Mr EDE - 1996-02-20
Given that he follows the issue, the Chief Minister will be aware of reports in the NT News and on ABC radio that, should amendments to the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act be passed, the act will be brought into force in April. Obviously, the Chief Minister has forgotten the commitment made by his predecessor that its commencement would be delayed until such time as an education campaign had been carried out. It is possible that he has forgotten about
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that, because it was said early in the committee stage. However, how could the Chief Minister forget that it was he himself who raced in and stood up in this House to give me assurances that members representing both sides of the House would be involved in discussions leading up to the development and implementation of an education campaign? He made that clear. He is shaking his head. He is walking away from it again.
Mr COULTER: A point of order, Mr Speaker! I believe the Leader of the Opposition has given a sufficient preamble. He is asking a question, not making a ministerial statement.
Mr SPEAKER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to come to the point of his question.
Mr EDE: I will take one-tenth of the time they take, Mr Speaker.
Not only has no education campaign been carried out, but there has not even been any discussion with this side of the House on the content of such a campaign. I ask the Chief Minister whether this is another example of his duplicity, or is he trying, in fact, to sabotage the legislation? He voted against it and he is trying to sabotage it.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I did not realise I was that clever. The Leader of the Opposition really is an absolute phoney. He comes in here...
Mr Ede: You are a devious ...
Mr STONE: You are really over the top. Not once have you or, with one exception, any of your members ever sought to discuss any aspect of this legislation with me. Not once. It is rather like the amendments that you are foreshadowing today. The question that has to be asked is: where have you been since May of last year? You know how the procedures of the parliament work. You are now foreshadowing substantive amendments that do not go to the amendments in today's proceedings. No one is taking you seriously because you are not fair dinkum. You have viewed this legislation as a means of trying to score political points all the way through, and you come off second-best every time.
As I have said in the media, the framework of the education program has been laid down. The Minister for Health Services can confirm that considerable progress has been made in relation to palliative care. The working party continues its deliberations. Has the Leader of the Opposition made any representations to the working party, or is he telling me that he did not know it existed? He is a so-called aspiring Chief Minister and yet he has not even had his eye on the ball. It probably accounts for the fact that he disappears ...
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: You have gone fishing. Why not do the job you are paid to do?
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Mr COULTER: A point of order, Mr Speaker! The interjection by the member for Nhulunbuy, that the Chief Minister is a liar, is unparliamentary and he should be asked to withdraw.
Mr SPEAKER: I did not hear the interjection. If that was said, I ask the member to withdraw.
Mr Stirling: Mr Speaker, I withdraw.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, I have been very clear throughout in relation to this legislation. The Leader of the Opposition comes in and continues to try to score political points. His side is probably more divided ...
Mr EDE: A point of order, Mr Speaker! The Chief Minister is querying the record of this House. The record of this House shows that he made a statement here that the opposition would be involved at the start in that process of developing that campaign. Is he being duplicitous or is it yet to start? I am asking him to answer the question I asked. Is he telling lies? Is he being duplicitous?
Mr SPEAKER: As I understand it, the Chief Minister is attempting to answer the question that you asked him. If you have proof that this was said, then bring it forward.
Mrs Hickey: It is in Hansard.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, I find it extraordinary that the Leader of the Opposition expects me to do his job as well as my own. He knows that there is a working party. He knows that the Attorney-General and the Minister for Health Services have had the carriage of this matter. Only one member opposite has shown any interest at all, except when the parliament resumes sittings. It simply demonstrates how lazy members opposite are.
Mr Ede: It shows that we cannot rely on your word.
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Page 1163
that, because it was said early in the committee stage. However, how could the Chief Minister forget that it was he himself who raced in and stood up in this House to give me assurances that members representing both sides of the House would be involved in discussions leading up to the development and implementation of an education campaign? He made that clear. He is shaking his head. He is walking away from it again.
Mr COULTER: A point of order, Mr Speaker! I believe the Leader of the Opposition has given a sufficient preamble. He is asking a question, not making a ministerial statement.
Mr SPEAKER: I ask the Leader of the Opposition to come to the point of his question.
Mr EDE: I will take one-tenth of the time they take, Mr Speaker.
Not only has no education campaign been carried out, but there has not even been any discussion with this side of the House on the content of such a campaign. I ask the Chief Minister whether this is another example of his duplicity, or is he trying, in fact, to sabotage the legislation? He voted against it and he is trying to sabotage it.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I did not realise I was that clever. The Leader of the Opposition really is an absolute phoney. He comes in here...
Mr Ede: You are a devious ...
Mr STONE: You are really over the top. Not once have you or, with one exception, any of your members ever sought to discuss any aspect of this legislation with me. Not once. It is rather like the amendments that you are foreshadowing today. The question that has to be asked is: where have you been since May of last year? You know how the procedures of the parliament work. You are now foreshadowing substantive amendments that do not go to the amendments in today's proceedings. No one is taking you seriously because you are not fair dinkum. You have viewed this legislation as a means of trying to score political points all the way through, and you come off second-best every time.
As I have said in the media, the framework of the education program has been laid down. The Minister for Health Services can confirm that considerable progress has been made in relation to palliative care. The working party continues its deliberations. Has the Leader of the Opposition made any representations to the working party, or is he telling me that he did not know it existed? He is a so-called aspiring Chief Minister and yet he has not even had his eye on the ball. It probably accounts for the fact that he disappears ...
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: You have gone fishing. Why not do the job you are paid to do?
Page 1164
Mr COULTER: A point of order, Mr Speaker! The interjection by the member for Nhulunbuy, that the Chief Minister is a liar, is unparliamentary and he should be asked to withdraw.
Mr SPEAKER: I did not hear the interjection. If that was said, I ask the member to withdraw.
Mr Stirling: Mr Speaker, I withdraw.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, I have been very clear throughout in relation to this legislation. The Leader of the Opposition comes in and continues to try to score political points. His side is probably more divided ...
Mr EDE: A point of order, Mr Speaker! The Chief Minister is querying the record of this House. The record of this House shows that he made a statement here that the opposition would be involved at the start in that process of developing that campaign. Is he being duplicitous or is it yet to start? I am asking him to answer the question I asked. Is he telling lies? Is he being duplicitous?
Mr SPEAKER: As I understand it, the Chief Minister is attempting to answer the question that you asked him. If you have proof that this was said, then bring it forward.
Mrs Hickey: It is in Hansard.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, I find it extraordinary that the Leader of the Opposition expects me to do his job as well as my own. He knows that there is a working party. He knows that the Attorney-General and the Minister for Health Services have had the carriage of this matter. Only one member opposite has shown any interest at all, except when the parliament resumes sittings. It simply demonstrates how lazy members opposite are.
Mr Ede: It shows that we cannot rely on your word.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016