Ms CARNEY - 2005-10-11
Are you aware of a report in the Sunday Age, dated 25 September 2005, headed, ‘Elders bribed for votes in NT’? I seek leave to table that article, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: I do not think you need to seek leave, you can simply table that, Leader of the Opposition.
Ms CARNEY: The article claims that televisions, whitegoods and furniture were distributed to ‘six influential elders at Papunya’ to ‘secure their support in the June election’. What do you know about this allegation and what, if any, steps have you undertaken in relation to it?
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, before you reply. Leader of the Opposition, may I just remind you that allegations regarding members can only be done by way of substantive motion. If you are making allegations like that, I would just caution you that you need to be very careful and it can only be done by way of substantive motion.
Ms CARNEY: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Indeed, being careful is something that all members of this Chamber are, which is why the wording of the question was the way it was.
Madam SPEAKER: I am just cautioning, nevertheless.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the issue that the Opposition Leader refers to has been raised by the former member for Macdonnell, John Elferink, who now works for the Opposition Leader, so let us give this a context. As I understand it - and I have not spoken to the former member for Macdonnell - he has raised these issues and has national publicity for them …
Ms Carney: It is actually Russell Skelton of the Sunday Age who has raised the issues, I am afraid.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, the former member for Macdonnell has raised these issues …
Ms Carney: Russell Skelton has raised these issues.
Ms MARTIN: … and has gained national attention for them ...
Ms Carney: A journalist at the Sunday Age raised the issue, Chief Minister!
Ms MARTIN: … through his connection with the Sunday Age. I notice that no other national paper has taken it up so there is, obviously, a direct connection ...
Ms Carney: Oh, there something wrong with the Sunday Age is there?
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, John Elferink has made these allegations, as I understand. It is appropriate, if he believes that he should take them to the Electoral Commissioner, to do that. We have established the Electoral Commissioner as an independent body and the Electoral Commissioner will not be directed by this government. He will make his own decisions about these matters and also the matters that are, quite properly, referred to police. Police will conduct their own investigation. We are dealing with allegations; we are not dismissing them. I say, very carefully, they are allegations. There is a personal story about where these things have come from and I am not going to stand in here and talk about the difficult circumstances when …
Ms Carney: Well, neither are we, Chief Minister, get back to the question!
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition!
Dr Toyne: It is not a courthouse, you know.
Ms Carney: What have you done about it?
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition! Cease interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, I would have thought a woman who says she has empathy with other women, when I am trying to talk about the difficult circumstances of a relationship break-up might have had the courtesy to listen.
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I do not know where the Chief Minister is coming from talking about someone’s personal stories. The question was simply about an allegation raised in an interstate newspaper about the inappropriate disposal of goods at Papunya and what the Chief Minister has done about it.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, there is no point of order.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, if the implication is that this government is not doing anything, we have a Department of Justice investigation into allegations; the Electoral Commissioner, who is able to make a decision independently about whether he follows up the allegations that are being put to him; and the police are following up allegations. I again say ‘allegations’. Again, I put on the record that we are looking at a very difficult personal circumstance here. We are looking at some of the effects of what happens when a relationship breaks down and we are very conscious of that. Therefore, on one hand, understanding that position and, on the other, taking the appropriate response from government. I do not know what the Opposition Leader is implying about government inaction because there certainly has not been.
I firmly put on the record our thorough, strong support for our very fine member for Macdonnell.
Members: Hear, hear!
Madam SPEAKER: I do not think you need to seek leave, you can simply table that, Leader of the Opposition.
Ms CARNEY: The article claims that televisions, whitegoods and furniture were distributed to ‘six influential elders at Papunya’ to ‘secure their support in the June election’. What do you know about this allegation and what, if any, steps have you undertaken in relation to it?
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, before you reply. Leader of the Opposition, may I just remind you that allegations regarding members can only be done by way of substantive motion. If you are making allegations like that, I would just caution you that you need to be very careful and it can only be done by way of substantive motion.
Ms CARNEY: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Indeed, being careful is something that all members of this Chamber are, which is why the wording of the question was the way it was.
Madam SPEAKER: I am just cautioning, nevertheless.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the issue that the Opposition Leader refers to has been raised by the former member for Macdonnell, John Elferink, who now works for the Opposition Leader, so let us give this a context. As I understand it - and I have not spoken to the former member for Macdonnell - he has raised these issues and has national publicity for them …
Ms Carney: It is actually Russell Skelton of the Sunday Age who has raised the issues, I am afraid.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, the former member for Macdonnell has raised these issues …
Ms Carney: Russell Skelton has raised these issues.
Ms MARTIN: … and has gained national attention for them ...
Ms Carney: A journalist at the Sunday Age raised the issue, Chief Minister!
Ms MARTIN: … through his connection with the Sunday Age. I notice that no other national paper has taken it up so there is, obviously, a direct connection ...
Ms Carney: Oh, there something wrong with the Sunday Age is there?
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, John Elferink has made these allegations, as I understand. It is appropriate, if he believes that he should take them to the Electoral Commissioner, to do that. We have established the Electoral Commissioner as an independent body and the Electoral Commissioner will not be directed by this government. He will make his own decisions about these matters and also the matters that are, quite properly, referred to police. Police will conduct their own investigation. We are dealing with allegations; we are not dismissing them. I say, very carefully, they are allegations. There is a personal story about where these things have come from and I am not going to stand in here and talk about the difficult circumstances when …
Ms Carney: Well, neither are we, Chief Minister, get back to the question!
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition!
Dr Toyne: It is not a courthouse, you know.
Ms Carney: What have you done about it?
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition! Cease interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, I would have thought a woman who says she has empathy with other women, when I am trying to talk about the difficult circumstances of a relationship break-up might have had the courtesy to listen.
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I do not know where the Chief Minister is coming from talking about someone’s personal stories. The question was simply about an allegation raised in an interstate newspaper about the inappropriate disposal of goods at Papunya and what the Chief Minister has done about it.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, there is no point of order.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, if the implication is that this government is not doing anything, we have a Department of Justice investigation into allegations; the Electoral Commissioner, who is able to make a decision independently about whether he follows up the allegations that are being put to him; and the police are following up allegations. I again say ‘allegations’. Again, I put on the record that we are looking at a very difficult personal circumstance here. We are looking at some of the effects of what happens when a relationship breaks down and we are very conscious of that. Therefore, on one hand, understanding that position and, on the other, taking the appropriate response from government. I do not know what the Opposition Leader is implying about government inaction because there certainly has not been.
I firmly put on the record our thorough, strong support for our very fine member for Macdonnell.
Members: Hear, hear!
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016