Ms CARNEY - 2005-10-11
Are you aware of an article in the Centralian Advocate, dated 23 September 2005, which states that Mr Steven Hanley did not sign a letter to the Department of Justice purported to have been prepared by him because its contents were false? The same article reports that Mr Hanley said that he was pressured by a public servant from the Office of Central Australia – your office in Alice Springs – to lie about the donation of the goods. The same article also reports that public servants were involved in an alleged cover-up. Can you confirm or deny that public servants were involved, or, was it one of your staffers and not a public servant at all?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this is a series of allegations that the Opposition Leader is bringing into this parliament. Again I say that, where allegations have been made, we are dealing with them appropriately. The Opposition Leader can continue to come in here and raise issue after issue of allegation and smear against the member for Macdonnell …
Ms Carney: I have not even mentioned her.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker …
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: The Opposition Leader is being just half too cute here. We should expect from the Opposition Leader that she should be honest about where she is attacking and stop trying to pretend that there are other issues she is dealing with. Her feet and her head are in the gutter on this, I am very sad to say.
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: Her line of questioning …
Ms Carney: What are you scared of? Why don’t you answer questions?
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition, please cease interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: Her questions and her line of questioning have been written for her by the man who lost the seat of Macdonnell …
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Chief Minister is given to stretching the truth, but she cannot possibly come in here and lie about the questions that I am asking and speculate as to who wrote them. Get over it!
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order, resume you seat.
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Opposition Leader leaps to her feet; there is no basis for her point of order …
Ms Carney: Because you keep telling whoppers.
Ms MARTIN: She cannot refer to which of the standing orders that allow her to make the point of order …
Ms Carney: Well, why don’t you do us all a favour and just answer the question?
Ms MARTIN: She leaps to her feet and makes irrational comments. It really does not help this debate …
Ms Carney: Just respond to the question: was it one of your staffers?
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, will you cease interjecting.
Ms Carney: Thank you, Madam Speaker, I will.
Ms MARTIN: It is a kind of hysteria and …
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, there is no point of order, she has now resumed her seat. Please continue with your answer.
Ms MARTIN: We have, from a Commonwealth and Northern Territory point of view, a number of investigations of responses to allegations that have been put to government in various agencies. We have action taking place. I say to the Leader of the Opposition, while that action is taking place, I am not going to make any comments, and that is totally appropriate.
While the Department of Justice is conducting investigations which, quite appropriately, are being carried out by a statutory officer, it is inappropriate to make any comment until we get a report. I understand the police are conducting investigations. The Electoral Commissioner, if he so chooses, will conduct an investigation …
Ms Carney: What about your staff?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, allegations have been made that are appropriately being investigated …
Ms Carney: They are not being investigated. Okay. Thank you. Not investigating your staff.
Ms MARTIN: … and that is what I have said in answer to about four questions now. I suspect if the Opposition Leader did not constantly talk to herself when the questions were trying to be answered …
Ms Carney: Well, no one else is listening to you because you just rabbit on about nothing.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: … she might actually hear what was being said.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this is a series of allegations that the Opposition Leader is bringing into this parliament. Again I say that, where allegations have been made, we are dealing with them appropriately. The Opposition Leader can continue to come in here and raise issue after issue of allegation and smear against the member for Macdonnell …
Ms Carney: I have not even mentioned her.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker …
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: The Opposition Leader is being just half too cute here. We should expect from the Opposition Leader that she should be honest about where she is attacking and stop trying to pretend that there are other issues she is dealing with. Her feet and her head are in the gutter on this, I am very sad to say.
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: Her line of questioning …
Ms Carney: What are you scared of? Why don’t you answer questions?
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition, please cease interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: Her questions and her line of questioning have been written for her by the man who lost the seat of Macdonnell …
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Chief Minister is given to stretching the truth, but she cannot possibly come in here and lie about the questions that I am asking and speculate as to who wrote them. Get over it!
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order, resume you seat.
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Opposition Leader leaps to her feet; there is no basis for her point of order …
Ms Carney: Because you keep telling whoppers.
Ms MARTIN: She cannot refer to which of the standing orders that allow her to make the point of order …
Ms Carney: Well, why don’t you do us all a favour and just answer the question?
Ms MARTIN: She leaps to her feet and makes irrational comments. It really does not help this debate …
Ms Carney: Just respond to the question: was it one of your staffers?
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, will you cease interjecting.
Ms Carney: Thank you, Madam Speaker, I will.
Ms MARTIN: It is a kind of hysteria and …
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, there is no point of order, she has now resumed her seat. Please continue with your answer.
Ms MARTIN: We have, from a Commonwealth and Northern Territory point of view, a number of investigations of responses to allegations that have been put to government in various agencies. We have action taking place. I say to the Leader of the Opposition, while that action is taking place, I am not going to make any comments, and that is totally appropriate.
While the Department of Justice is conducting investigations which, quite appropriately, are being carried out by a statutory officer, it is inappropriate to make any comment until we get a report. I understand the police are conducting investigations. The Electoral Commissioner, if he so chooses, will conduct an investigation …
Ms Carney: What about your staff?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, allegations have been made that are appropriately being investigated …
Ms Carney: They are not being investigated. Okay. Thank you. Not investigating your staff.
Ms MARTIN: … and that is what I have said in answer to about four questions now. I suspect if the Opposition Leader did not constantly talk to herself when the questions were trying to be answered …
Ms Carney: Well, no one else is listening to you because you just rabbit on about nothing.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: … she might actually hear what was being said.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016