Mr EDE - 1995-03-02
I direct this question to the Chief Minister as the minister responsible for electoral matters. The federal Leader of the Opposition, Mr John Howard, has carpeted his party director, Mr Andrew Robb, and told him that he does not condone the filthy tactic known as push-polling. Yesterday, the Chief Electoral Officer told ABC radio that push-polling was not illegal in the Northern Territory. He also said that there was a submission due to go to Cabinet in relation to the Electoral Act. Will the Chief Minister instruct the Chief Electoral Officer to examine the issue of push-polling and report to Cabinet in order that Territorians may know whether he and his colleagues are prepared to ban this dirty, un-Australian practice?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I am unaware of the issues the honourable member has raised in relation to what the federal electoral officer has said. The Leader of the Opposition ...
Mr Ede: The Territory electoral officer.
Mr PERRON: He did not in fact say that it was banned nationally and legal only in the Northern Territory.
Mr Ede interjecting.
Mr PERRON: You started by asking about the situation federally ...
Mr Bailey: Howard said that it is a disgusting tactic.
Mr PERRON: Many people are a little confused about what push-polling supposedly is. From what we can gather from the statements that the Leader of the Opposition has made on the subject, he believes it is a process of trying to affect voters by telling lies. It was interesting that, in a letter to federal Minister Lee after the last Territory election, wherein he complained to that minister about what he alleged were unfair practices in the Territory election, the honourable member said, in describing what he described today as `push-polling' - the term had not been coined in those days - that certain questions were asked of some Territory voters. Examples were: `Would you vote for Ken Parish if you knew that he ripped off tenants?' and `Would you vote for Ken Parish if you knew that the Director of Public Prosecutions had said that he had lied about interfering with a police officer's mail?' The Leader of the Opposition went on to say to Mr Lee: `It hardly needs to be said that those statements were lies'. If that is the foundation of his complaint, it has no foundation. As we know from extensive debate and censure motions in this House in earlier times ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I remind honourable members that Question Time is being broadcast.
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Mr PERRON: We all recall the case of the rip-off by the member for Millner at the time. His classic remark, which I am sure is in the Parliamentary Record, was that it wasn't like ripping off a little old lady from Pasadena. He was only ripping off a multinational company and therefore it was okay. Of course, there was the newspaper headline: `MP tells: "How I ripped off the rent"'. We are aware also that, as a result of the activities of that former honourable member, there was a court order that dictated a re-established rent.
Mr Bailey: It had nothing to do with him.
Mr PERRON: It had nothing to do with him? The court order? I suggest that you delve into the matter. It had everything to do with him, and he acknowledged that across the floor of this House.
Mr Ede: You are revisiting what happened 18 months ago. What about push-polling?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr PERRON: Mr Speaker, the problem the Leader of the Opposition has, which the opposition has never been able quite to come to grips with, is the rejection by the voters of its candidate for Millner and ...
Mr Stirling: We can't come to grips with the filthy tactics.
Mr PERRON: ... how a member of the 100 Club, the member for Wanguri, almost fell into the same category ...
Mr Bailey: You did not quite achieve it by lying to constituents in my electorate!
Mr PERRON: Mr Speaker, he was indeed a victim.
Mr Bailey: Admit that you lot did it.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr PERRON: Mr Speaker, I must admit that at least he was a victim. He and the former member for Millner ...
Members interjecting.
Mr HATTON: A point of order, Mr Speaker! The member for Wanguri has just accused me of being a liar. He should be asked to withdraw.
Mr SPEAKER: I would ask the member for Wanguri to withdraw the remark.
Mr BAILEY: Mr Speaker, I withdraw the remark.
Mr PERRON: Mr Speaker, I acknowledge that the former member for Millner and the current member for Wanguri were both victims in that campaign. They were victims of
Page 483
appalling policies and an appalling campaign that was rejected totally by the Territory electorate. The former member for Millner was also a very absent member from his electorate. He was an arrogant person. It was well known that ...
Mr Bell: You have never knocked on a door in Fannie Bay, Marshall!
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr PERRON: He blew a seat, which was well serviced by the former Leader of the Opposition, by simply refusing to service it, taking the electorate for granted and being associated with a party that had to engage a Sydney actor to pose as someone to bag the Northern Territory government. The ALP flew an actor from Sydney for that purpose.
