Ms LAWRIE - 2013-11-28
My question is to the current Chief Minister.
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, withdraw that reference to ‘current’.
Ms LAWRIE: I withdraw ‘current’.
Yesterday, hundreds of teachers rallied outside Parliament House and attended Question Time to protest your savage cuts to education. You did not seem interested in listening to the teachers, students, families and support workers who are all trying to tell you how devastating your cuts will be to education in the Territory. You have not listened to us, you have not listened to the teachers and students, but I thought you may just listen to your own colleagues, the members for Goyder, Namatjira and Arnhem. Yesterday, you said:
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the people we do not believe in this Chamber are Labor. These are the people who led us to a position where there is a $5.5bn debt. They went into the last election saying everything is hunky dory, and we looked in the cupboard and the place is bare. They could have spent more time working out how to reduce debt levels, reduce deficit …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It was a very direct question.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nightcliff, sit down! The Chief Minister has only just started his answer. Government has three minutes to answer the question. He was only 20 seconds into it. It is not a point of order and you are on a warning.
Mr GILES: As I was saying, they could have spent time reducing deficit and debt, and getting things under way so we had the opportunity to govern in the best interests of the Northern Territory …
Ms Lawrie: Did you lie in the Chamber yesterday?
Madam SPEAKER: Withdraw that, Opposition Leader.
Ms LAWRIE: I withdraw.
Mr GILES: … with a better fiscal position to be operating from. But no, they did not. They were too busy rubbing up dodgy deals for their union mates …
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The question was about education, the CLP members’ concerns about cuts to education and whether the Chief Minister is aware of them?
Madam SPEAKER: That is not a point of order!
Mr GILES: Instead of managing the economy properly, the day before the election you were doing grubby, dodgy deals for your union mates so they could make money and bankroll your campaign on the back of Territory assets. We could have made between $3m and $6m and had more money in our coffers to put into education, for example, but no, you were playing silly games.
Nobody has lobbied me in regard to teachers. Many people had conversations with the Minister for Education. I said it yesterday and will say exactly the same today. Many people have spoken to the Education minister about education.
You continue going down this divided road when the only people divided in this parliament are the eight members of Labor sitting over there who cannot decide between a four-four vote whether to go with Delia or Michael. I would have voted for Michael straightaway …
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, please withdraw and refer to members by their electorate names.
Mr GILES: I withdraw.
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Is the Chief Minister concerned that the CLP members would rather talk to the media than him about their concerns around education?
Madam SPEAKER: Sit down, it is not a point of order. Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr GILES: It is very good that local members raise their concerns and issues. That is what we want local members to do. Could you imagine if the member for Nhulunbuy had been raising concerns and providing solutions for the people of Gove? She does not stand up for the people of Gove. Let me read from an election flyer from the member for Nhulunbuy for the last election. She promised the people of Gove, should she be re-elected – I will read it out ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It is a big stretch from the flyer to education and the fact you say your colleagues have never spoken to you about their concerns around education.
Madam SPEAKER: That is not a point of order. The Chief Minister has three minutes to answer the question.
Mr GILES: Election commitments – bus service extension to weekends; double the back to school voucher; a ride on mower for the Gove Golf Club. This flyer does not say anything about standing up for the residents of Gove and the refinery.
We are happy that our members have a say about what improvements they want.
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The question was about education. I can understand why the Chief Minister does not want to talk about education, but the question was about education.
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, withdraw that reference to ‘current’.
Ms LAWRIE: I withdraw ‘current’.
Yesterday, hundreds of teachers rallied outside Parliament House and attended Question Time to protest your savage cuts to education. You did not seem interested in listening to the teachers, students, families and support workers who are all trying to tell you how devastating your cuts will be to education in the Territory. You have not listened to us, you have not listened to the teachers and students, but I thought you may just listen to your own colleagues, the members for Goyder, Namatjira and Arnhem. Yesterday, you said:
- There have not been any direct approaches to me in that regard.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the people we do not believe in this Chamber are Labor. These are the people who led us to a position where there is a $5.5bn debt. They went into the last election saying everything is hunky dory, and we looked in the cupboard and the place is bare. They could have spent more time working out how to reduce debt levels, reduce deficit …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It was a very direct question.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nightcliff, sit down! The Chief Minister has only just started his answer. Government has three minutes to answer the question. He was only 20 seconds into it. It is not a point of order and you are on a warning.
Mr GILES: As I was saying, they could have spent time reducing deficit and debt, and getting things under way so we had the opportunity to govern in the best interests of the Northern Territory …
Ms Lawrie: Did you lie in the Chamber yesterday?
Madam SPEAKER: Withdraw that, Opposition Leader.
Ms LAWRIE: I withdraw.
Mr GILES: … with a better fiscal position to be operating from. But no, they did not. They were too busy rubbing up dodgy deals for their union mates …
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The question was about education, the CLP members’ concerns about cuts to education and whether the Chief Minister is aware of them?
Madam SPEAKER: That is not a point of order!
Mr GILES: Instead of managing the economy properly, the day before the election you were doing grubby, dodgy deals for your union mates so they could make money and bankroll your campaign on the back of Territory assets. We could have made between $3m and $6m and had more money in our coffers to put into education, for example, but no, you were playing silly games.
Nobody has lobbied me in regard to teachers. Many people had conversations with the Minister for Education. I said it yesterday and will say exactly the same today. Many people have spoken to the Education minister about education.
You continue going down this divided road when the only people divided in this parliament are the eight members of Labor sitting over there who cannot decide between a four-four vote whether to go with Delia or Michael. I would have voted for Michael straightaway …
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, please withdraw and refer to members by their electorate names.
Mr GILES: I withdraw.
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Is the Chief Minister concerned that the CLP members would rather talk to the media than him about their concerns around education?
Madam SPEAKER: Sit down, it is not a point of order. Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr GILES: It is very good that local members raise their concerns and issues. That is what we want local members to do. Could you imagine if the member for Nhulunbuy had been raising concerns and providing solutions for the people of Gove? She does not stand up for the people of Gove. Let me read from an election flyer from the member for Nhulunbuy for the last election. She promised the people of Gove, should she be re-elected – I will read it out ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It is a big stretch from the flyer to education and the fact you say your colleagues have never spoken to you about their concerns around education.
Madam SPEAKER: That is not a point of order. The Chief Minister has three minutes to answer the question.
Mr GILES: Election commitments – bus service extension to weekends; double the back to school voucher; a ride on mower for the Gove Golf Club. This flyer does not say anything about standing up for the residents of Gove and the refinery.
We are happy that our members have a say about what improvements they want.
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The question was about education. I can understand why the Chief Minister does not want to talk about education, but the question was about education.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016