Ms MARTIN - 1997-12-04
Will he confirm that Rick Setter, a recently-retired Country Liberal Party backbencher, now on a parliamentary payout, has been appointed as a consultant, funded by the minister’s department, to the Australian-Indonesian Development Area? What qualifications does Rick Setter have to do this job, who approved his appointment and how much is he being paid?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am still waiting, as I think most Territorians are, for the member for Fannie Bay to explain some of the sewer tactics she has been employing ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MANZIE: I would be very interested to hear the member for Fannie Bay get up and explain her job in this House ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MANZIE: ... and the despicable behaviour she has displayed in this House ...
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Minister!
Mr MANZIE: ... over the last 12-odd months. With regard to the question the honourable member asked ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, I am trying to attract your attention. I want you to answer the question.
Mr MANZIE: As I was saying, Madam Speaker, with regard to the question that was asked, Mr Setter is, I believe, the vice-chairman of the Australian-Indonesian Development Area (AIDA) organisation. He shares that position with an Indonesian person. The AIDA organisation was put in place as a result of meetings between the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Indonesian and other Australian ministers. The idea was promoted and modelled on the memorandum of understanding which was brokered
Page 67
very successfully by this government between the Territory and Indonesia. It is a further development of that arrangement. The idea is to promote trade activity between Australia - the Northern Territory in particular - and the eastern provinces of Indonesia, with the basic aim of creating jobs for Territorians.
Honourable members would be well aware of the contribution made by the former member for Jingili over many years in this House.
Ms Martin: What?
Mr Stirling: Teddy’s Bar!
Mrs Hickey interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Bailey: Even you guys treated him as a joke.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MANZIE: Madam Speaker, I am sure the community would like to hear this answer ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MANZIE: ... but the opposition cannot help themselves.
Mrs Hickey interjecting.
Mr Bailey: Did you give him a reference?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MANZIE: In fact, their behaviour this morning has been atrocious. I think every answer government members have attempted to provide during Question Time, which is being broadcast, has been deliberately and methodically drowned out. The community will not have been able to hear those answers.
In relation to the contribution by the ex-member for Jingili, any member who decries his efforts in strengthening the relationship between the Northern Territory and Indonesia and promoting trade between us in order to create jobs is blind to what has been occurring. Any person who would denigrate that effort is not interested in the future of the Northern Territory. I think it is vitally important that we continue to maintain the personal relationships that have been developed between people from the Territory and Indonesia. The ex-member for Jingili has established personal relationships with very important people in the Indonesian government and in Indonesian business.
Mr Poole: He would know far more than members opposite would know.
Mr MANZIE: He would probably know more than most members in this House about trade and relationships. Anyone with a knowledge of South-East Asia realises that personal relationships built over a time are far more important than fly-by-night visits. Anything we can do on this side to promote trade activity, creating jobs for Territorians, we will do. It would be foolish not to use the expertise of someone like the ex-member for Jingili.
At present, he is not being paid a salary. However, we will be looking at what capacity we can formally involve him in, using his expertise in building on the relationships that we have developed. All members should be supporting any action that we can take to promote job activity resulting from trade with South-East Asia. I will be working very hard to ensure that we can utilise the skills and the expertise that have been developed by Mr Setter in furthering that particular role.
Page 68
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am still waiting, as I think most Territorians are, for the member for Fannie Bay to explain some of the sewer tactics she has been employing ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MANZIE: I would be very interested to hear the member for Fannie Bay get up and explain her job in this House ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MANZIE: ... and the despicable behaviour she has displayed in this House ...
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Minister!
Mr MANZIE: ... over the last 12-odd months. With regard to the question the honourable member asked ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, I am trying to attract your attention. I want you to answer the question.
Mr MANZIE: As I was saying, Madam Speaker, with regard to the question that was asked, Mr Setter is, I believe, the vice-chairman of the Australian-Indonesian Development Area (AIDA) organisation. He shares that position with an Indonesian person. The AIDA organisation was put in place as a result of meetings between the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Indonesian and other Australian ministers. The idea was promoted and modelled on the memorandum of understanding which was brokered
Page 67
very successfully by this government between the Territory and Indonesia. It is a further development of that arrangement. The idea is to promote trade activity between Australia - the Northern Territory in particular - and the eastern provinces of Indonesia, with the basic aim of creating jobs for Territorians.
Honourable members would be well aware of the contribution made by the former member for Jingili over many years in this House.
Ms Martin: What?
Mr Stirling: Teddy’s Bar!
Mrs Hickey interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Bailey: Even you guys treated him as a joke.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MANZIE: Madam Speaker, I am sure the community would like to hear this answer ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MANZIE: ... but the opposition cannot help themselves.
Mrs Hickey interjecting.
Mr Bailey: Did you give him a reference?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MANZIE: In fact, their behaviour this morning has been atrocious. I think every answer government members have attempted to provide during Question Time, which is being broadcast, has been deliberately and methodically drowned out. The community will not have been able to hear those answers.
In relation to the contribution by the ex-member for Jingili, any member who decries his efforts in strengthening the relationship between the Northern Territory and Indonesia and promoting trade between us in order to create jobs is blind to what has been occurring. Any person who would denigrate that effort is not interested in the future of the Northern Territory. I think it is vitally important that we continue to maintain the personal relationships that have been developed between people from the Territory and Indonesia. The ex-member for Jingili has established personal relationships with very important people in the Indonesian government and in Indonesian business.
Mr Poole: He would know far more than members opposite would know.
Mr MANZIE: He would probably know more than most members in this House about trade and relationships. Anyone with a knowledge of South-East Asia realises that personal relationships built over a time are far more important than fly-by-night visits. Anything we can do on this side to promote trade activity, creating jobs for Territorians, we will do. It would be foolish not to use the expertise of someone like the ex-member for Jingili.
At present, he is not being paid a salary. However, we will be looking at what capacity we can formally involve him in, using his expertise in building on the relationships that we have developed. All members should be supporting any action that we can take to promote job activity resulting from trade with South-East Asia. I will be working very hard to ensure that we can utilise the skills and the expertise that have been developed by Mr Setter in furthering that particular role.
Page 68
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016