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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 3 Hansard (27 March) . . Page.. 700 ..
MR HIRD: Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Auditor-General found further - again, these are his words:
There is no evidence that the selection process was influenced by Harold Hird or the Minister for Urban Services [Mr De Domenico].
He said further that the selection procedures followed complied with government purchasing guidelines. I quote from the Auditor-General's report of the audit:
A thorough examination of all documentation relating to the calling of quotes, the recommendation made and the final selection decision revealed no evidence -
no evidence -
that Harold Hird or the Minister for Urban Services had any involvement or influence in the selection decision. Discussions with the responsible officials also produced positive statements that Harold Hird and the Minister had no involvement.
I quote again:
There is no evidence that the selection decision was influenced by Mr Hird or the Minister for Urban Services or his staff.
Mr Speaker, the Auditor-General's report vindicates what I said in answer to Mr Whitecross.
Mr Moore: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: Up to now he has been in order; that is quite right. What he cannot do is debate the matter.
MR SPEAKER: I uphold the point of order.
MR HIRD: Now he should have the good grace to get up and apologise.
Statement by Speaker
MR SPEAKER: Members, at the sitting of the Assembly on 29 February 1996, Ms Follett, on a point of order, asked whether I would examine a matter in Hansard and perhaps report back on it. The matter referred to a comment made by me earlier that day concerning a supplementary question asked by Mr Berry. In my comment I stated that there was an inference or an imputation in the question. Mr Berry was not prevented from asking the question, nor indeed was the Chief Minister prevented from answering it. Nevertheless, having examined the uncorrected Hansard proof, I have concluded that the question did not contain an inference or an imputation.
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