Mrs HICKEY - 1995-08-22
The Chief Minister has refused continually to investigate the issues raised by the former Chief Electoral Officer on the basis that Mr Phillips joined the Australian Labor Party recently. Yesterday, the Chief Minister refused to repeat his earlier claims that one of the senior public servants involved was not a long-term member of the Country Liberal Party. Has the Chief Minister undertaken any investigation into these matters? Will he confirm that the senior public servant in question was a member of the Country Liberal Party at the time of this incident and has been for many years?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, apart from the fact that this was thrashed out in this Chamber last week ...
Mr Ede: It was not even touched on.
Mrs Hickey: It was not.
Mr STONE: I repeat, for the benefit of members opposite, that I do not walk around asking people whether they belong to the CLP ...
Mr Ede: Come on! You said that it was a political ploy.
Mr STONE: Charlie Phillips does not work for the Northern Territory Public Service. He works for a union.
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: I question his motives given that he was making allegations, he is a member, he works for a union and, as I understand it, he is seeking preselection as an ALP candidate. When all that is added up, it leaves a bit of a question mark against the allegations that have been made.
Mr Bailey interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: I still have not found it, Mr Speaker. We passed the Northern Territory Electoral Bill last week. I was sure there was a provision that an insane person was not allowed to be a member here, but I cannot find the provision. I will be very disappointed if we have passed that legislation and it does not provide for people like the member for Wanguri.
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: I do not walk around asking people what their political affiliations may be.
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Mr Stirling: No, only Charlie Phillips.
Mr STONE: In the case of the very public servant to whom they refer, even before when I was working with her, I had never asked what her political inclinations were. Therefore, I make it very clear ...
Mr Ede interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Stirling: You fell over her for 14 months in a row at branch meetings, and you ...
Mr STONE: I had never seen her at a branch meeting. I can understand that the ALP's own membership is so small that probably members opposite know everyone who is in their party. However, in the case of the CLP ...
Mr Stirling: You have 500 at your branch meetings, do you?
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Chief Minister is attempting to answer a question.
Mr STONE: In the case of the CLP, the membership is so large that it is unrealistic to expect that a Chief Minister or any other minister would know the name of every person who may be a member of the party.
Mr Stirling: Listen, I will bring one of her posters in and we will see if you can recognise her.
Mr STONE: It is a nonsense.
Mr Stirling: There are still a few around.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Nhulunbuy.
Mr STONE: By the way, I ducked outside just before and rang 013. She is not in the phone book, but she may have one of a number of unlisted numbers. If that is the case, it is a disgrace.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, apart from the fact that this was thrashed out in this Chamber last week ...
Mr Ede: It was not even touched on.
Mrs Hickey: It was not.
Mr STONE: I repeat, for the benefit of members opposite, that I do not walk around asking people whether they belong to the CLP ...
Mr Ede: Come on! You said that it was a political ploy.
Mr STONE: Charlie Phillips does not work for the Northern Territory Public Service. He works for a union.
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: I question his motives given that he was making allegations, he is a member, he works for a union and, as I understand it, he is seeking preselection as an ALP candidate. When all that is added up, it leaves a bit of a question mark against the allegations that have been made.
Mr Bailey interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: I still have not found it, Mr Speaker. We passed the Northern Territory Electoral Bill last week. I was sure there was a provision that an insane person was not allowed to be a member here, but I cannot find the provision. I will be very disappointed if we have passed that legislation and it does not provide for people like the member for Wanguri.
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: I do not walk around asking people what their political affiliations may be.
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Mr Stirling: No, only Charlie Phillips.
Mr STONE: In the case of the very public servant to whom they refer, even before when I was working with her, I had never asked what her political inclinations were. Therefore, I make it very clear ...
Mr Ede interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Stirling: You fell over her for 14 months in a row at branch meetings, and you ...
Mr STONE: I had never seen her at a branch meeting. I can understand that the ALP's own membership is so small that probably members opposite know everyone who is in their party. However, in the case of the CLP ...
Mr Stirling: You have 500 at your branch meetings, do you?
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Chief Minister is attempting to answer a question.
Mr STONE: In the case of the CLP, the membership is so large that it is unrealistic to expect that a Chief Minister or any other minister would know the name of every person who may be a member of the party.
Mr Stirling: Listen, I will bring one of her posters in and we will see if you can recognise her.
Mr STONE: It is a nonsense.
Mr Stirling: There are still a few around.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Nhulunbuy.
Mr STONE: By the way, I ducked outside just before and rang 013. She is not in the phone book, but she may have one of a number of unlisted numbers. If that is the case, it is a disgrace.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016