Mr STIRLING - 1996-09-17
Before deciding to publicly applaud his physical violence and honesty, did the Chief Minister ask the member for Millner whether or not physical aggression is a habit of his? Did the member for Millner provide details of this trespass order, which I seek leave to table?
Leave granted.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I am not quite sure what has been tabled. It is another of these stunts by Labor. It is a piece of paper with no signatures and no names. By all means, the member may table it. I hope people listening at home understand that this is a standard tactic by the Labor Party. We have seen it used against a current federal member. Labor members make an allegation and drop a piece of paper on the Table, knowing that it will be taken off by the attendant and photocopied. Members will have to ask to have a copy. By that time, Question Time will be over and the damage will have been done. I consider the tactics of the member for Nhulunbuy, of whom I expected a great deal more ...
Mr Stirling: Don't patronise me!
Mr STONE: Perhaps I should work you over, then. It is absolutely appalling that these are the best questions ...
Ms Martin: Are you threatening violence?
Mr STONE: ... that this mob opposite have. I say again, at no stage ...
Mr Bailey: You don't think violence in the community is an issue?
Mr STONE: ... did I condone violence.
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Mr Bailey: The Northern Territory has the highest rate of domestic violence - the highest rate!
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: I made it very clear that I do not condone violence. I will pick up the interjection from the member for Wanguri because my government has a record that is second to none in Australia in terms of the domestic violence program ...
Mr Bailey: Yes, the worst violence in Australia.
Mr STONE: It is very hard to provide an answer when the member for Wanguri is interjecting continually in this way.
Mr SPEAKER: That is true. I ask the member for Wanguri to tone it down. I have been calling for order quite consistently. I indicate to all members that we are heading into 3 days of budget questioning. It would be a shame to have anybody absent from the House.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, I gave a lengthy interview in relation to this matter involving the member for Millner. I was interested to hear what people on the street had to say. It seems the majority of Territorians understood that he had been struck first, that he was defending himself ...
Mrs Hickey: Did you check that?
Mr STONE: ... that he had not provoked, nor had he sought to encounter, a violent situation. He attempted to intervene because of some unacceptable behaviour. This wishy-washy mob opposite, with their delusions about being Mulder of X-Files, want to bag an ordinary man for doing what an ordinary citizen would do.
Ms Martin: He is a member of parliament.
Mr STONE: Members opposite have double standards.
Mr Bailey: Has he done the bouncer's course on how to control his emotions?
Mr STONE: We could get into a mud-slinging match. I could ask the Leader of the Opposition whether she considers that alcohol abuse is a major issue in the Territory. If so, does she sit comfortably, given her knowledge about one of her own members? I could ask the Leader of the Opposition whether in fact she condones theft. There is a whole raft of things, if you really want to string it out.
Mrs Hickey: I could ask the Chief Minister why he refused to have a parliamentary inquiry into violence.
Mr STONE: If you think this muck-raking creates an impression in the Territory community, you are right on that score. Territorians will not buy it. They will not cop it.
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Mrs Hickey: You say one thing and you do another.
Mr STONE: You talk about being a sham. All we have from you is whinge, whinge, whinge, carp, carp, carp. When in opposition, you think like an opposition and speak like an opposition. You will always be in opposition if you cannot step beyond this type of muck-raking. You stand condemned. At no stage did I or the member for Millner in any way, shape or form say that we condoned violence. Phil Mitchell was defending himself. He was entitled to defend himself. If you think there is something wrong with that, let me say to you it is unAustralian and unTerritorian. If you consider that the sorts of views that you are expressing are the norm, I can tell you that they are not.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: You are both whingers, and we know why.
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Leave granted.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I am not quite sure what has been tabled. It is another of these stunts by Labor. It is a piece of paper with no signatures and no names. By all means, the member may table it. I hope people listening at home understand that this is a standard tactic by the Labor Party. We have seen it used against a current federal member. Labor members make an allegation and drop a piece of paper on the Table, knowing that it will be taken off by the attendant and photocopied. Members will have to ask to have a copy. By that time, Question Time will be over and the damage will have been done. I consider the tactics of the member for Nhulunbuy, of whom I expected a great deal more ...
Mr Stirling: Don't patronise me!
Mr STONE: Perhaps I should work you over, then. It is absolutely appalling that these are the best questions ...
Ms Martin: Are you threatening violence?
Mr STONE: ... that this mob opposite have. I say again, at no stage ...
Mr Bailey: You don't think violence in the community is an issue?
Mr STONE: ... did I condone violence.
Page 1582
Mr Bailey: The Northern Territory has the highest rate of domestic violence - the highest rate!
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: I made it very clear that I do not condone violence. I will pick up the interjection from the member for Wanguri because my government has a record that is second to none in Australia in terms of the domestic violence program ...
Mr Bailey: Yes, the worst violence in Australia.
Mr STONE: It is very hard to provide an answer when the member for Wanguri is interjecting continually in this way.
Mr SPEAKER: That is true. I ask the member for Wanguri to tone it down. I have been calling for order quite consistently. I indicate to all members that we are heading into 3 days of budget questioning. It would be a shame to have anybody absent from the House.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, I gave a lengthy interview in relation to this matter involving the member for Millner. I was interested to hear what people on the street had to say. It seems the majority of Territorians understood that he had been struck first, that he was defending himself ...
Mrs Hickey: Did you check that?
Mr STONE: ... that he had not provoked, nor had he sought to encounter, a violent situation. He attempted to intervene because of some unacceptable behaviour. This wishy-washy mob opposite, with their delusions about being Mulder of X-Files, want to bag an ordinary man for doing what an ordinary citizen would do.
Ms Martin: He is a member of parliament.
Mr STONE: Members opposite have double standards.
Mr Bailey: Has he done the bouncer's course on how to control his emotions?
Mr STONE: We could get into a mud-slinging match. I could ask the Leader of the Opposition whether she considers that alcohol abuse is a major issue in the Territory. If so, does she sit comfortably, given her knowledge about one of her own members? I could ask the Leader of the Opposition whether in fact she condones theft. There is a whole raft of things, if you really want to string it out.
Mrs Hickey: I could ask the Chief Minister why he refused to have a parliamentary inquiry into violence.
Mr STONE: If you think this muck-raking creates an impression in the Territory community, you are right on that score. Territorians will not buy it. They will not cop it.
Page 1583
Mrs Hickey: You say one thing and you do another.
Mr STONE: You talk about being a sham. All we have from you is whinge, whinge, whinge, carp, carp, carp. When in opposition, you think like an opposition and speak like an opposition. You will always be in opposition if you cannot step beyond this type of muck-raking. You stand condemned. At no stage did I or the member for Millner in any way, shape or form say that we condoned violence. Phil Mitchell was defending himself. He was entitled to defend himself. If you think there is something wrong with that, let me say to you it is unAustralian and unTerritorian. If you consider that the sorts of views that you are expressing are the norm, I can tell you that they are not.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: You are both whingers, and we know why.
Page 1584
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016