Mr BELL - 1996-11-20
At the risk of exciting the ire of the Chief Minister once again, I make further inquiries about the activity by him, his staff and his department in respect of the illegal publication of confidential information. The Chief Minister's chief of staff, Ms Margaret Lyons, a former Country Liberal Party candidate, was the deputy secretary of the Department of the Chief Minister at the time when the Australian Electoral Commission alleges that this transfer of information occurred. In this position, she had responsibility for oversight of the Northern Territory Electoral Office. Has his chief of staff been interviewed by Territory police in the course of their investigation of this illegal transfer of information?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, again we have exaggerated terminology - `illegal publication'. I would be interested to know from the member for MacDonnell what is illegal about someone's name, address, gender and occupation, all of which are publicly available across the counter ...
Mr Ah Kit: The birth date?
Mr STONE: ... at the electoral office. What we are talking about ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: On one particular occasion, some birth dates ended up on an electoral roll. When members opposite talk about `illegal publication' and `confidential files', they are talking about a handful of birth dates.
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Mr Bailey: Why don't you give an explanation of what ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I remind the member for Wanguri that he has been warned once during these sittings for speaking over me when I call for order. I am warning him again.
Mr STONE: I am sure, Mr Speaker ...
Mr Stirling interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Nhulunbuy is heading in the same direction.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, without seeking to diminish the seriousness of what is alleged, the reality is that one is required to fill out a form to join a sports club, to become a part of an organisation, to obtain a credit card and so on. As Territorians would know, frequently one's date of birth is required. Members opposite should stop coming in here and trying to dress it up as though there has been a leak of secret and confidential information about individuals.
Mr Bailey: Did your department send information?
Mr STONE: What a load of poppycock! The member for Wanguri continues to interject, but the reality is we are talking about some birth dates that ended up on the electoral roll. Members opposite want to make this sound as though it is a capital offence. They want to make it sound as though there was some great conspiracy to obtain this information furtively and use it to win an election simply by knowing the birth date of some people. How stupid do they think Territorians are, that they come in here and trot that out?
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: We have the `poor old-age pensioner' line from the member for Nhulunbuy. The person who made the complaint was the husband of Warren Snowdon's electorate secretary. Do not tell me that there was outrage and deep concern. This was all politically motivated. They must think that Territorians are mugs and that they can dress this up to be something that it is not.
Mr Stirling interjecting.
Mr STONE: If I can speak over the top of the interjections from the member for Nhulunbuy, I will tell the member for MacDonnell that I would not know whether or not my chief of staff had been interviewed. I have no involvement with this police inquiry. I am at arm's length from it. I could not tell him.
Mr Stirling: You have very short arms.
Mr STONE: That is not even original, Syd.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, again we have exaggerated terminology - `illegal publication'. I would be interested to know from the member for MacDonnell what is illegal about someone's name, address, gender and occupation, all of which are publicly available across the counter ...
Mr Ah Kit: The birth date?
Mr STONE: ... at the electoral office. What we are talking about ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: On one particular occasion, some birth dates ended up on an electoral roll. When members opposite talk about `illegal publication' and `confidential files', they are talking about a handful of birth dates.
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Mr Bailey: Why don't you give an explanation of what ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I remind the member for Wanguri that he has been warned once during these sittings for speaking over me when I call for order. I am warning him again.
Mr STONE: I am sure, Mr Speaker ...
Mr Stirling interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Nhulunbuy is heading in the same direction.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, without seeking to diminish the seriousness of what is alleged, the reality is that one is required to fill out a form to join a sports club, to become a part of an organisation, to obtain a credit card and so on. As Territorians would know, frequently one's date of birth is required. Members opposite should stop coming in here and trying to dress it up as though there has been a leak of secret and confidential information about individuals.
Mr Bailey: Did your department send information?
Mr STONE: What a load of poppycock! The member for Wanguri continues to interject, but the reality is we are talking about some birth dates that ended up on the electoral roll. Members opposite want to make this sound as though it is a capital offence. They want to make it sound as though there was some great conspiracy to obtain this information furtively and use it to win an election simply by knowing the birth date of some people. How stupid do they think Territorians are, that they come in here and trot that out?
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: We have the `poor old-age pensioner' line from the member for Nhulunbuy. The person who made the complaint was the husband of Warren Snowdon's electorate secretary. Do not tell me that there was outrage and deep concern. This was all politically motivated. They must think that Territorians are mugs and that they can dress this up to be something that it is not.
Mr Stirling interjecting.
Mr STONE: If I can speak over the top of the interjections from the member for Nhulunbuy, I will tell the member for MacDonnell that I would not know whether or not my chief of staff had been interviewed. I have no involvement with this police inquiry. I am at arm's length from it. I could not tell him.
Mr Stirling: You have very short arms.
Mr STONE: That is not even original, Syd.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016