Marion Scrymgour – “I chose not to vote”

Below is some of what Marion said yesterday on ABC radio.

It directly contradicts what Clare Martin said immediately after the amendment was passed when she sought to explain Marion’s absence due to attending a meeting at the time of the vote.

In a very frank interview Marion has told us how difficult it is to have principles in the Martin Labor Government. It seems the lowest common denominator wins. In this case if the Chief Minister wants a mine she gets it, and the NT Labor Party doesn’t seem to care about the process.

The new Labor  Party motto could read – Join us. We approve mines. Crush legal rights. Override the judiciary. Dirty deeds done dirt cheap!

Marion: “Look I realised that as a Government Minister, if I had crossed the floor against a Government bill, I would have had no option but to resign and that would have been a breach of that convention, I know that, I had discussions with the Chief Minister and my other colleagues and I made a decision that I would not vote.”

“I did stick to my principles Julia (ABC Interviewer) and that is why I chose not to vote.”

“It’s been a difficult time Julia, I am spent and I suppose I will spend still some weeks contemplating and working through issues.  We all need that time to consider and to make sure and that keeps us honest, I’m only human and I know that politicians have a bad reputation, I’m being totally honest with you here today and with readers, I’m only human, I feel just like everybody else and yes I do have to stand up and represent my constituency and I think they know that I do that.”