Ms LAWRIE - 2014-10-21
You have been negligent in revealing the truth of what happened to the $1m of taxpayers’ money paid to Tiwi Resources. You have also repeatedly denied the links between your CLP slush fund, Foundation 51 – despite Graeme Lewis running a draft media release past you in May – and Terry Mills, when Chief Minister, having a directorial role. Why have you failed to stand down Terry Mills from his $750 000 taxpayer-funded gig in Jakarta?
Will you today name a date for the inquiry into political donations into Foundation 51? Will you confirm in Question Time that you will implement the terms of reference as passed by a motion of this parliament during the last sittings?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I do not accept the premise of the question. There is no inquiry into Foundation 51 which has been approved by this parliament. There was a motion for an inquiry, presented by the member for Nelson that passed through parliament. We are holding discussions about that motion. We have had a couple of meetings and conversations, and we have another one on Thursday this week where we will be talking to the person who we propose to head up that inquiry. After that, we will take more information back to parliament from there …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Will you today name a date for the inquiry? Will you confirm that you will implement the terms of reference as passed by motion of this parliament?
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, please be seated. It is not a point of order; Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr GILES: As I just said, in case you missed it, I am talking with the member for Nelson, the proponent of the motion that was passed, about identifying somebody to undertake the inquiry. We will be talking about how that will be rolled out in the time frame, etcetera.
In relation to the question about Foundation 51, it is not an inquiry into Foundation 51. It was set up as a broad inquiry. I would like to see Harold Nelson Holdings looked at; we would like to know where union dollars are going in the Northern Territory. We need a good ruler put over the transfer by the member for Barkly of the Stella Maris site to union mates who throw money back into Labor. Why not look at that in an inquiry? Why not think about that? If you want to talk about Cabinet processes and LDC actions from Cabinet decisions ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Why have you failed to stand down Terry Mills?
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order.
Mr GILES: Let us talk about Cabinet decisions and how when you were in government you circumvented the Cabinet process to run a slippery, slimy dodgy deal to have Stella Maris handed over to the Lands and Planning minister – the member for Barkly at the time – so he could do his dirty, dodgy slimy deal for the Labor Party, the unions and Harold Nelson Holdings.
Perhaps we should look at connections between members on that side of the Chamber and Harold Nelson Holdings and where the slippery money went from Harold Nelson Holdings into the Labor Party.
Mr VOWLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 49; the member should address the Speaker, please.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr GILES: Hence the purpose of my comments on Saturday, when I said democracy suffered when Dr Harry was not elected. The member for Johnston continues to make fantastic contributions to parliament which showcase why parliamentary debate in the Northern Territory must be lifted.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. You have not yet answered why you will not stand Terry Mills down from his taxpayer-funded gig.
Madam SPEAKER: I have ruled it out of order before. Chief Minister, you have the floor.
Mr GILES: Unlike Labor in government, we will not politicise the public service. Let us remind people that the role of the Chief Minister is to employ the CEO. The CEO’s job is to employ the staff. That is quite simple. My responsibility is the engagement and employment of CEOs. That is where it stops; beyond that it is a job for the department. It is called the separation of powers. I encourage you to take control of that and understand it. Let us reflect on the 17-point swing against you as Opposition Leader. Change your tactics; it is not working.
Will you today name a date for the inquiry into political donations into Foundation 51? Will you confirm in Question Time that you will implement the terms of reference as passed by a motion of this parliament during the last sittings?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I do not accept the premise of the question. There is no inquiry into Foundation 51 which has been approved by this parliament. There was a motion for an inquiry, presented by the member for Nelson that passed through parliament. We are holding discussions about that motion. We have had a couple of meetings and conversations, and we have another one on Thursday this week where we will be talking to the person who we propose to head up that inquiry. After that, we will take more information back to parliament from there …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Will you today name a date for the inquiry? Will you confirm that you will implement the terms of reference as passed by motion of this parliament?
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, please be seated. It is not a point of order; Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr GILES: As I just said, in case you missed it, I am talking with the member for Nelson, the proponent of the motion that was passed, about identifying somebody to undertake the inquiry. We will be talking about how that will be rolled out in the time frame, etcetera.
In relation to the question about Foundation 51, it is not an inquiry into Foundation 51. It was set up as a broad inquiry. I would like to see Harold Nelson Holdings looked at; we would like to know where union dollars are going in the Northern Territory. We need a good ruler put over the transfer by the member for Barkly of the Stella Maris site to union mates who throw money back into Labor. Why not look at that in an inquiry? Why not think about that? If you want to talk about Cabinet processes and LDC actions from Cabinet decisions ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Why have you failed to stand down Terry Mills?
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order.
Mr GILES: Let us talk about Cabinet decisions and how when you were in government you circumvented the Cabinet process to run a slippery, slimy dodgy deal to have Stella Maris handed over to the Lands and Planning minister – the member for Barkly at the time – so he could do his dirty, dodgy slimy deal for the Labor Party, the unions and Harold Nelson Holdings.
Perhaps we should look at connections between members on that side of the Chamber and Harold Nelson Holdings and where the slippery money went from Harold Nelson Holdings into the Labor Party.
Mr VOWLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 49; the member should address the Speaker, please.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, you have the call.
Mr GILES: Hence the purpose of my comments on Saturday, when I said democracy suffered when Dr Harry was not elected. The member for Johnston continues to make fantastic contributions to parliament which showcase why parliamentary debate in the Northern Territory must be lifted.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. You have not yet answered why you will not stand Terry Mills down from his taxpayer-funded gig.
Madam SPEAKER: I have ruled it out of order before. Chief Minister, you have the floor.
Mr GILES: Unlike Labor in government, we will not politicise the public service. Let us remind people that the role of the Chief Minister is to employ the CEO. The CEO’s job is to employ the staff. That is quite simple. My responsibility is the engagement and employment of CEOs. That is where it stops; beyond that it is a job for the department. It is called the separation of powers. I encourage you to take control of that and understand it. Let us reflect on the 17-point swing against you as Opposition Leader. Change your tactics; it is not working.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016