Mr ELFERINK - 1999-08-19
Yesterday we heard about the lack of vision that the Leader of the Opposition had for the Northern Territory. Yesterday the Chief Minister also revealed the Leader of the Opposition’s misuse of taxpayers’ funds for glossy brochures which clearly should have been paid for from her electorate allowance. Is it true that the Leader of the Opposition has tried to further misuse taxpayers’ funds by attempting to have them foot the bill for another of these publications?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, this is an important question. It comes in light of the fact that allegations were raised in this House yesterday with regard to the propriety and ethics of a member on this side of the House. In response to those questions, I raised what I believe is a serious breach in the use of taxpayers’ money by the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr STIRLING: A point of order, Mr Speaker! It ill behoves the Chief Minister to stand here and lecture the opposition, using the airwaves to get his story across to Northern Territorians. His department and he himself approved this expenditure. Tell the truth. Why did you approve it?
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Nhulunbuy will resume his seat. There is no point of order.
Mr BURKE: I take note of the member for Nhulunbuy’s comments.
That was the nature of my response. I said yesterday that I believe it is a serious breach of ethics to use taxpayers’ funds to produce Labor political propaganda. This sort of material is provided for in members’ electoral allowances. Each member of this parliament is well reimbursed through their electoral allowance for sending out this type of publication. These publications - I’ve had them costed - have cost the Department of Chief Minister $20 000 to date. I raised the issue that this is wrong. It should be paid for from the member’s electorate allowance.
Mrs Hickey: Why didn’t you say so at the time?
Mr Stirling: You’re an accomplice!
Mr BURKE: You’re a goose! Go and take your tablets! The response from the opposition is: ‘But you approved it’.
Ms Martin: Quite appropriate. You approved it.
Mr BURKE: These publications have been approved by officers within the Department of the Chief Minister, public servants. If the burden of the Opposition Leader’s allegation is that I approved it, does she mean that I proofread every document that is approved to go out from the Department of the Chief Minister?
Mrs Hickey: The buck stops with you!
Mr BURKE: No, I don’t. That’s the first thing. I don’t. The member for Barkly says: ‘The buck stops here’. Absolutely! The buck stops here. $20 000 of taxpayers’ money being used for Labor political propaganda out of the Leader of the Opposition’s office will stop from today, because the buck stops here.
The deeper question is whether a politician, knowing something is wrong, should continue to do it, knowing or hoping they can get away with it. That’s the content of the Leader of the Opposition’s statement: ‘If I can get away with it, if I can continue to misuse taxpayers’ funds and no one picks me up for it, therefore it is right and proper’. That’s the substance of what you’re saying: ‘If we can get away with it, if we don’t get picked up, then that’s okay’.
That’s the point of my comment, if we’re laying allegations across the Chamber about what is correct, honest and ethical. This is wilfully produced, knowing it’s wrong. If you can get away with wasting taxpayers’ funds, you do it. That has been the attitude of the Leader of the Opposition since she assumed that position.
What is worse, I found out yesterday that an application has gone in for another one of these to go out. Another $4000! Well, it won’t be approved. It won’t be approved because she, like me - I can tell you that I couldn’t afford this out of my electorate allowance. I can’t afford to put this sort of stuff into these glossy brochures at $4000 a pop out of electorate allowance. If she wishes to continue with these, that’s fine. That’s her right. It’s her right to produce whatever she likes out of her electorate account. But no longer will it be paid for by the Department of the Chief Minister. If she would like me to approve these things in future, I’m quite happy to proofread them.
This lot can’t be trusted, and they know they can’t be trusted. Their own internal, confidential report says, in glowing headlines: ‘We can’t be trusted - that’s our problem’. And, day after day in this House, they continue to demonstrate that very fact. Day after day, the Leader of the Opposition runs lies on statehood, runs lies on native title ...
Mr STIRLING: A point of order, Mr Speaker!
Mr SPEAKER: The Chief Minister cannot imply that the Leader of the Opposition is uttering lies, unless by substantive motion.
Mr BURKE: Mr Speaker, I withdraw.
Day after day, the Leader of the Opposition is confused about the truth – confused about the truth on native title, confused about statehood. As late as yesterday, I gave a statement on the central Darwin planning scheme. I explained that it was open for public comment. Within minutes, the Leader of the Opposition stands up and says: ‘The only role for the public now is to comment on these finalised plans’. That’s a deliberate mistruth. It’s a deliberate deceit.
