Mr EDE - 1995-06-20
Last Friday, the Chief Minister said on radio that notices of pensioner rent increases had been posted to tenants just after the budget. Later the same afternoon, the Chief Minister changed his story after we provided to the media a departmental memo, headed 'Pension/Rent Increase 3 July 1995', which stated - and it was underlined - 'all letters are to be withheld from posting until 2 pm 16/6/95'.
Mr Speaker, I seek leave to table a copy of that departmental memorandum which sets out the process for informing pensioners and other rebatees of their rent increases.
Leave granted.
Mr EDE: Mr Speaker, given the Chief Minister's answers to these questions last Friday, would he like one more opportunity to get his story straight?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, do not let it be said that I started my Chief Ministership by lying. Indeed, when I made the statements earlier in the week ...
Mr Stirling: Statement.
Mr STONE: If the member will allow me to finish without interrupting - when I made the statement earlier in the week, I did so after having been assured categorically that the notices had been sent out. Certainly, it was not my intention to mislead or to lie to the Territory public, and I acted in good faith on the basis of advice. I can say no more than that. Likewise, I invite the Leader of the Opposition to admit openly and honestly that the material that he and his workers distributed to the Kurringal Flats was misleading, if not lies.
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Mr Speaker, I seek leave to table a copy of that departmental memorandum which sets out the process for informing pensioners and other rebatees of their rent increases.
Leave granted.
Mr EDE: Mr Speaker, given the Chief Minister's answers to these questions last Friday, would he like one more opportunity to get his story straight?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, do not let it be said that I started my Chief Ministership by lying. Indeed, when I made the statements earlier in the week ...
Mr Stirling: Statement.
Mr STONE: If the member will allow me to finish without interrupting - when I made the statement earlier in the week, I did so after having been assured categorically that the notices had been sent out. Certainly, it was not my intention to mislead or to lie to the Territory public, and I acted in good faith on the basis of advice. I can say no more than that. Likewise, I invite the Leader of the Opposition to admit openly and honestly that the material that he and his workers distributed to the Kurringal Flats was misleading, if not lies.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016