Page 47 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 14 February 2012
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MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Hargreaves.
Mr Hargreaves: My understanding is that questions can be asked of ministers where they pertain to responsibilities within portfolios they have. The generality of the title—this minister has no responsibility at all for any events in the parliamentary triangle so the question might be ruled out of order.
MR SPEAKER: On the point of order, Mr Hanson.
MR HANSON: Obviously phone calls made to the minister’s office and reported in the media are directly the responsibility of the minister. And I would go further. This is an incident that involved Indigenous people within the ACT; it is an issue of significant publicity; and the ACT Indigenous affairs minister should have the responsibility to answer that question.
MR SPEAKER: There is no point of order at this stage. Dr Bourke, you can answer the question now.
DR BOURKE: I thank the member for his question. On the morning of Australia Day, along with a thousand other people, I marched from the ANU to the Aboriginal tent embassy to mark its 40th anniversary. I left well before the incident involving the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition at the Lobby Restaurant. After I had left, my office was contacted by Mr Hodges and was asked about providing a media comment on Mr Abbott’s statement on the tent embassy. My office said that I was not available and referred him to Ms Sattler as an alternative media contact.
Mr Hanson: Mr Speaker, on a point of order, my question was relating to the article from Ms Sattler that says that following the events of 26 January, she called the office of the ACT Indigenous affairs minister, Chris Bourke. My question was: what conversation did your office have with Ms Sattler about the protest? This is not about what he did on Australia Day or who he spoke to. It is about the fact that Ms Sattler has said that she had conversations with his office—
MR SPEAKER: Dr Bourke, do you wish to add anything further?
DR BOURKE: As I said, my office was contacted on the day, I was unavailable and Mr Hodges was referred to Ms Sattler as an alternative media contact.
Mr Hanson: This is following the events.
DR BOURKE: Sorry; I will need your question again, Mr Hanson.
Mr Hanson: I will read it again, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Just the last part.
Mr Hanson: Ms Sattler said:
Following the events of January 26 I called the office of the ACT Indigenous Affairs Minister, Chris Bourke, and the AFP to discuss the issues.
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