Ms LEE - 2013-05-15
Can you outline to the House how the 2013-14 budget invests in the corrections system and the courts, and how the government’s responsible action will benefit all Territorians?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the honourable member for her question because she takes a vital interest in how the corrections system works in the Northern Territory. Never in the history of this parliament has there ever been a more arrogated possession of a ministry than by the former minister upon becoming the minister for corrections. The new era was clearly nothing other than a bunch of ministerial statements and a climbing prisoner rate in our corrections institutions. So much so that I cannot guarantee we can close down the Berrimah prison because of the incompetence of the former government, particularly the former minister. This is a disgrace.
I have taken a more jussive approach to corrections than the former minister. Only a fool would design a prison, which would be full on day one of operation. This is the $1.8bn gift, dare I say legacy, from a minister who has taken as much imagination to his former portfolio as a garden slug.
Here is a number that should excite members in this House …
Mr McCarthy: Sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me, John.
Madam SPEAKER: Order.
Mr ELFERINK: Fifty-three people left prison this morning to go to work. They have full-time jobs and they are coming back to prison at night. They are paying rent and paying money to the Victims Assistance Levy.
Mr McCarthy: That was happening under us.
Mr ELFERINK: Through this budget we will not only deal with matters inside prison, but we will start reforming the parole system so it can function effectively to keep people in employment; and I am not ashamed to go down that path.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Ms Anderson: Quiet over this side.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Namatjira. Be seated, Leader of Government Business. Honourable members, no member may converse aloud or make any noise or disturbance which, in the opinion of the Speaker, is designed to interrupt or has the effect of interrupting a member speaking, which has clearly been going on in the last five minutes. I direct honourable members not to point at each other across the floor whether they are seated or standing. Leader of Government Business, you have the call.
Mr ELFERINK: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I listened to the shrill interjections from the member for Nhulunbuy and heard her complaining about everything I have said, yet, yesterday I walked across this Chamber and said, ‘I am working in your electorate to see if we can get better results there’. What did I hear behind the scenes? ‘Oh, that would be good; that would be excellent.’
Why do we have these two standards across the Chamber and what happens in quiet? She actually supports what we do in this space, and we should be proud of what we are doing in this space. I am enormously proud of it.
We will pursue employment programs for both serving and post-release prisoners with a view to preventing them coming back into custody. That is something only we, as a uniform voice in this House, could support. This is a win-win for the whole community, and I am proud of it.
Ms Walker: You are the garden slug in here.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Nhulunbuy, withdraw that comment.
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: No, withdraw the comment!
Ms WALKER: I withdraw the comment but note that the minister was not asked to withdraw it when he used it.
Madam SPEAKER: He did not direct it to a person, member for Nhulunbuy.
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Speaker, speaking to the point of order, I simply used it in the form of a simile.
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of Government Business, withdraw the comment.
Mr ELFERINK: I withdraw it if she is that sensitive.
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Mr McCARTHY: Madam Speaker, can I speak to the point of order?
Madam SPEAKER: No. Sit down.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the honourable member for her question because she takes a vital interest in how the corrections system works in the Northern Territory. Never in the history of this parliament has there ever been a more arrogated possession of a ministry than by the former minister upon becoming the minister for corrections. The new era was clearly nothing other than a bunch of ministerial statements and a climbing prisoner rate in our corrections institutions. So much so that I cannot guarantee we can close down the Berrimah prison because of the incompetence of the former government, particularly the former minister. This is a disgrace.
I have taken a more jussive approach to corrections than the former minister. Only a fool would design a prison, which would be full on day one of operation. This is the $1.8bn gift, dare I say legacy, from a minister who has taken as much imagination to his former portfolio as a garden slug.
Here is a number that should excite members in this House …
Mr McCarthy: Sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me, John.
Madam SPEAKER: Order.
Mr ELFERINK: Fifty-three people left prison this morning to go to work. They have full-time jobs and they are coming back to prison at night. They are paying rent and paying money to the Victims Assistance Levy.
Mr McCarthy: That was happening under us.
Mr ELFERINK: Through this budget we will not only deal with matters inside prison, but we will start reforming the parole system so it can function effectively to keep people in employment; and I am not ashamed to go down that path.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Ms Anderson: Quiet over this side.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Namatjira. Be seated, Leader of Government Business. Honourable members, no member may converse aloud or make any noise or disturbance which, in the opinion of the Speaker, is designed to interrupt or has the effect of interrupting a member speaking, which has clearly been going on in the last five minutes. I direct honourable members not to point at each other across the floor whether they are seated or standing. Leader of Government Business, you have the call.
Mr ELFERINK: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I listened to the shrill interjections from the member for Nhulunbuy and heard her complaining about everything I have said, yet, yesterday I walked across this Chamber and said, ‘I am working in your electorate to see if we can get better results there’. What did I hear behind the scenes? ‘Oh, that would be good; that would be excellent.’
Why do we have these two standards across the Chamber and what happens in quiet? She actually supports what we do in this space, and we should be proud of what we are doing in this space. I am enormously proud of it.
We will pursue employment programs for both serving and post-release prisoners with a view to preventing them coming back into custody. That is something only we, as a uniform voice in this House, could support. This is a win-win for the whole community, and I am proud of it.
Ms Walker: You are the garden slug in here.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Nhulunbuy, withdraw that comment.
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: No, withdraw the comment!
Ms WALKER: I withdraw the comment but note that the minister was not asked to withdraw it when he used it.
Madam SPEAKER: He did not direct it to a person, member for Nhulunbuy.
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Speaker, speaking to the point of order, I simply used it in the form of a simile.
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of Government Business, withdraw the comment.
Mr ELFERINK: I withdraw it if she is that sensitive.
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Mr McCARTHY: Madam Speaker, can I speak to the point of order?
Madam SPEAKER: No. Sit down.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016