Mr BAILEY - 1994-10-12
Yesterday, the minister made a number of statements in relation to Aquascene. First, he said he would give us all the material relating to this matter by close of business yesterday. He then said that he had nothing to do with the matter. He said later that he had amended the copy and, finally, he said it was all done by the Darwin Region Tourism Association. What is the truth of the matter and when will the minister table all of the documents relating to this affair?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the truth of the matter is that the member for Wanguri has had a bee in his bonnet for some weeks. He has made a number of telephone calls recently, including to the NT News, about the colour spread of Aquascene that was used on the travel magazine. That
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particular Aquascene photograph was selected by the NT News, without any duress from me, as Minister for Tourism, or from the Chief Minister, and ...
Mr Ede: It was the Darwin Region Tourism Association yesterday, and now it is the NT News.
Mr COULTER: We are talking about a different issue. Mr Speaker, he has really been trying to get this up. He has been out after this. His point is why Aquascene should have a photograph in the travel brochure. There was no advertising in that article. This is what he has been wound up about over the last 24 hours. It will get him nowhere.
Mr Ede: What? You said that you would table the documents.
Mr COULTER: The fact is that the Darwin Region Tourism Association, which half funded this on a $1-for-$1 basis ...
Mr Stirling: Where are the documents you said you would table?
Mr COULTER: You go along to the Darwin Region Tourism Association ...
Mr Stirling: You said yesterday that you would table the documentation before the end of Question Time.
Mr Speaker: Order!
Mr COULTER: Mr Speaker, when these came to my office - and I am happy to table them - they were concept designs. I do not believe Aquascene was even on those concept designs. Neither was there any writing under any of the photographs. I table those now. When we sent them to the Darwin Region Tourism Association, we asked it to look at the photographs. Day 2 was okay and it happens to be Aquascene. However, it had some problems with day 7 and day 1. I table that document.
Mr Stirling: You said you never saw it.
Mr COULTER: No. I said it came to me and I approved the concept. I said that ...
Members interjecting.
Mr COULTER: Mr Speaker, I will give them a finished copy. They might like to put it in their office and take some pride in this concept. It is extremely successful. They can stand outside Aquascene with a sandwich board, if they like, telling the 70000 visitors not to go in because it belongs to the Chief Minister.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the truth of the matter is that the member for Wanguri has had a bee in his bonnet for some weeks. He has made a number of telephone calls recently, including to the NT News, about the colour spread of Aquascene that was used on the travel magazine. That
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particular Aquascene photograph was selected by the NT News, without any duress from me, as Minister for Tourism, or from the Chief Minister, and ...
Mr Ede: It was the Darwin Region Tourism Association yesterday, and now it is the NT News.
Mr COULTER: We are talking about a different issue. Mr Speaker, he has really been trying to get this up. He has been out after this. His point is why Aquascene should have a photograph in the travel brochure. There was no advertising in that article. This is what he has been wound up about over the last 24 hours. It will get him nowhere.
Mr Ede: What? You said that you would table the documents.
Mr COULTER: The fact is that the Darwin Region Tourism Association, which half funded this on a $1-for-$1 basis ...
Mr Stirling: Where are the documents you said you would table?
Mr COULTER: You go along to the Darwin Region Tourism Association ...
Mr Stirling: You said yesterday that you would table the documentation before the end of Question Time.
Mr Speaker: Order!
Mr COULTER: Mr Speaker, when these came to my office - and I am happy to table them - they were concept designs. I do not believe Aquascene was even on those concept designs. Neither was there any writing under any of the photographs. I table those now. When we sent them to the Darwin Region Tourism Association, we asked it to look at the photographs. Day 2 was okay and it happens to be Aquascene. However, it had some problems with day 7 and day 1. I table that document.
Mr Stirling: You said you never saw it.
Mr COULTER: No. I said it came to me and I approved the concept. I said that ...
Members interjecting.
Mr COULTER: Mr Speaker, I will give them a finished copy. They might like to put it in their office and take some pride in this concept. It is extremely successful. They can stand outside Aquascene with a sandwich board, if they like, telling the 70000 visitors not to go in because it belongs to the Chief Minister.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016