House debates

Thursday, 13 February 2014

Motions

Closing the Gap: Prime Minister’s Report 2014

11:00 am

Photo of Natasha GriggsNatasha Griggs (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

As I was saying before the suspension, these camps are occupied pretty much exclusively by Indigenous residents and in at least one of those, the Bagot community, in the Darwin suburb of Ludmilla, significant debate is being held about whether or not to open up the community to non-Indigenous residency. I certainly see merit in this process being debated given my in-principle objection to residential enclaves based on ethnic backgrounds, which is effectively what currently exists. By the same token, though, Bagot has a number of outstanding support programs for community residents.

A few weeks ago, I shared lunch with residents at the senior centre at Bagot and met with staff and users of this excellent service. I spent an enjoyable few hours talking with the residents, visitors and staff who prepare the lunches at the centre. While there, I also heard firsthand the impact of the Labor Party's scaremongering about the age pension. Every single one of you on that side should hang your heads in shame for being blatantly obnoxious with the furphies that you are putting around. I have taken great pleasure in telling these people that the Labor Party are so embittered about losing government that they are prepared to spread so much mendacious misinformation to Australians about something as fundamental as the age pension.

I expressed the following sentiments yesterday during my partial address-in-reply speech, which was continually interrupted and shut down by those opposite, particularly the member for Lingiari.

Mr Snowdon interjecting

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