Ms CARNEY - 2005-08-18
You know that Senator Trish Crossin today put a motion in the Senate calling on the federal government to keep its promise not to put a nuclear waste facility in the Northern Territory. You will also be aware that the motion was passed with the support of Country Liberal Party Senator Nigel Scullion. You have undertaken outrageous, despicable and thuggish attacks on Senator Scullion, who we have said …
Members interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Leader of the Opposition well knows that she cannot use unparliamentary language in this parliament, and I request that she withdraws the word ‘thuggish’.
Madam SPEAKER: I believe that, in fact, you were referring to the attacks as opposed to the Acting Chief Minister, so I will allow it. However, remember, Leader of the Opposition, that I do not allow it if you are referring to the Acting Chief Minister.
Ms CARNEY: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Acting Chief Minister, you have undertaken outrageous, despicable and thuggish attacks on Senator Scullion who, as we have said repeatedly this week, has been working continuously in the best interests of Territorians. Despite what you and others have had to say about him, Senator Scullion did stand up for the Northern Territory. Will you now apologise to this House, and to Senator Scullion, for your political grandstanding?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for her question. I commend Senator Crossin for bringing this matter to the attention of the Senate, because she is clearly acting in the best interests of Territorians and the Northern Territory. She understands and acknowledges that she is in that position on the vote, on the back of support of Territorians, and it is her responsibility, her paid duty, to represent the interests of Territorians. Clearly, she has done so. I also welcome the support from Senator Nigel Scullion. I resent the allegation by the Leader of the Opposition that I have employed any thuggish tactics in this regard at all.
I have simply pointed out at every given opportunity that Senator Scullion has the same responsibility, as does Senator Crossin - as, indeed, does every Senator sitting in that place - to represent the interests of the electors who put them there. It is a pity that all Senators did not recognise that from the moment that they were elected.
I do not resile at all from that. In fact, they were not thuggish tactics. I was simply pointing out the responsibility that Senator Scullion had; as I similarly pointed out to the Leader of the Opposition that she had an opportunity to have some influence in this equation by using her position as leader of the CLP in the Northern Territory and, indeed, using the auspices of the Country Liberal Party organisation, to call on Senator Scullion, discuss it with him, and request that he stand by and represent the interests of Territorians.
He could have done this at any point in this debate. This is the question: why did he wait until today until it was a question in the Senate that he supported? I commend him for his support, but he could have stood right at the outset of this, as he did last year when he said, ‘Not on my watch, mate’. I applauded him for that. I said that was good, he was representing the interests of Territorians.
However, once a decision was made and handed down by the federal government, it all became a matter of: ‘Oh, it is only medium and low-level waste, nobody has a problem with that’. Well, in fact, Territorians do resent the fact that they were lied to. Electors in the Northern Territory, CLP and Labor alike, can say: thank you, Senators. Thank you, Senator Crossin; thank you, Senator Scullion. You have both recognised your duty to the people of the Northern Territory and voted accordingly. I put on the record of this parliament, this parliament’s appreciation of the actions of both Senators.
Members interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Leader of the Opposition well knows that she cannot use unparliamentary language in this parliament, and I request that she withdraws the word ‘thuggish’.
Madam SPEAKER: I believe that, in fact, you were referring to the attacks as opposed to the Acting Chief Minister, so I will allow it. However, remember, Leader of the Opposition, that I do not allow it if you are referring to the Acting Chief Minister.
Ms CARNEY: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Acting Chief Minister, you have undertaken outrageous, despicable and thuggish attacks on Senator Scullion who, as we have said repeatedly this week, has been working continuously in the best interests of Territorians. Despite what you and others have had to say about him, Senator Scullion did stand up for the Northern Territory. Will you now apologise to this House, and to Senator Scullion, for your political grandstanding?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for her question. I commend Senator Crossin for bringing this matter to the attention of the Senate, because she is clearly acting in the best interests of Territorians and the Northern Territory. She understands and acknowledges that she is in that position on the vote, on the back of support of Territorians, and it is her responsibility, her paid duty, to represent the interests of Territorians. Clearly, she has done so. I also welcome the support from Senator Nigel Scullion. I resent the allegation by the Leader of the Opposition that I have employed any thuggish tactics in this regard at all.
I have simply pointed out at every given opportunity that Senator Scullion has the same responsibility, as does Senator Crossin - as, indeed, does every Senator sitting in that place - to represent the interests of the electors who put them there. It is a pity that all Senators did not recognise that from the moment that they were elected.
I do not resile at all from that. In fact, they were not thuggish tactics. I was simply pointing out the responsibility that Senator Scullion had; as I similarly pointed out to the Leader of the Opposition that she had an opportunity to have some influence in this equation by using her position as leader of the CLP in the Northern Territory and, indeed, using the auspices of the Country Liberal Party organisation, to call on Senator Scullion, discuss it with him, and request that he stand by and represent the interests of Territorians.
He could have done this at any point in this debate. This is the question: why did he wait until today until it was a question in the Senate that he supported? I commend him for his support, but he could have stood right at the outset of this, as he did last year when he said, ‘Not on my watch, mate’. I applauded him for that. I said that was good, he was representing the interests of Territorians.
However, once a decision was made and handed down by the federal government, it all became a matter of: ‘Oh, it is only medium and low-level waste, nobody has a problem with that’. Well, in fact, Territorians do resent the fact that they were lied to. Electors in the Northern Territory, CLP and Labor alike, can say: thank you, Senators. Thank you, Senator Crossin; thank you, Senator Scullion. You have both recognised your duty to the people of the Northern Territory and voted accordingly. I put on the record of this parliament, this parliament’s appreciation of the actions of both Senators.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016