Mr STIRLING - 2001-02-22
The corrupt practice of commissioning taxpayer funded polling for tens of thousands of dollars while providing an expanded report with political results to the CLP…
Mr REED: A point of order, Mr Speaker! In terms of the word corrupt, I understand that …
Mr SPEAKER: There is in fact a point of order. You cannot infer that of the Chief Minister without a substantive motion.
Mr STIRLING: Let’s say insidious. This insidious practice of commissioning polling for tens of thousands of dollars while providing an expanded report on the one hand for the CLP with political results has previously been exposed by CLP insider, Andrew Coward, and this insidious practice continues today with push polling specialist, Mark Textor, Australia’s grubbiest pollster on behalf of the CLP at the weekend. At the same time he is heading up a $300 000 taxpayer funded polling operation.
Now isn’t it a fact the common link between these operations is Mark Textor, and at the over inflated cost of $300 000 on the one hand, is subsidising the cost of the CLP polling. If that is not the case why didn’t you put the $300 000 out to tender? Why don’t you publish the results in here or why don’t you use another pollster for one half of the work? With your form, I ask the Chief Minister does he seriously expect taxpayers to believe it is pure coincidence that the same pollster gets both jobs simultaneously?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I do, because I tell the truth and that is the truth, for Territorians. I will tell you a couple of things. The first thing is that I am amazed that the opposition have not asked one question in these sittings about the welfare of the people who are being evacuated from various remote areas in the Northern Territory, some of whom are part of your own electorate. And they are into this gutter sniping trivia which is of little interest to Territorians.
The Deputy Leader of the Opposition, in his previous question, started off by saying that Mark Textor was a proven liar. Now, there is only one person in this room who is a proven liar and that is the Leader of the Opposition, who was ...
Mr STIRLING: A point of order, Mr Speaker!
Mr SPEAKER: Order, order! Yes again, the Chief Minister cannot infer that or cannot say that. He should withdraw that comment.
Mr BURKE: I withdraw, Mr Speaker.
The only person in this room who has had that particular allegation levelled against her was the Leader of the Opposition when she entered politics, who started her career in politics, in the opinion of the Northern Territory News at the time, and by her statements, as fitting exactly that description. Her recent efforts with regards to trying to mislead police with regards to the issue with Catherine or Adele from her office, which caused great concern to the police, only reinforces that particular description. And I can tell you that as the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, if she wants to get to her feet and ask me questions in the future, she will have to provide an onus of proof rather than just straight out allegations. The same goes for her deputy who stands in this Chamber and makes the most scurrilous and mischievous allegations - none of which are true and have no basis and frankly do not even require an answer.
The answers with regards to the market research that is being conducted by the government are contained in the findings of the Auditor-General. And the Auditor-General has found nothing that is untoward, absolutely nothing that is untoward; points to concerns about how taxpayers’ money may be used to political advantage, and the only direct example of that is what is being put out by the Leader of the Opposition, which I tabled in the previous answer; and also accepted the advice from the public servants as to why Wirthlin International was conducted for this particular research. Which was because of their first hand knowledge of the work that Wirthlin had already done in the Northern Territory, and that has been widely acknowledged by experts because of their ability to research and understand the attitudes of Territorians and why their views are what they are; also, because of the recommendations from various interstate colleagues who had experience in commissioning Wirthlin for market research activities; the previous work carried out by Wirthlin in surveying community attitudes to the Northern Territory; and also the experience of others with the work of Wirthlin being commissioned by both ALP, Liberal, National and CLP, various governments and community organisations throughout Australia.
Territorians need to be very clear on this. All the Labor Party can do is raise the most mischievous and trivial allegations in order to try and get a headline.
Mr Stirling: Against this filthy, lying grub.
Mr BURKE: If any Territorians ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr PALMER: A point of order, Mr Speaker! The honourable member opposite knows full well that he cannot use this House to malign persons outside of this House other than by way of substantial motion.
Mr SPEAKER: That is not the case. At the same time I do not think that it is appropriate that you continue to use ...
Mr Palmer: Say it outside, Syd. You haven’t got the guts. You’re spineless. Say it outside.
Mr Stirling: I will not withdraw. It is proven in the courts. It has been proven.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Order!
MrBURKE: Mr Speaker, most Australians would at least pass the test to it by saying that they would provide some onus of truth before they make those sorts of allegations.
Mr Stirling: You employ a filthy, lying grub, that’s the truth of it.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr BURKE: This is a purposeful charade that he is going through so that he can run out the media and look like he’s upset. We all know him. It’s the water he drinks and the way he can’t control himself.
If Territorians are interested in this issue I would ask them to read the Auditor-General’s Report on this market research. It is very important research. It will be conducted over a long period of time. It will be extremely valuable for the Northern Territory in positioning itself against other jurisdictions. I applaud the ongoing work of all those who have been involved and I tell Territorians that if they have any concerns please read the report of the Auditor-General in all its detail.
