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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 9 Hansard (3 September) . . Page.. 2839 ..

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, on the point of order, if I might address you: First of all, Mr Berry accused you of re-creating history, which is an imaginative way of saying that you are telling lies, or making things up at least. That is a matter that should be withdrawn, I would submit.

Mr Whitecross: If the caps fits - - -

MR HUMPHRIES: "If the cap fits", I think, was Mr Whitecross's comment. That is a breach of standing orders, Mr Speaker, and I think that should be withdrawn immediately.

MR SPEAKER: I do not uphold your point of order, Mr Berry. First of all, Mr Humphries does not have to seek leave. He is, in fact, justifying a comment he made earlier. As I pointed out, if he does not do that, he will then be accused of misleading the house at some point, either this afternoon or tomorrow. He is perfectly entitled to back up what he said by justification. If there is a question of re-creating history and the inference is that the Minister is misleading the house, I would ask that it be withdrawn.

Mr Berry: Mr Speaker, just to assist you further, I draw your attention to standing order 46, which other members have to use to make personal explanations. The Minister should use that provision, rather than a phoney attempt to add to a question already answered.

MR SPEAKER: That opportunity is there for members. Ministers, however, have the opportunity to elaborate or give further information in relation to questions that they have answered. Proceed, Mr Humphries. There is no point of order.

MR HUMPHRIES: Thank you, Mr Speaker. It might not have been in a question; but that is, with respect, a very immaterial and very small part of the point that I made. The point is that the comments about the police were made, and they were made by Mr Whitecross under a press release headed, "[Revised] 000 - Emergency! (but don't hold your breath)".

Mr Corbell: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: Under standing order 118(a), the answer to a question without notice shall be concise and confined to the subject matter of the question. This is not in any way to do with Mr Whitecross's question. If the Minister wants to make an attack on me, he should do so under standing order 46.

MR SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Proceed, Mr Humphries. I am getting rather tired of all this.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I quote:

What happened next would have read like a comedy of errors if it hadn't been so serious.

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