No room on plane for local Member

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p2214-Borella-RideLETTER TO THE EDITOR
 
Sir – It was mean-spirited of the Chief Minister Adam Giles to refuse me a seat on his taxpayer-funded charter flight to my home town of Tennant Creek to attend the commencement of the re-enactment of the Borella Ride.
 
I asked Mr Giles if he could see his way to giving me a ride in the nine-seat plane, as parliament wasn’t due to finish until 7pm on Thursday night.
 
I drive from Tennant Creek to Darwin to perform my parliamentary duties to save on the expense of flying and it’s a 1,000km trip. It’s dangerous and well-nigh impossible to drive home overnight.
 
Adam Giles was very aggressive in his response, saying I could use more tax payers’ money to charter a second plane of my own.
 
Various Prime Ministers have shown bi-partisanship by offering seats on their VIP planes to members of the opposition when it’s an important occasion.
 
The Chief Minister had an opportunity to do the same; he chose instead to make it a fight.
 
The Borella Ride is the flagship event in the NT’s Centenary of ANZAC.
 
Besides my long standing connection to Tennant Creek and my electorate, I have a family connection to the ANZAC tradition. My maternal grandfather Frank Geelan was an ANZAC veteran.
 
I say shame Adam Giles. Your arrogance, mean-spirited and punitive approach to leadership will be your defining legacy.
 
Gerry McCarthy
Member for Barkly
 
PHOTO from of Giles (pink shirt) from his Twitter account shows him at the function today.
 
 

9 COMMENTS

  1. Gerry grow up. You verbal our Chief Minister every chance you get. As they say, the ass you kick today may be the one you have to kiss later. Adam does not like brown nosing, it appears.

  2. Typical of Arrogant Adam. He probably wanted to take his mate Dangerous Dave with him along with an entourage just to make him look good.
    Why should he share with you Gerry as it isn’t costing him anything.
    Us plebs, the taxpayers can foot the bill.
    Yeah, Adam reckons the taxpayer can pay for a second flight for you Gerry …No worries. Enjoy it while you can Adam, cause you ain’t going to get in come election time.

  3. Snap out of it Gerry, you and Dellia would do the same thing. This is another childish spiel when a pollie hadn’t got your own way. Grow up.

  4. Yet another fine Adam Giles moment. More interestingly, find out who else was on the plane. Word is, he was offering to anyone in CLP “in case” something came of this. Alison Anderson was wrong – he’s a shame job to little boys!

  5. What a ridiculous comment, Janet, what does brown nosing have to do with pissing tax payers money up the wall?
    You grow up, obviously have no idea of the hardship this government has put on families.
    How about he drive and put the cost of charter to a family to pay their power bill.

  6. Labor would do the same, but would it be reported as such, or perhaps it might read like this: Arrogant Independent Gerry McCarthy demands ride on government aircraft.
    Here we go ’round the mulberry bush, mulberry bush …’

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