Mr AH KIT - 1996-10-09
The Chief Minister has been intent on throwing mud about the Stuart by-election in a vain attempt to hide the fact that his party has lost 3 by-elections in a row and has suffered an 8% swing in the town part of the electorate of Stuart. Is it a fact that an official complaint has been lodged with the Northern Territory Electoral Office over threats made against women voters by a Country Liberal Party campaign worker? Is he aware that this man, who was wearing a Bohning T-shirt, threatened to deal with women voters later if they did not vote for the Country Liberal Party? Is he aware that the CLP candidate, Tony Bohning, was overheard saying, `Now let's go and touch up those sheilas again', before this incident occurred?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, they have to be desperate.
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Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: Does anyone listening to this broadcast believe that, if that had actually happened, members opposite would not have been on their feet first thing yesterday morning to raise such a serious allegation?
Mrs Hickey: It is a tissue of lies and you know it.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mrs Hickey: Absolute lies!
Mr STONE: She should withdraw that.
Mr SPEAKER: Yes, the member should withdraw the remark.
A member: Yes, that's right.
Mr SPEAKER: The member for Barkly will ...
Mrs HICKEY: I refuse to withdraw the remark, Mr Speaker.
Mr Stone: Oh, you are out.
Mr SPEAKER: I name the Leader of the Opposition.
Mrs HICKEY: I am happy to go.
Mr Bailey: You are a scumbag, Shane!
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I ask you to withdraw that remark.
A member: A great leader!
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Wanguri will withdraw the remark.
Mr BAILEY: I withdraw the remark. But if he keeps going the way he is, I will say something.
Mr COULTER (Leader of Government Business): Mr Speaker, as the member for Barkly has now removed herself from the Chamber ...
Mr Bailey: Provide some evidence for what you have been saying, Shane.
Mr COULTER: ... is it necessary for me to move that her services be no longer required?
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Mr SPEAKER: Yes, the motion must be ...
Mr COULTER: I move, Mr Speaker, that the services of the member for Barkly be no longer required.
The Assembly divided:
Ayes 16 Noes 7
Mr Adamson Mr Ah Kit
Mr Baldwin Mr Bailey
Mrs Braham Mr Bell
Mr Burke Ms Martin
Mr Coulter Mr Rioli
Mr Finch Mr Stirling
Mr Hatton Mr Toyne
Dr Lim
Mr Manzie
Mr Mitchell
Mrs Padgham-Purich
Mr Palmer
Mr Poole
Mr Reed
Mr Setter
Mr Stone
Motion agreed to.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, I will continue my answer and pick up some of the interjections that were made.
Mr Bell interjecting.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, I can understand the disillusionment of the member for MacDonnell, now the longest-serving member in opposition in any Australian parliament. I can understand why he is bitter and twisted, but can I make the point that ...
Mr Bell: At least I score a few points off you, boyo.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: He is very big on threats too, Mr Speaker, as people listening to this broadcast would understand. Let us be very clear about this. When the issue was first raised yesterday about what happened with that Aboriginal lady, we did not identify the ALP campaign worker. In fact, it was the Leader of the Opposition who volunteered his name. Let no allegation be made that we named him under parliamentary privilege. It was the Leader of the Opposition who gave him up. It was all very reminiscent of what happened to poor old Brigid, the electorate officer in the electorate of Barkly. We recall the disgraceful document
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that said that domestic violence was the norm in Aboriginal communities. Poor old Brigid was frogmarched out to take responsibility for that little gaffe. There has been a history of giving people up to protect oneself.
The member for Arnhem asked whether I was aware of a complaint that had been lodged. I have to say I am not because I am not intimately involved in the day-to-day operations of the Electoral Office, which operates at arm's length from the government. I think it would be a matter of grave concern if the Chief Minister of the day were able to say that he knew on a daily basis of any particular issue, administrative or otherwise, that was laid before the Electoral Office. The Electoral Office people get on with their job. If a complaint has been filed, no doubt it will be dealt with in due course. A number of complaints were filed, and I know that from my own party sources rather than from the Electoral Office. They included the fact that the Labor Party has such scant regard for the Electoral Act that it ran advertisements in an Alice Springs newspaper without an authorisation, and it ran television advertising after the blackout date.
