Mr BURKE - 2005-02-17
Over the last two weeks of this parliamentary sitting, we, the CLP, have asked you dozens and dozens of questions, many of which you have refused to answer. You have not answered questions relating to the Power and Water billing debacle; why you are keeping secret files on ordinary Territorians; why you are rushing the waterfront development; your personal police briefings about a prominent Territorian; your rush to give away publicly-owned Territory parks; why there are more drunks in public; why you are not providing funds to St John Ambulance; and why you condone your senior advisors calling the Indonesian government ‘corrupt’.
Chief Minister, why do you continue to hide this information from Territorians? Why do you refuse to take the opportunity to inform Territorians, and how can you call yourself an open and transparent leader of the Labor Party?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am flattered that the new Opposition Leader, who says he is a new man with a new style, has asked me every question for two weeks over six sessions of Question Time. What is starkly interesting is that none of the other members of the team asked a question.
Mr Dunham: A point of order, Madam Speaker! That is patently untrue and can be demonstrated in Hansard. Questions, for instance, on health, there are some 50 from my colleague last night.
Madam SPEAKER: That is not a point of order.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, it is all very well for the Opposition Leader to ask me questions; that is fine, but I will continue to refer appropriate questions to my very capable ministerial team, as is the parliamentary procedure.
What we have seen over the last two weeks is an Opposition Leader who makes things up, who makes allegations and asserts them as fact, who has not had briefings on critical issues that he says are important to the Territory, but cannot be bothered to inform himself of the detail.
When he became Opposition Leader again, I said: ‘This is yesterday’s man with yesterday’s story’, and nothing that he has demonstrated over the last two weeks has proved any different.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! During Question Time, the member for Sanderson, by way of interjection, made a statement that the issue raised by the member for Greatorex in this House last night was ‘boring’. I ask that Hansard record that statement so that all can hear the member for Sanderson’s opinion.
Madam SPEAKER: Resume your seat. That is not a point of order, member for Macdonnell.
Chief Minister, why do you continue to hide this information from Territorians? Why do you refuse to take the opportunity to inform Territorians, and how can you call yourself an open and transparent leader of the Labor Party?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am flattered that the new Opposition Leader, who says he is a new man with a new style, has asked me every question for two weeks over six sessions of Question Time. What is starkly interesting is that none of the other members of the team asked a question.
Mr Dunham: A point of order, Madam Speaker! That is patently untrue and can be demonstrated in Hansard. Questions, for instance, on health, there are some 50 from my colleague last night.
Madam SPEAKER: That is not a point of order.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, it is all very well for the Opposition Leader to ask me questions; that is fine, but I will continue to refer appropriate questions to my very capable ministerial team, as is the parliamentary procedure.
What we have seen over the last two weeks is an Opposition Leader who makes things up, who makes allegations and asserts them as fact, who has not had briefings on critical issues that he says are important to the Territory, but cannot be bothered to inform himself of the detail.
When he became Opposition Leader again, I said: ‘This is yesterday’s man with yesterday’s story’, and nothing that he has demonstrated over the last two weeks has proved any different.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! During Question Time, the member for Sanderson, by way of interjection, made a statement that the issue raised by the member for Greatorex in this House last night was ‘boring’. I ask that Hansard record that statement so that all can hear the member for Sanderson’s opinion.
Madam SPEAKER: Resume your seat. That is not a point of order, member for Macdonnell.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016