Mrs HICKEY - 1996-11-28
The Director of Public Prosecutions received a report from the Northern Territory police at his home on the morning of Saturday 23 November. He wrote his letter of advice to the Commissioner of Police on Monday 25 November. We know that the police were still conducting interviews this week. The Chief Minister tabled a report by the Director of Public Prosecutions and implied that the police had finished their investigation. Did he refuse to table the police report because this investigation is still under way?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, in the interests of Christmas cheer, this being the last sitting day for 1996, can I tell the Leader of the Opposition that I am not aware of any continuing police inquiries. She seems to be better informed than I am but ...
Mrs Hickey: Investigations are still under way.
Mr STONE: She interjects that investigations are continuing. I will make some inquiries and I will find out. In relation to this whole issue, it has been brought to my attention that Senator Bob Collins asked a question on 7 November in the Senate, and an answer was subsequently forthcoming from Senator Amanda Vanstone in relation to the various police inquiries. She made a very pertinent observation that is worth repeating in this Chamber:
Consistent with the approach taken by successive ministers responsible for the Australian Federal
Police, I will not release an AFP investigation report. The public release of police investigation reports is
not in the public interest in cases where charges have not been laid and allegations not tested in a court.
Mr Speaker, I accept her view of it. Unlike the minister ...
Mr Bailey: Your response was that they had something to hide if they would not give it to you.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Bailey: It is now convenient for your argument.
Mr STONE: Would you like a count of the interjections that you, the member for Wanguri, have made during the course of these sittings?
Mr Bailey: Happily. If you run an undemocratic parliament, I will interject.
Mr STONE: We have them all ...
Mrs Hickey: If that is all your staff have to do, it has come to a pretty pass, hasn't it?
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Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: On one day during these sittings, that lot managed 317 interjections. And they have the gall to claim on public radio and television that they are not getting a fair go.
Mrs HICKEY: A point of order, Mr Speaker! I understand that you cannot direct a minister to answer a question, but this has nothing at all to do with the question asked.
Mr SPEAKER: There is no point of order. The Chief Minister is responding to an interjection from the member for Wanguri, and he is entitled to do that.
Mrs Hickey: A scripted reply!
Mr STONE: I will pick up the interjection from the Leader of the Opposition. This is what is not understood by members opposite. Every time they interject, they legitimise the right of a government minister to respond to that interjection. They make the rod for their own backs. If they were to listen to the answers in silence, and afford the people at home, listening to the radio, the opportunity ...
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: There we go. The member for Stuart cannot help himself. The member for Arnhem cannot help himself.
Page 1850
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, in the interests of Christmas cheer, this being the last sitting day for 1996, can I tell the Leader of the Opposition that I am not aware of any continuing police inquiries. She seems to be better informed than I am but ...
Mrs Hickey: Investigations are still under way.
Mr STONE: She interjects that investigations are continuing. I will make some inquiries and I will find out. In relation to this whole issue, it has been brought to my attention that Senator Bob Collins asked a question on 7 November in the Senate, and an answer was subsequently forthcoming from Senator Amanda Vanstone in relation to the various police inquiries. She made a very pertinent observation that is worth repeating in this Chamber:
Consistent with the approach taken by successive ministers responsible for the Australian Federal
Police, I will not release an AFP investigation report. The public release of police investigation reports is
not in the public interest in cases where charges have not been laid and allegations not tested in a court.
Mr Speaker, I accept her view of it. Unlike the minister ...
Mr Bailey: Your response was that they had something to hide if they would not give it to you.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Bailey: It is now convenient for your argument.
Mr STONE: Would you like a count of the interjections that you, the member for Wanguri, have made during the course of these sittings?
Mr Bailey: Happily. If you run an undemocratic parliament, I will interject.
Mr STONE: We have them all ...
Mrs Hickey: If that is all your staff have to do, it has come to a pretty pass, hasn't it?
Page 1849
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: On one day during these sittings, that lot managed 317 interjections. And they have the gall to claim on public radio and television that they are not getting a fair go.
Mrs HICKEY: A point of order, Mr Speaker! I understand that you cannot direct a minister to answer a question, but this has nothing at all to do with the question asked.
Mr SPEAKER: There is no point of order. The Chief Minister is responding to an interjection from the member for Wanguri, and he is entitled to do that.
Mrs Hickey: A scripted reply!
Mr STONE: I will pick up the interjection from the Leader of the Opposition. This is what is not understood by members opposite. Every time they interject, they legitimise the right of a government minister to respond to that interjection. They make the rod for their own backs. If they were to listen to the answers in silence, and afford the people at home, listening to the radio, the opportunity ...
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: There we go. The member for Stuart cannot help himself. The member for Arnhem cannot help himself.
Page 1850
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016