Mr VOWLES - 2014-05-13
You have refused the opposition’s request to move Question Time to enable parliament scrutiny of your budget today. You have also refused to do the right thing and call an inquiry into the actions of Foundation 51. Why are you so desperate to avoid any scrutiny of the actions of your CLP government? Documents tabled in this parliament last week destroy your claims that you knew nothing about the actions of the CLP slush fund, Foundation 51, so how can you expect anyone to trust anything you say?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Johnston for his question. Oh dear. How can anyone trust anyone else when you ask a question about scrutiny?
The member for Johnston has asked about scrutiny. This is Question Time, when you can ask us questions and scrutinise what we do as government. I think it is funny how you talk about changing Question Time. Member for Johnston, did you ring me and ask me to change Question Time? I never received a phone call from anyone asking me to change it, so that is very good.
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. As the Chief Minister knows, the request went through the Leader of Government Business, the member for Port Darwin, John Elferink.
Madam SPEAKER: That is not a point of order.
Mr GILES: You ask why I did not move it, when you never asked me to. Get with it. It is a funny question to ask: why I did not say yes to your request when you never sent me one.
You ask me about transparency and accountability when we are standing here in Question Time being asked questions we can answer. We have a budget which will come down today, which has a period of five days, some 56 hours, of questioning through an estimates process. Opposition and Independents can ask questions of government about the budget, expenditure last financial year and this one, and where we will spend our money next financial year. That is transparency, accountability and being open about what we do and how we spend money. It is a very silly question, member for Johnston.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Johnston for his question. Oh dear. How can anyone trust anyone else when you ask a question about scrutiny?
The member for Johnston has asked about scrutiny. This is Question Time, when you can ask us questions and scrutinise what we do as government. I think it is funny how you talk about changing Question Time. Member for Johnston, did you ring me and ask me to change Question Time? I never received a phone call from anyone asking me to change it, so that is very good.
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. As the Chief Minister knows, the request went through the Leader of Government Business, the member for Port Darwin, John Elferink.
Madam SPEAKER: That is not a point of order.
Mr GILES: You ask why I did not move it, when you never asked me to. Get with it. It is a funny question to ask: why I did not say yes to your request when you never sent me one.
You ask me about transparency and accountability when we are standing here in Question Time being asked questions we can answer. We have a budget which will come down today, which has a period of five days, some 56 hours, of questioning through an estimates process. Opposition and Independents can ask questions of government about the budget, expenditure last financial year and this one, and where we will spend our money next financial year. That is transparency, accountability and being open about what we do and how we spend money. It is a very silly question, member for Johnston.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016