Ms WALKER - 2013-02-12
The deal you announced yesterday to provide gas to Gove was exactly the same as requested by Pacific Aluminium four months ago. You said you had advice from Power and Water that this would result in power increases of 75%. Will you table that advice? Will you also table advice which shows the deal you have just made exposes the Territory to extraordinary and unacceptable risk as you have claimed on so many occasions?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. For the edification of the member concerned about this matter …
Ms Walker: I speak on behalf of Gove people.
Mr MILLS: I am addressing you in that capacity, honourable member.
Ms Walker: I have not heard a thank you.
Ms Lawrie: Table the advice.
Mr MILLS: Oh, good heavens!
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The Chief Minister has the call.
Mr MILLS: A substantive statement will be presented to this Chamber today on this important matter. What may be difficult for you to grasp, in your eagerness to find some position, is there were very real levels of exposure which needed to be properly understood then reduced. Each of those have been identified and responded to.
Where you may be finding it difficult to get your head around this is, as the Country Liberals, in our DNA we think in the long term. It is not just about a four-year frame: ‘Let us make all the people feel good because we care’. We have acted and identified the risk and been able to take a careful decision which has put in new factors to reduce that level of exposure.
If you want a private briefing, I can organise that if you are so interested. I have complimented you publicly and will do it again. In your own community you played an important and significant role at a very difficult time for the people of Nhulunbuy. If I had more time I would have spent it in Nhulunbuy, but I did not. I only had two weeks coming into government. This was given to me and I have worked tirelessly with the support of my colleagues …
Ms Walker: Four months to get to Gove.
Mr MILLS: Yes. You obviously missed the first part of this. There are complexities to this which will be outlined in more detail in the statement. However, rest assured there was exposure – an element of risk. That risk has been identified, understood and reduced in significant ways.
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I have specifically asked for the Chief Minister to table two different pieces of advice.
Mr Elferink: The statement will be tabled in a short time.
Ms WALKER: Yes, I have read the statement and they are not in it. I am asking if he will table that advice.
Mr MILLS: I am more than happy to explain any aspect of this if you are willing to have it understood in a broader context. However, if I find you want to deal with this information just to advance some private agenda that is of no real help to the community, I am not particularly interested. There will be a statement.
Madam SPEAKER: Your time has expired.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. For the edification of the member concerned about this matter …
Ms Walker: I speak on behalf of Gove people.
Mr MILLS: I am addressing you in that capacity, honourable member.
Ms Walker: I have not heard a thank you.
Ms Lawrie: Table the advice.
Mr MILLS: Oh, good heavens!
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The Chief Minister has the call.
Mr MILLS: A substantive statement will be presented to this Chamber today on this important matter. What may be difficult for you to grasp, in your eagerness to find some position, is there were very real levels of exposure which needed to be properly understood then reduced. Each of those have been identified and responded to.
Where you may be finding it difficult to get your head around this is, as the Country Liberals, in our DNA we think in the long term. It is not just about a four-year frame: ‘Let us make all the people feel good because we care’. We have acted and identified the risk and been able to take a careful decision which has put in new factors to reduce that level of exposure.
If you want a private briefing, I can organise that if you are so interested. I have complimented you publicly and will do it again. In your own community you played an important and significant role at a very difficult time for the people of Nhulunbuy. If I had more time I would have spent it in Nhulunbuy, but I did not. I only had two weeks coming into government. This was given to me and I have worked tirelessly with the support of my colleagues …
Ms Walker: Four months to get to Gove.
Mr MILLS: Yes. You obviously missed the first part of this. There are complexities to this which will be outlined in more detail in the statement. However, rest assured there was exposure – an element of risk. That risk has been identified, understood and reduced in significant ways.
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I have specifically asked for the Chief Minister to table two different pieces of advice.
Mr Elferink: The statement will be tabled in a short time.
Ms WALKER: Yes, I have read the statement and they are not in it. I am asking if he will table that advice.
Mr MILLS: I am more than happy to explain any aspect of this if you are willing to have it understood in a broader context. However, if I find you want to deal with this information just to advance some private agenda that is of no real help to the community, I am not particularly interested. There will be a statement.
Madam SPEAKER: Your time has expired.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016