Mrs HICKEY - 1995-08-22
Territorians in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Katherine were advised, by means of a half-page advertisement in their local newspapers, that all members of the Country Liberal Party Cabinet would be at their local show. I seek leave to table a copy of the advertisement that appeared in the Katherine Times. The advertisements are identical in each of the papers.
Leave granted.
Mrs HICKEY: Mr Speaker, I understand that the advertisements were paid for by Territory taxpayers. Would the Chief Minister confirm that, at each of those shows, at least some of the promised Cabinet ministers failed to show up? Does he not think it dishonest to use Territorians' money to try to deceive them with this sort of false advertising?
Page 790
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, this is from the lazy side of the House. Is this the best issue they can find to raise on the last day of these sittings?
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Bailey: That was your lie.
Mr Ede: It was your arrogance and deceit.
Mr POOLE: A point of order, Mr Speaker! There was a clear interjection that the Chief Minister was lying. The member for Wanguri should withdraw that remark.
Mr SPEAKER: I have ruled consistently on the use of the word `lying'. A member of the House cannot be accused of lying except by means of a substantive motion. I ask the member to withdraw.
Mr BAILEY: I withdraw.
Mr Ede: Do you want me to withdraw?
Mr SPEAKER: I did not hear the Leader of the Opposition, but I did hear the member for Wanguri.
Mr Ede: Actually, I said `lies and deceit'.
Mr SPEAKER: Thank you very much.
Mr Stirling: Perhaps I should advise, Mr Speaker, that I also used the word `deceit'.
Mr SPEAKER: Thank you very much.
Mr Stirling: Arrogance still stands.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: What a bunch of clowns.
The facts are that Cabinet moves around the Territory extensively and goes on the show circuit, starting at Freds Pass, then to Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine and finally the Royal Darwin Show. From time to time, members may see a number of individual ministers at a booth. For example, the Minister for Health Services places an advertisement whenever he is in Alice Springs. I encourage ministers to do that because it makes the government accessible to all the people, including those outside of Darwin. People should be informed about it when ministers are moving around. I put in place an arrangement whereby my photograph, together
Page 791
with an advertisement, appears in the Centralian Advocate and the other newspaper in Alice Springs to indicate when I will be in that town.
When Cabinet travels around the Territory, the intention is always to have all ministers present, but occasionally a minister may be required at short notice to represent the government interstate.
Mr Ede: Rubbish!
Mr STONE: Your problem is that you do not know how government works. Ministers who are called on to travel at short notice would not be doing their jobs if they simply refused to represent Territorians in important forums such as ministerial council meetings or some of the ...
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: It is absolutely essential that the Territory's voice be heard. Ask Territorians who attended the shows. They will tell you that a swag of ministers and backbenchers were present at every show. Who was conspicuous by his absence? That lazy log sitting over there.
Mr Ede: I attended every show.
Mr STONE: No one saw you.
Page 792
Leave granted.
Mrs HICKEY: Mr Speaker, I understand that the advertisements were paid for by Territory taxpayers. Would the Chief Minister confirm that, at each of those shows, at least some of the promised Cabinet ministers failed to show up? Does he not think it dishonest to use Territorians' money to try to deceive them with this sort of false advertising?
Page 790
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, this is from the lazy side of the House. Is this the best issue they can find to raise on the last day of these sittings?
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Bailey: That was your lie.
Mr Ede: It was your arrogance and deceit.
Mr POOLE: A point of order, Mr Speaker! There was a clear interjection that the Chief Minister was lying. The member for Wanguri should withdraw that remark.
Mr SPEAKER: I have ruled consistently on the use of the word `lying'. A member of the House cannot be accused of lying except by means of a substantive motion. I ask the member to withdraw.
Mr BAILEY: I withdraw.
Mr Ede: Do you want me to withdraw?
Mr SPEAKER: I did not hear the Leader of the Opposition, but I did hear the member for Wanguri.
Mr Ede: Actually, I said `lies and deceit'.
Mr SPEAKER: Thank you very much.
Mr Stirling: Perhaps I should advise, Mr Speaker, that I also used the word `deceit'.
Mr SPEAKER: Thank you very much.
Mr Stirling: Arrogance still stands.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: What a bunch of clowns.
The facts are that Cabinet moves around the Territory extensively and goes on the show circuit, starting at Freds Pass, then to Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine and finally the Royal Darwin Show. From time to time, members may see a number of individual ministers at a booth. For example, the Minister for Health Services places an advertisement whenever he is in Alice Springs. I encourage ministers to do that because it makes the government accessible to all the people, including those outside of Darwin. People should be informed about it when ministers are moving around. I put in place an arrangement whereby my photograph, together
Page 791
with an advertisement, appears in the Centralian Advocate and the other newspaper in Alice Springs to indicate when I will be in that town.
When Cabinet travels around the Territory, the intention is always to have all ministers present, but occasionally a minister may be required at short notice to represent the government interstate.
Mr Ede: Rubbish!
Mr STONE: Your problem is that you do not know how government works. Ministers who are called on to travel at short notice would not be doing their jobs if they simply refused to represent Territorians in important forums such as ministerial council meetings or some of the ...
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: It is absolutely essential that the Territory's voice be heard. Ask Territorians who attended the shows. They will tell you that a swag of ministers and backbenchers were present at every show. Who was conspicuous by his absence? That lazy log sitting over there.
Mr Ede: I attended every show.
Mr STONE: No one saw you.
Page 792
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016