A member interjecting.
Mr PERRON: If you do not believe that those things had an effect on the outcome of the election, you are kidding yourself.
Mr Reed: What about Victoria River? Your man lost there too.
Mr Coulter: What about your worst showing ever in Stuart? You claim that your constituents have no phones there. What is your excuse there?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr PERRON: Mr Speaker, while we are on the subject of polling, I would like the Leader of the Opposition to provide an explanation at some time about a company called Poll North. I understand the company was registered in the name of Mr Jeff Kelland when he was the ALP's candidate in the by-election for Millner in 1991, speaking of the same seat.
Mr Ede: Kelland was not the candidate for Millner.
Mr PERRON: I am told that Mr Kelland's company, Poll North, rang a woman in the electorate and asked how she intended to vote and various other things. That aroused people's curiosity. They thought that was pretty intrusive.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Bailey interjecting.
Mr Ede: He did it in my office.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I ask the honourable Chief Minister to resume his seat. I have been particularly tolerant with members of the opposition. I remind members of the opposition that, when I call order, I expect order. If there is prolonged shouting across the Chamber after I have called order, I will name the member concerned.
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Mr PERRON: Mr Speaker, the particular elector took umbrage at the line of questioning used by the caller. She made some inquiries in relation to Poll North and found it was a company registered in the name of the ALP candidate, Mr Jeff Kelland. When she telephoned him, asking for an explanation, he said that he was simply ringing around the electorate out of curiosity and requested that she keep the matter quiet.
Mr Coulter: The Leader of the Opposition has just said that he did it from his office.
Mr PERRON: Mr Speaker, I am not sure whether it was done from the Leader of the Opposition's office ...
Mr Coulter: He just said it was.
Mr PERRON: We do know that Mr Kelland worked for the Territory MHR, Warren Snowdon, for a period. We also know that Mr Snowdon's office is well-equipped with polling computers and the like. However, if the Leader of the Opposition says it was done from his office ...
Mr Ede: When did I say that? I cannot recall ...
Mr Coulter: You said it earlier by way of interjection. Everybody heard you.
Mr Ede: Garbage!
Mr PERRON: Mr Speaker, what we have is a case of sour grapes on the part of a group of people who are simply unable to acknowledge that the Territory electorate rejected their lousy policies across the board. Any suggestions relating to Mr Parish and the fact that he ripped off his tenants are matters of fact, not matters of fantasy.
Page 485
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I am unaware of the issues the honourable member has raised in relation to what the federal electoral officer has said. The Leader of the Opposition ...
Mr Ede: The Territory electoral officer.
Mr PERRON: He did not in fact say that it was banned nationally and legal only in the Northern Territory.
Mr Ede interjecting.
Mr PERRON: You started by asking about the situation federally ...
Mr Bailey: Howard said that it is a disgusting tactic.
Mr PERRON: Many people are a little confused about what push-polling supposedly is. From what we can gather from the statements that the Leader of the Opposition has made on the subject, he believes it is a process of trying to affect voters by telling lies. It was interesting that, in a letter to federal Minister Lee after the last Territory election, wherein he complained to that minister about what he alleged were unfair practices in the Territory election, the honourable member said, in describing what he described today as `push-polling' - the term had not been coined in those days - that certain questions were asked of some Territory voters. Examples were: `Would you vote for Ken Parish if you knew that he ripped off tenants?' and `Would you vote for Ken Parish if you knew that the Director of Public Prosecutions had said that he had lied about interfering with a police officer's mail?' The Leader of the Opposition went on to say to Mr Lee: `It hardly needs to be said that those statements were lies'. If that is the foundation of his complaint, it has no foundation. As we know from extensive debate and censure motions in this House in earlier times ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I remind honourable members that Question Time is being broadcast.
Page 482
Mr PERRON: We all recall the case of the rip-off by the member for Millner at the time. His classic remark, which I am sure is in the Parliamentary Record, was that it wasn't like ripping off a little old lady from Pasadena. He was only ripping off a multinational company and therefore it was okay. Of course, there was the newspaper headline: `MP tells: "How I ripped off the rent"'. We are aware also that, as a result of the activities of that former honourable member, there was a court order that dictated a re-established rent.
Mr Bailey: It had nothing to do with him.
