Mr GUNNER - 2014-05-07
Last year it was revealed that in 2012 former lawyer Peter Maley donated $5000 to the now Attorney-General. The Attorney-General subsequently announced Peter Maley as a magistrate. Further, it was shocking to see Magistrate Maley campaign for the CLP during the recent by-election. I seek leave to table the photo of Magistrate Maley campaigning during the by-election in Blain.
Leave granted.
Mr GUNNER: Yesterday, it was revealed that Magistrate Maley is a director of the CLP slush fund known as Foundation 51. What message does this send Territorians about the administration of justice in the Northern Territory? Are you comfortable with the actions of your Attorney-General and Magistrate Maley?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the good thing about this is democracy and freedom of speech. A magistrate in the Northern Territory is allowed to have a political opinion. What sort of a society are we living in? It is a fantastic society where a magistrate can have a political opinion and be a member of a political party.
I do not know the political makeup of all magistrates in the Northern Territory, whether they are members of the Labor Party, the CLP or others, but you are talking about one in particular.
It is fantastic he has rights and freedoms in a democratic society such as the Northern Territory to be a member of a political party. Good on him if he wants to make a donation to the member for Port Darwin, who has declared it in his register of interests. He followed the process, which is what transparency and accountability is all about. That is why we have these rules and why he declared it.
That is what we do as part of the Electoral Act with the process around elections in the Territory and how we provide donations. I congratulate the member for Port Darwin for being open, transparent and accountable, and I thank Peter Maley, the magistrate, who has shown an interest in the Country Liberals.
In relation to Foundation 51 and any directorship Peter Maley may or may not have, I am not aware of how it works nor do I know about Foundation 51. There is no connection between Foundation 51 and the CLP as a legal body. This is the same as the first question and you are leading with your chin once again.
This time it is the member for Fannie Bay; it was the member for Johnston last time. We could look at Labor and Harold Nelson Holdings, the unions, the donations and the giveaway of the Stella Maris. We can see these sorts of things, but Foundation 51 is a private company. There is no legal connection between Foundation 51 and the CLP as far as I know. If you want to ask them questions, ask them independently. It has nothing to do with this government or us as politicians.
Leave granted.
Mr GUNNER: Yesterday, it was revealed that Magistrate Maley is a director of the CLP slush fund known as Foundation 51. What message does this send Territorians about the administration of justice in the Northern Territory? Are you comfortable with the actions of your Attorney-General and Magistrate Maley?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the good thing about this is democracy and freedom of speech. A magistrate in the Northern Territory is allowed to have a political opinion. What sort of a society are we living in? It is a fantastic society where a magistrate can have a political opinion and be a member of a political party.
I do not know the political makeup of all magistrates in the Northern Territory, whether they are members of the Labor Party, the CLP or others, but you are talking about one in particular.
It is fantastic he has rights and freedoms in a democratic society such as the Northern Territory to be a member of a political party. Good on him if he wants to make a donation to the member for Port Darwin, who has declared it in his register of interests. He followed the process, which is what transparency and accountability is all about. That is why we have these rules and why he declared it.
That is what we do as part of the Electoral Act with the process around elections in the Territory and how we provide donations. I congratulate the member for Port Darwin for being open, transparent and accountable, and I thank Peter Maley, the magistrate, who has shown an interest in the Country Liberals.
In relation to Foundation 51 and any directorship Peter Maley may or may not have, I am not aware of how it works nor do I know about Foundation 51. There is no connection between Foundation 51 and the CLP as a legal body. This is the same as the first question and you are leading with your chin once again.
This time it is the member for Fannie Bay; it was the member for Johnston last time. We could look at Labor and Harold Nelson Holdings, the unions, the donations and the giveaway of the Stella Maris. We can see these sorts of things, but Foundation 51 is a private company. There is no legal connection between Foundation 51 and the CLP as far as I know. If you want to ask them questions, ask them independently. It has nothing to do with this government or us as politicians.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016