Ms LAWRIE - 2012-10-31
Your so-called independent Renewal Management Board consisting of your hand-picked mates, Neil Conn, Ken Clarke, John Gardner and Alan Tregilgas, is employed to come up with the answers you want to pay for your unfunded election commitments to the bush ...
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Leader of the Opposition well knows that naming people in this House without giving them the capacity to defend themselves while she slurs their integrity is something which is frowned upon by the Chair traditionally. I encourage you to frown upon it in this instance.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, the names have just been mentioned; there has been no detrimental comment passed. If you could please get to the question, Leader of the Opposition.
Ms LAWRIE: Thank you. I note the member for Port Darwin is highly sensitive about the subject of this so-called independent Renewal Management Board where they have handpicked old mates, Neil Conn, Ken Clarke, John Gardner and Alan Tregilgas…
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, your time has expired.
Ms LAWRIE: What is their salary? What is their budget is? What is their travel ...
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, your time has expired.
ANSWER
All you want is to have tabled what they are being paid, is that correct?
Ms Lawrie: Their budget, their travel, hospitality.
Mr MILLS: Sure, I have nothing to hide. But,you do; that is why I have quality people. You cast these aspersions like ‘sneaking around to find your mates who are going to tell you something you want them to find for you’. That really is a reflection on the way in which you must operate. If you think that is what I do, obviously, you have that as your mode of operation. That is not the way I operate.
You could not find better people to do this job. You can go outside ...
Ms Lawrie: What is wrong with the former Under Treasurer?
Mr MILLS: I know you have an outstanding CV; it matches against a former Administrator and a couple of Under Treasurers who are eminently qualified. I understand exactly what you are trying to do here before there is a report for anyone to see in the Northern Territory and make their own mind up on this.
If the big concern is what they are being paid - well, they are being paid. We will make Territorians aware of that; we have nothing to hide there.
However, I can see what is happening here. You are trying your darndest to put up some sort of smoke screen to try to deflect people’s attention from what will be contained in that report ...
Ms Lawrie: Transparency and accountability.
Mr MILLS: It will all be there. You can read it, any Territorian can read it. What you are doing –and I noticed this last week - you are, obviously, deeply sensitive about what will be brought to light for all to see.
You have a real government which will make the hard decisions, unlike the former government which was more interested in excessive self-promotion, denial of the truth, obfuscating, and not making hard decisions. That is why you are where you are. That is why Territorians need some strong leadership and quality advice, and that quality advice will be provided for all to see. We will be prepared to make the decisions that are necessary in the best interests of the long-term future of the Northern Territory because we believe the best days of the Territory are ahead of us. We have nothing to hide. You do, and you have questions you need to answer.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Leader of the Opposition well knows that naming people in this House without giving them the capacity to defend themselves while she slurs their integrity is something which is frowned upon by the Chair traditionally. I encourage you to frown upon it in this instance.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, the names have just been mentioned; there has been no detrimental comment passed. If you could please get to the question, Leader of the Opposition.
Ms LAWRIE: Thank you. I note the member for Port Darwin is highly sensitive about the subject of this so-called independent Renewal Management Board where they have handpicked old mates, Neil Conn, Ken Clarke, John Gardner and Alan Tregilgas…
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, your time has expired.
Ms LAWRIE: What is their salary? What is their budget is? What is their travel ...
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, your time has expired.
ANSWER
All you want is to have tabled what they are being paid, is that correct?
Ms Lawrie: Their budget, their travel, hospitality.
Mr MILLS: Sure, I have nothing to hide. But,you do; that is why I have quality people. You cast these aspersions like ‘sneaking around to find your mates who are going to tell you something you want them to find for you’. That really is a reflection on the way in which you must operate. If you think that is what I do, obviously, you have that as your mode of operation. That is not the way I operate.
You could not find better people to do this job. You can go outside ...
Ms Lawrie: What is wrong with the former Under Treasurer?
Mr MILLS: I know you have an outstanding CV; it matches against a former Administrator and a couple of Under Treasurers who are eminently qualified. I understand exactly what you are trying to do here before there is a report for anyone to see in the Northern Territory and make their own mind up on this.
If the big concern is what they are being paid - well, they are being paid. We will make Territorians aware of that; we have nothing to hide there.
However, I can see what is happening here. You are trying your darndest to put up some sort of smoke screen to try to deflect people’s attention from what will be contained in that report ...
Ms Lawrie: Transparency and accountability.
Mr MILLS: It will all be there. You can read it, any Territorian can read it. What you are doing –and I noticed this last week - you are, obviously, deeply sensitive about what will be brought to light for all to see.
You have a real government which will make the hard decisions, unlike the former government which was more interested in excessive self-promotion, denial of the truth, obfuscating, and not making hard decisions. That is why you are where you are. That is why Territorians need some strong leadership and quality advice, and that quality advice will be provided for all to see. We will be prepared to make the decisions that are necessary in the best interests of the long-term future of the Northern Territory because we believe the best days of the Territory are ahead of us. We have nothing to hide. You do, and you have questions you need to answer.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016