Mr TOYNE - 1996-10-15
Given the continued controversy, both in the Territory and nationwide, about conflicts of interest and rules governing the standards of behaviour of ministers, will the Chief Minister now introduce a code of conduct and ethics for ministers in the Territory?
Mr Coulter: That is pre-empting the MPI proposed for discussion later today.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is nothing to prevent the member from asking the question.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, this issue will be debated fully a little later. I am sure that members opposite will look forward with some interest to what I have to say on the safeguards that we have in place already in the Territory, including a very thorough pecuniary interests system ...
Mr Bell: You are joking.
Mr STONE: You may say that I am joking, but why has it taken you so long to get to your feet? You have been in this parliament for how ...
Mr Bailey interjecting.
Mr STONE: Off he goes like a ferris wheel.
Mr Bailey: You are a liar ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Wanguri cannot accuse the Chief Minister of lying. I ask him to withdraw.
Mr BAILEY: Mr Speaker, I withdraw.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, if the system is indeed so full of holes and so inadequate, members opposite have the opportunity to raise these matters on General Business days. Opportunities are also available to them in Question Time.
What this all demonstrates to the people listening to this broadcast is that the opposition members do not have a single original idea in their heads. They waited for this issue to have a bit of run nationally and then they considered what they might do today. They decided to do what is being done in Canberra because that is where they get all their leads from. They do not have much imagination themselves, but they think they can piggy-back and coat-tail on
Page 1688
everything their leader in Canberra does - and this is the man who said the best thing the Territory has going for it is that it has the best flag. That was the most gracious comment he could find to make about the Territory. I guess it is a little better than the comment by their former leader, Paul Keating, that the best way to see Darwin is from 30 000 ft on the way to Paris. That is the type of contempt the Territory is treated with by their side of politics in Canberra, and they come in here and try to piggy-back on what is happening there.
Is this their big issue? They have had the opportunity to ask questions of any minister and of any backbencher about their pecuniary interests, but they have decided only now to show some interest. They really are failing in the job that they are attempting to do.
Page 1689
Mr Coulter: That is pre-empting the MPI proposed for discussion later today.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is nothing to prevent the member from asking the question.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, this issue will be debated fully a little later. I am sure that members opposite will look forward with some interest to what I have to say on the safeguards that we have in place already in the Territory, including a very thorough pecuniary interests system ...
Mr Bell: You are joking.
Mr STONE: You may say that I am joking, but why has it taken you so long to get to your feet? You have been in this parliament for how ...
Mr Bailey interjecting.
Mr STONE: Off he goes like a ferris wheel.
Mr Bailey: You are a liar ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Wanguri cannot accuse the Chief Minister of lying. I ask him to withdraw.
Mr BAILEY: Mr Speaker, I withdraw.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, if the system is indeed so full of holes and so inadequate, members opposite have the opportunity to raise these matters on General Business days. Opportunities are also available to them in Question Time.
What this all demonstrates to the people listening to this broadcast is that the opposition members do not have a single original idea in their heads. They waited for this issue to have a bit of run nationally and then they considered what they might do today. They decided to do what is being done in Canberra because that is where they get all their leads from. They do not have much imagination themselves, but they think they can piggy-back and coat-tail on
Page 1688
everything their leader in Canberra does - and this is the man who said the best thing the Territory has going for it is that it has the best flag. That was the most gracious comment he could find to make about the Territory. I guess it is a little better than the comment by their former leader, Paul Keating, that the best way to see Darwin is from 30 000 ft on the way to Paris. That is the type of contempt the Territory is treated with by their side of politics in Canberra, and they come in here and try to piggy-back on what is happening there.
Is this their big issue? They have had the opportunity to ask questions of any minister and of any backbencher about their pecuniary interests, but they have decided only now to show some interest. They really are failing in the job that they are attempting to do.
Page 1689
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016