Mr STIRLING - 1999-08-18
The member for Nightcliff states on his pecuniary interests form lodged with this parliament that he is a director of a company called Capricornia Varieties Pty Ltd. An Australian Securities Commission search uncovered that this company does not exist. What that search did show was that the member for Nightcliff is a director of Capricornia Mining and Resources Pty Ltd, which operates out of the Trade Development Zone. Will the Chief Minister tell the House what he knows about the activities of this company? Can he also tell the House what measures he has in place to ensure that the member for Nightcliff does not use his position within government to give this company an unfair advantage in business?
ANSWER
Mr BURKE: Mr Speaker, this issue of pecuniary interest is a responsibility relying on the integrity of members in revealing their interests to the parliament. The member has revealed an interest, as I understand from your statement, on his pecuniary interests form. You’re asking me to explain the detail of that particular interest. The simple answer is: I don’t know.
I don’t know what conflict the member for Stuart may have in remaining a consultant to the Tanami Network and being a member of this House. I don’t know, from the pecuniary interest forms, what the degree of conflict is between an interest that the member for Nhulunbuy has in an address at 227 Lee Point Road, Wanguri, while he occupies a Housing Commission dwelling in Nhulunbuy subsidised at taxpayers’ expense. There could be a conflict - I don’t particularly know. But it’s certainly not available to the average Territorian.
The Leader of the Opposition reveals an interest in Sefton Pty Ltd, C M and Daughters, D Alderman Family Trust, Westpac Imputation Fund, Australian Tax Effective Fund, Conservative Growth Fund, Moderate Growth Fund, BT Australia Share Fund, International Share Fund and First State Wholesale Imputation Fund. My point is that I don’t know the degree of conflict involved in what members reveal in their pecuniary interest forms, and whether that conflict is real or presumed. I simply reinforce to members on this side of the House that their pecuniary interest forms must be absolutely clear in all that they reveals. The responsibility lies entirely with the member.
Members of this parliament all have until 10 September to ensure that our pecuniary interest forms are correct.
If we’re going to dwell on the issues of conflict of interest or the misuse of taxpayers’ money, here is a tangible example of the waste of taxpayers’ money - glossy pamphlets produced at taxpayers’ expense, drafted by the new member for Wanguri when he was on the payroll of the Leader of the Opposition and sent out, costed by the government at about $4000 a pop. It is the responsibility of members to use their electorate accounts to produce this sort of material. It’s not the business of the Leader of the Opposition to run the ALP as a party out of her office. $16 000 for these four pamphlets alone came from Territory taxpayers. It was her responsibility to use her electorate account to pay for them.
It is interesting that in three publications within about three months there are three different hairstyles. I’m not sure if I’m not paying for the hairstyles as well. She has had more hairstyle changes than Nicole Kidman.
I am ensuring that Territorians no longer meet this expense. If you want to get into pecuniary interests, if you want to get into the wasting of taxpayers money, dig a hole for yourself. We will soon find out where your pecuniary interests lie. We have the goods on a few of you already.
ANSWER
Mr BURKE: Mr Speaker, this issue of pecuniary interest is a responsibility relying on the integrity of members in revealing their interests to the parliament. The member has revealed an interest, as I understand from your statement, on his pecuniary interests form. You’re asking me to explain the detail of that particular interest. The simple answer is: I don’t know.
I don’t know what conflict the member for Stuart may have in remaining a consultant to the Tanami Network and being a member of this House. I don’t know, from the pecuniary interest forms, what the degree of conflict is between an interest that the member for Nhulunbuy has in an address at 227 Lee Point Road, Wanguri, while he occupies a Housing Commission dwelling in Nhulunbuy subsidised at taxpayers’ expense. There could be a conflict - I don’t particularly know. But it’s certainly not available to the average Territorian.
The Leader of the Opposition reveals an interest in Sefton Pty Ltd, C M and Daughters, D Alderman Family Trust, Westpac Imputation Fund, Australian Tax Effective Fund, Conservative Growth Fund, Moderate Growth Fund, BT Australia Share Fund, International Share Fund and First State Wholesale Imputation Fund. My point is that I don’t know the degree of conflict involved in what members reveal in their pecuniary interest forms, and whether that conflict is real or presumed. I simply reinforce to members on this side of the House that their pecuniary interest forms must be absolutely clear in all that they reveals. The responsibility lies entirely with the member.
Members of this parliament all have until 10 September to ensure that our pecuniary interest forms are correct.
If we’re going to dwell on the issues of conflict of interest or the misuse of taxpayers’ money, here is a tangible example of the waste of taxpayers’ money - glossy pamphlets produced at taxpayers’ expense, drafted by the new member for Wanguri when he was on the payroll of the Leader of the Opposition and sent out, costed by the government at about $4000 a pop. It is the responsibility of members to use their electorate accounts to produce this sort of material. It’s not the business of the Leader of the Opposition to run the ALP as a party out of her office. $16 000 for these four pamphlets alone came from Territory taxpayers. It was her responsibility to use her electorate account to pay for them.
It is interesting that in three publications within about three months there are three different hairstyles. I’m not sure if I’m not paying for the hairstyles as well. She has had more hairstyle changes than Nicole Kidman.
I am ensuring that Territorians no longer meet this expense. If you want to get into pecuniary interests, if you want to get into the wasting of taxpayers money, dig a hole for yourself. We will soon find out where your pecuniary interests lie. We have the goods on a few of you already.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016