Mr BAILEY - 1996-02-20
Late last year, representations were made to the minister by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, the then administrator for Jet Electrics, concerning moneys paid to Multiplex for work completed on State Square but not passed to subcontractors working on Parliament House. I seek leave to table a copy of correspondence to Jet Electrics creditors from Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu outlining the action it was taking.
Leave granted.
Mr BAILEY: What efforts has the Chief Minister made to achieve a satisfactory outcome for subcontractors, as requested?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, this is a matter for the Department of Transport and Works.
Mr Bailey: You were asked.
Mr STONE: I may have been asked. People who have asked have been referred back through the correct channels. I understood that litigation was pending anyway. If the member expects a minister of the Crown - well, you can shake your head, but this is exactly the sort of practice that you would promote in government. You would have politicians interfere in due process, and you have demonstrated that time and again. If, in fact, there is a dispute ...
Mr Ede: He is helping his constituents.
Mr STONE: Are you interested in the answer or not? If there is a dispute and there is arbitration or litigation, it is not for politicians to start meddling in it. It is a matter of trying to get the Department of Transport and Works to see whether it can act ...
Mr Bailey: They were paid 100% for work completed.
Mr STONE: Do you want the answer or not? The beard has not improved you - I have to tell you that.
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It is not for a politician to meddle in due process ...
Mr Bailey: It is not due process.
Mr STONE: For you, who stand up regularly in this Chamber and talk about ...
Mr Bailey: What did you do for JR Lighting, to ensure that it was paid?
Mr Coulter: What did you do for the clock lady?
Mr STONE: Yes, what did you do for the clock lady? She is still writing me `thank you' notes.
Mr Bailey: She did not get paid. You people ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Would the Chief Minister please resume his seat. The member for Wanguri is treading on very shaky ground this morning. If he is seeking discipline, he is likely to receive it. I suggest that he refrain from further interjection.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, as I said, it is not for politicians to meddle in due process. Where someone has written to me - and a number have - I have ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: That only demonstrates how phoney the lot of you are. You are not even serious about this.
As I said, when people have written to me, I have referred their matters to the Department of Transport and Works.
Mr Bell interjecting.
Mr STONE: You know all about it too, do you? 15 seconds and you know all about it.
Members interjecting.
Mr COULTER: A point of order, Mr Speaker! Any questions should be through the Chair. The cross-Chamber conversation that has developed between the member for MacDonnell and the Chief Minister is unacceptable.
Mr SPEAKER: That is quite true. I ask members to refrain from continual interjection and to allow the Chief Minister to answer the question.
Mr STONE: If the member is serious about trying to obtain some resolution of the outstanding claims between the contractor and the subcontractors, I suggest that he seek a briefing from the Minister for Transport and Works, who will tell him precisely what role the
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government has been able to play to date. We are sensitive to some of the claims that have been lodged by subcontractors and we would like to see the issues resolved.
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Leave granted.
Mr BAILEY: What efforts has the Chief Minister made to achieve a satisfactory outcome for subcontractors, as requested?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, this is a matter for the Department of Transport and Works.
Mr Bailey: You were asked.
Mr STONE: I may have been asked. People who have asked have been referred back through the correct channels. I understood that litigation was pending anyway. If the member expects a minister of the Crown - well, you can shake your head, but this is exactly the sort of practice that you would promote in government. You would have politicians interfere in due process, and you have demonstrated that time and again. If, in fact, there is a dispute ...
Mr Ede: He is helping his constituents.
Mr STONE: Are you interested in the answer or not? If there is a dispute and there is arbitration or litigation, it is not for politicians to start meddling in it. It is a matter of trying to get the Department of Transport and Works to see whether it can act ...
Mr Bailey: They were paid 100% for work completed.
Mr STONE: Do you want the answer or not? The beard has not improved you - I have to tell you that.
Page 1169
It is not for a politician to meddle in due process ...
Mr Bailey: It is not due process.
Mr STONE: For you, who stand up regularly in this Chamber and talk about ...
Mr Bailey: What did you do for JR Lighting, to ensure that it was paid?
Mr Coulter: What did you do for the clock lady?
Mr STONE: Yes, what did you do for the clock lady? She is still writing me `thank you' notes.
Mr Bailey: She did not get paid. You people ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Would the Chief Minister please resume his seat. The member for Wanguri is treading on very shaky ground this morning. If he is seeking discipline, he is likely to receive it. I suggest that he refrain from further interjection.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, as I said, it is not for politicians to meddle in due process. Where someone has written to me - and a number have - I have ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: That only demonstrates how phoney the lot of you are. You are not even serious about this.
As I said, when people have written to me, I have referred their matters to the Department of Transport and Works.
Mr Bell interjecting.
Mr STONE: You know all about it too, do you? 15 seconds and you know all about it.
Members interjecting.
Mr COULTER: A point of order, Mr Speaker! Any questions should be through the Chair. The cross-Chamber conversation that has developed between the member for MacDonnell and the Chief Minister is unacceptable.
Mr SPEAKER: That is quite true. I ask members to refrain from continual interjection and to allow the Chief Minister to answer the question.
Mr STONE: If the member is serious about trying to obtain some resolution of the outstanding claims between the contractor and the subcontractors, I suggest that he seek a briefing from the Minister for Transport and Works, who will tell him precisely what role the
Page 1170
government has been able to play to date. We are sensitive to some of the claims that have been lodged by subcontractors and we would like to see the issues resolved.
Page 1171
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016