Mrs HICKEY - 1996-05-15
In the debate on gun control yesterday, I sought the support of the Chief Minister for a motion to establish an inquiry into causes of violence in the Northern Territory. I pointed out to him that guns are responsible for only 6% of murders in the Northern Territory. The Chief Minister rejected that motion. However, I believe he agrees that the proposed tightening of gun laws alone will not stop violence in the Northern Territory. I also believe both sides of the House need to act promptly to identify the underlying causes of violence in the Northern Territory and to provide solutions. Will the Chief Minister set aside any personal or party political agenda and join me in a concerted effort to stamp out violence, and will he guarantee
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to work with me in this session of parliament to set up a parliamentary investigation into violence in the Northern Territory, with the conditions set by the end of this parliamentary session?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, in responding to the motion of the Leader of the Opposition yesterday, I did say to her that I accepted the proposition that the whole issue of violence in the Australian community did not centre on firearms. I said that it ranges across many issues, including matters that will be considered by the health ministers, the Attorneys-General of the states and territories and by ministers who are involved with youth services. I also made it clear to her that she could not really come into this House and, in a knee-jerk reaction, say: 'Pluck out a Supreme Court judge and let us have an inquiry'. Numerous demands of that kind come from that side of the House. The former Leader of the Opposition was on his feet late last night, speaking in the adjournment debate and conceding that the police inquiry that he had called for, following the discovery of a print-out of the ALP database in a pub in Katherine, was unfounded. He conceded that, following from that inquiry, it was found by the police ...
Mrs Hickey: But you conceded that it is an important issue.
Mr STONE: It is an important issue. However, it is also important that it be viewed in the context of the knee-jerk way in which members on your side are forever jumping to their feet and demanding judicial inquiries and police inquiries. Let me finish on the issue of the ALP records being found in a pub.
Police resources had been spent on interviewing people up and down the Track, only to verify that what had been said in this Chamber was true. That is yet another example of a call for an inquiry not being thought through carefully.
I made the point yesterday that I would be prepared to work with the Leader of the Opposition on looking at some structure, vehicle or mechanism to address the wider issue of violence. However, I will have no truck with the Leader of the Opposition getting to her feet in this Chamber to try to create the impression that the NT government has been sitting on its hands and doing nothing on the issue of violence. On the issue of video and literature classification, the Northern Territory has played a very important role in national forums in putting a case as to what should or should not be allowed.
Mrs Hickey: I concede that. I am asking for ...
Mr STONE: The Leader of the Opposition would also concede, I am sure, that the Northern Territory has led the nation in implementing domestic violence strategies, not only in urban communities but also in Aboriginal communities. I do not want to embarrass the Leader of the Opposition, but she cannot have it both ways. We recall the paper prepared by her own electorate officer and taken to the Women's Forum in Beijing, saying it was acceptable in Aboriginal communities for men to bash women and that it was all a part of the culture of those communities.
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I hope that the Leader of the Opposition will concede that the NT government has been very pro-active in dealing with the all-important issue of violence in our communities. The strategy that we have put in place in our schools to deal with children who are of a particular behavioural mould has also been at the forefront of the approach developed in this country. I am very proud to be associated with those policies. I will be happy to sit down and talk with the Leader of the Opposition on the way in which we can build further on those important initiatives that the NT government has put in place.
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to work with me in this session of parliament to set up a parliamentary investigation into violence in the Northern Territory, with the conditions set by the end of this parliamentary session?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, in responding to the motion of the Leader of the Opposition yesterday, I did say to her that I accepted the proposition that the whole issue of violence in the Australian community did not centre on firearms. I said that it ranges across many issues, including matters that will be considered by the health ministers, the Attorneys-General of the states and territories and by ministers who are involved with youth services. I also made it clear to her that she could not really come into this House and, in a knee-jerk reaction, say: 'Pluck out a Supreme Court judge and let us have an inquiry'. Numerous demands of that kind come from that side of the House. The former Leader of the Opposition was on his feet late last night, speaking in the adjournment debate and conceding that the police inquiry that he had called for, following the discovery of a print-out of the ALP database in a pub in Katherine, was unfounded. He conceded that, following from that inquiry, it was found by the police ...
Mrs Hickey: But you conceded that it is an important issue.
Mr STONE: It is an important issue. However, it is also important that it be viewed in the context of the knee-jerk way in which members on your side are forever jumping to their feet and demanding judicial inquiries and police inquiries. Let me finish on the issue of the ALP records being found in a pub.
Police resources had been spent on interviewing people up and down the Track, only to verify that what had been said in this Chamber was true. That is yet another example of a call for an inquiry not being thought through carefully.
I made the point yesterday that I would be prepared to work with the Leader of the Opposition on looking at some structure, vehicle or mechanism to address the wider issue of violence. However, I will have no truck with the Leader of the Opposition getting to her feet in this Chamber to try to create the impression that the NT government has been sitting on its hands and doing nothing on the issue of violence. On the issue of video and literature classification, the Northern Territory has played a very important role in national forums in putting a case as to what should or should not be allowed.
Mrs Hickey: I concede that. I am asking for ...
Mr STONE: The Leader of the Opposition would also concede, I am sure, that the Northern Territory has led the nation in implementing domestic violence strategies, not only in urban communities but also in Aboriginal communities. I do not want to embarrass the Leader of the Opposition, but she cannot have it both ways. We recall the paper prepared by her own electorate officer and taken to the Women's Forum in Beijing, saying it was acceptable in Aboriginal communities for men to bash women and that it was all a part of the culture of those communities.
Page 1351
I hope that the Leader of the Opposition will concede that the NT government has been very pro-active in dealing with the all-important issue of violence in our communities. The strategy that we have put in place in our schools to deal with children who are of a particular behavioural mould has also been at the forefront of the approach developed in this country. I am very proud to be associated with those policies. I will be happy to sit down and talk with the Leader of the Opposition on the way in which we can build further on those important initiatives that the NT government has put in place.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016