Everything we have said has made it clear that this is a plan of government. Everyone has to have a plan as a starting point. It’s out for public comment for the next four weeks. That public comment is something that we’re looking for keenly, to ensure that the public has input. I’ve said on every occasion, and emphasise now, that input from the public to our central Darwin planning scheme is critically important to the government because this plan is a framework. It is the result of more than eight months of excellent effort on the part of planners, engineers and consultants, with input from the government. Now it is out for public comment. We’re keen to get that public comment. After the 8-week period, land-use objectives will pave the way for the development of this beautiful city in the years ahead.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, this is an important question. It comes in light of the fact that allegations were raised in this House yesterday with regard to the propriety and ethics of a member on this side of the House. In response to those questions, I raised what I believe is a serious breach in the use of taxpayers’ money by the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr STIRLING: A point of order, Mr Speaker! It ill behoves the Chief Minister to stand here and lecture the opposition, using the airwaves to get his story across to Northern Territorians. His department and he himself approved this expenditure. Tell the truth. Why did you approve it?
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Nhulunbuy will resume his seat. There is no point of order.
Mr BURKE: I take note of the member for Nhulunbuy’s comments.
That was the nature of my response. I said yesterday that I believe it is a serious breach of ethics to use taxpayers’ funds to produce Labor political propaganda. This sort of material is provided for in members’ electoral allowances. Each member of this parliament is well reimbursed through their electoral allowance for sending out this type of publication. These publications - I’ve had them costed - have cost the Department of Chief Minister $20 000 to date. I raised the issue that this is wrong. It should be paid for from the member’s electorate allowance.
Mrs Hickey: Why didn’t you say so at the time?
Mr Stirling: You’re an accomplice!
Mr BURKE: You’re a goose! Go and take your tablets! The response from the opposition is: ‘But you approved it’.
Ms Martin: Quite appropriate. You approved it.
Mr BURKE: These publications have been approved by officers within the Department of the Chief Minister, public servants. If the burden of the Opposition Leader’s allegation is that I approved it, does she mean that I proofread every document that is approved to go out from the Department of the Chief Minister?
Mrs Hickey: The buck stops with you!
Mr BURKE: No, I don’t. That’s the first thing. I don’t. The member for Barkly says: ‘The buck stops here’. Absolutely! The buck stops here. $20 000 of taxpayers’ money being used for Labor political propaganda out of the Leader of the Opposition’s office will stop from today, because the buck stops here.
The deeper question is whether a politician, knowing something is wrong, should continue to do it, knowing or hoping they can get away with it. That’s the content of the Leader of the Opposition’s statement: ‘If I can get away with it, if I can continue to misuse taxpayers’ funds and no one picks me up for it, therefore it is right and proper’. That’s the substance of what you’re saying: ‘If we can get away with it, if we don’t get picked up, then that’s okay’.
That’s the point of my comment, if we’re laying allegations across the Chamber about what is correct, honest and ethical. This is wilfully produced, knowing it’s wrong. If you can get away with wasting taxpayers’ funds, you do it. That has been the attitude of the Leader of the Opposition since she assumed that position.
What is worse, I found out yesterday that an application has gone in for another one of these to go out. Another $4000! Well, it won’t be approved. It won’t be approved because she, like me - I can tell you that I couldn’t afford this out of my electorate allowance. I can’t afford to put this sort of stuff into these glossy brochures at $4000 a pop out of electorate allowance. If she wishes to continue with these, that’s fine. That’s her right. It’s her right to produce whatever she likes out of her electorate account. But no longer will it be paid for by the Department of the Chief Minister. If she would like me to approve these things in future, I’m quite happy to proofread them.
This lot can’t be trusted, and they know they can’t be trusted. Their own internal, confidential report says, in glowing headlines: ‘We can’t be trusted - that’s our problem’. And, day after day in this House, they continue to demonstrate that very fact. Day after day, the Leader of the Opposition runs lies on statehood, runs lies on native title ...
Mr STIRLING: A point of order, Mr Speaker!
Mr SPEAKER: The Chief Minister cannot imply that the Leader of the Opposition is uttering lies, unless by substantive motion.
Mr BURKE: Mr Speaker, I withdraw.
Day after day, the Leader of the Opposition is confused about the truth – confused about the truth on native title, confused about statehood. As late as yesterday, I gave a statement on the central Darwin planning scheme. I explained that it was open for public comment. Within minutes, the Leader of the Opposition stands up and says: ‘The only role for the public now is to comment on these finalised plans’. That’s a deliberate mistruth. It’s a deliberate deceit.
Everything we have said has made it clear that this is a plan of government. Everyone has to have a plan as a starting point. It’s out for public comment for the next four weeks. That public comment is something that we’re looking for keenly, to ensure that the public has input. I’ve said on every occasion, and emphasise now, that input from the public to our central Darwin planning scheme is critically important to the government because this plan is a framework. It is the result of more than eight months of excellent effort on the part of planners, engineers and consultants, with input from the government. Now it is out for public comment. We’re keen to get that public comment. After the 8-week period, land-use objectives will pave the way for the development of this beautiful city in the years ahead.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016