Ms LAWRIE - 2012-10-31
Is it true that your government has just announced the axing of the Arafura Games? If it is true, this is a fail in your Asian relations engagement view. This will devastate the thousands of volunteers from the Top End who embrace our Asian and Pacific neighbours who come here to strengthen sporting and cultural ties in the Territory. Is the reason behind the cancelling of the Arafura Games that you cannot move it to Alice Springs where Bungles, your minister, wants all tourism, sport and recreation to be run from? It is outrageous to cancel the Arafura Games. It highlights the engagement of Asia, our strengthening of sporting and cultural ties. What on earth are you doing? Why are you devastating and wrecking the Territory with your foolish decisions?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this government takes its responsibilities very seriously ...
Members interjecting.
Mr MILLS: You can laugh and mock on the other side, but the questions are largely yours to answer, Opposition Leader.
Ms Lawrie: It is your decision.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MILLS: Yes, we make responsible decisions. The decision is as a result of questions you did not attend to in government. What efforts were made by the previous government to engage the region to secure participation? We have found to our dismay, practically zero. The level of commitment is very low. There have been no forward contracts secured by the former administration. We have been in power for nine weeks plus a few days. You have had a year-and-a-half to do the preliminary work to make sure this event was not going to be an embarrassment for the Northern Territory ...
Ms Lawrie interjecting.
Mr MILLS: No, there are so many questions that are yours to answer. You can make all the noise you like, but we do not want to put ourselves into a position where we will have to manage your mess. We have decided to ensure that when we run this event - an event started under the Country Liberals 20 years ago – it is a showcase of the region. We will ensure we do it properly. We are making serious decisions to ensure we showcase the Northern Territory appropriately, rather than have to clean up the shocking mess of maladministration on your part where you took no interest in the details ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! There is no evidence of maladministration. This Chief Minister is failing the Territory. He is axing the Arafura Games ...
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, please be seated. Chief Minister, it is your call.
Mr MILLS: There was no point of order - well called, Madam Speaker. We have decided to act responsibly given the lack of effort made on your part. In fact, one of your new members was charged by the former Sports minister to engage within the region. I would like you to table what effort was made to engage the region to ensure they knew this event was on ...
Ms Lawrie: You are not up to it, are you, Terry?
Mr MILLS: They did not even know, nor was accommodation booked in our hotels - did not do any of that work. What we have done ...
Ms Lawrie interjecting.
Mr MILLS: Just pipe down! What we have done is pause it to make a proper assessment and we will run the Arafura Games as they should be run, not as the joke it was under you guys who did not care.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this government takes its responsibilities very seriously ...
Members interjecting.
Mr MILLS: You can laugh and mock on the other side, but the questions are largely yours to answer, Opposition Leader.
Ms Lawrie: It is your decision.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MILLS: Yes, we make responsible decisions. The decision is as a result of questions you did not attend to in government. What efforts were made by the previous government to engage the region to secure participation? We have found to our dismay, practically zero. The level of commitment is very low. There have been no forward contracts secured by the former administration. We have been in power for nine weeks plus a few days. You have had a year-and-a-half to do the preliminary work to make sure this event was not going to be an embarrassment for the Northern Territory ...
Ms Lawrie interjecting.
Mr MILLS: No, there are so many questions that are yours to answer. You can make all the noise you like, but we do not want to put ourselves into a position where we will have to manage your mess. We have decided to ensure that when we run this event - an event started under the Country Liberals 20 years ago – it is a showcase of the region. We will ensure we do it properly. We are making serious decisions to ensure we showcase the Northern Territory appropriately, rather than have to clean up the shocking mess of maladministration on your part where you took no interest in the details ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! There is no evidence of maladministration. This Chief Minister is failing the Territory. He is axing the Arafura Games ...
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, please be seated. Chief Minister, it is your call.
Mr MILLS: There was no point of order - well called, Madam Speaker. We have decided to act responsibly given the lack of effort made on your part. In fact, one of your new members was charged by the former Sports minister to engage within the region. I would like you to table what effort was made to engage the region to ensure they knew this event was on ...
Ms Lawrie: You are not up to it, are you, Terry?
Mr MILLS: They did not even know, nor was accommodation booked in our hotels - did not do any of that work. What we have done ...
Ms Lawrie interjecting.
Mr MILLS: Just pipe down! What we have done is pause it to make a proper assessment and we will run the Arafura Games as they should be run, not as the joke it was under you guys who did not care.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016