Mr BAILEY - 1994-08-23
In February 1991, the Chief Minister told this Assembly that his government had policies in place to advise affected government departments of relevant coronial office findings. He made these comments after the tragic death of an inmate at Beatrice Hill Prison Farm as a result of inhalation of BCF fumes from a fire extinguisher. Given that, some months later, a Territory school student also died from inhalation of BCF fumes and that the Ombudsman has found now that the Department of Education was not notified of this possible danger, I seek leave, Mr Speaker, to table the report by the Ombudsman.
Leave granted.
Mr BAILEY: My question to the Chief Minister is: did the Chief Minister mislead this parliament?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the honourable member is taking me back a couple of years at least and it is rather hard to remember and be clear on all the details in this regard. However, I say to him that I do not believe I misled the parliament at all. If I advised the parliament, as he indicates that I did, that would be clearly recorded in the Parliamentary Record and there will be no dispute about what I advised. I would have done that certainly on advice and with all genuine intent. If, however, as sadly happens from time to time, instructions are not followed through, or incompetence intervenes somewhere along the line, and intent and policy are not followed through ...
Mr Ede: ... and someone dies.
Mr PERRON: ...and if, as a result of that, directly or indirectly, injury is caused to some person, that is indeed very tragic and I would say nothing other than that.
Therefore, the answer to the honourable member's question is that I did not mislead the Assembly. I understand that the Attorney-General of the Northern Territory is more closely associated with the recent public debate on this very question of BCF fire extinguishers, the coroner's reports and their transmission to other areas of government, and I ask the honourable member to refer relevant questions to the Attorney-General.
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Leave granted.
Mr BAILEY: My question to the Chief Minister is: did the Chief Minister mislead this parliament?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the honourable member is taking me back a couple of years at least and it is rather hard to remember and be clear on all the details in this regard. However, I say to him that I do not believe I misled the parliament at all. If I advised the parliament, as he indicates that I did, that would be clearly recorded in the Parliamentary Record and there will be no dispute about what I advised. I would have done that certainly on advice and with all genuine intent. If, however, as sadly happens from time to time, instructions are not followed through, or incompetence intervenes somewhere along the line, and intent and policy are not followed through ...
Mr Ede: ... and someone dies.
Mr PERRON: ...and if, as a result of that, directly or indirectly, injury is caused to some person, that is indeed very tragic and I would say nothing other than that.
Therefore, the answer to the honourable member's question is that I did not mislead the Assembly. I understand that the Attorney-General of the Northern Territory is more closely associated with the recent public debate on this very question of BCF fire extinguishers, the coroner's reports and their transmission to other areas of government, and I ask the honourable member to refer relevant questions to the Attorney-General.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016