Mr EDE - 1994-10-05
It is obvious that the Chief Minister enjoys the speculation about his leadership. However, that speculation results in bickering and inaction in his Cabinet and unrest and uncertainty in the public service. The Chief Minister must surely concede that he has now to demonstrate the principle of leadership and make a clear statement as to how much longer he intends to stay in the job. I ask the Chief Minister to end the speculation and state whether or not he intends to continue as Chief Minister until the next election.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition asks of me the impossible - that is, to end speculation about my future in politics. It seems that that question has been on the agenda on and off over many years. It does not seem to matter much what one says about it, the speculation continues or, if it dies away, it does so only temporarily. However, I can say to the Leader of the Opposition that, if there is a political party in the Territory that has a real problem with its leadership, it is the ALP rather than the CLP. I assure him that it is very likely that he will have a shorter future as leader of his party than I will have as leader of mine.
Mr Ede: I will make a fair statement about my future. You make a fair statement about yours.
Mr PERRON: The shambles that the Leader of the Opposition heads in this parliament, which they call the parliamentary wing of their party, cannot get on together at all. The member for MacDonnell has taken his bat and ball and gone home and he has left his leader in an awkward position.
Mrs Hickey: Why don't you answer the question that you were asked?
Mr PERRON: The fiasco in relation to the Northern Territory ALP's position on uranium, which I will touch on later in Question Time, is obviously of concern to Territorians. I believe the public would like to see a reasonably united and strong opposition in the Territory parliament. We do not have that at present and there is very little prospect of its coming to pass. It is simply a matter of how long the Leader of the Opposition will remain in the position. What terrifies many people is the thought of who is likely to replace him when he goes.
Mr Ede: Yes or no?
Mr PERRON: That is the leadership issue in the Northern Territory at the moment. It concerns your leadership, not mine.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition asks of me the impossible - that is, to end speculation about my future in politics. It seems that that question has been on the agenda on and off over many years. It does not seem to matter much what one says about it, the speculation continues or, if it dies away, it does so only temporarily. However, I can say to the Leader of the Opposition that, if there is a political party in the Territory that has a real problem with its leadership, it is the ALP rather than the CLP. I assure him that it is very likely that he will have a shorter future as leader of his party than I will have as leader of mine.
Mr Ede: I will make a fair statement about my future. You make a fair statement about yours.
Mr PERRON: The shambles that the Leader of the Opposition heads in this parliament, which they call the parliamentary wing of their party, cannot get on together at all. The member for MacDonnell has taken his bat and ball and gone home and he has left his leader in an awkward position.
Mrs Hickey: Why don't you answer the question that you were asked?
Mr PERRON: The fiasco in relation to the Northern Territory ALP's position on uranium, which I will touch on later in Question Time, is obviously of concern to Territorians. I believe the public would like to see a reasonably united and strong opposition in the Territory parliament. We do not have that at present and there is very little prospect of its coming to pass. It is simply a matter of how long the Leader of the Opposition will remain in the position. What terrifies many people is the thought of who is likely to replace him when he goes.
Mr Ede: Yes or no?
Mr PERRON: That is the leadership issue in the Northern Territory at the moment. It concerns your leadership, not mine.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016