Mr BELL - 1995-02-28
Is the minister aware of the extraordinary slur cast on military personnel by the member for Brennan himself? In the debate on the Domestic Violence Bill in October last year, he told this Assembly that, in his experience in the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, there were 'too many instances of family welfare problems in which domestic violence was clearly evident, including violence against children'. Can the minister confirm that there is no evidence that members of the armed forces are overly-represented in the crime statistics relating to domestic violence? Secondly, can the minister explain why a member of his party would want to cast such a slur on the members of the military forces whose presence in the Northern Territory this opposition has welcomed?
ANSWER
Come in spinner! Isn't he terrific, Mr Speaker? Not only is he unable to say that he is sorry, he now attempts to change the direction of his attack. His target now is the member who identified very clearly the inferences in his remarks last week, and hit him fair on the nose with an attack on what he had said about the military.
Mr Bailey: It is okay for you guys to lie, but not us.
Page 452
Mr Bell: That is a unique double standard, Daryl.
Mr MANZIE: He does not want the answer because he is very sensitive. He does not like to say that he is sorry. He likes to blame other people. We all know about that.
Mr Bailey: We know you come in here regularly and lie about the facts. You do it repeatedly.
Mr MANZIE: The member for Wanguri contributes in his usual style. He certainly has a way with words.
Mr Bailey: At least, I tell the truth which is more than you do.
Mr MANZIE: His electorate is becoming more aware of it.
The Department of Defence has a report entitled Army Presence in the North. It has carried out an extensive study on the sociological and environmental impact of the military and its presence here. Nothing points to military personnel being anything but a normal representation of our community as a whole. I want to hammer that home very clearly. In all respects across the board, the military statistically mirrors the rest of the community. Contrary to the miserable accusations of the member for MacDonnell, military personnel are not the perpetrators of violence.
His colleagues have attempted to pretend that the honourable member's attack did not happen. If the Leader of the Opposition was worth anything, he would have carpeted the member for MacDonnell and told him that what he had said was wrong and was a reflection on the integrity of all Department of Defence personnel in the Territory. Of course, he did not do that because he lacks the intestinal fortitude to confront the member for MacDonnell. Irrespective of the shortcomings of the Leader of the Opposition, the member for MacDonnell should have had sufficient intestinal fortitude to apologise and withdraw any accusations or inferences. He cannot do it and his pathetic attempts to attack the member for Brennan are exactly that - pathetic.
Page 453
ANSWER
Come in spinner! Isn't he terrific, Mr Speaker? Not only is he unable to say that he is sorry, he now attempts to change the direction of his attack. His target now is the member who identified very clearly the inferences in his remarks last week, and hit him fair on the nose with an attack on what he had said about the military.
Mr Bailey: It is okay for you guys to lie, but not us.
Page 452
Mr Bell: That is a unique double standard, Daryl.
Mr MANZIE: He does not want the answer because he is very sensitive. He does not like to say that he is sorry. He likes to blame other people. We all know about that.
Mr Bailey: We know you come in here regularly and lie about the facts. You do it repeatedly.
Mr MANZIE: The member for Wanguri contributes in his usual style. He certainly has a way with words.
Mr Bailey: At least, I tell the truth which is more than you do.
Mr MANZIE: His electorate is becoming more aware of it.
The Department of Defence has a report entitled Army Presence in the North. It has carried out an extensive study on the sociological and environmental impact of the military and its presence here. Nothing points to military personnel being anything but a normal representation of our community as a whole. I want to hammer that home very clearly. In all respects across the board, the military statistically mirrors the rest of the community. Contrary to the miserable accusations of the member for MacDonnell, military personnel are not the perpetrators of violence.
His colleagues have attempted to pretend that the honourable member's attack did not happen. If the Leader of the Opposition was worth anything, he would have carpeted the member for MacDonnell and told him that what he had said was wrong and was a reflection on the integrity of all Department of Defence personnel in the Territory. Of course, he did not do that because he lacks the intestinal fortitude to confront the member for MacDonnell. Irrespective of the shortcomings of the Leader of the Opposition, the member for MacDonnell should have had sufficient intestinal fortitude to apologise and withdraw any accusations or inferences. He cannot do it and his pathetic attempts to attack the member for Brennan are exactly that - pathetic.
Page 453
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016