Mr ADAMSON - 1995-02-28
Will the minister inform the House of the planning and safeguards put in place by both the Territory government and the defence forces to ensure the social as well as the economic integration of armed forces personnel into the Territory community?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I thank the member for his question. May I say from the outset that I have been particularly disappointed by the way that this matter has unfolded. I remind the member for MacDonnell that often what one does not say is as important as what one does say.
Page 453
Mr Bailey: In other words, you have your guys make up the bits that we left out. Talk to the member for Katherine! I have had a question on notice for 4 years that he has never answered and in which I told him that he was a liar.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, I can only speculate on what our young Territorians must think of that kind of inane outburst from the member for Wanguri.
Mr Bailey: If your blokes keep making up lies about what we say, you will continue to hear such outbursts.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Honourable member for Wanguri, you will have your opportunity to ask questions.
Mr Bailey: I have been asking one for 4 years, but the minister has never answered it.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, often what one does not say is as important as what one does say. I remind the member for MacDonnell of what he said: 'We have to look at what has happened to other communities where there has been an increased presence of defence force personnel'. On the face of it, he might argue that that is an innocent enough comment and one not intended to cause any problems in the excellent relationship that exists between the Northern Territory community and our defence men and women who serve in the Top End. In fact, however, it was quite an insidious statement and one that was continued through the media.
Mr Ede interjecting.
Mr Bell: Come on! It was your mate's press release. It would not have been in the media without that. Two paragraphs in 3 pages.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for MacDonnell is trying my patience.
Mr STONE: Let me pick up the hysterical interjection from the member for MacDonnell. On the Channel 8 news, following the introduction, he said: 'The question needs to be asked whether that is having an effect on nightclub violence which has dramatically increased'. Once again, he repeated the insidious allegation in the form of a question. A clever means of getting an issue up is to drive little wedges that create doubt in people's minds.
I am particularly interested in this matter because the Ministry of Industries and Development has the carriage of much of the integration of those defence personnel into the Top End community, and they run into the thousands. The Minister for Police referred to a report entitled Army Presence in the North which is a sociological and economic impact study. The member for MacDonnell is welcome to view the report. If he had bothered to make the inquiry of me in the first place, he would have been told that this report was available. The report states:
Page 454
It was considered that, over time, the favourable attitude of the Darwin community to the military will probably change and become similar to the attitude perceived
to prevail in Townsville and down south. It was also thought that there was a degree of victimisation of army personnel - for example, the highlighting in media
reports of any army personnel being involved in pub brawls rather than the occupation of any other people who may be involved in similar incidents.
The media never asked the question because they were aware of much of the background work that had been done. The police were aware because they had been involved from the very outset. They certainly had in mind people like the member for MacDonnell who would pose questions in the insidious way that he did, knowing that the issue had already been dealt with as far back as 1993.
The defence build-up in the north is important to the Northern Territory economy. Let me give members a couple of snapshots of how important it is. Currently, the army is spending $1m per day at Robertson Barracks. The projection for 1994-95 is $53m and more than $50m annually until well into the next century. I am sure it will not be lost on members opposite that that is important to our economy. Secondly, the Department of Defence spends $1m every week in the Territory on fuel, light, power and rations - that is, $54m annually. I am sure that is not lost on the member for MacDonnell. Thirdly, the annual disposable income of service men and women in Darwin, not including those on exercises, is $44m.
The planners in the north, the planners in the south and the planners in Russell have taken into consideration the very issue raised by the member for MacDonnell. Had he been awake - and one can only assume that he had been asleep - he would not have said what he said in this House because, by asking the question, he has caused division. He has done irreparable harm and he should apologise. He can sit there with that smug look on his face ...
Mr Bell: It would not have seen the light of day if your mate had not made his mug press release.
Mr STONE: ... and disclaim any responsibility. As I said, often what one does not say is as important as what one does say. Let me tell the member for MacDonnell that I have extensive fence-mending to do because of him. We were sailing along nicely until he rose to his feet and made that attack on our service men and women.
