Mr EDE - 1995-08-22
On 10 August, the Chief Minister attended a meeting of the Tiwi Land Council. People at the meeting have described his rudeness, including his interjections and complaints that people had the temerity to talk in their own language. On 15 August, the Chief Minister wrote the most incredible letter I have ever seen from a politician. I seek leave to table a copy of that letter.
Leave granted.
Mr EDE: Mr Speaker, in this letter, the Chief Minister presumes to tell a statutory body, the Tiwi Land Council, which of its delegates can or cannot attend meetings when he is present. What right does he have to dictate to organisations on the membership of their meetings? By what stretch of his imagination does he presume that he has the right to dictate which language people will use in meetings? What kind of closeted and pampered existence has he led that he is frightened to front a meeting when a certain delegate is present? What dictatorial form of rule is our new Chief Minister instituting which includes proscribing organisations which insist on having members who argue with him?
ANSWER
That was dramatic stuff, Mr Speaker. I will read the letter in a moment in order that people listening to this broadcast may know exactly what I said in it. Then they will wonder about the introduction they have just heard from the Leader of the Opposition.
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: Let me make it very clear that I will not put up with rudeness ...
Mr Ede: What a wimp!
Mr STONE: ... and it was not the first time. Let me read the letter. I know the Leader of the Opposition does not want the letter read.
Mr Ede: No, read it and table it.
Mr STONE: The letter says:
I welcomed the opportunity to meet with the Tiwi Land Council on Thursday, August 10. As I stated during the
course of the meeting, I'm spending my time listening to the views of Territorians on a range of issues.
That includes Aboriginal Territorians both in urban and remote areas.
The meeting with the Tiwi Land Council was productive in the sense that I had an opportunity to hear of a
number of matters that are of concern, and hopefully we may be able to resolve some of these issues in the time
ahead.
Page 784
On a sadder note, I must advise that I am no longer prepared to participate in any meeting with
Mr Cyril Rioli ....
Mr Ede: `Involving' Mr Cyril Rioli. You must get it right.
Mr STONE: Will you allow me the courtesy of reading the letter ...
Mr Ede: Read it correctly. It says, `involving Mr Cyril Rioli'.
Mr STONE: It says, `involving Mr Cyril Rioli'. The letter continues:
In the 3 months that I have been moving around the Territory, I have never encountered such rudeness and
discourtesy. Whilst I accept that people might put forward an argument vigorously and indeed passionately,
there is no excuse for the type of behaviour displayed by Mr Rioli.
Mr Ede: You arrogant so-and-so!
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: Did you know that the ultimate arrogance is to interrupt someone when they are speaking?
Mr Ede: No, abuse of power is the ultimate arrogance.
Mr STONE: The letter continues:
This is the second occasion that I have experienced this behaviour, as indeed have a number of my
ministerial colleagues, all of whom have formed an equally adverse impression.
The simple facts are that there are many competing priorities for government funds at both Territory and
federal levels. Decisions as to how funds are committed ...
Mr Stirling: That is a threat from `a government that is supposed to govern for all', in your own words.
Mr STONE: I will start that paragraph again because of the rudeness of the member for Nhulunbuy:
The simple facts are that there are many competing priorities for government funds at both Territory and
federal levels. Decisions as to how funds are committed or expended is based on the advice of
officers. Whilst those priorities might be argued and alternatives urged, rude and insulting behaviour will
get a proponent nowhere.
Page 785
Again, I thank you for the hospitality and courtesy that was extended to me by other members of the
community but, as I stated above, I am no longer prepared to participate in any meeting or function
involving Mr Cyril Rioli under any circumstances.
Mr Stirling: What a disgrace!
Mr Ede: You disgraceful, arrogant little so-and-so.
Mr STONE: You are such a phoney.
Mr Ede: You read out that letter and you say that that is not an abuse of power.
