Mr BAILEY - 1996-11-27
I direct members' attention to the document from the Director of Public Prosecutions that was tabled yesterday by the Chief Minister. In his advice, the Director of Public Prosecutions gave clear instructions: `This letter of advice needs to be read in conjunction with the report'. In other words, the Director of Public Prosecutions was saying that his letter told only half the story. Why is the Chief Minister so reluctant to give Territorians the whole story and table the police report - not the whole transcript, but the police report?
Mr Stirling: You are very good at telling only half the story. You do that in the Industrial Relations Court as well.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I will pick up the interjection from the member for Nhulunbuy who cannot help himself. The member for Wanguri referred to telling only `half the story'. Those are his words, not the words of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Mr Stirling: `To be read in conjunction with the report'.
Mr STONE: You interject over the top of ministers. I repeat that I have not seen the report from Assistant Commissioner Valentin, and I have not seen the file. It is not a matter of covering anything up. I have not seen it. I do not have it. It has never been in my possession. Can you get that very clear? You would have a basis for complaint if I had been privy to it and I was denying it to you. The reality ...
Mr Bailey: You ran away from it.
Page 1835
Mr STONE: What a grubby little allegation from the member for Wanguri! Are you suggesting there is some kind of conspiracy between the police and the Chief Minister?
Mr Bailey: You did not take the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Mr STONE: What a load of nonsense! The greatest disappointment in all of this is that the Leader of the Opposition ...
Mr Stirling: Is that you were caught. That is your biggest disappointment.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I warn the member for Nhulunbuy.
Mr STONE: I do not know what we were caught doing because ...
Mr Stirling: Using confidential information for political purposes.
Mr STONE: That allegation is rejected totally. They have not been able to prove it.
Mr Bailey interjecting.
Mr STONE: It is absolutely rejected.
Mr Bailey interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Wanguri will refrain from continuous interjection. I warn him as well.
Mr STONE: I am glad they have raised the issue of confidential information. Yesterday, in a press conference, I made available a letter that had been written by the client services manager, enrolment, of the Australian Electoral Commission. I will quote from part of that letter:
I have obtained a quotation for the programming work involved in doing this, on the basis that your
extraction specification will be identical to that for federal Senators and members, but with the addition of
gender and occupation for each elector. Date of birth and census collection district are among a number of
other fields that could also be added if you require it.
That is to an officer in the Department of the Chief Minister from the AEC, offering to provide birth dates. It continued:
The total cost of the project is estimated at $8500 and will take approximately 5 weeks to implement once
formal specifications are agreed on.
I table that, Mr Speaker. I have deleted the name of the officer to protect the innocent ...
Members interjecting.
Page 1836
Mr Stirling: A doctored document!
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Stirling: You little ....
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Stirling: You would not be able ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I name the member for Nhulunbuy!
Mr Stirling: You would! You can name us all, Mr Speaker, but you will not ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr COULTER (Leader of Government Business): Mr Speaker, I move that the member for Nhulunbuy be suspended from the service of the Assembly.
Motion agreed to.
Mr STONE: How disappointing to see that sort of behaviour, Mr Speaker, particularly in front of young Territorians.
I table the letter. The name of the person has been deleted to protect the innocent ...
Mr Bailey: Probably the one that slipped to your ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I remind the member for Wanguri that he is also on a warning.
Mr STONE: I also produce another document, Mr Speaker. It is a memorandum from the AEC direct - and I mean direct - to Liberal Database Control, the people who operate Feedback Services. It gives the technical specifications of what was provided:
Data description: Standard format certified list data tape (used for printing of certified lists) containing
full elector details including gender, occupation and date of birth for Northern Territory electoral
districts as at 18 May 1994.
I table that document. It is direct from the AEC to Feedback Services. I am sure that the significance of that memorandum will not be lost on anyone in this Chamber or anyone listening to this broadcast.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Page 1837
Mr STONE: Members opposite make these grubby allegations about people in the Department of the Chief Minister stealing this information and laundering this information. Their case has just been demolished. It has been demolished in a big way.
Page 1838
Mr Stirling: You are very good at telling only half the story. You do that in the Industrial Relations Court as well.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I will pick up the interjection from the member for Nhulunbuy who cannot help himself. The member for Wanguri referred to telling only `half the story'. Those are his words, not the words of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Mr Stirling: `To be read in conjunction with the report'.
Mr STONE: You interject over the top of ministers. I repeat that I have not seen the report from Assistant Commissioner Valentin, and I have not seen the file. It is not a matter of covering anything up. I have not seen it. I do not have it. It has never been in my possession. Can you get that very clear? You would have a basis for complaint if I had been privy to it and I was denying it to you. The reality ...
Mr Bailey: You ran away from it.
Page 1835
Mr STONE: What a grubby little allegation from the member for Wanguri! Are you suggesting there is some kind of conspiracy between the police and the Chief Minister?
Mr Bailey: You did not take the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Mr STONE: What a load of nonsense! The greatest disappointment in all of this is that the Leader of the Opposition ...
Mr Stirling: Is that you were caught. That is your biggest disappointment.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I warn the member for Nhulunbuy.
Mr STONE: I do not know what we were caught doing because ...
Mr Stirling: Using confidential information for political purposes.
Mr STONE: That allegation is rejected totally. They have not been able to prove it.
Mr Bailey interjecting.
Mr STONE: It is absolutely rejected.
Mr Bailey interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Wanguri will refrain from continuous interjection. I warn him as well.
Mr STONE: I am glad they have raised the issue of confidential information. Yesterday, in a press conference, I made available a letter that had been written by the client services manager, enrolment, of the Australian Electoral Commission. I will quote from part of that letter:
I have obtained a quotation for the programming work involved in doing this, on the basis that your
extraction specification will be identical to that for federal Senators and members, but with the addition of
gender and occupation for each elector. Date of birth and census collection district are among a number of
other fields that could also be added if you require it.
That is to an officer in the Department of the Chief Minister from the AEC, offering to provide birth dates. It continued:
The total cost of the project is estimated at $8500 and will take approximately 5 weeks to implement once
formal specifications are agreed on.
I table that, Mr Speaker. I have deleted the name of the officer to protect the innocent ...
Members interjecting.
Page 1836
Mr Stirling: A doctored document!
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Stirling: You little ....
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Stirling: You would not be able ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I name the member for Nhulunbuy!
Mr Stirling: You would! You can name us all, Mr Speaker, but you will not ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr COULTER (Leader of Government Business): Mr Speaker, I move that the member for Nhulunbuy be suspended from the service of the Assembly.
Motion agreed to.
Mr STONE: How disappointing to see that sort of behaviour, Mr Speaker, particularly in front of young Territorians.
I table the letter. The name of the person has been deleted to protect the innocent ...
Mr Bailey: Probably the one that slipped to your ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I remind the member for Wanguri that he is also on a warning.
Mr STONE: I also produce another document, Mr Speaker. It is a memorandum from the AEC direct - and I mean direct - to Liberal Database Control, the people who operate Feedback Services. It gives the technical specifications of what was provided:
Data description: Standard format certified list data tape (used for printing of certified lists) containing
full elector details including gender, occupation and date of birth for Northern Territory electoral
districts as at 18 May 1994.
I table that document. It is direct from the AEC to Feedback Services. I am sure that the significance of that memorandum will not be lost on anyone in this Chamber or anyone listening to this broadcast.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Page 1837
Mr STONE: Members opposite make these grubby allegations about people in the Department of the Chief Minister stealing this information and laundering this information. Their case has just been demolished. It has been demolished in a big way.
Page 1838
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016