Mr LANHUPUY - 1995-08-17
In the House of Representatives earlier this year, the shadow minister for resources, Mr Julian McGauran, said that it was not Liberal Party or National Party policy to repeal the veto or, more correctly, the access provisions in the Aboriginal Land Rights Act. The Country Liberal Party remains isolated with some far right-wing political parties in its opposition to the access provisions of the Aboriginal Land Rights Act. Will the Chief Minister reverse the Country Liberal Party's isolated stance on this issue?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I do not know how many times we have to tell members opposite that we are neither Liberals nor Nationals. We are the Northern Territory Country Liberal Party. It exists only in the Territory because ours is the Territory party. Consequently, there will be times when our policies are different from all existing mainstream politics in this country. That is because we are here to determine policies that are in the interests of all Territorians.
It seems that, in the twilight of his political career, the member for Arnhem is quite out of step with what many of the younger generation of Aboriginal people are saying. Aboriginal people are saying to me that they want to be part of the economic equation of the Territory. They emphasise inclusion rather than exclusion. They want to be part of the economic equation on the same terms as other Territorians.
On a raft of matters, Senator Julian McGauran, who is not the Coalition spokesman on this issue, has views that do not accord with ours. At times, we have crossed swords with him very vigorously. I am sure that that will be the case for a long time to come. I want Territorians to be very clear in their minds that - unlike members opposite who do not have the capacity to make a policy decision that is inconsistent with their federal party - our policies are not dictated from Canberra, Melbourne or Sydney. Members opposite do not have the capacity to place the interests of Territorians ahead of the dictates of the federal Australian Labor Party. It is a party driven by a man ...
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: That is what you are an extension of. I want Territorians to know that that will always be the case. The CLP is the Territory party.
Mr Speaker, I will conclude by returning to the Leader of the Opposition all the opposition's papers, including their questions, prepared for Question Time today. One of their staff was very keen to thrust it into the hands of a member of my staff. We appreciated the assistance.
Members interjecting.
Page 735
Mr Bell: There are so many of them in the press gallery, you can mistake them for journalists.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for MacDonnell is also on a warning.
Page 736
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I do not know how many times we have to tell members opposite that we are neither Liberals nor Nationals. We are the Northern Territory Country Liberal Party. It exists only in the Territory because ours is the Territory party. Consequently, there will be times when our policies are different from all existing mainstream politics in this country. That is because we are here to determine policies that are in the interests of all Territorians.
It seems that, in the twilight of his political career, the member for Arnhem is quite out of step with what many of the younger generation of Aboriginal people are saying. Aboriginal people are saying to me that they want to be part of the economic equation of the Territory. They emphasise inclusion rather than exclusion. They want to be part of the economic equation on the same terms as other Territorians.
On a raft of matters, Senator Julian McGauran, who is not the Coalition spokesman on this issue, has views that do not accord with ours. At times, we have crossed swords with him very vigorously. I am sure that that will be the case for a long time to come. I want Territorians to be very clear in their minds that - unlike members opposite who do not have the capacity to make a policy decision that is inconsistent with their federal party - our policies are not dictated from Canberra, Melbourne or Sydney. Members opposite do not have the capacity to place the interests of Territorians ahead of the dictates of the federal Australian Labor Party. It is a party driven by a man ...
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: That is what you are an extension of. I want Territorians to know that that will always be the case. The CLP is the Territory party.
Mr Speaker, I will conclude by returning to the Leader of the Opposition all the opposition's papers, including their questions, prepared for Question Time today. One of their staff was very keen to thrust it into the hands of a member of my staff. We appreciated the assistance.
Members interjecting.
Page 735
Mr Bell: There are so many of them in the press gallery, you can mistake them for journalists.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for MacDonnell is also on a warning.
Page 736
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016