Mr McCARTHY - 2015-02-17
When Jodeen Carney resigned as Chief Executive of the Department of Children and Families, you said her position was no longer tenable. Ms Carney is a close friend of yours; days after you knifed Terry Mills you hired Ms Carney in your office of the Chief Minister, and in September 2013 you announced Ms Carney as the new Chief Executive of the Department of Children and Families. Madam Speaker, I seek leave to table that media release.
Leave granted.
Why did you not terminate the employment of Ms Carney, but instead cover up her alleged assault in November last year?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Barkly, can you withdraw those comments please, and the allegation?
Mr McCARTHY: Madam Speaker, I asked the Chief Minister why he did not stand down the Chief Executive of the Department of Children and Families after these serious allegations.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the question was misleading. I never said her position had become untenable; she said it. The first part of your question is incorrect.
I find the second component of the question highly offensive. There is no level to which the Labor opposition will not stoop to defame somebody. The day we first entered this Chamber, the member for Daly was recommended as Deputy Speaker. I remember that day – we had a chat about it this morning. The very first day in parliament, the Leader of the Opposition made a slur against his name which was unproven. She never spoke about it outside the Chamber – outside cowards’ castle.
You have now started a slur on the head of the Department of the Chief Minister, Gary Barnes, who you appointed as the Chief Executive of the Department of Education when you were in government – someone you had faith in, who we continued to head up the Department of the Chief Minister. You have slurred his name and now you come into parliament, member for Barkly, and slur the name of a former member of parliament who represented the constituents of Araluen. You promoted her and said how good she was when you appointed her as Chair of the Review of the Northern Territory Youth Justice System. You actively supported her. You come in here, like a coward, make allegations …
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, withdraw that reference.
Mr GILES: I withdraw. Come in here and make allegations…
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I was going to use Standing Order 62, however, I refer to Standing Order 113: relevance. Will the Chief Minister answer the question?
Madam SPEAKER: The Chief Minister has time; he is answering the question.
Mr GILES: You come in here, like a coward, and make these allegations …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Withdraw that, Chief Minister.
Mr GILES: I withdraw. You come in here and make these allegations, but you are not prepared to say it outside the walls of this Chamber. You would not front Jodeen and say that. She is highly respected in the community, the non-government organisation sector and the DCF child protection sector.
There is no allegation on the record. She rang me, resigned, and said – as I have said publicly – she believes her employment has become untenable because of stories being spread by Labor.
This is the environment in which we are operating in the Northern Territory. The lies, innuendo, rumours and skulduggery …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: No, it is not a point of order. He is not referencing people.
Mr GILES: … being created led to the head of a department, without a written allegation of anything, to believe her position had become untenable. People are saying to me that she was the best head of DCF in decades.
She has pulled out of her employment, so the children now miss out. You stand in here, like a coward, and make those allegations. I challenge you to stand outside parliament …
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Withdraw that, Chief Minister.
Mr GILES: I withdraw. I challenge you to go outside and make the allegation.
Leave granted.
Why did you not terminate the employment of Ms Carney, but instead cover up her alleged assault in November last year?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Barkly, can you withdraw those comments please, and the allegation?
Mr McCARTHY: Madam Speaker, I asked the Chief Minister why he did not stand down the Chief Executive of the Department of Children and Families after these serious allegations.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the question was misleading. I never said her position had become untenable; she said it. The first part of your question is incorrect.
I find the second component of the question highly offensive. There is no level to which the Labor opposition will not stoop to defame somebody. The day we first entered this Chamber, the member for Daly was recommended as Deputy Speaker. I remember that day – we had a chat about it this morning. The very first day in parliament, the Leader of the Opposition made a slur against his name which was unproven. She never spoke about it outside the Chamber – outside cowards’ castle.
You have now started a slur on the head of the Department of the Chief Minister, Gary Barnes, who you appointed as the Chief Executive of the Department of Education when you were in government – someone you had faith in, who we continued to head up the Department of the Chief Minister. You have slurred his name and now you come into parliament, member for Barkly, and slur the name of a former member of parliament who represented the constituents of Araluen. You promoted her and said how good she was when you appointed her as Chair of the Review of the Northern Territory Youth Justice System. You actively supported her. You come in here, like a coward, make allegations …
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, withdraw that reference.
Mr GILES: I withdraw. Come in here and make allegations…
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I was going to use Standing Order 62, however, I refer to Standing Order 113: relevance. Will the Chief Minister answer the question?
Madam SPEAKER: The Chief Minister has time; he is answering the question.
Mr GILES: You come in here, like a coward, and make these allegations …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Withdraw that, Chief Minister.
Mr GILES: I withdraw. You come in here and make these allegations, but you are not prepared to say it outside the walls of this Chamber. You would not front Jodeen and say that. She is highly respected in the community, the non-government organisation sector and the DCF child protection sector.
There is no allegation on the record. She rang me, resigned, and said – as I have said publicly – she believes her employment has become untenable because of stories being spread by Labor.
This is the environment in which we are operating in the Northern Territory. The lies, innuendo, rumours and skulduggery …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: No, it is not a point of order. He is not referencing people.
Mr GILES: … being created led to the head of a department, without a written allegation of anything, to believe her position had become untenable. People are saying to me that she was the best head of DCF in decades.
She has pulled out of her employment, so the children now miss out. You stand in here, like a coward, and make those allegations. I challenge you to stand outside parliament …
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Withdraw that, Chief Minister.
Mr GILES: I withdraw. I challenge you to go outside and make the allegation.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016