Mr AH KIT - 1999-10-21
In debate on 24 February this year, the minister told this House:
At the highest levels in the Commonwealth - and I am talking about Dr Kemp and people of that ilk - they are more than comfortable with what we are doing and we have kept them up-to-date with what’s been happening.
In the leaked report of his department it states:
There has been minimal connection between reporting on program activity and Northern Territory Education Department reporting requirements to DETYA This has contributed to NTDE’s decreased ability to report to DETYA and to significant under-reporting in some areas.
Did the minister mislead this House in February deliberately? In which case, is he going to resign now? Or didn’t you know what was happening in your own department, you goose?
Mr POOLE: A point of order, Mr Speaker!
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member should withdraw his final comment. It’s the context rather than the word.
Mr AH KIT: I withdraw.
Mr ADAMSON: The question among all that was, back in February did I mislead the House? What did I say back in February? I said we were keeping Canberra informed the highest level. As recently as about 6 weeks ago, Dr Kemp and I met in my office upstairs to talk about these issues. He is being kept informed, along with his bureaucracy. None of this is new.
This ‘leaked’ report is not even a leaked report. This is a report that is with the stakeholders as we speak. So the opposition can’t even get their misinformation right. The shadow member for Casuarina over there can’t even get his misinformation right. Be honest. It is not a leaked report. This is a report that is circulating among the stakeholders. It is a report about programs that will end this year, and we will enter new agreements as to how we go for the next 3 years or so. We have had that dialogue ongoing this year.
What I said in February was true. The reason we’re continuing to have that dialogue is that we do acknowledge, and I personally acknowledge, that we have needed to build our relationships with the Commonwealth at both a political and a bureaucratic level. That goes back for many, many years, certainly back during the Labor years as well. But we are working on that. The Commonwealth agrees and acknowledges that we are working on that.
I simply say to the members of the Opposition, stick to the facts. By all means let’s talk about these things, but you be truthful. What I said in the House last February was that I was keeping the minister informed, and that is exactly what I am doing. As recently as 6 weeks ago we had discussions in this building. I did not mislead the parliament at that stage. I ask honourable members opposite to observe a similar protocol and not mislead the House today.
At the highest levels in the Commonwealth - and I am talking about Dr Kemp and people of that ilk - they are more than comfortable with what we are doing and we have kept them up-to-date with what’s been happening.
In the leaked report of his department it states:
There has been minimal connection between reporting on program activity and Northern Territory Education Department reporting requirements to DETYA This has contributed to NTDE’s decreased ability to report to DETYA and to significant under-reporting in some areas.
Did the minister mislead this House in February deliberately? In which case, is he going to resign now? Or didn’t you know what was happening in your own department, you goose?
Mr POOLE: A point of order, Mr Speaker!
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member should withdraw his final comment. It’s the context rather than the word.
Mr AH KIT: I withdraw.
Mr ADAMSON: The question among all that was, back in February did I mislead the House? What did I say back in February? I said we were keeping Canberra informed the highest level. As recently as about 6 weeks ago, Dr Kemp and I met in my office upstairs to talk about these issues. He is being kept informed, along with his bureaucracy. None of this is new.
This ‘leaked’ report is not even a leaked report. This is a report that is with the stakeholders as we speak. So the opposition can’t even get their misinformation right. The shadow member for Casuarina over there can’t even get his misinformation right. Be honest. It is not a leaked report. This is a report that is circulating among the stakeholders. It is a report about programs that will end this year, and we will enter new agreements as to how we go for the next 3 years or so. We have had that dialogue ongoing this year.
What I said in February was true. The reason we’re continuing to have that dialogue is that we do acknowledge, and I personally acknowledge, that we have needed to build our relationships with the Commonwealth at both a political and a bureaucratic level. That goes back for many, many years, certainly back during the Labor years as well. But we are working on that. The Commonwealth agrees and acknowledges that we are working on that.
I simply say to the members of the Opposition, stick to the facts. By all means let’s talk about these things, but you be truthful. What I said in the House last February was that I was keeping the minister informed, and that is exactly what I am doing. As recently as 6 weeks ago we had discussions in this building. I did not mislead the parliament at that stage. I ask honourable members opposite to observe a similar protocol and not mislead the House today.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016