Mr GUNNER - 2016-02-10
When did you first become aware that your Deputy Chief Minister was contemplating investing in a company with which he shared both a professional and a personal relationship? Were you aware of this conflict when you advised him to provide the tender information in advance to the CT Group? Did you at any time intervene to advise the Deputy Chief Minister that he was in breach of your Ministerial Code of Conduct and potentially in breach of the corruption and abuse of office provisions of the Northern Territory Criminal Code Act?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am aware that the Deputy Chief Minister was about to make a stupid decision, saw what was right and cancelled that decision and did not proceed.
I am also aware that we have an opposition in the Northern Territory which does not support jobs and does not have a plan for the Northern Territory going forward ...
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110: relevance. When did he know about the Deputy Chief Minister’s conflict of interest? That is critical to this. When did he know of the conflict of interest and what advice did he give him? Did he know of the conflict of interest before he provided advice to the Deputy Chief Minister to provide advance information on a tender?
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Fannie Bay.
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: No, there is no point of order. Sit down, member for Fong Lim.
The Chief Minister has three minutes to answer the question.
Mr GILES: You need to get some more advice from Gino. You are getting your questions wrong, Leader of the Opposition.
I told you what I know. I told you I thought it would be the wrong transaction, but the Deputy Chief Minister saw what was right. He has made an apology and a personal statement.
A couple of weeks ago the Leader of the Opposition unveiled his great jobs plan. It was full of plagiarism, copying our business policies, our …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110. It was a very direct question. The Chief Minister is refusing to answer it. When did you know?
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Nightcliff. The Chief Minister has three minutes to answer the question.
Mr GILES: He copied our business plan, word for word. Then he said he would come out with a $1.4bn infrastructure plan. If you pick up Budget Paper No 4 and look down the bottom you will see it says the government is delivering a $1.4bn infrastructure plan’. I thought, how good is this; he is giving us an endorsement of our infrastructure plan ...
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110: relevance. He is completely avoiding the question of when he knew about Willem’s conflict.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Fannie Bay. Chief Minister, if you could …
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 31: offensive. I find the language from the Leader of the Opposition to be quite offensive. The fact is the Deputy Chief Minister has said there has been no conflict of interest. The Opposition Leader continues to refer to …
Madam SPEAKER: member for Fong Lim, it is not a point of order. Sit down.
Mr TOLLNER: No, it is offensive language, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Sit down. It is not offensive. There were no offensive words coming out of the Opposition Leader’s mouth.
Ms Fyles: Why will you not answer it?
Mr Barrett: Kick her out.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Blain, you are on a warning. Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr GILES: I am done.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am aware that the Deputy Chief Minister was about to make a stupid decision, saw what was right and cancelled that decision and did not proceed.
I am also aware that we have an opposition in the Northern Territory which does not support jobs and does not have a plan for the Northern Territory going forward ...
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110: relevance. When did he know about the Deputy Chief Minister’s conflict of interest? That is critical to this. When did he know of the conflict of interest and what advice did he give him? Did he know of the conflict of interest before he provided advice to the Deputy Chief Minister to provide advance information on a tender?
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Fannie Bay.
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: No, there is no point of order. Sit down, member for Fong Lim.
The Chief Minister has three minutes to answer the question.
Mr GILES: You need to get some more advice from Gino. You are getting your questions wrong, Leader of the Opposition.
I told you what I know. I told you I thought it would be the wrong transaction, but the Deputy Chief Minister saw what was right. He has made an apology and a personal statement.
A couple of weeks ago the Leader of the Opposition unveiled his great jobs plan. It was full of plagiarism, copying our business policies, our …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110. It was a very direct question. The Chief Minister is refusing to answer it. When did you know?
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Nightcliff. The Chief Minister has three minutes to answer the question.
Mr GILES: He copied our business plan, word for word. Then he said he would come out with a $1.4bn infrastructure plan. If you pick up Budget Paper No 4 and look down the bottom you will see it says the government is delivering a $1.4bn infrastructure plan’. I thought, how good is this; he is giving us an endorsement of our infrastructure plan ...
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110: relevance. He is completely avoiding the question of when he knew about Willem’s conflict.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Fannie Bay. Chief Minister, if you could …
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 31: offensive. I find the language from the Leader of the Opposition to be quite offensive. The fact is the Deputy Chief Minister has said there has been no conflict of interest. The Opposition Leader continues to refer to …
Madam SPEAKER: member for Fong Lim, it is not a point of order. Sit down.
Mr TOLLNER: No, it is offensive language, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Sit down. It is not offensive. There were no offensive words coming out of the Opposition Leader’s mouth.
Ms Fyles: Why will you not answer it?
Mr Barrett: Kick her out.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Blain, you are on a warning. Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr GILES: I am done.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016