Dr LIM - 1996-11-21
Over the past several days, we have seen the Leader of the Opposition change her position on the police investigation of the ACE, and she continues to do so. What is the Chief Minister's response to the Leader of the Opposition's claim that she did not verbal the Northern Territory Commissioner of Police after she received a briefing on this matter but that, in fact, she believes now that the commissioner made a faux pas?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, as any Territorians listening to this broadcast would be aware from what has occurred in Question Time, it appears that the Leader of the Opposition, having been extended a confidential briefing ...
Members interjecting.
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Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mrs Hickey: It was not a confidential briefing.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Chief Minister will please resume his seat. Members on the opposition benches are trying my patience once again. I am prepared to accept interjections but, when members continue to interject over the top of me when I call for order, I will get tough. I am prepared to put somebody out of the House today. If any member wishes that to happen, I invite them to continue the way they have been going.
Mr STONE: They do not want to have this story told to Territorians. They do not want people listening to this broadcast to know the truth.
Mr Bailey: Because it is lies.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Wanguri will withdraw that remark.
Mr BAILEY: Mr Speaker, I withdraw.
Mr SPEAKER: Thank you. Sit down.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, they do not want Territorians to hear the truth. The truth is that the Leader of the Opposition was given a confidential briefing, and she ran straight out the door and concocted her own version of it.
Mrs Hickey: It was not a confidential briefing.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: Don't you ...
Mrs Hickey: Censure me.
Mr STONE: She is not that important.
Mr Bailey: It is not that important?
Mr STONE: I said that she is not that important.
Mrs Hickey: You are not that important either.
Mr STONE: I am deeply wounded and I am cut to the quick.
Mr Speaker, we saw the report on Channel 8 and a reference to a `furious Chief - Commissioner of Police'.
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Mr Bailey: Chief Minister! The Chief Minister was furious. Did the mind slip again?
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: You lot are a great example to Territorians, aren't you?
Mrs Hickey interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I ask the Leader of the Opposition to stop her continuous interjections.
Mr STONE: We saw the report on Channel 8 about a `furious Police Commissioner'. Yesterday, it came to my ears from 2 media sources media that the Leader of the Opposition was walking around saying that what really happened was that the Commissioner of Police made a faux pas.
Mrs Hickey: That is what I said in the media.
Mr STONE: She concedes it. She made the allegation that the Commissioner of Police made a faux pas. She confirms it this morning. We have gone from her verballing the commissioner to her saying now that the Commissioner of Police made a faux pas. What an extraordinary performance!
Mr Stirling: When did you talk to him?
Mr STONE: I have not spoken to him at all. As I said, I am at arm's length from all of this. Be very clear about this: the Leader of the Opposition continues to change her position, depending on what suits her circumstances. Earlier, she was trying clearly to verbal the Commissioner of Police. That did not work because, quite clearly, he did not endorse her version of events. Yesterday, she walked around, whispering behind her hand that the commissioner had made a faux pas. She is an absolute disgrace!
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, as any Territorians listening to this broadcast would be aware from what has occurred in Question Time, it appears that the Leader of the Opposition, having been extended a confidential briefing ...
Members interjecting.
Page 1793
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mrs Hickey: It was not a confidential briefing.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Chief Minister will please resume his seat. Members on the opposition benches are trying my patience once again. I am prepared to accept interjections but, when members continue to interject over the top of me when I call for order, I will get tough. I am prepared to put somebody out of the House today. If any member wishes that to happen, I invite them to continue the way they have been going.
Mr STONE: They do not want to have this story told to Territorians. They do not want people listening to this broadcast to know the truth.
Mr Bailey: Because it is lies.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Wanguri will withdraw that remark.
Mr BAILEY: Mr Speaker, I withdraw.
Mr SPEAKER: Thank you. Sit down.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, they do not want Territorians to hear the truth. The truth is that the Leader of the Opposition was given a confidential briefing, and she ran straight out the door and concocted her own version of it.
Mrs Hickey: It was not a confidential briefing.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: Don't you ...
Mrs Hickey: Censure me.
Mr STONE: She is not that important.
Mr Bailey: It is not that important?
Mr STONE: I said that she is not that important.
Mrs Hickey: You are not that important either.
Mr STONE: I am deeply wounded and I am cut to the quick.
Mr Speaker, we saw the report on Channel 8 and a reference to a `furious Chief - Commissioner of Police'.
Page 1794
Mr Bailey: Chief Minister! The Chief Minister was furious. Did the mind slip again?
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: You lot are a great example to Territorians, aren't you?
Mrs Hickey interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I ask the Leader of the Opposition to stop her continuous interjections.
Mr STONE: We saw the report on Channel 8 about a `furious Police Commissioner'. Yesterday, it came to my ears from 2 media sources media that the Leader of the Opposition was walking around saying that what really happened was that the Commissioner of Police made a faux pas.
Mrs Hickey: That is what I said in the media.
Mr STONE: She concedes it. She made the allegation that the Commissioner of Police made a faux pas. She confirms it this morning. We have gone from her verballing the commissioner to her saying now that the Commissioner of Police made a faux pas. What an extraordinary performance!
Mr Stirling: When did you talk to him?
Mr STONE: I have not spoken to him at all. As I said, I am at arm's length from all of this. Be very clear about this: the Leader of the Opposition continues to change her position, depending on what suits her circumstances. Earlier, she was trying clearly to verbal the Commissioner of Police. That did not work because, quite clearly, he did not endorse her version of events. Yesterday, she walked around, whispering behind her hand that the commissioner had made a faux pas. She is an absolute disgrace!
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016