Trish Crossin (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Scullion, the Minister for Community Services. I refer the minister to reports about the Country Liberal Party fishing trip that is alleged to have taken alcohol to restricted parts of the Tiwi Islands on 22 July this year. Can the minister indicate whether he took, or drank, any alcohol onshore on the Tiwi Islands on that day or if he is aware of anyone in the party who did? Can the minister explain the presence of empty bottles and alcohol containers that were found on the Tiwi Islands on 22 July? Has the minister ever bought or consumed alcohol in any Aboriginal community or been part of a group that has? Haven’t the activities on the minister’s fishing trip seriously compromised the government’s efforts to stop the ‘rivers of grog’ that have a devastating impact on Indigenous communities?

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Community Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Whilst it probably does not normally fall within the scope of the questions we would expect in this place, I will answer the question. I simply put again on the public record what I have repeated a number of times: at no time did I take alcohol onto the Tiwi Islands. At no time did I consume alcohol on the Tiwi Islands. It is well known that there is a police investigation into the matter, and there were in fact police present at the barge landing where the allegations against me occurred. I am looking very much forward to the production of the police report in due course. I will leave the investigations in their very capable hands.

Trish Crossin (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I asked Minister Scullion a series of questions in the hope that he would be accountable to this parliament for his actions. Can the minister confirm whether the federal member for Solomon, Mr David Tollner, was part of the fishing trip on 22 July that reportedly took alcohol to restricted parts of the islands? Can the minister provide an assurance that Mr Tollner did not consume any alcohol onshore and that he was not responsible for the empty alcohol bottles and containers that were reportedly found on the Tiwi Islands?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I raise a point of order, Mr President. I thought it was a long bow to draw in relation to Senator Scullion, but he has answered the question about himself. I cannot see how behaviour of another member of parliament falls within the ministerial purview but, more importantly, there is a police investigation going on into these very matters and therefore these issues should not be further canvassed.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on the point of order: the first point is that Senator Scullion is the representative of the Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs in this chamber. He is responsible for those matters and is therefore responsible for answering questions on behalf of the government, which include the behaviour of its members and the attitude of the government. So it is perfectly reasonable for the question to be asked of Senator Scullion. Further, there is no point of order in relation to police inquiries. Police inquiries may well be occurring. This goes to the question of the behaviour of the minister and the behaviour of members of the government, and how that reflects on them and government policy. There have been no charges laid, there are no court proceedings underway, as I understand it, and therefore there is no reason why the government should not be held accountable in this chamber.

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Scullion, as minister you may answer those parts of the question that are relevant to your portfolio.

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Community Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. I do not really wish to go to the detail, particularly details of places where I was not present or to reflect on anyone where I was not present. To my knowledge, there was no consumption of alcohol by anyone in the party anywhere on the island. I do not wish to bore those in this place with any detail, but the allegations that Senator Crossin refers to are allegations about an airport. Going to the facts of the matter, I did not attend that place; I actually stayed on the vessel. So it is a long bow to draw.

With regard to the notion that this is somehow insensitive in some way, all I can say is that I went to great efforts to communicate the intention of the trip with the Tiwi Islands council. I was given the advice that we should seek certain permits, which we got. They had full knowledge of the nature of the trip, where we were going and what we were doing. I sought their advice and complied lawfully in every way.