Ms FYLES - 2015-09-15
Every day you waste hundreds of thousands of dollars, in taxpayers’ money, on blatantly political government promotional ads in an effort to spin your failing government’s appalling record. Tomorrow Territory Labor will introduce legislation to stop this waste of money. It will put an end to the misuse of taxpayer funds by this government and future governments. Will you support these changes?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, Labor is a bit sensitive about the On Track advertising campaign, which by 9 September this year has spent approximately $119 000 on print, radio and TV advertisements. Labor has brought into question whether or not government should be promoting things like Crocwise, kids turning up to school and washing your hands. Labor is trying to say things are political.
Just over $100 000 was spent by 9 September on the On Track campaign.
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. This is not about Crocwise or water safety ads; it is about putting an end to the misuse of taxpayer dollars. Will you support our changes?
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order.
Mr GILES: The Labor budget over the last full year had $9m for marketing. What did I just say? There was $119 000 spent by 9 September. Where did $9m go? I have a couple of examples.
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Will the Chief Minister support stopping this waste by this government and any future government?
Mr GILES: Here is a little glossy brochure, titled ‘Darwin Waterfront & Convention Centre’ that Labor issued as part of its marketing campaign. There is another little fold-out brochure titled ‘INPEX’, which talks about how Labor achieved it. It has a photo of the former Chief Minister in it, which you are not allowed to do under today’s rules. The former Chief Minister was doing a bit of promotion for that.
There is another one under the former Labor government, which says, ‘Northern Territory 1000s & 1000s of Jobs’ – promoting under your marketing expenditure. It is a pity you forgot to say it was jobs you never created, because the Country Liberals introduced the lowest unemployment rate in the nation.
Here is one to gauge the Leader of the Opposition’s untrusting opinion on aligning politics to marketing campaigns. It is called ‘Northern Territory Government Achievements’, and was issued by the former Labor government. It also has a picture of the former Chief Minister advertising their achievements. I question what the difference is in this case.
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It was a very direct question. Will you support our changes tomorrow and preserve taxpayer funds?
Mr GILES: I think I am stating my case. Here is one from this year from the Leader of the Opposition’s budget, which says, ‘Territory Labor’ and ‘See You at Glenti!’ Was that paid out of the Leader of the Opposition’s budget? I am not saying it should not have been, but you need to be fair and reasonable in this case. I hope there are other questions in regard to …
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Labor will stop the waste by this government and any future governments. Will the Chief Minister support our bill? That is the question and he has not answered it.
Mr GILES: Labor released ‘Northern Territory Government Achievements’ when in government – you were spending taxpayers’ money. The government needs to promote its message. You ask us to communicate more and we are, but now you complain because you do not like the message. You do not like house prices, petrol prices, unemployment rates and debt lowering, or growth going up. That is the truth of the matter.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, Labor is a bit sensitive about the On Track advertising campaign, which by 9 September this year has spent approximately $119 000 on print, radio and TV advertisements. Labor has brought into question whether or not government should be promoting things like Crocwise, kids turning up to school and washing your hands. Labor is trying to say things are political.
Just over $100 000 was spent by 9 September on the On Track campaign.
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. This is not about Crocwise or water safety ads; it is about putting an end to the misuse of taxpayer dollars. Will you support our changes?
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order.
Mr GILES: The Labor budget over the last full year had $9m for marketing. What did I just say? There was $119 000 spent by 9 September. Where did $9m go? I have a couple of examples.
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Will the Chief Minister support stopping this waste by this government and any future government?
Mr GILES: Here is a little glossy brochure, titled ‘Darwin Waterfront & Convention Centre’ that Labor issued as part of its marketing campaign. There is another little fold-out brochure titled ‘INPEX’, which talks about how Labor achieved it. It has a photo of the former Chief Minister in it, which you are not allowed to do under today’s rules. The former Chief Minister was doing a bit of promotion for that.
There is another one under the former Labor government, which says, ‘Northern Territory 1000s & 1000s of Jobs’ – promoting under your marketing expenditure. It is a pity you forgot to say it was jobs you never created, because the Country Liberals introduced the lowest unemployment rate in the nation.
Here is one to gauge the Leader of the Opposition’s untrusting opinion on aligning politics to marketing campaigns. It is called ‘Northern Territory Government Achievements’, and was issued by the former Labor government. It also has a picture of the former Chief Minister advertising their achievements. I question what the difference is in this case.
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It was a very direct question. Will you support our changes tomorrow and preserve taxpayer funds?
Mr GILES: I think I am stating my case. Here is one from this year from the Leader of the Opposition’s budget, which says, ‘Territory Labor’ and ‘See You at Glenti!’ Was that paid out of the Leader of the Opposition’s budget? I am not saying it should not have been, but you need to be fair and reasonable in this case. I hope there are other questions in regard to …
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Labor will stop the waste by this government and any future governments. Will the Chief Minister support our bill? That is the question and he has not answered it.
Mr GILES: Labor released ‘Northern Territory Government Achievements’ when in government – you were spending taxpayers’ money. The government needs to promote its message. You ask us to communicate more and we are, but now you complain because you do not like the message. You do not like house prices, petrol prices, unemployment rates and debt lowering, or growth going up. That is the truth of the matter.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016