Mr PERRON: It had nothing to do with him? The court order? I suggest that you delve into the matter. It had everything to do with him, and he acknowledged that across the floor of this House.
Mr Ede: You are revisiting what happened 18 months ago. What about push-polling?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr PERRON: Mr Speaker, the problem the Leader of the Opposition has, which the opposition has never been able quite to come to grips with, is the rejection by the voters of its candidate for Millner and ...
Mr Stirling: We can't come to grips with the filthy tactics.
Mr PERRON: ... how a member of the 100 Club, the member for Wanguri, almost fell into the same category ...
Mr Bailey: You did not quite achieve it by lying to constituents in my electorate!
Mr PERRON: Mr Speaker, he was indeed a victim.
Mr Bailey: Admit that you lot did it.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr PERRON: Mr Speaker, I must admit that at least he was a victim. He and the former member for Millner ...
Members interjecting.
Mr HATTON: A point of order, Mr Speaker! The member for Wanguri has just accused me of being a liar. He should be asked to withdraw.
Mr SPEAKER: I would ask the member for Wanguri to withdraw the remark.
Mr BAILEY: Mr Speaker, I withdraw the remark.
Mr PERRON: Mr Speaker, I acknowledge that the former member for Millner and the current member for Wanguri were both victims in that campaign. They were victims of
Page 483
appalling policies and an appalling campaign that was rejected totally by the Territory electorate. The former member for Millner was also a very absent member from his electorate. He was an arrogant person. It was well known that ...
Mr Bell: You have never knocked on a door in Fannie Bay, Marshall!
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr PERRON: He blew a seat, which was well serviced by the former Leader of the Opposition, by simply refusing to service it, taking the electorate for granted and being associated with a party that had to engage a Sydney actor to pose as someone to bag the Northern Territory government. The ALP flew an actor from Sydney for that purpose.
A member interjecting.
Mr PERRON: If you do not believe that those things had an effect on the outcome of the election, you are kidding yourself.
Mr Reed: What about Victoria River? Your man lost there too.
Mr Coulter: What about your worst showing ever in Stuart? You claim that your constituents have no phones there. What is your excuse there?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr PERRON: Mr Speaker, while we are on the subject of polling, I would like the Leader of the Opposition to provide an explanation at some time about a company called Poll North. I understand the company was registered in the name of Mr Jeff Kelland when he was the ALP's candidate in the by-election for Millner in 1991, speaking of the same seat.
Mr Ede: Kelland was not the candidate for Millner.
Mr PERRON: I am told that Mr Kelland's company, Poll North, rang a woman in the electorate and asked how she intended to vote and various other things. That aroused people's curiosity. They thought that was pretty intrusive.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Bailey interjecting.
Mr Ede: He did it in my office.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I ask the honourable Chief Minister to resume his seat. I have been particularly tolerant with members of the opposition. I remind members of the opposition that, when I call order, I expect order. If there is prolonged shouting across the Chamber after I have called order, I will name the member concerned.
Page 484
Mr PERRON: Mr Speaker, the particular elector took umbrage at the line of questioning used by the caller. She made some inquiries in relation to Poll North and found it was a company registered in the name of the ALP candidate, Mr Jeff Kelland. When she telephoned him, asking for an explanation, he said that he was simply ringing around the electorate out of curiosity and requested that she keep the matter quiet.
Mr Coulter: The Leader of the Opposition has just said that he did it from his office.
Mr PERRON: Mr Speaker, I am not sure whether it was done from the Leader of the Opposition's office ...
Mr Coulter: He just said it was.
Mr PERRON: We do know that Mr Kelland worked for the Territory MHR, Warren Snowdon, for a period. We also know that Mr Snowdon's office is well-equipped with polling computers and the like. However, if the Leader of the Opposition says it was done from his office ...
Mr Ede: When did I say that? I cannot recall ...
Mr Coulter: You said it earlier by way of interjection. Everybody heard you.
Mr Ede: Garbage!
Mr PERRON: Mr Speaker, what we have is a case of sour grapes on the part of a group of people who are simply unable to acknowledge that the Territory electorate rejected their lousy policies across the board. Any suggestions relating to Mr Parish and the fact that he ripped off his tenants are matters of fact, not matters of fantasy.
Page 485
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016