Mr McCARTHY - 2014-03-19
Is it true you have granted a Crown lease for Lot 989 Standley Street, Tennant Creek to Barkly Group Holdings Pty Ltd, for the purpose of a mini-market, supermarket, automatic carwash, three manual carwash bays and caretaker’s residence for a total rental of $1500 per annum - approximately $30 per week?
Is it true Barkly Group Holdings Pty Ltd directorship represents four members of the Country Liberal Party, including Jason Michael Newman, President of the CLP Barkly Branch, and Steven Mark Edgington, senior public servant, Director of Housing and Chief Minister’s representative in the Tennant Creek office? Why are these CLP mates receiving a Crown lease, rather than purchasing this prime block of land at auction?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I appreciate the question. First, I will need to get back with the details because I do not believe one word of truth will come from the other side. Second, it is good to see people have the confidence in the Tennant Creek economy and want to invest there in the first place. In the years we had the member for Barkly as the minister for Lands and Planning, there was little evidence he did much for Tennant Creek or the Barkly region. When I took over as the minister for Lands and Planning, the hard work of the department looked like it had been gathering dust. There had been a lot of work in planning for the future of Tennant Creek …
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It is clear he will not answer the question. He may as well sit down.
Madam SPEAKER: That was unparliamentary and uncalled for. Leave the Chamber for one hour, member for Barkly, pursuant to Standing Order 240A.
Mr CHANDLER: I thought I had three minutes to answer the question, which is part of standing orders and, I think, it was on both sides of the House. I answered the question in the first instance; I will get the details of this leasing arrangement. I do not, for one moment, take what comes across from the other side of the Chamber as honest or truthful. We have evidence of it in recent days, in the last 12 to 18 months when they continually came here with information and evidence, and made up stories given to them by third parties which demonstrated the information was clearly incorrect.
It is thrilling we have people who have the confidence in Tennant Creek. You would not think the member for Barkly, who supposedly has Tennant Creek at his heart, would be denouncing people who have confidence in the economy, who want to live in and grow Tennant Creek into the place it could become. It will come on the back of good quality developments and providing services for the people of Tennant Creek. Do you know how this will happen? It is through good people with good business sense.
The confidence people have in wanting to invest in Tennant Creek should be applauded, especially by the member for Barkly. We look at this man who leads with his chin, the man who is leading the Stella Maris debate at the moment …
Members interjecting.
Mr CHANDLER: The Opposition Leader can sit there leading with her chin when it comes to developments and leasing arrangements. There is more to come in this space.
Is it true Barkly Group Holdings Pty Ltd directorship represents four members of the Country Liberal Party, including Jason Michael Newman, President of the CLP Barkly Branch, and Steven Mark Edgington, senior public servant, Director of Housing and Chief Minister’s representative in the Tennant Creek office? Why are these CLP mates receiving a Crown lease, rather than purchasing this prime block of land at auction?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I appreciate the question. First, I will need to get back with the details because I do not believe one word of truth will come from the other side. Second, it is good to see people have the confidence in the Tennant Creek economy and want to invest there in the first place. In the years we had the member for Barkly as the minister for Lands and Planning, there was little evidence he did much for Tennant Creek or the Barkly region. When I took over as the minister for Lands and Planning, the hard work of the department looked like it had been gathering dust. There had been a lot of work in planning for the future of Tennant Creek …
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It is clear he will not answer the question. He may as well sit down.
__________________________
Suspension of Member
Member for Barkly
Member for Barkly
Madam SPEAKER: That was unparliamentary and uncalled for. Leave the Chamber for one hour, member for Barkly, pursuant to Standing Order 240A.
__________________________
Mr CHANDLER: I thought I had three minutes to answer the question, which is part of standing orders and, I think, it was on both sides of the House. I answered the question in the first instance; I will get the details of this leasing arrangement. I do not, for one moment, take what comes across from the other side of the Chamber as honest or truthful. We have evidence of it in recent days, in the last 12 to 18 months when they continually came here with information and evidence, and made up stories given to them by third parties which demonstrated the information was clearly incorrect.
It is thrilling we have people who have the confidence in Tennant Creek. You would not think the member for Barkly, who supposedly has Tennant Creek at his heart, would be denouncing people who have confidence in the economy, who want to live in and grow Tennant Creek into the place it could become. It will come on the back of good quality developments and providing services for the people of Tennant Creek. Do you know how this will happen? It is through good people with good business sense.
The confidence people have in wanting to invest in Tennant Creek should be applauded, especially by the member for Barkly. We look at this man who leads with his chin, the man who is leading the Stella Maris debate at the moment …
Members interjecting.
Mr CHANDLER: The Opposition Leader can sit there leading with her chin when it comes to developments and leasing arrangements. There is more to come in this space.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016