Mr STONE: It is interesting that Mr Rioli has since been on the telephone ...
Mr Manzie: To my office.
Mr STONE: ... to the office of the Minister for Aboriginal Development and has apologised for his behaviour.
Mr Ede: Garbage! You say that.
Mr STONE: What the Leader of the Opposition described in his preamble to the question was false. He was not present at the meeting. I would accept the member for Arafura asking the question because he was there. During one of these particular exchanges, I thought that this behaviour could not continue but had to stop because this man was disrupting the whole meeting, and I looked across to the member for Arafura but he hung his head. I had just returned from a meeting with one of the other sons. It was very productive. I think that he is the president of the local council. We were making progress, and I thought that this fellow was really tuned into
how ...
Mrs Hickey: It is breathtaking!
Mr Bailey: Why didn't you bring your crown in with you, if you think you are king of the place?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HATTON: A point of order, Mr Speaker! I would like to hear the answer to this question, but there has been a continuous barrage of interjection and comment from the opposition. It has been continuing for a fortnight now, and it is about time there was some reasonableness on the part of the opposition.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! While there is no point of order in this specific instance, I ask members on the opposition benches to refrain from continuing to hurl comments across the Chamber.
Page 786
Mr STONE: We were making real progress. Other members of the community actually apologised to me during the luncheon break for what had occurred before lunch.
Mr Ede: The way you carried on ...
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: I have made it very clear from my letter that I thank the community and that I look forward to working with them constructively.
Mr Stirling: You told them to ...
Mr STONE: I have not sought to indicate who belongs to an organisation or not.
Mr Stirling interjecting.
Mr STONE: I have not sought to say who can or cannot be a member of the Tiwi Land Council. I may be wrong about this, but it was suggested to me that in fact he is not a member of the land council proper.
Mr Ede: He is.
Mr STONE: All right, he is. However, I stand by my letter because I will not be subjected to the sort of behaviour that we have had to put up with twice now. That is the simple fact of it. One should not have to put up with it.
Members interjecting
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, other members of that community told me that I did not have to put up with that kind of behaviour and said that they were sorry it had occurred. I stand by my letter.
Page 787
Leave granted.
Mr EDE: Mr Speaker, in this letter, the Chief Minister presumes to tell a statutory body, the Tiwi Land Council, which of its delegates can or cannot attend meetings when he is present. What right does he have to dictate to organisations on the membership of their meetings? By what stretch of his imagination does he presume that he has the right to dictate which language people will use in meetings? What kind of closeted and pampered existence has he led that he is frightened to front a meeting when a certain delegate is present? What dictatorial form of rule is our new Chief Minister instituting which includes proscribing organisations which insist on having members who argue with him?
ANSWER
That was dramatic stuff, Mr Speaker. I will read the letter in a moment in order that people listening to this broadcast may know exactly what I said in it. Then they will wonder about the introduction they have just heard from the Leader of the Opposition.
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: Let me make it very clear that I will not put up with rudeness ...
Mr Ede: What a wimp!
Mr STONE: ... and it was not the first time. Let me read the letter. I know the Leader of the Opposition does not want the letter read.
Mr Ede: No, read it and table it.
Mr STONE: The letter says:
I welcomed the opportunity to meet with the Tiwi Land Council on Thursday, August 10. As I stated during the
course of the meeting, I'm spending my time listening to the views of Territorians on a range of issues.
That includes Aboriginal Territorians both in urban and remote areas.
The meeting with the Tiwi Land Council was productive in the sense that I had an opportunity to hear of a
number of matters that are of concern, and hopefully we may be able to resolve some of these issues in the time
ahead.
Page 784
On a sadder note, I must advise that I am no longer prepared to participate in any meeting with
Mr Cyril Rioli ....
Mr Ede: `Involving' Mr Cyril Rioli. You must get it right.
Mr STONE: Will you allow me the courtesy of reading the letter ...
