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. Your dithering has caused four months of unnecessary pain and uncertainty in Gove. Facing such uncertainty, many people have already left and the economic impact on the town is considerable. Why did you cause such unnecessary pain? Will you apologise to the residents of Gove for taking four months to come to the conclusion that everyone else came to on Day 1.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. That is quite a disappointing contribution from the member for Nhulunbuy. You obviously did not have a sufficient grasp of the complexity of this issue to think it would be as simple as doing what the former Chief Minister did and say, ‘Here you go, have four years’ worth of gas, that should be enough’. Then they say that is not enough after taking seven months to respond to that letter.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Chief Minister is misleading the House. Page 2 of the letter clearly spelt out the condition on which 10 years would be provided.
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, please be seated. There is no point of order.
Mr MILLS: The point is that letter took seven months to produce from the action-packed team on the other side. In the first instance, that same offer was made and subsequently rejected by Pacific Aluminium.
Ms Lawrie: What?
Mr MILLS: Yes, what? You need a briefing. You really need to get your head around this. It is easy to run cheap shots and slogans and everyone gives you a round of applause but you have no idea what is going on here.
It is a simple matter, member for Nhulunbuy. You said everyone was in agreement. They were not.
What was at stake was exposing the Territory to extraordinary and unacceptable risk. What was required of a responsible government was to leave no stone unturned, to get a clear assessment of the capacity for the Territory to provide those resources in the future not just throw a dice and hope it might turn out okay. I needed to be, this Cabinet, this government needed to be absolutely certain we had the capacity to cover that risk in the future, and a number of things needed to be learnt during this exercise, a number of assurances that were provided. The most important one is to provide a strengthened position for the Northern Territory, and I believe the new agenda item …
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I asked the Chief Minister if he will apologise to the residents of Gove for the pain caused by his dithering.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Mr MILLS: The best apology is having offered gas to keep the refinery going.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! During that answer one of the points of order made by the Leader of the Opposition accused the Chief Minister of misleading this House. That has to be done by way of substantive motion otherwise that person should withdraw. I raise the point of order now because these are deliberate tactics used by the members opposite to eat into the time available for ministers to answer questions. I reiterate my warning to the members opposite that if they continue to do so we will amend standing orders to accommodate that tactic.
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, could you please withdraw that.
Ms LAWRIE: Misleading has been used before, Madam Speaker, so is that now out of order completely?
Madam SPEAKER: Withdraw the statement.
Ms LAWRIE: I withdraw. He is making it up as he is goes along.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. That is quite a disappointing contribution from the member for Nhulunbuy. You obviously did not have a sufficient grasp of the complexity of this issue to think it would be as simple as doing what the former Chief Minister did and say, ‘Here you go, have four years’ worth of gas, that should be enough’. Then they say that is not enough after taking seven months to respond to that letter.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Chief Minister is misleading the House. Page 2 of the letter clearly spelt out the condition on which 10 years would be provided.
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, please be seated. There is no point of order.
Mr MILLS: The point is that letter took seven months to produce from the action-packed team on the other side. In the first instance, that same offer was made and subsequently rejected by Pacific Aluminium.
Ms Lawrie: What?
Mr MILLS: Yes, what? You need a briefing. You really need to get your head around this. It is easy to run cheap shots and slogans and everyone gives you a round of applause but you have no idea what is going on here.
It is a simple matter, member for Nhulunbuy. You said everyone was in agreement. They were not.
What was at stake was exposing the Territory to extraordinary and unacceptable risk. What was required of a responsible government was to leave no stone unturned, to get a clear assessment of the capacity for the Territory to provide those resources in the future not just throw a dice and hope it might turn out okay. I needed to be, this Cabinet, this government needed to be absolutely certain we had the capacity to cover that risk in the future, and a number of things needed to be learnt during this exercise, a number of assurances that were provided. The most important one is to provide a strengthened position for the Northern Territory, and I believe the new agenda item …
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I asked the Chief Minister if he will apologise to the residents of Gove for the pain caused by his dithering.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Mr MILLS: The best apology is having offered gas to keep the refinery going.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! During that answer one of the points of order made by the Leader of the Opposition accused the Chief Minister of misleading this House. That has to be done by way of substantive motion otherwise that person should withdraw. I raise the point of order now because these are deliberate tactics used by the members opposite to eat into the time available for ministers to answer questions. I reiterate my warning to the members opposite that if they continue to do so we will amend standing orders to accommodate that tactic.
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, could you please withdraw that.
Ms LAWRIE: Misleading has been used before, Madam Speaker, so is that now out of order completely?
Madam SPEAKER: Withdraw the statement.
Ms LAWRIE: I withdraw. He is making it up as he is goes along.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016