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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 2 Hansard (25 February) . . Page.. 392 ..

Ms Tucker: Mr Speaker, on a point of order: The Minister is not addressing my question.

MR SPEAKER: There is no point of order.

MR STEFANIAK: There is no point of order, Mr Speaker.

Mr Moore: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: I think Ms Tucker is quite correct. Standing order 118(a) says that the Minister's answer shall be confined to the subject matter. That is the point of order that she is taking.

MR SPEAKER: There is no point of order. The Ministers, as you know, can answer questions as they see fit. Have you finished, Mr Stefaniak?

MR STEFANIAK: No, Mr Speaker.

MR SPEAKER: Confine your answer to the subject matter of the question, under standing order 118(a).

MR STEFANIAK: One other thing I would refer you to - - -

Ms Tucker: Mr Speaker, can I speak to that point of order?

MR SPEAKER: No. Mr Stefaniak is answering the question as he sees fit.

MR STEFANIAK: You have referred to breaches of United Nations conventions and all sorts of things, Ms Tucker. In relation to that, might I also refer you to something?

Mr Moore: Mr Speaker, quite a number of times we have heard you give a ruling to the effect that the Minister can answer the question any way he likes. I am going to ask you to reconsider that, Mr Speaker. Standing order 118(a) does not give the Minister that prerogative at all. It says that the answer to a question without notice shall be concise and confined to the subject matter of the question. I accept that ruling, but Ms Tucker has raised quite properly that it shall be confined to the subject matter, which is what he is not doing.

MR SPEAKER: I was under the impression that Mr Stefaniak was just beginning to address the United Nations aspect of the question.

MR STEFANIAK: Yes; and I would suggest to Ms Tucker that she probably has the wrong end of the stick there and has probably completely misinterpreted that. On having a look at that, I am happy to perhaps have a little chat to her later and point out where she has the wrong end of the stick. One thing I would do, Mr Speaker, is simply refer Ms Tucker - - -

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