Mr ELFERINK - 2004-08-24
Two days ago, on ABC radio, it became apparent that Chips Mackinolty from your office was on the phone to the media while Mr Warren Anderson was having a private meeting with Parks and Wildlife. It appears that the purpose of this call was to tell the media where Mr Anderson was so that the media pack could track him. Is this how all people are going to be treated when you do not like them?
Mr Ah Kit: When I what?
Mr ELFERINK: When you do not like them.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question from the member for Macdonnell. As with most media officers in government, they are contacted from time to time on issues relevant to their minister’s portfolios. As this issue started to heat up, Chips Mackinolty, as my media officer, was contacted by many people in the media. As I expect him to do in his job as a good media officer, he passes on information of where they are most likely to contact people they wish to interview. If you think that is not a good position to have and media officers should not do that, then maybe you should make it very clear to the media that we should not pass on that type of information. In their type of work, that is their job, they are employed to do that. I stand by Chips Mackinolty as one of the best media officers in the game in the Northern Territory, let alone in this building. He did his job.
There are certain things that Mr Anderson has said against him. He passes on instructions and information for the media to do their job and to report openly, whether it is Mr Anderson or anyone else, and I will instruct Mr Mackinolty to continue to do his work as he has done in the past.
Mr Ah Kit: When I what?
Mr ELFERINK: When you do not like them.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question from the member for Macdonnell. As with most media officers in government, they are contacted from time to time on issues relevant to their minister’s portfolios. As this issue started to heat up, Chips Mackinolty, as my media officer, was contacted by many people in the media. As I expect him to do in his job as a good media officer, he passes on information of where they are most likely to contact people they wish to interview. If you think that is not a good position to have and media officers should not do that, then maybe you should make it very clear to the media that we should not pass on that type of information. In their type of work, that is their job, they are employed to do that. I stand by Chips Mackinolty as one of the best media officers in the game in the Northern Territory, let alone in this building. He did his job.
There are certain things that Mr Anderson has said against him. He passes on instructions and information for the media to do their job and to report openly, whether it is Mr Anderson or anyone else, and I will instruct Mr Mackinolty to continue to do his work as he has done in the past.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016