Jacinta Nampijinpa Price (NT, Country Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator McCarthy. Media reports this week detailed an atrocious attack on CLP candidate Yanja Thompson in the Northern Territory election on the false basis that she is out to wind back opportunities for Indigenous Australians. Do you condemn the stereotype that all Indigenous politicians need to be left leaning in order to serve the interests of Indigenous Australians?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is a protection racket!

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You should withdraw that.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, I'm more than willing to ask a senator to withdraw, but I didn't hear the comment, and I'm not sure who you are referring to.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie, in the interests of the goodwill of the chamber, I ask you to withdraw a remark.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Point of order, I don't believe the question relates in any way to the minister's portfolio or matters of administration under the federal—

Senator Rennick, if you'd like a question, we're happy to advocate for you.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am advised that your question, Senator Nampijinpa Price, doesn't go to Minister McCarthy's portfolio, but I am happy to ask Minister McCarthy if she wishes to make a statement. Senator Gallagher, are you standing on a point of order?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, I am. I again seek your guidance on standing order 73(1)(h) because I believe Senator Nampijinpa Price question asked for an expression of opinion. Under that standing order, it says, 'Questions shall not contain'—

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Minister Gallagher, it is more that it doesn't go to the minister's portfolio, but, as I said, I've invited the minister to make a statement, if she wishes to. Or I can ask Senator Nampijinpa Price for a second supplementary.

An honourable senator interjecting—

Well, there can't be a supplementary to that question, so I'm not quite sure where that leaves us. Did you wish to make a comment?

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, President, and thank you, Senator Nampijinpa Price. I certainly would say that First Nations candidates, wherever they are, good luck. The Northern Territory election is this weekend, and I'm looking forward to getting back home. I'd certainly say that in terms of any intimidation or any tactics that are going on that have been alleged by Senator Nampijinpa Price, that is absolutely incorrect. In fact, if anything, President, I often wonder whether Senator Nampijinpa Price might be running for one of those seats herself! I notice on the how to vote card in Namatjira it has Senator Nampijinpa Price on there.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, you cannot use props.

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Are you running for the Northern Territory election?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister McCarthy, please resume your seat. I'm sure you're aware that props are out of order.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order, across the chamber! Senator McKenzie is on her feet.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I believe the use of props in the chamber is not—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have addressed that matter but you are quite correct.

Order! Senator Nampijinpa Price, come to order. I am advised, Senator Nampijinpa Price, by the Clerk that if there were portfolio issues which came out of Mr McCarthy's response, you may address a first supplementary around that.

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price (NT, Country Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, President. Minister, as part of these media reports included the allegations involving a former Labor preselected candidate and current Northern Land Council chair, Matt Ryan, in an attempt to discredit Ms Thompson—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Nampijinpa Price, please resume your seat. Senator Watt, I was going to listen to the entire question before ascertaining whether it went to portfolio matters. Senator Nampijinpa Price, would you like to continue? It does need to address Minister McCarthy's portfolio areas. Please continue.

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price (NT, Country Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given that the land council is a portfolio area for the minister, the conduct of the chair of the Northern Land Council, in an attempt to discredit Ms Thompson—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is time now. Please resume your seat. The mere mention of the land council doesn't go to the portfolio because the majority of the question was about a candidate. Senator Wong.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The president is ruling, so I would ask the opposition and the leader of the opposition to perhaps—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! In the same vein as the first question did not go to portfolio matters, the mere mention of the land council does not go to portfolio matters because the bulk of the question went to candidates for election. Senator Birmingham.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, on your point of order, the supplementary question was actually quite specific to actions and reports and comments attributed to the chair of the Northern Land Council. This was not peripheral to the nature of the question but core to the nature of the supplementary question and distinctly within the portfolio responsibilities of the minister.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am advised that it doesn't look like the first supplementary question relates to the primary question. I am not aware of whether someone is a chair of a land council or not but what I heard was a question around a candidate.

Just before I finish, Senator Birmingham, I am happy review the Hansard and come back to the chamber if that satisfies.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, thank you, and I appreciate your offer to review the Hansard. The primary question from Senator Nampijinpa Price definitely referred to media reports. The supplementary, in referencing those media reports, indicated the role of the chair of the Northern Land Council in those media reports. It is clearly supplementary. It is clearly relevant to the minister's portfolio. I appreciate your offer to review that and, of course, the usual practice of the minister being invited to respond.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Birmingham. The first question was ruled out of order. It did not go to the minister's portfolio areas. My assessment of the second question is the same but, as I said to you, I will take that and look at the Hansard. If I need to address the chamber because I have made the wrong calling then I will certainly do that. I invite Minister McCarthy to respond if she wishes.

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, President. Of course, in any election, whether it is in the Northern Territory election or any other across the country, we expect people to act appropriately. I do understand also from those same media reports that the chair of the Northern Land Council has rejected those accusations. I was wondering whether you were involved in running for the Northern Territory election and then I realised that you wouldn't be because you are running for Prime Minister. That's right—you are running for Prime Minister. But the problem is, you can't run for Prime Minister. You can't even run.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You're not happy with Peter Dutton because you want Senator Nampijinpa Price, who wants to be the leader. And the reason you can't do that, Senator Price, is that you're in the Senate!

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator McGrath.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You're a disgrace!

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

But the next step might be that you want to leave the Senate. So watch out, those in the lower house!

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McGrath, withdraw that comment.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. Senator Nampijinpa Price, with the same caveat—if you believe that matters from the minister's response went to her portfolio matter—I invite you to ask a second supplementary.

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price (NT, Country Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, will you investigate the alleged interference by the Northern Land Council in the Northern Territory election and whether any council resources have been used in the election campaign, or will you continue to make a joke of the fact that an Indigenous woman has been targeted, quite disgustingly?

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, across the chamber. Order. I haven't called you yet, Minister McCarthy. I am going to ask the Senate to be respectful of questions and answers, whether you personally agree with them or not, and I expect, when the minister stands to give her response, that she will be listened to in respectful silence. Minister McCarthy.

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I did respond to the question by Senator Price. Of course we do not want to see any—

Senator McKenzie—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Please resume your seat, Senator McCarthy. Senator McKenzie, I have just asked for respectful silence. Minister, please continue.

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Clearly they're not interested in hearing the response, President. We know that, throughout any election, whether it's in the Northern Territory or across Australia, people should treat each other with dignity and respect, and I certainly urge that of all candidates in the Northern Territory.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.