Mr BAILEY - 1994-08-23
Despite the fact that Parliament House was opened officially last week, the Assembly is still sitting in the Chan Building. I understand that some people cling to the belief that the next sittings may be held in Parliament House. No one knows when the members' offices and other facilities will be finished, let alone when the entire project will be completed. Given that the government cannot tell us what the project will cost finally, is the minister able tell us the finishing date, or is that as far out of control as the cost is?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I am sure the member for Wanguri was quite pleased to be able to make his little speech, but I can assure honourable members that the next sittings will be held in the new Chamber. I am sure that most members will appreciate that and that they will appreciate also the efforts and craftsmanship of the Territory builders and tradesman who have created the building. In that, they will be unlike the member for Wanguri who has harped constantly
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about the delays in construction, the cost, the work etc. One would think that, after the electorate rejected his crazy claims, he would settle down in that regard. Obviously, he has not learnt from the experience.
I have been very careful, and I am sure that honourable members appreciate that fact, about nominating a completion date. I have been advised that we will be able to commence the process of moving into that building at the end of September. Once again, I certainly will not nail my colours to the mast in that regard. However, I can assure ...
Mr Ede: It is out of control.
Mr MANZIE: ... honourable members that there will be a process of ...
Mr Hatton: It is no different from the federal parliament process.
Members interjecting.
Mrs Hickey: I thought you blokes did it better than they do.
Mr Bailey: If the honourable members were building that ... a shady deal with the Prime Minister.
Mr COULTER: A point of order, Mr Speaker! The member for Wanguri is casting aspersions about, of all people, the Prime Minister being a shonk. The members knows that he may not sit in this parliament and reflect on a member in another parliament.
Mr BELL: Mr Speaker, speaking to the point of order, the honourable Treasurer is being half-smart. As he is aware, the member for Wanguri did not mention the Prime Minister. The furphy that the Treasurer and government members are trying to purvey - that the Prime Minister specifically endorsed the Parliament House - is, as the Prime Minister said a week or so ago, absolute nonsense. It is about time that somebody who has been the Treasurer of the Northern Territory for so long should be able work out the difference between global borrowing limits and the endorsement of specific projects.
Mr BAILEY: Mr Speaker, what I said was that the Prime Minister did not do a shonky deal on the new Parliament House as the Chief Minister did.
Members interjecting.
Mr Coulter: No, you did not.
Mr SPEAKER: I should indicate that I heard the words and I understood the member to say that there was a deal between the Prime Minister and Warren Anderson.
Mr BAILEY: No. I said that there was no shonky deal between Warren Anderson and the Prime Minister ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Minister for Lands, Housing and Local Government.
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Mr HATTON: Mr Speaker, I rise to speak to the point of order. The member for Wanguri was casting an aspersion on the Prime Minister, or on myself or the Chief Minister, or on all of us. Whichever it was, it is contrary to standing orders.
The member for MacDonnell commented that the Prime Minister had denied having endorsed this project. Let me tell the member for MacDonnell that I was sitting in the Prime Minister's office when he actively supported the project and approved the loan funding for the construction as being important for the Northern Territory.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: I am left in a very difficult situation in that the member for Wanguri denies ...
Mr BAILEY: Mr Speaker, I am happy to withdraw the comment. My reference was in relation to a shonky deal with the Chief Minister. I said that there had been no shonky deal between Warren Anderson and the Prime Minister for the federal parliament house like the one he did with Warren Anderson. I am happy to withdraw that.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, the opposition is engaging in this tactic ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Are you speaking to the point of order?
Mr STONE: Speaker, I am calling a point of order on the explanation.
Mr SPEAKER: I am sorry, but we have not dealt finally with the previous one as yet. I understand that the member for Wanguri has withdrawn. The Leader of Government Business.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, the point I want to make is that the tactic of casting further aspersions in giving an explanation, in this case aspersions against the Chief Minister, is of itself contrary to standing orders. That tactic is being employed and it should be jumped on.
Mr BELL: A point of order, Mr Speaker!
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Are you speaking to this point of order?
Mr BELL: Mr Speaker, I am objecting to the Leader of Government Business being indulged by the Chair when he has not called a point of order.
Mr Finch: He was.
Mr Stone: I was.
Mr SPEAKER: As I understand it, the Leader of Government Business was calling a point of order concerning the words used by the member for Wanguri that there was some deal between the Chief Minister and the builder of State Square. I ask the member for Wanguri to withdraw the latter remark.
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Mr Bailey: Mr Speaker, I withdraw.
Mr SPEAKER: The Minister for Transport and Works.
Mr MANZIE: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Is the Leader of the Opposition leading this mob or are they being led by the member for MacDonnell and the member for Wanguri?
