Ms FYLES - 2014-02-19
You have consistently refused to be truthful with Territorians about the real impacts of your education cuts …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! This is a clear breach of Standing Order 112: general rules. It relates to epithets, inferences and those types of things. This is accusing the minister of being a liar. He is not and it should be ruled out of order, I argue.
Mr GUNNER: Madam Speaker, speaking to the point of order. The member is five words in. I think she is allowed to ask the question.
Mr ELFERINK: She has already made an allegation of lying, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nightcliff, I caution you to be very careful of how you word your question.
Ms FYLES: You are hiding the real number of teacher positions cut from our schools and have refused to reveal how many teachers have not had their contracts renewed. The Australian Education Union requested these figures under freedom of information. Instead of clearly answering the question, you answered with these 11 455 pages. I seek leave to table these pages.
Leave granted.
Ms FYLES: Why do you not stop hiding behind the mountain of paper, come clean and answer the question: how many teachers and workers on contracts have lost their jobs in Territory schools?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nightcliff for her question. I think we have done everything we have been asked. The information was asked for and provided. However, let us talk about the truth for a second because we have had the member for Nightcliff consistently allege things happening in our schools which we have proven again and again to be untruthful.
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 113: relevance. The minister can table the figures here and now, and clear …
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order. The minister was only 10 to 20 seconds into his answer.
Mr CHANDLER: Madam Speaker, I am gobsmacked the member for Nightcliff would be the one to talk about truth and honesty. Only last night, in her tirade at the closing of parliament - I quote from Hansard:
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 113: relevance. It is about education cuts. Gary Nairn sent that e-mail today.
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order. I give the minister latitude; he is answering the question.
Mr CHANDLER: The question was about truth and honesty and what we bring into this parliament. I am happy to table this e-mail from the Commissioner, Gary Nairn, sent on Monday 10 February 2014 at 8:57 am, copied to the Northern Territory Planning Commission, Nightcliff electorate and, of course, Natasha Fyles. It says:
The e-mail goes on. I would be calling on the member for Nightcliff to perhaps offer an apology …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker. I asked a question about education. When will you table the cuts from our schools?
Mr CHANDLER: This is not the only time. I can quote from a point of order the member for Nightcliff made yesterday about the social analysis this government undertook with the community before putting an island there.
The last time I was in Nightcliff, there was no island. The member for Nightcliff makes it up. Half of the things which happen in this place are made up by the other side.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 113: relevance. The question was about education and cuts to teacher numbers in our schools.
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order. Minister, you have the call if you wish to continue.
Mr CHANDLER: People like the NT Planning Commissioner or those people who lead our boards are like our public servants; they do not deserve to have their names tarnished in this way with untruths from the other side, like most of the stuff this side raised last year in relation to education. It was untrue and was brought in here time and time again by the member for Nightcliff, whose credibility is in question. I call on the member for Nightcliff to apologise to our Planning Commissioner, the Hon Gary Nairn.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! This is a clear breach of Standing Order 112: general rules. It relates to epithets, inferences and those types of things. This is accusing the minister of being a liar. He is not and it should be ruled out of order, I argue.
Mr GUNNER: Madam Speaker, speaking to the point of order. The member is five words in. I think she is allowed to ask the question.
Mr ELFERINK: She has already made an allegation of lying, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nightcliff, I caution you to be very careful of how you word your question.
Ms FYLES: You are hiding the real number of teacher positions cut from our schools and have refused to reveal how many teachers have not had their contracts renewed. The Australian Education Union requested these figures under freedom of information. Instead of clearly answering the question, you answered with these 11 455 pages. I seek leave to table these pages.
Leave granted.
Ms FYLES: Why do you not stop hiding behind the mountain of paper, come clean and answer the question: how many teachers and workers on contracts have lost their jobs in Territory schools?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nightcliff for her question. I think we have done everything we have been asked. The information was asked for and provided. However, let us talk about the truth for a second because we have had the member for Nightcliff consistently allege things happening in our schools which we have proven again and again to be untruthful.
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 113: relevance. The minister can table the figures here and now, and clear …
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order. The minister was only 10 to 20 seconds into his answer.
Mr CHANDLER: Madam Speaker, I am gobsmacked the member for Nightcliff would be the one to talk about truth and honesty. Only last night, in her tirade at the closing of parliament - I quote from Hansard:
- I also invited the Planning Commission’s Gary Nairn, but never heard back in relation to my invitation.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 113: relevance. It is about education cuts. Gary Nairn sent that e-mail today.
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order. I give the minister latitude; he is answering the question.
Mr CHANDLER: The question was about truth and honesty and what we bring into this parliament. I am happy to table this e-mail from the Commissioner, Gary Nairn, sent on Monday 10 February 2014 at 8:57 am, copied to the Northern Territory Planning Commission, Nightcliff electorate and, of course, Natasha Fyles. It says:
- Dear Ms Fyles
Thank you for your e-mail inviting me to a community meeting on the 17th February. I am not able to attend the meeting due to other commitments.
The e-mail goes on. I would be calling on the member for Nightcliff to perhaps offer an apology …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker. I asked a question about education. When will you table the cuts from our schools?
Mr CHANDLER: This is not the only time. I can quote from a point of order the member for Nightcliff made yesterday about the social analysis this government undertook with the community before putting an island there.
The last time I was in Nightcliff, there was no island. The member for Nightcliff makes it up. Half of the things which happen in this place are made up by the other side.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 113: relevance. The question was about education and cuts to teacher numbers in our schools.
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order. Minister, you have the call if you wish to continue.
Mr CHANDLER: People like the NT Planning Commissioner or those people who lead our boards are like our public servants; they do not deserve to have their names tarnished in this way with untruths from the other side, like most of the stuff this side raised last year in relation to education. It was untrue and was brought in here time and time again by the member for Nightcliff, whose credibility is in question. I call on the member for Nightcliff to apologise to our Planning Commissioner, the Hon Gary Nairn.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016