he saw in town camps around Katherine, said to the world that he was going to fix it, and then resigned from parliament some months later. That is one resource, Mr Barry Jones, I hope ...
Members interjecting.
Mr BURKE: ... I hope for the Labor Leader opposite, and her colleagues, that he does provide some advice for you up here, because I’m sure you would appreciate any advice you can get. I would caution the fact that I believe it’s strange that you have to seek advice from southerners, when the easiest way to gain policies and guidance in the Northern Territory is do what the CLP does, stay in touch with Territorians, listen to their interests and develop policies for Territorians.
But the other resource, the honourable member refers to, is Mr Michael Field. In an interview on ABC News ...
Mr Toyne interjecting.
Mr BURKE: Hear the rattle of simple men in the background?
Ms Martin: Don’t be rude about Michael.
Mr BURKE: And ladies.
In an interview on ABC News on 1 April 1999, the Labor leader opposite described the former Tasmanian premier, Michael Field, as an important resource. To quote:
Michael Field is somebody who is a resource for caucus, and that way we are using his expertise as a former Tasmanian premier, just to talk about everything from working strategies for caucus to parliamentary performance.
He is also being mooted, I understand, based on an article in The Australian on 19 April 1999 as possibly a candidate for national presidency of the Labor Party and in that article they referred to his credentials in terms of this:
Those pushing Field’s candidacy say the former Tasmanian premier has impressed with his role in the post mortem on the party’s election loss in the Northern Territory. He has been prepared to travel, on demand, to the Territory and talk to all groups, listening to their concerns.
Mr Michael Field, I understand, is quite a nice bloke. But, nice bloke or not, he has to stand on his record. Standing on his record, Territorians should be aware of this particular gentleman’s performance.
He was Tasmanian premier from July 1989 to January 1992. In that period, when he was finally thrown out, the Labor premier, Mr Michael Field, increased the number of unemployed Tasmanians by 40.9%. During the same time, job vacancies plummeted by 52% under the guidance of this new-found ALP resource. Mr Field managed to take Tasmania’s unemployment rate from 8.6%, when he took power, to 12% by the time he left. He increased the number of unemployed Tasmanians by 7500 during his term of government. This is the important resource who is advising the Labor leader opposite, and her colleagues, in formulating policy for Territorians.
These are the resources that are coming to the Territory to help the Labor Party. Now the Chief Minister can give them all this advice for free. Can the Chief Minister help the Labor Party out and tell them how to go about the business of winning an election?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, it does appear that Mr Barry Jones is coming here for 3 days. I hope his 3 days in the Northern Territory are more productive than the visit of Mr Graham Richardson some years ago, when he came into the Northern Territory for a very short period, tutt-tutt-tutted about the conditions that he saw in town camps around Katherine, said to the world that he was going to fix it, and then resigned from parliament some months later. That is one resource, Mr Barry Jones, I hope ...
Members interjecting.
Mr BURKE: ... I hope for the Labor Leader opposite, and her colleagues, that he does provide some advice for you up here, because I’m sure you would appreciate any advice you can get. I would caution the fact that I believe it’s strange that you have to seek advice from southerners, when the easiest way to gain policies and guidance in the Northern Territory is do what the CLP does, stay in touch with Territorians, listen to their interests and develop policies for Territorians.
But the other resource, the honourable member refers to, is Mr Michael Field. In an interview on ABC News ...
Mr Toyne interjecting.
Mr BURKE: Hear the rattle of simple men in the background?
Ms Martin: Don’t be rude about Michael.
Mr BURKE: And ladies.
In an interview on ABC News on 1 April 1999, the Labor leader opposite described the former Tasmanian premier, Michael Field, as an important resource. To quote:
Michael Field is somebody who is a resource for caucus, and that way we are using his expertise as a former Tasmanian premier, just to talk about everything from working strategies for caucus to parliamentary performance.
He is also being mooted, I understand, based on an article in The Australian on 19 April 1999 as possibly a candidate for national presidency of the Labor Party and in that article they referred to his credentials in terms of this:
Those pushing Field’s candidacy say the former Tasmanian premier has impressed with his role in the post mortem on the party’s election loss in the Northern Territory. He has been prepared to travel, on demand, to the Territory and talk to all groups, listening to their concerns.
Mr Michael Field, I understand, is quite a nice bloke. But, nice bloke or not, he has to stand on his record. Standing on his record, Territorians should be aware of this particular gentleman’s performance.
He was Tasmanian premier from July 1989 to January 1992. In that period, when he was finally thrown out, the Labor premier, Mr Michael Field, increased the number of unemployed Tasmanians by 40.9%. During the same time, job vacancies plummeted by 52% under the guidance of this new-found ALP resource. Mr Field managed to take Tasmania’s unemployment rate from 8.6%, when he took power, to 12% by the time he left. He increased the number of unemployed Tasmanians by 7500 during his term of government. This is the important resource who is advising the Labor leader opposite, and her colleagues, in formulating policy for Territorians.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016