Mr BELL - 1996-02-22
I refer the Chief Minister to reports in the Alice Springs News in which a former senior member of the Country Liberal Party revealed that the member for Araluen opposed the preselection of his party colleague, the man who is now the member for Greatorex. It is reported that the member for Araluen told the writer of the article that the member for Greatorex was not a suitable candidate for public office because `he is Asian'. The member for Araluen is now the Minister for Asian Relations, Trade and Industry in this government, demonstrating that Asian people can be our trading partners although they may not make suitable members of Australian parliaments. How can the Chief Minister appoint, as his Minister for Asian Relations, Trade and Industry, and continue to support a person with that track record?
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the opposition is very predictable. We can tick that one off the list too. The member for Araluen emphatically and immediately rejected that allegation. That stands in direct contrast to the letter that was published about the Leader of the Opposition's comments in the Borroloola pub in October last year when he used what those opposite would say was a racist description of a group of Aboriginal people. He said nothing. However, the member for Araluen immediately rejected the allegation referred to in the question.
I deplore the way that the member for MacDonnell tries to make out that, because something has been alleged in a newspaper, it is therefore factual. That is grubby. It is dancing with grubs to run that kind of allegation in that way in this Chamber. The minister immediately rejected that allegation. He has done so publicly, nationally as well as Territory-wide. The member for Greatorex has said publicly that he does not believe that the member for Araluen said that about him. He did that immediately and without any hesitation. No one can be found to corroborate this grubby allegation, yet the member for MacDonnell comes in here and tries to make out, in a public broadcast ...
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: What would be the point of suing him? You are the ones who come in here and make statements of that kind from time to time. You come in here, knowing that Question Time is being broadcast, and you try to dress up allegations as though they have some basis in fact. Both the member for Araluen and the member for Greatorex were emphatic that this comment was never made. I accept what they have said to me. I do not believe that it was ever said.
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Page 1198
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the opposition is very predictable. We can tick that one off the list too. The member for Araluen emphatically and immediately rejected that allegation. That stands in direct contrast to the letter that was published about the Leader of the Opposition's comments in the Borroloola pub in October last year when he used what those opposite would say was a racist description of a group of Aboriginal people. He said nothing. However, the member for Araluen immediately rejected the allegation referred to in the question.
I deplore the way that the member for MacDonnell tries to make out that, because something has been alleged in a newspaper, it is therefore factual. That is grubby. It is dancing with grubs to run that kind of allegation in that way in this Chamber. The minister immediately rejected that allegation. He has done so publicly, nationally as well as Territory-wide. The member for Greatorex has said publicly that he does not believe that the member for Araluen said that about him. He did that immediately and without any hesitation. No one can be found to corroborate this grubby allegation, yet the member for MacDonnell comes in here and tries to make out, in a public broadcast ...
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: What would be the point of suing him? You are the ones who come in here and make statements of that kind from time to time. You come in here, knowing that Question Time is being broadcast, and you try to dress up allegations as though they have some basis in fact. Both the member for Araluen and the member for Greatorex were emphatic that this comment was never made. I accept what they have said to me. I do not believe that it was ever said.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016