Mr BELL - 1996-11-21
Mr Speaker, I seek leave to table further proof of the Minister for Health Services' breach of the department's files. I table this transcript of a radio interview by his predecessor as Minister for Health Services.
Leave granted.
Mr BELL: In this radio interview in March 1996, the former Minister for Health Services confirmed the existence of a memorandum, tabled today by the Leader of the Opposition. He confirmed the fact that the purpose of the memorandum was to write to pensioners. That was confirmed in March 1996. The current minister, the member for Brennan, spent 5 days checking our allegations. The current minister must have been aware of these facts because his colleagues certainly were. Will the minister now admit that it is
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glaringly obvious that the Country Liberal Party wrote to voters during an election campaign, using the database provided by his department to the minister's office? Will he further explain to this Assembly why he failed to report this to the House, despite taking 5 days to check the allegation and despite his promise to provide a full and complete reply? Does he regard that as due diligence? We do not. Will he explain therefore why he should remain as minister?
Mr Stone: He was not even in parliament.
Mr BELL: In March 1996? How thick are you?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, 2 issues are involved here. One is the allegation that Territory Health Services provided, by some means, information which may have been used in Nick Dondas's election campaign. A new allegation is now coming through that somehow there was some involvement in about 1994. In 1994, I was the commander of a cavalry regiment. The question that was put to me in this House by the member for Wanguri, on Thursday 15 August, was:
I have a taped copy of a discussion between the chief executive officer of Territory Health Services, Ms
Katherine Henderson, and members of the Australian Federal Police. The transcript of this tape makes it
clear the Australian Federal Police have been told that the Country Liberal Party's federal campaign received
private and confidential information from the records of either the federal or Territory health departments.
It shows that Nick Dondas's campaign team used that information in the last federal election campaign. Can
the minister give a categorical assurance that no information from his department was provided to the
Country Liberal Party campaign? I seek leave to table a copy of the transcript ...
That transcript contains unsubstantiated allegations. In answer to the question, I gave a categorical denial that Territory Health Services had provided any information to the CLP, and I stand absolutely by that statement.
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Leave granted.
Mr BELL: In this radio interview in March 1996, the former Minister for Health Services confirmed the existence of a memorandum, tabled today by the Leader of the Opposition. He confirmed the fact that the purpose of the memorandum was to write to pensioners. That was confirmed in March 1996. The current minister, the member for Brennan, spent 5 days checking our allegations. The current minister must have been aware of these facts because his colleagues certainly were. Will the minister now admit that it is
Page 1795
glaringly obvious that the Country Liberal Party wrote to voters during an election campaign, using the database provided by his department to the minister's office? Will he further explain to this Assembly why he failed to report this to the House, despite taking 5 days to check the allegation and despite his promise to provide a full and complete reply? Does he regard that as due diligence? We do not. Will he explain therefore why he should remain as minister?
Mr Stone: He was not even in parliament.
Mr BELL: In March 1996? How thick are you?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, 2 issues are involved here. One is the allegation that Territory Health Services provided, by some means, information which may have been used in Nick Dondas's election campaign. A new allegation is now coming through that somehow there was some involvement in about 1994. In 1994, I was the commander of a cavalry regiment. The question that was put to me in this House by the member for Wanguri, on Thursday 15 August, was:
I have a taped copy of a discussion between the chief executive officer of Territory Health Services, Ms
Katherine Henderson, and members of the Australian Federal Police. The transcript of this tape makes it
clear the Australian Federal Police have been told that the Country Liberal Party's federal campaign received
private and confidential information from the records of either the federal or Territory health departments.
It shows that Nick Dondas's campaign team used that information in the last federal election campaign. Can
the minister give a categorical assurance that no information from his department was provided to the
Country Liberal Party campaign? I seek leave to table a copy of the transcript ...
That transcript contains unsubstantiated allegations. In answer to the question, I gave a categorical denial that Territory Health Services had provided any information to the CLP, and I stand absolutely by that statement.
Page 1796
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016