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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 12 Hansard (11 November) . . Page.. 3917 ..

MS McRAE: Mr Speaker, my question is to the Chief Minister. In the last two years, Chief Minister, this Government has paid Mr Knop and his firm, Profile Paul Ray Berndtson, over $198,000 for mostly verbal advice. Will the Chief Minister assure this Assembly that Mr Knop, who is on the board of the International Hotel School, has not used any of the resources of the Hotel School in the conduct of his private business?

MRS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, I think those opposite should really apologise for this attack on Mr Knop. I think this is seriously bottom line unacceptable. Mr Knop has put more into the ACT over the last couple of years than most people have, for absolutely no benefit at all to himself. One of the things that those opposite seem to forget - - -

Ms McRae: Why do you not answer the question?

MR SPEAKER: I would remind members that standing order 117(d) states:

Questions shall not be asked which reflect on or are critical of the character or conduct of those persons whose conduct may only be challenged on a substantive motion ...

Ms McRae: Yes, that is of a member, not of a person.

MRS CARNELL: So you are allowed to attack anybody else you feel like attacking?

Ms McRae: No-one is attacking. I asked you a question. You could answer the question.

MRS CARNELL: You are straight attacking.

MR SPEAKER: That is not correct, Ms McRae. It simply states:

Questions shall not be asked which reflect on or are critical of the character or conduct of those persons ...

We are not dealing with members here; we are speaking of people. The standing order goes on:

... notice must be given of questions critical of the character or conduct of other persons;

Stay within those guidelines, Chief Minister.

MRS CARNELL: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. It is obviously an attack on somebody who has done an enormous amount for the ACT over the last couple of years. By the way, when you talk about the Hotel School, he has done an extraordinary amount to bail out something that those opposite, quite simply, stuffed up. When we came to government, the debt of the Hotel School was approaching $30m. I think it was $27m.

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