Pete Barklyposted toWhistleblower Northern Territory March 20 In all the excitement about whether the CLP is still talking to each other this week, the following from Question Time yesterday was completely glossed over by the media: Mr McCARTHY to MINISTER for LANDS, PLANNING and the ENVIRONMENT Is it true you have granted a Crown lease for Lot 989 Stanley Street, Tennant Creek to Barkly Group Holdings Pty Ltd for the purpose of a mini-market supermarket, automatic carwash, three manual carwash bays and caretaker’s residence for a total rental of $1500 per annum or approximately $30 per week? Is it true Barkly Group Holdings Pty Ltd directorship represent four members of the Country Liberal Party including Jason Michael Newman, President of the CLP Barkly Branch, and Stephen Mark Edgington, senior public servant, Director of Housing and Chief Minister’s representative in the Chief Minister’s Tennant Creek office? Why are these CLP mates receiving a Crown lease rather than purchasing this prime block of land at auction? ANSWER Madam Speaker, I appreciate the question. First, I will need to get back with the details because I do not take it that one word of truth will come out from this side. Second, it is good to see that people have the confidence in the Tennant Creek economy that they want to invest there in the first place. Let me tell you, in the years we had the member for Barkly as the Minister for Lands and Planning, there was little evidence he did much for the Tennant Creek or, in fact, the Barkly region. When I took over as the minister for Lands and Planning, the hard work of the department, I must say, looked like it had just been gathering dust. There had been a lot of work in planning for the future of Tennant Creek … Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It is clear he will not answer that question. He may as well sit down. __________________________ Suspension of Member Member for Barkly Madam SPEAKER: That was unparliamentary and uncalled for. Leave the Chamber for one hour, member for Barkly, pursuant to Standing Order 240A. __________________________ McCarthy had one thing wrong - it wasnt for one block of crown land, it was three. Three residential blocks for $30 a week rent. It pays to be a mate of Adams, doesnt it. And you get to do your own planning approvals, sweet work if you can get it. Especially when Madam Speaker is quick to defend your honour. Dont worry, theres miles more of this stuff to come - and Madam Speaker is getting hers, too. The moral of the story is the CLP, after a heady 18 months in government, has forgotten one of the most basic rules of politics - be very, very careful who you piss off when you live in a glass castle and the bloke outside has a very large pile of rocks.
Posted on: Sat, 29 Mar 2014 11:59:14 +0000
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