Mr Ede: Read it correctly. It says, `involving Mr Cyril Rioli'.
Mr STONE: It says, `involving Mr Cyril Rioli'. The letter continues:
In the 3 months that I have been moving around the Territory, I have never encountered such rudeness and
discourtesy. Whilst I accept that people might put forward an argument vigorously and indeed passionately,
there is no excuse for the type of behaviour displayed by Mr Rioli.
Mr Ede: You arrogant so-and-so!
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: Did you know that the ultimate arrogance is to interrupt someone when they are speaking?
Mr Ede: No, abuse of power is the ultimate arrogance.
Mr STONE: The letter continues:
This is the second occasion that I have experienced this behaviour, as indeed have a number of my
ministerial colleagues, all of whom have formed an equally adverse impression.
The simple facts are that there are many competing priorities for government funds at both Territory and
federal levels. Decisions as to how funds are committed ...
Mr Stirling: That is a threat from `a government that is supposed to govern for all', in your own words.
Mr STONE: I will start that paragraph again because of the rudeness of the member for Nhulunbuy:
The simple facts are that there are many competing priorities for government funds at both Territory and
federal levels. Decisions as to how funds are committed or expended is based on the advice of
officers. Whilst those priorities might be argued and alternatives urged, rude and insulting behaviour will
get a proponent nowhere.
Page 785
Again, I thank you for the hospitality and courtesy that was extended to me by other members of the
community but, as I stated above, I am no longer prepared to participate in any meeting or function
involving Mr Cyril Rioli under any circumstances.
Mr Stirling: What a disgrace!
Mr Ede: You disgraceful, arrogant little so-and-so.
Mr STONE: You are such a phoney.
Mr Ede: You read out that letter and you say that that is not an abuse of power.
Mr STONE: It is interesting that Mr Rioli has since been on the telephone ...
Mr Manzie: To my office.
Mr STONE: ... to the office of the Minister for Aboriginal Development and has apologised for his behaviour.
Mr Ede: Garbage! You say that.
Mr STONE: What the Leader of the Opposition described in his preamble to the question was false. He was not present at the meeting. I would accept the member for Arafura asking the question because he was there. During one of these particular exchanges, I thought that this behaviour could not continue but had to stop because this man was disrupting the whole meeting, and I looked across to the member for Arafura but he hung his head. I had just returned from a meeting with one of the other sons. It was very productive. I think that he is the president of the local council. We were making progress, and I thought that this fellow was really tuned into
how ...
Mrs Hickey: It is breathtaking!
Mr Bailey: Why didn't you bring your crown in with you, if you think you are king of the place?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HATTON: A point of order, Mr Speaker! I would like to hear the answer to this question, but there has been a continuous barrage of interjection and comment from the opposition. It has been continuing for a fortnight now, and it is about time there was some reasonableness on the part of the opposition.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! While there is no point of order in this specific instance, I ask members on the opposition benches to refrain from continuing to hurl comments across the Chamber.
Page 786
Mr STONE: We were making real progress. Other members of the community actually apologised to me during the luncheon break for what had occurred before lunch.
Mr Ede: The way you carried on ...
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: I have made it very clear from my letter that I thank the community and that I look forward to working with them constructively.
Mr Stirling: You told them to ...
Mr STONE: I have not sought to indicate who belongs to an organisation or not.
Mr Stirling interjecting.
Mr STONE: I have not sought to say who can or cannot be a member of the Tiwi Land Council. I may be wrong about this, but it was suggested to me that in fact he is not a member of the land council proper.
Mr Ede: He is.
Mr STONE: All right, he is. However, I stand by my letter because I will not be subjected to the sort of behaviour that we have had to put up with twice now. That is the simple fact of it. One should not have to put up with it.
Members interjecting
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, other members of that community told me that I did not have to put up with that kind of behaviour and said that they were sorry it had occurred. I stand by my letter.
Page 787
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016