Mrs HICKEY - 1996-10-09
Nick Dondas's action last night in supporting the Coalition government's moving of the anti-Territory debate into the side Chamber in Canberra was a sellout of Territorians. The Country Liberal Party's member for the Northern Territory has now totally earned the tag of `Canberra's man in the Territory'. Does the Chief Minister agree with Senator Collins's suggestion that the job of representing Northern Territory interests should be subcontracted to Mr Tony Smith, the Queensland Liberal member who did cross the floor to vote with the Labor Party in trying to block this anti-Territory move by the federal Coalition government?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, my anger knew no bounds last night ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: ... when I learnt that the motion had been carried to move the debate into the side Chamber. I consider that to be an absolute disgrace. I have been saying for some time that it would be unacceptable for the Andrews bill to be put into the side Chamber because amendment of the Self-Government Act constitutes an interference with our constitution - the constitution of Territorians. I have been very much at the forefront in putting that point of view. I am bitterly disappointed to find that this has occurred. As I said last night, my anger knew no bounds. When I rang Nick Dondas, he was not left in any doubt about my views on the matter.
The Labor Party may derive some joy from this because it would supposedly get Senator Bob Collins off the hook, but this is a man who refuses to put pressure on Kim Beazley. It is very clear to me that, if Bob Collins were to put even the slightest pressure on Kim Beazley, the federal Leader of the Opposition would back away from his support for the Andrews bill. I understand the joy that Labor may draw from what occurred last night, but let us be very clear about what happened. After I had finished speaking to Nick Dondas, I took the time to speak with Peter Reith. He assured me unequivocally that, in the event that there is any division, any vote or any amendment, this matter will come back to the floor of the main Chamber of the House of Representatives. I hasten to add that I am still not satisfied, because this matter should have been debated fully on the floor of the House of Representatives.
I advise members that, so seriously do I view these latest developments, tomorrow I will be moving a notice of motion in this House the objective of which will be agreement that a Remonstrance be delivered to the federal parliament from this Assembly which will list specific grievances that this Assembly has in respect of actions taken in the Commonwealth parliament, following on from the passage of the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act. This Remonstrance will express the Assembly's strongest ...
Members interjecting.
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Mr STONE: The member for Arnhem laughs. He thinks this is a joke.
Very rarely do parliaments proceed by way of remonstrance. I see the Leader of the Opposition is not laughing. She understands the seriousness of what I am saying, but we are being laughed at by the member for Arnhem and by the member for MacDonnell. They think this is a joke. Only once in our history have Territorians proceeded by way of remonstrance. I say to Territorians that is exactly what we will do. We will take the fight to the Commonwealth parliament on this issue. This Remonstrance will be in 2 parts. In the first part, it will express that this Assembly takes the view that any measure in the federal parliament which seeks to amend the Northern Territory (Self-Government) Act, and thereby diminish the constitutional rights of Territorians, must be the subject of full debate in the House of Representatives Chamber and not be removed at any time to any side Chamber of the parliament for debate. The second part of the Remonstrance will state that the Assembly objects to the passage of the Andrews bill because it will seek to invalidate the valid exercise of power by the Northern Territory parliament, because it will discriminate against citizens of the Northern Territory, because it offends the principle of self-government, and because it breaches fundamental constitutional conventions that have existed for over 100 years.
I am able to say that everyone in the Country Liberal Party parliamentary wing supports the passage of this proposed motion in support of a Remonstrance. I hope that I will have the support of the member for Nelson, and I hope that I will have the support of all members of the opposition. These are grave times. Do not let Territorians underestimate for one moment the view of the CLP government on this important issue. As I said, I am disappointed to hear the laughter of the member for Arnhem and the member for MacDonnell. They do not consider this to be serious. They think that this is a matter for lighthearted comment and banter across the Chamber. It is not. Only once before in our history as Territorians have we proceeded by way of remonstrance. Sadly, the need to do that has come again.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, my anger knew no bounds last night ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: ... when I learnt that the motion had been carried to move the debate into the side Chamber. I consider that to be an absolute disgrace. I have been saying for some time that it would be unacceptable for the Andrews bill to be put into the side Chamber because amendment of the Self-Government Act constitutes an interference with our constitution - the constitution of Territorians. I have been very much at the forefront in putting that point of view. I am bitterly disappointed to find that this has occurred. As I said last night, my anger knew no bounds. When I rang Nick Dondas, he was not left in any doubt about my views on the matter.
The Labor Party may derive some joy from this because it would supposedly get Senator Bob Collins off the hook, but this is a man who refuses to put pressure on Kim Beazley. It is very clear to me that, if Bob Collins were to put even the slightest pressure on Kim Beazley, the federal Leader of the Opposition would back away from his support for the Andrews bill. I understand the joy that Labor may draw from what occurred last night, but let us be very clear about what happened. After I had finished speaking to Nick Dondas, I took the time to speak with Peter Reith. He assured me unequivocally that, in the event that there is any division, any vote or any amendment, this matter will come back to the floor of the main Chamber of the House of Representatives. I hasten to add that I am still not satisfied, because this matter should have been debated fully on the floor of the House of Representatives.
I advise members that, so seriously do I view these latest developments, tomorrow I will be moving a notice of motion in this House the objective of which will be agreement that a Remonstrance be delivered to the federal parliament from this Assembly which will list specific grievances that this Assembly has in respect of actions taken in the Commonwealth parliament, following on from the passage of the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act. This Remonstrance will express the Assembly's strongest ...
Members interjecting.
Page 1635
Mr STONE: The member for Arnhem laughs. He thinks this is a joke.
Very rarely do parliaments proceed by way of remonstrance. I see the Leader of the Opposition is not laughing. She understands the seriousness of what I am saying, but we are being laughed at by the member for Arnhem and by the member for MacDonnell. They think this is a joke. Only once in our history have Territorians proceeded by way of remonstrance. I say to Territorians that is exactly what we will do. We will take the fight to the Commonwealth parliament on this issue. This Remonstrance will be in 2 parts. In the first part, it will express that this Assembly takes the view that any measure in the federal parliament which seeks to amend the Northern Territory (Self-Government) Act, and thereby diminish the constitutional rights of Territorians, must be the subject of full debate in the House of Representatives Chamber and not be removed at any time to any side Chamber of the parliament for debate. The second part of the Remonstrance will state that the Assembly objects to the passage of the Andrews bill because it will seek to invalidate the valid exercise of power by the Northern Territory parliament, because it will discriminate against citizens of the Northern Territory, because it offends the principle of self-government, and because it breaches fundamental constitutional conventions that have existed for over 100 years.
I am able to say that everyone in the Country Liberal Party parliamentary wing supports the passage of this proposed motion in support of a Remonstrance. I hope that I will have the support of the member for Nelson, and I hope that I will have the support of all members of the opposition. These are grave times. Do not let Territorians underestimate for one moment the view of the CLP government on this important issue. As I said, I am disappointed to hear the laughter of the member for Arnhem and the member for MacDonnell. They do not consider this to be serious. They think that this is a matter for lighthearted comment and banter across the Chamber. It is not. Only once before in our history as Territorians have we proceeded by way of remonstrance. Sadly, the need to do that has come again.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016