The last point in the member for Wanguri's question related to when we will move into our parliamentary offices. When that time arrives, the member for Wanguri will be advised, as will all other members. I can assure honourable members that it will certainly be during this year.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I am sure the member for Wanguri was quite pleased to be able to make his little speech, but I can assure honourable members that the next sittings will be held in the new Chamber. I am sure that most members will appreciate that and that they will appreciate also the efforts and craftsmanship of the Territory builders and tradesman who have created the building. In that, they will be unlike the member for Wanguri who has harped constantly
Page 42
about the delays in construction, the cost, the work etc. One would think that, after the electorate rejected his crazy claims, he would settle down in that regard. Obviously, he has not learnt from the experience.
I have been very careful, and I am sure that honourable members appreciate that fact, about nominating a completion date. I have been advised that we will be able to commence the process of moving into that building at the end of September. Once again, I certainly will not nail my colours to the mast in that regard. However, I can assure ...
Mr Ede: It is out of control.
Mr MANZIE: ... honourable members that there will be a process of ...
Mr Hatton: It is no different from the federal parliament process.
Members interjecting.
Mrs Hickey: I thought you blokes did it better than they do.
Mr Bailey: If the honourable members were building that ... a shady deal with the Prime Minister.
Mr COULTER: A point of order, Mr Speaker! The member for Wanguri is casting aspersions about, of all people, the Prime Minister being a shonk. The members knows that he may not sit in this parliament and reflect on a member in another parliament.
Mr BELL: Mr Speaker, speaking to the point of order, the honourable Treasurer is being half-smart. As he is aware, the member for Wanguri did not mention the Prime Minister. The furphy that the Treasurer and government members are trying to purvey - that the Prime Minister specifically endorsed the Parliament House - is, as the Prime Minister said a week or so ago, absolute nonsense. It is about time that somebody who has been the Treasurer of the Northern Territory for so long should be able work out the difference between global borrowing limits and the endorsement of specific projects.
Mr BAILEY: Mr Speaker, what I said was that the Prime Minister did not do a shonky deal on the new Parliament House as the Chief Minister did.
Members interjecting.
Mr Coulter: No, you did not.
Mr SPEAKER: I should indicate that I heard the words and I understood the member to say that there was a deal between the Prime Minister and Warren Anderson.
Mr BAILEY: No. I said that there was no shonky deal between Warren Anderson and the Prime Minister ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Minister for Lands, Housing and Local Government.
Page 43
Mr HATTON: Mr Speaker, I rise to speak to the point of order. The member for Wanguri was casting an aspersion on the Prime Minister, or on myself or the Chief Minister, or on all of us. Whichever it was, it is contrary to standing orders.
The member for MacDonnell commented that the Prime Minister had denied having endorsed this project. Let me tell the member for MacDonnell that I was sitting in the Prime Minister's office when he actively supported the project and approved the loan funding for the construction as being important for the Northern Territory.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: I am left in a very difficult situation in that the member for Wanguri denies ...
Mr BAILEY: Mr Speaker, I am happy to withdraw the comment. My reference was in relation to a shonky deal with the Chief Minister. I said that there had been no shonky deal between Warren Anderson and the Prime Minister for the federal parliament house like the one he did with Warren Anderson. I am happy to withdraw that.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, the opposition is engaging in this tactic ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Are you speaking to the point of order?
Mr STONE: Speaker, I am calling a point of order on the explanation.
Mr SPEAKER: I am sorry, but we have not dealt finally with the previous one as yet. I understand that the member for Wanguri has withdrawn. The Leader of Government Business.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, the point I want to make is that the tactic of casting further aspersions in giving an explanation, in this case aspersions against the Chief Minister, is of itself contrary to standing orders. That tactic is being employed and it should be jumped on.
Mr BELL: A point of order, Mr Speaker!
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Are you speaking to this point of order?
Mr BELL: Mr Speaker, I am objecting to the Leader of Government Business being indulged by the Chair when he has not called a point of order.
Mr Finch: He was.
Mr Stone: I was.
Mr SPEAKER: As I understand it, the Leader of Government Business was calling a point of order concerning the words used by the member for Wanguri that there was some deal between the Chief Minister and the builder of State Square. I ask the member for Wanguri to withdraw the latter remark.
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Mr Bailey: Mr Speaker, I withdraw.
Mr SPEAKER: The Minister for Transport and Works.
Mr MANZIE: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Is the Leader of the Opposition leading this mob or are they being led by the member for MacDonnell and the member for Wanguri?
The last point in the member for Wanguri's question related to when we will move into our parliamentary offices. When that time arrives, the member for Wanguri will be advised, as will all other members. I can assure honourable members that it will certainly be during this year.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016