Mr BALCH - 2000-03-01
What has been the response from Territorians to the government’s mandatory sentencing information campaign?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, in a nutshell, overwhelmingly positive. I am very pleased that government has taken the decision to advertise widely to Territorians and, in due course, nationally with regards to what is ...
Mr Ah Kit interjecting.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BURKE: The member for Arnhem asks the astounding question: ‘Why should one advertise nationally?’ I would have thought that common sense would prevail in this issue, where the Northern Territory populous, Territorians generally - not just politicians, not just the Chief Minister, but Territorians generally - are being attacked from all quarters.
Some of the most scurrilous attacks are coming through the southern media. The most scurrilous attack that has been waged against Territorians has come from the Leader of the Opposition, sitting in that chair, who said: ‘If you want to live in a racist, oppressive, apartheid regime, live in the Northern Territory. If you want to live in a progressive society, go down south’.
That’s what the Leader of the Opposition in the Northern Territory said about Territorians: ‘You are so stupid, you are so dumb, you are so racist, Mr and Mrs Average Territorian, that you vote for an apartheid-type regime in the Northern Territory and you’ve done so for the last 23 years.’
That’s the sort of stuff that I, as the Chief Minister, and this government needs to defend on behalf of Territorians.
With regards to the advertising campaign, shortly we will see what the response nationally will be once Australians know the truth as a result of our advertising campaign. Territorians’ responses have been overwhelmingly positive. I’ve been inundated with mail thanking the government for embarking on this campaign. I have a couple here that are worth referring to.
Mr Stirling: What a joke!
Mr BURKE: The member for Nhulunbuy says: ‘What a joke’. Why is it a joke? Why is it a joke when the issue of mandatory sentencing is probably the most topical issue nationwide? Why is it a joke, I ask the member for Nhulunbuy, if the government sets out to tell Territorians plainly what is the actual truth of the legislation and how it works? Why is that a joke? I just fail to understand why that can be a joke when the Leader of the Opposition herself went on radio saying I should tell Territorians exactly what is going on.
Well I am telling it. Mr Speaker, we will be telling Australians as well. One example is a response directed to me:
Dear Sir,
I was recently asked to complete a questionnaire by an Alice Springs student for a project. The topic as you can probably guess was mandatory sentencing. A great deal of discussion ensued in my office on the subject. I was surprised ( though I should not have been) that people who I considered to be ‘well educated’ were so very ignorant of the FACTS regarding sentencing and the three strike and you are in, laws. Two different topics I had to explain.
I heartily welcome our government’s ‘advertising’ campaign, and am happy to say, so are the people in my office now… the Labor Party claims of misuse of government ‘taxpayers funds’ for electioneering, however ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BURKE: It is interesting that the opposition laugh so easily at a letter from a Territorian. I mean you can laugh at me, fine, but don’t laugh at Territorians. Don’t suggest that Territorians are so ignorant that they shouldn’t be able to put their opinions down on paper and write to the Chief Minister.
He goes on to say ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Ms MARTIN: A point of order, Mr Speaker! The Chief Minister is quoting from this letter. Could he please table it?
Mr SPEAKER: Is the Chief Minister prepared to table that letter?
Mr BURKE: Mr Speaker, it’s my choice whether I table it or not. I’m quoting from the letter ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Unless the letter is of a confidential nature, if it’s asked to be tabled, it ought to be tabled.
Mr BURKE: Mr Speaker, I have no difficulty at all tabling this letter.Can I just finish a letter from a Territorian? The letter goes on to say:
… the Labor Party claims of misuse of … taxpayers funds for ‘electioneering’, however as it is ALREADY law, the, GO FOR IT. Keep up the good work, sir. We, my family and I, have ...
it goes on to praise a little bit to praise me a little bit.
Another letter here from is from Mrs Dent sent in reply from me in response to a letter from her objecting to mandatory sentencing, I got my response back with her handwritten comments on the bottom where she said on the bottom: ‘Having read Mr Burke’s full page explanation of mandatory sentencing in the NT News, I withdraw my signature from the letter asking for the repeal of mandatory sentencing’. She was a signatory to one of the petitions.
Another one here. This is an interesting one. To me:
Are you aware that a phone survey on mandatory sentencing was conducted Queensland TV station Channel 7 program, Today Tonight? Various cases from the Northern Territory were shown on screen and 2 phone numbers, one for and one against, for a 24 hour period. Results – 86% in favour, 14% against. This information is from our son in Toowoomba. As an ex-manager of Kurringal for over 11 years, I fail to understand Clare Martin’s stand against mandatory sentencing when the greatest hotbed of trouble is in her electorate. Loyalty to a party of no hopers I suppose,
And it goes on.