Page 455
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I thank the member for his question. May I say from the outset that I have been particularly disappointed by the way that this matter has unfolded. I remind the member for MacDonnell that often what one does not say is as important as what one does say.
Page 453
Mr Bailey: In other words, you have your guys make up the bits that we left out. Talk to the member for Katherine! I have had a question on notice for 4 years that he has never answered and in which I told him that he was a liar.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, I can only speculate on what our young Territorians must think of that kind of inane outburst from the member for Wanguri.
Mr Bailey: If your blokes keep making up lies about what we say, you will continue to hear such outbursts.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Honourable member for Wanguri, you will have your opportunity to ask questions.
Mr Bailey: I have been asking one for 4 years, but the minister has never answered it.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, often what one does not say is as important as what one does say. I remind the member for MacDonnell of what he said: 'We have to look at what has happened to other communities where there has been an increased presence of defence force personnel'. On the face of it, he might argue that that is an innocent enough comment and one not intended to cause any problems in the excellent relationship that exists between the Northern Territory community and our defence men and women who serve in the Top End. In fact, however, it was quite an insidious statement and one that was continued through the media.
Mr Ede interjecting.
Mr Bell: Come on! It was your mate's press release. It would not have been in the media without that. Two paragraphs in 3 pages.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for MacDonnell is trying my patience.
Mr STONE: Let me pick up the hysterical interjection from the member for MacDonnell. On the Channel 8 news, following the introduction, he said: 'The question needs to be asked whether that is having an effect on nightclub violence which has dramatically increased'. Once again, he repeated the insidious allegation in the form of a question. A clever means of getting an issue up is to drive little wedges that create doubt in people's minds.
I am particularly interested in this matter because the Ministry of Industries and Development has the carriage of much of the integration of those defence personnel into the Top End community, and they run into the thousands. The Minister for Police referred to a report entitled Army Presence in the North which is a sociological and economic impact study. The member for MacDonnell is welcome to view the report. If he had bothered to make the inquiry of me in the first place, he would have been told that this report was available. The report states:
Page 454
It was considered that, over time, the favourable attitude of the Darwin community to the military will probably change and become similar to the attitude perceived
to prevail in Townsville and down south. It was also thought that there was a degree of victimisation of army personnel - for example, the highlighting in media
reports of any army personnel being involved in pub brawls rather than the occupation of any other people who may be involved in similar incidents.
The media never asked the question because they were aware of much of the background work that had been done. The police were aware because they had been involved from the very outset. They certainly had in mind people like the member for MacDonnell who would pose questions in the insidious way that he did, knowing that the issue had already been dealt with as far back as 1993.
The defence build-up in the north is important to the Northern Territory economy. Let me give members a couple of snapshots of how important it is. Currently, the army is spending $1m per day at Robertson Barracks. The projection for 1994-95 is $53m and more than $50m annually until well into the next century. I am sure it will not be lost on members opposite that that is important to our economy. Secondly, the Department of Defence spends $1m every week in the Territory on fuel, light, power and rations - that is, $54m annually. I am sure that is not lost on the member for MacDonnell. Thirdly, the annual disposable income of service men and women in Darwin, not including those on exercises, is $44m.
The planners in the north, the planners in the south and the planners in Russell have taken into consideration the very issue raised by the member for MacDonnell. Had he been awake - and one can only assume that he had been asleep - he would not have said what he said in this House because, by asking the question, he has caused division. He has done irreparable harm and he should apologise. He can sit there with that smug look on his face ...
Mr Bell: It would not have seen the light of day if your mate had not made his mug press release.
Mr STONE: ... and disclaim any responsibility. As I said, often what one does not say is as important as what one does say. Let me tell the member for MacDonnell that I have extensive fence-mending to do because of him. We were sailing along nicely until he rose to his feet and made that attack on our service men and women.
Page 455
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016