Mr VOWLES - 2014-05-13
In 1987 Mr Graeme Lewis appeared in Darwin Magistrates Court for failing to provide documents in relation to CLP slush fund, Carpentaria Pty Ltd. The charge against Mr Lewis was proven and he received a three-month good behaviour bond. Carpentaria’s successor, Foundation 51, is also engaged in fundraising and campaigning for the CLP, and Mr Lewis has failed to lodge disclosure returns as required by Territory and Commonwealth law. In the interests of accountability and transparency, will you hold an inquiry into Foundation 51, and, given the clear conflict of interest as a CLP slush fund director, will you sack Graeme Lewis from his government-funded positions?
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, before you answer the question, it has some relationship to public affairs, but it is a party matter. You can choose to answer or not.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is fantastic to see so many people in the Chamber today, particularly the young school children. They are watching democracy in play and can see how the opposition can question government on important matters of government policy.
Today is one of the most important days for government in the Northern Territory, releasing our budget showing where we have spent money before and where we will spend it in the next financial year. Question Time today presents an opportunity for the opposition to ask us questions, particularly about our budget. However, we do not receive questions about the budget …
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The Chief Minister is not answering the question about the activities of Mr Lewis and the fundraising he is doing for the CLP while being employed by the government.
Madam SPEAKER: That is out of order.
Mr GILES: Today is one of the most important days in the Territory parliament. It is budget day, which is why we have the cameras set up ready for 11 am when the Treasurer will give his speech. All of us, as ministers, will have a chance to talk about our portfolios and what we are doing. Again, we sit in this Chamber and do not get a question about policy. We have the shadow minister for …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Given the clear conflict of interests as a CLP slush fund director, will you now sack Graeme Lewis from his government-funded …
Madam SPEAKER: That is not a point of order, Opposition Leader!
Mr GILES: They can keep going with these personal attacks of individuals who do not have the right to freedom to defend themselves within this Chamber.
Ms Lawrie: They are publicly funded positions.
Mr GILES: Go outside the Chamber and start voicing your concerns and make statements if you have the guts, members for Johnston and Karama.
This is an important budget. The school children will be interested to hear, when the budget comes down, the amount of additional money we are putting into schools and infrastructure.
I spoke in the last answer about the amount of money we are putting into land release; $84m will go towards land release across the Northern Territory. It is not only the government ensuring the development of land release, we will leverage …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The question was specifically about sacking Graeme Lewis from the government-funded positions. Will you answer the question?
Madam SPEAKER: The Chief Minister has latitude to answer it in his own way.
Mr GILES: Given our $5.5bn Labor debt legacy, we had a choice about whether we go into more debt and fully develop all the land or whether we work to stimulate the private sector by doing some of the leading headworks, then outsource it to the private sector and let them develop it.
We are spending about $135m – some of it on commercial, $84m on residential – we can start stimulating the private sector, increasing the supply to meet the demand. Keeping in mind the necessity of balancing the negative equity …
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It was a specific question and the Chief Minister has not answered it. I ask you to draw him back to the question he was asked and to address the question.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, if you could get to the point.
Mr GILES: I was talking about land release and how we are stimulating the private sector, but also making sure we are meeting the housing needs of Territorians and driving down the cost of living.
The question was out of order, as ruled by Madam Speaker, and you are deliberately attacking someone. I find it interesting that the opposition, with all eight members, take the lead from an Independent who is asking a question about an inquiry which, I presume, will be on the table for tomorrow night. Why do you not come up with your own questions and topics for discussion, or bring policy and program debate in here on budget day?
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, before you answer the question, it has some relationship to public affairs, but it is a party matter. You can choose to answer or not.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is fantastic to see so many people in the Chamber today, particularly the young school children. They are watching democracy in play and can see how the opposition can question government on important matters of government policy.
Today is one of the most important days for government in the Northern Territory, releasing our budget showing where we have spent money before and where we will spend it in the next financial year. Question Time today presents an opportunity for the opposition to ask us questions, particularly about our budget. However, we do not receive questions about the budget …
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The Chief Minister is not answering the question about the activities of Mr Lewis and the fundraising he is doing for the CLP while being employed by the government.
Madam SPEAKER: That is out of order.
Mr GILES: Today is one of the most important days in the Territory parliament. It is budget day, which is why we have the cameras set up ready for 11 am when the Treasurer will give his speech. All of us, as ministers, will have a chance to talk about our portfolios and what we are doing. Again, we sit in this Chamber and do not get a question about policy. We have the shadow minister for …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Given the clear conflict of interests as a CLP slush fund director, will you now sack Graeme Lewis from his government-funded …
Madam SPEAKER: That is not a point of order, Opposition Leader!
Mr GILES: They can keep going with these personal attacks of individuals who do not have the right to freedom to defend themselves within this Chamber.
Ms Lawrie: They are publicly funded positions.
Mr GILES: Go outside the Chamber and start voicing your concerns and make statements if you have the guts, members for Johnston and Karama.
This is an important budget. The school children will be interested to hear, when the budget comes down, the amount of additional money we are putting into schools and infrastructure.
I spoke in the last answer about the amount of money we are putting into land release; $84m will go towards land release across the Northern Territory. It is not only the government ensuring the development of land release, we will leverage …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. The question was specifically about sacking Graeme Lewis from the government-funded positions. Will you answer the question?
Madam SPEAKER: The Chief Minister has latitude to answer it in his own way.
Mr GILES: Given our $5.5bn Labor debt legacy, we had a choice about whether we go into more debt and fully develop all the land or whether we work to stimulate the private sector by doing some of the leading headworks, then outsource it to the private sector and let them develop it.
We are spending about $135m – some of it on commercial, $84m on residential – we can start stimulating the private sector, increasing the supply to meet the demand. Keeping in mind the necessity of balancing the negative equity …
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It was a specific question and the Chief Minister has not answered it. I ask you to draw him back to the question he was asked and to address the question.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, if you could get to the point.
Mr GILES: I was talking about land release and how we are stimulating the private sector, but also making sure we are meeting the housing needs of Territorians and driving down the cost of living.
The question was out of order, as ruled by Madam Speaker, and you are deliberately attacking someone. I find it interesting that the opposition, with all eight members, take the lead from an Independent who is asking a question about an inquiry which, I presume, will be on the table for tomorrow night. Why do you not come up with your own questions and topics for discussion, or bring policy and program debate in here on budget day?
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016