I am happy to table that first letter that the Leader of the Opposition asked me to. Can I just finish off by saying, in answer to the honourable member’s question that, yes, I think it is an essential campaign and it is certainly serving to educate Territorians to the true nature of the mandatory sentencing regime.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, in a nutshell, overwhelmingly positive. I am very pleased that government has taken the decision to advertise widely to Territorians and, in due course, nationally with regards to what is ...
Mr Ah Kit interjecting.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BURKE: The member for Arnhem asks the astounding question: ‘Why should one advertise nationally?’ I would have thought that common sense would prevail in this issue, where the Northern Territory populous, Territorians generally - not just politicians, not just the Chief Minister, but Territorians generally - are being attacked from all quarters.
Some of the most scurrilous attacks are coming through the southern media. The most scurrilous attack that has been waged against Territorians has come from the Leader of the Opposition, sitting in that chair, who said: ‘If you want to live in a racist, oppressive, apartheid regime, live in the Northern Territory. If you want to live in a progressive society, go down south’.
That’s what the Leader of the Opposition in the Northern Territory said about Territorians: ‘You are so stupid, you are so dumb, you are so racist, Mr and Mrs Average Territorian, that you vote for an apartheid-type regime in the Northern Territory and you’ve done so for the last 23 years.’
That’s the sort of stuff that I, as the Chief Minister, and this government needs to defend on behalf of Territorians.
With regards to the advertising campaign, shortly we will see what the response nationally will be once Australians know the truth as a result of our advertising campaign. Territorians’ responses have been overwhelmingly positive. I’ve been inundated with mail thanking the government for embarking on this campaign. I have a couple here that are worth referring to.
Mr Stirling: What a joke!
Mr BURKE: The member for Nhulunbuy says: ‘What a joke’. Why is it a joke? Why is it a joke when the issue of mandatory sentencing is probably the most topical issue nationwide? Why is it a joke, I ask the member for Nhulunbuy, if the government sets out to tell Territorians plainly what is the actual truth of the legislation and how it works? Why is that a joke? I just fail to understand why that can be a joke when the Leader of the Opposition herself went on radio saying I should tell Territorians exactly what is going on.
Well I am telling it. Mr Speaker, we will be telling Australians as well. One example is a response directed to me:
Dear Sir,
I was recently asked to complete a questionnaire by an Alice Springs student for a project. The topic as you can probably guess was mandatory sentencing. A great deal of discussion ensued in my office on the subject. I was surprised ( though I should not have been) that people who I considered to be ‘well educated’ were so very ignorant of the FACTS regarding sentencing and the three strike and you are in, laws. Two different topics I had to explain.
I heartily welcome our government’s ‘advertising’ campaign, and am happy to say, so are the people in my office now… the Labor Party claims of misuse of government ‘taxpayers funds’ for electioneering, however ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BURKE: It is interesting that the opposition laugh so easily at a letter from a Territorian. I mean you can laugh at me, fine, but don’t laugh at Territorians. Don’t suggest that Territorians are so ignorant that they shouldn’t be able to put their opinions down on paper and write to the Chief Minister.
He goes on to say ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Ms MARTIN: A point of order, Mr Speaker! The Chief Minister is quoting from this letter. Could he please table it?
Mr SPEAKER: Is the Chief Minister prepared to table that letter?
Mr BURKE: Mr Speaker, it’s my choice whether I table it or not. I’m quoting from the letter ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Unless the letter is of a confidential nature, if it’s asked to be tabled, it ought to be tabled.
Mr BURKE: Mr Speaker, I have no difficulty at all tabling this letter.Can I just finish a letter from a Territorian? The letter goes on to say:
… the Labor Party claims of misuse of … taxpayers funds for ‘electioneering’, however as it is ALREADY law, the, GO FOR IT. Keep up the good work, sir. We, my family and I, have ...
it goes on to praise a little bit to praise me a little bit.
Another letter here from is from Mrs Dent sent in reply from me in response to a letter from her objecting to mandatory sentencing, I got my response back with her handwritten comments on the bottom where she said on the bottom: ‘Having read Mr Burke’s full page explanation of mandatory sentencing in the NT News, I withdraw my signature from the letter asking for the repeal of mandatory sentencing’. She was a signatory to one of the petitions.
Another one here. This is an interesting one. To me:
Are you aware that a phone survey on mandatory sentencing was conducted Queensland TV station Channel 7 program, Today Tonight? Various cases from the Northern Territory were shown on screen and 2 phone numbers, one for and one against, for a 24 hour period. Results – 86% in favour, 14% against. This information is from our son in Toowoomba. As an ex-manager of Kurringal for over 11 years, I fail to understand Clare Martin’s stand against mandatory sentencing when the greatest hotbed of trouble is in her electorate. Loyalty to a party of no hopers I suppose,
And it goes on.
I am happy to table that first letter that the Leader of the Opposition asked me to. Can I just finish off by saying, in answer to the honourable member’s question that, yes, I think it is an essential campaign and it is certainly serving to educate Territorians to the true nature of the mandatory sentencing regime.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016