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: The member for Arnhem and the member for Fannie Bay think this is frivolous and of no consequence. That shows what little regard they have for the law. I am sure that people listening would know the double standards that the Labor Party applies when it asks these sorts of questions of us. Members opposite will not do unto themselves what they seek to do unto us.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, they have to be desperate.
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Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: Does anyone listening to this broadcast believe that, if that had actually happened, members opposite would not have been on their feet first thing yesterday morning to raise such a serious allegation?
Mrs Hickey: It is a tissue of lies and you know it.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mrs Hickey: Absolute lies!
Mr STONE: She should withdraw that.
Mr SPEAKER: Yes, the member should withdraw the remark.
A member: Yes, that's right.
Mr SPEAKER: The member for Barkly will ...
Mrs HICKEY: I refuse to withdraw the remark, Mr Speaker.
Mr Stone: Oh, you are out.
Mr SPEAKER: I name the Leader of the Opposition.
Mrs HICKEY: I am happy to go.
Mr Bailey: You are a scumbag, Shane!
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I ask you to withdraw that remark.
A member: A great leader!
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Wanguri will withdraw the remark.
Mr BAILEY: I withdraw the remark. But if he keeps going the way he is, I will say something.
Mr COULTER (Leader of Government Business): Mr Speaker, as the member for Barkly has now removed herself from the Chamber ...
Mr Bailey: Provide some evidence for what you have been saying, Shane.
Mr COULTER: ... is it necessary for me to move that her services be no longer required?
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Mr SPEAKER: Yes, the motion must be ...
Mr COULTER: I move, Mr Speaker, that the services of the member for Barkly be no longer required.
The Assembly divided:
Ayes 16 Noes 7
Mr Adamson Mr Ah Kit
Mr Baldwin Mr Bailey
Mrs Braham Mr Bell
Mr Burke Ms Martin
Mr Coulter Mr Rioli
Mr Finch Mr Stirling
Mr Hatton Mr Toyne
Dr Lim
Mr Manzie
Mr Mitchell
Mrs Padgham-Purich
Mr Palmer
Mr Poole
Mr Reed
Mr Setter
Mr Stone
Motion agreed to.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, I will continue my answer and pick up some of the interjections that were made.
Mr Bell interjecting.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, I can understand the disillusionment of the member for MacDonnell, now the longest-serving member in opposition in any Australian parliament. I can understand why he is bitter and twisted, but can I make the point that ...
Mr Bell: At least I score a few points off you, boyo.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: He is very big on threats too, Mr Speaker, as people listening to this broadcast would understand. Let us be very clear about this. When the issue was first raised yesterday about what happened with that Aboriginal lady, we did not identify the ALP campaign worker. In fact, it was the Leader of the Opposition who volunteered his name. Let no allegation be made that we named him under parliamentary privilege. It was the Leader of the Opposition who gave him up. It was all very reminiscent of what happened to poor old Brigid, the electorate officer in the electorate of Barkly. We recall the disgraceful document
Page 1639
that said that domestic violence was the norm in Aboriginal communities. Poor old Brigid was frogmarched out to take responsibility for that little gaffe. There has been a history of giving people up to protect oneself.
The member for Arnhem asked whether I was aware of a complaint that had been lodged. I have to say I am not because I am not intimately involved in the day-to-day operations of the Electoral Office, which operates at arm's length from the government. I think it would be a matter of grave concern if the Chief Minister of the day were able to say that he knew on a daily basis of any particular issue, administrative or otherwise, that was laid before the Electoral Office. The Electoral Office people get on with their job. If a complaint has been filed, no doubt it will be dealt with in due course. A number of complaints were filed, and I know that from my own party sources rather than from the Electoral Office. They included the fact that the Labor Party has such scant regard for the Electoral Act that it ran advertisements in an Alice Springs newspaper without an authorisation, and it ran television advertising after the blackout date.
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: The member for Arnhem and the member for Fannie Bay think this is frivolous and of no consequence. That shows what little regard they have for the law. I am sure that people listening would know the double standards that the Labor Party applies when it asks these sorts of questions of us. Members opposite will not do unto themselves what they seek to do unto us.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016