Mr CONLAN - 2008-09-16
I refer you again to your comments in this place on Thursday, 11 September, and I quote:
Minister, isn’t it just dishonest, because the fact is …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! It is offensive for the shadow to continually allege that the minister is being dishonest.
Mr ELFERINK: Speaking to the point of order, Madam Speaker. The minister is being asked whether he is being dishonest, not the allegation that he is being dishonest. It is an important distinction.
Ms Lawrie: Listen to the phrasing.
Mr Elferink: Listen to the question.
Madam SPEAKER: Please pause! Member for Greatorex, I ask you to reword that.
Mr CONLAN: All right. Minister, isn’t it …
Mr Elferink: Confusing.
Mr CONLAN: Isn’t it just confusing, thank you member for Port Darwin, that the fact is that David Ashbridge was in charge of the department at the time of Mrs Winter’s death and during the nurse staffing crisis. Minister, why are you protecting your CEO and not holding him to account for the systemic failures at Royal Darwin Hospital?
Madam SPEAKER: Please pause, minister. I remind honourable members that, as a parliament, we have agreed to a sessional order relating to freedom of speech. I will read this into the Hansard, because it is of concern when we start talking about people who are not members of parliament. It is part of my job, and it is, in fact, in the sessional order that I am to make these comments each time somebody is named:
I call the Minister for Health.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Greatorex for his question, which is really a repeat of the question he asked previously.
Every member who was here last week remembers the focus of debate. The focus of debate was around the administrative tree that was identified by the Coroner. There was a lot of debate …
Mr Elferink: And you are the angel on the top of that tree, did you know that?
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, if the member for Port Darwin could afford me some courtesy, please.
Mr Conlan: You have to earn that, minister.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: There was a lot of debate in here last week about the administrative tree, which was identified by the Coroner. The Coroner certainly did not - did not - identify the Deputy CEO of the Health Department. It is absolutely reprehensible of the member for Greatorex to go after a senior public servant in the way that he is. I am sure, as I said before, every senior public servant who is listening to this broadcast today …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Dr BURNS: It is actually a bit of thuggery, Madam Speaker. Basically, if members opposite aspire to government, they need to be assured and they need to have confidence in the public service, and they are certainly not showing it here today.
- Just to repeat, the senior management team within the Department of Health has changed and it has changed since I have been Minister for Health.
Minister, isn’t it just dishonest, because the fact is …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! It is offensive for the shadow to continually allege that the minister is being dishonest.
Mr ELFERINK: Speaking to the point of order, Madam Speaker. The minister is being asked whether he is being dishonest, not the allegation that he is being dishonest. It is an important distinction.
Ms Lawrie: Listen to the phrasing.
Mr Elferink: Listen to the question.
Madam SPEAKER: Please pause! Member for Greatorex, I ask you to reword that.
Mr CONLAN: All right. Minister, isn’t it …
Mr Elferink: Confusing.
Mr CONLAN: Isn’t it just confusing, thank you member for Port Darwin, that the fact is that David Ashbridge was in charge of the department at the time of Mrs Winter’s death and during the nurse staffing crisis. Minister, why are you protecting your CEO and not holding him to account for the systemic failures at Royal Darwin Hospital?
Madam SPEAKER: Please pause, minister. I remind honourable members that, as a parliament, we have agreed to a sessional order relating to freedom of speech. I will read this into the Hansard, because it is of concern when we start talking about people who are not members of parliament. It is part of my job, and it is, in fact, in the sessional order that I am to make these comments each time somebody is named:
- (1) That the Assembly considers that, in speaking in the Assembly or in a committee, Members should take the following matters into account:
- (a) the need to exercise their valuable right of freedom of speech in a responsible manner;
(b) the damage that may be done by allegations made in parliament to those who are the subject of such allegations and to the standing of parliament;
(c) the limited opportunities for persons other than members of parliament to respond to allegations made in parliament;
(d) the need for members, while fearlessly performing their duties, to have regard to the rights of others; and
(e) the desirability of ensuring that statements reflecting adversely on persons are soundly based.
I call the Minister for Health.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Greatorex for his question, which is really a repeat of the question he asked previously.
Every member who was here last week remembers the focus of debate. The focus of debate was around the administrative tree that was identified by the Coroner. There was a lot of debate …
Mr Elferink: And you are the angel on the top of that tree, did you know that?
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, if the member for Port Darwin could afford me some courtesy, please.
Mr Conlan: You have to earn that, minister.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: There was a lot of debate in here last week about the administrative tree, which was identified by the Coroner. The Coroner certainly did not - did not - identify the Deputy CEO of the Health Department. It is absolutely reprehensible of the member for Greatorex to go after a senior public servant in the way that he is. I am sure, as I said before, every senior public servant who is listening to this broadcast today …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Dr BURNS: It is actually a bit of thuggery, Madam Speaker. Basically, if members opposite aspire to government, they need to be assured and they need to have confidence in the public service, and they are certainly not showing it here today.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016