Mrs HICKEY - 1994-10-11
Will the minister concede that there are particular problems when a decision is made to pick out one particular private tourism business for government promotion? Members are aware of the competition, and the crocodile farm, Indo-Pacific Marine and the jumping crocodile tour were mentioned by the minister himself. Would the minister agree that a decision to promote the Chief Minister's business takes it a giant step further and is totally inappropriate?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I can provide further information. I am not sure if members have seen the Alice Springs advertisements which show the casino, hot air balloons and so on.
A member: It does not have half-a-dozen others.
Mr COULTER: That is to name only 2.
Mr Bailey: Does it name them as specific businesses?
Mr COULTER: Glen Helen Lodge is mentioned in relation to a late lunch. These places are all named in this.
Mr Speaker, I do not know what members opposite are on about. This will be a very ...
Members interjecting.
Mr COULTER: No, I do not. Can I tell you this?
Mr Bailey: The Chief Minister's business ...
Mr Bell: A mad conflict of interest.
Mr COULTER: Move a substantive motion to censure me if you have all this evidence that I have done this. However, you should be very careful before you do that because I will produce some documents in a moment that suggest that all I have ever seen is the concept. No photographs at all crossed my desk in this regard.
Mr Ede: Any names?
Mr COULTER: I do not think so. I recall that Daryl Somers was not in the logo at the bottom relating to where further information could be obtained. I suggested that we could perhaps include Daryl Somers to secure the personal marketing attitude in this concept.
Mr Ede: Five minutes ago you had not seen anything.
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Mr COULTER: It was simply a concept. They had this information and said that this was what they would do. I will produce the evidence for that, don't worry about it. It is not a problem. You are suggesting that I said: 'Hang on, we have to get the fish feeding in here. Aquascene has to be in here. Why don't we just drop the rest and put Aquascene in there'.
Mr Bailey: It is the only business named specifically.
Mr COULTER: All right.
Mr Ede: Come on, you tell us.
Mr COULTER: What about Yellow Waters? That is owned ...
Mr Bailey: It is a place, a destination.
Mr COULTER: What do you suggest we do? You are the opposition spokesman on tourism.
Mr Bailey: Yellow Waters is in Kakadu. It is a place.
Mr COULTER: What do you suggest? You are the opposition's spokesman on tourism. Do you reckon we should drop Aquascene from any further advertising?
Mr Ede: It would have been appropriate, if you are the Chief Minister, to say you can go and feed the fish ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Bailey: Aquascene is a specific company.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Wanguri will hold his tongue. I ask the minister to resume his seat. I have had about enough of interjections this morning. The Question has been asked by your colleague. I expect the minister to be given an opportunity to answer it. If I hear one more word from the member for Wanguri, I will name him.
Mr COULTER: Mr Speaker, what we are hearing from the opposition is that a very successful attraction, which is in Darwin - 70000 people to 100 000 people visit this place ...
Mr Ede: It was 300 000 before! It has dropped off a bit.
Mr COULTER: All right, knock it back and say 70 000. They are saying that it should ...
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Mr Ede: Try 50 000 - can we drop to 30 000?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Ede: Getting a bit toey.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The minister was asked a Question and he will be given the opportunity to answer it without all these interjections.
Mr COULTER: From where you sit, Aquascene should not feature in any government publication. Would you be satisfied with that?
Those photographs and concepts went to the Darwin Region Tourism Association and it was that body that finally approved the concept and the photographs that should be included. It was not my office. Do you understand that?
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I can provide further information. I am not sure if members have seen the Alice Springs advertisements which show the casino, hot air balloons and so on.
A member: It does not have half-a-dozen others.
Mr COULTER: That is to name only 2.
Mr Bailey: Does it name them as specific businesses?
Mr COULTER: Glen Helen Lodge is mentioned in relation to a late lunch. These places are all named in this.
Mr Speaker, I do not know what members opposite are on about. This will be a very ...
Members interjecting.
Mr COULTER: No, I do not. Can I tell you this?
Mr Bailey: The Chief Minister's business ...
Mr Bell: A mad conflict of interest.
Mr COULTER: Move a substantive motion to censure me if you have all this evidence that I have done this. However, you should be very careful before you do that because I will produce some documents in a moment that suggest that all I have ever seen is the concept. No photographs at all crossed my desk in this regard.
Mr Ede: Any names?
Mr COULTER: I do not think so. I recall that Daryl Somers was not in the logo at the bottom relating to where further information could be obtained. I suggested that we could perhaps include Daryl Somers to secure the personal marketing attitude in this concept.
Mr Ede: Five minutes ago you had not seen anything.
Page 212
Mr COULTER: It was simply a concept. They had this information and said that this was what they would do. I will produce the evidence for that, don't worry about it. It is not a problem. You are suggesting that I said: 'Hang on, we have to get the fish feeding in here. Aquascene has to be in here. Why don't we just drop the rest and put Aquascene in there'.
Mr Bailey: It is the only business named specifically.
Mr COULTER: All right.
Mr Ede: Come on, you tell us.
Mr COULTER: What about Yellow Waters? That is owned ...
Mr Bailey: It is a place, a destination.
Mr COULTER: What do you suggest we do? You are the opposition spokesman on tourism.
Mr Bailey: Yellow Waters is in Kakadu. It is a place.
Mr COULTER: What do you suggest? You are the opposition's spokesman on tourism. Do you reckon we should drop Aquascene from any further advertising?
Mr Ede: It would have been appropriate, if you are the Chief Minister, to say you can go and feed the fish ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Bailey: Aquascene is a specific company.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Wanguri will hold his tongue. I ask the minister to resume his seat. I have had about enough of interjections this morning. The Question has been asked by your colleague. I expect the minister to be given an opportunity to answer it. If I hear one more word from the member for Wanguri, I will name him.
Mr COULTER: Mr Speaker, what we are hearing from the opposition is that a very successful attraction, which is in Darwin - 70000 people to 100 000 people visit this place ...
Mr Ede: It was 300 000 before! It has dropped off a bit.
Mr COULTER: All right, knock it back and say 70 000. They are saying that it should ...
Page 213
Mr Ede: Try 50 000 - can we drop to 30 000?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Ede: Getting a bit toey.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The minister was asked a Question and he will be given the opportunity to answer it without all these interjections.
Mr COULTER: From where you sit, Aquascene should not feature in any government publication. Would you be satisfied with that?
Those photographs and concepts went to the Darwin Region Tourism Association and it was that body that finally approved the concept and the photographs that should be included. It was not my office. Do you understand that?
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016