Mr AH KIT - 1996-11-19
On 7 November 1996, on ABC television, the Chief Minister referred to the Northern Territory Police Force as `my police force'. He went on to say: `I deal through my own police'. On 8 November, the NT News reported the Chief Minister as saying that he would oversee the inquiry into his own department. In light of these outrageous statements, will the Chief Minister apologise to the hardworking members of the Northern Territory Police Force who do not believe, and quite rightly, that they belong to Shane Stone? Will the Chief Minister admit that his outrageous claim that the Northern Territory Police Force is his own police force clearly requires him to stand down as Minister of Police while this same Northern Territory Police Force conducts this serious investigation into the Chief Minister's own department?
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ANSWER
I suppose you wrote that, Jack?
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Chief Minister will resume his seat. I expect to hear the Chief Minister in reasonable silence. I have called for order on a number of occasions and members right around the Chamber have continued their chatter. I expect to hear the Chief Minister quietly. If there is any further interjection of the kind that has been occurring this morning, I will take action.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, only a fool would believe ...
Mr Bell: Mr Speaker, with respect to your ruling, the Chief Minister cannot continue to provoke members of the opposition with comments like that. They should not be the only subjects of your criticism.
Mr SPEAKER: I quite deliberately did not refer to one part only of this House in my comments.
Mr STONE: Only a fool would believe that I was somehow claiming that the Northern Territory Police Force belonged to Shane Stone. Let us get this straight. The opposition is claiming that Shane Stone said that he owned the Northern Territory Police Force ...
Mr Stirling: `My own police'.
Mr STONE: That is the allegation, is it? If this is the strongest threat that members have, what about when I say `my department'? Is that unacceptable as well? Quite clearly, like `my Territory', the possessive is used in the generic sense. People listening to this broadcast would understand that. If members opposite want to argue the semantics and waste their opportunities in Question Time, that is well and good. As I said, only a fool would come to the conclusion that members opposite have come to. I am sure that fair-minded, clear-thinking Territorians would understand that I was talking about the Northern Territory Police Force as opposed to the Australian Federal Police. If the honourable member cannot understand that, then I give up on him, although I had given up on him already anyway.
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ANSWER
I suppose you wrote that, Jack?
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Chief Minister will resume his seat. I expect to hear the Chief Minister in reasonable silence. I have called for order on a number of occasions and members right around the Chamber have continued their chatter. I expect to hear the Chief Minister quietly. If there is any further interjection of the kind that has been occurring this morning, I will take action.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, only a fool would believe ...
Mr Bell: Mr Speaker, with respect to your ruling, the Chief Minister cannot continue to provoke members of the opposition with comments like that. They should not be the only subjects of your criticism.
Mr SPEAKER: I quite deliberately did not refer to one part only of this House in my comments.
Mr STONE: Only a fool would believe that I was somehow claiming that the Northern Territory Police Force belonged to Shane Stone. Let us get this straight. The opposition is claiming that Shane Stone said that he owned the Northern Territory Police Force ...
Mr Stirling: `My own police'.
Mr STONE: That is the allegation, is it? If this is the strongest threat that members have, what about when I say `my department'? Is that unacceptable as well? Quite clearly, like `my Territory', the possessive is used in the generic sense. People listening to this broadcast would understand that. If members opposite want to argue the semantics and waste their opportunities in Question Time, that is well and good. As I said, only a fool would come to the conclusion that members opposite have come to. I am sure that fair-minded, clear-thinking Territorians would understand that I was talking about the Northern Territory Police Force as opposed to the Australian Federal Police. If the honourable member cannot understand that, then I give up on him, although I had given up on him already anyway.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016