Mr REED: A point of order, Mr Speaker! In terms of the word corrupt, I understand that …
Mr SPEAKER: There is in fact a point of order. You cannot infer that of the Chief Minister without a substantive motion.
Mr STIRLING: Let’s say insidious. This insidious practice of commissioning polling for tens of thousands of dollars while providing an expanded report on the one hand for the CLP with political results has previously been exposed by CLP insider, Andrew Coward, and this insidious practice continues today with push polling specialist, Mark Textor, Australia’s grubbiest pollster on behalf of the CLP at the weekend. At the same time he is heading up a $300 000 taxpayer funded polling operation.
Now isn’t it a fact the common link between these operations is Mark Textor, and at the over inflated cost of $300 000 on the one hand, is subsidising the cost of the CLP polling. If that is not the case why didn’t you put the $300 000 out to tender? Why don’t you publish the results in here or why don’t you use another pollster for one half of the work? With your form, I ask the Chief Minister does he seriously expect taxpayers to believe it is pure coincidence that the same pollster gets both jobs simultaneously?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I do, because I tell the truth and that is the truth, for Territorians. I will tell you a couple of things. The first thing is that I am amazed that the opposition have not asked one question in these sittings about the welfare of the people who are being evacuated from various remote areas in the Northern Territory, some of whom are part of your own electorate. And they are into this gutter sniping trivia which is of little interest to Territorians.
The Deputy Leader of the Opposition, in his previous question, started off by saying that Mark Textor was a proven liar. Now, there is only one person in this room who is a proven liar and that is the Leader of the Opposition, who was ...
Mr STIRLING: A point of order, Mr Speaker!
Mr SPEAKER: Order, order! Yes again, the Chief Minister cannot infer that or cannot say that. He should withdraw that comment.
Mr BURKE: I withdraw, Mr Speaker.
The only person in this room who has had that particular allegation levelled against her was the Leader of the Opposition when she entered politics, who started her career in politics, in the opinion of the Northern Territory News at the time, and by her statements, as fitting exactly that description. Her recent efforts with regards to trying to mislead police with regards to the issue with Catherine or Adele from her office, which caused great concern to the police, only reinforces that particular description. And I can tell you that as the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, if she wants to get to her feet and ask me questions in the future, she will have to provide an onus of proof rather than just straight out allegations. The same goes for her deputy who stands in this Chamber and makes the most scurrilous and mischievous allegations - none of which are true and have no basis and frankly do not even require an answer.
The answers with regards to the market research that is being conducted by the government are contained in the findings of the Auditor-General. And the Auditor-General has found nothing that is untoward, absolutely nothing that is untoward; points to concerns about how taxpayers’ money may be used to political advantage, and the only direct example of that is what is being put out by the Leader of the Opposition, which I tabled in the previous answer; and also accepted the advice from the public servants as to why Wirthlin International was conducted for this particular research. Which was because of their first hand knowledge of the work that Wirthlin had already done in the Northern Territory, and that has been widely acknowledged by experts because of their ability to research and understand the attitudes of Territorians and why their views are what they are; also, because of the recommendations from various interstate colleagues who had experience in commissioning Wirthlin for market research activities; the previous work carried out by Wirthlin in surveying community attitudes to the Northern Territory; and also the experience of others with the work of Wirthlin being commissioned by both ALP, Liberal, National and CLP, various governments and community organisations throughout Australia.
Territorians need to be very clear on this. All the Labor Party can do is raise the most mischievous and trivial allegations in order to try and get a headline.
Mr Stirling: Against this filthy, lying grub.
Mr BURKE: If any Territorians ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr PALMER: A point of order, Mr Speaker! The honourable member opposite knows full well that he cannot use this House to malign persons outside of this House other than by way of substantial motion.
Mr SPEAKER: That is not the case. At the same time I do not think that it is appropriate that you continue to use ...
Mr Palmer: Say it outside, Syd. You haven’t got the guts. You’re spineless. Say it outside.
Mr Stirling: I will not withdraw. It is proven in the courts. It has been proven.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Order!
MrBURKE: Mr Speaker, most Australians would at least pass the test to it by saying that they would provide some onus of truth before they make those sorts of allegations.
Mr Stirling: You employ a filthy, lying grub, that’s the truth of it.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr BURKE: This is a purposeful charade that he is going through so that he can run out the media and look like he’s upset. We all know him. It’s the water he drinks and the way he can’t control himself.
If Territorians are interested in this issue I would ask them to read the Auditor-General’s Report on this market research. It is very important research. It will be conducted over a long period of time. It will be extremely valuable for the Northern Territory in positioning itself against other jurisdictions. I applaud the ongoing work of all those who have been involved and I tell Territorians that if they have any concerns please read the report of the Auditor-General in all its detail.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016