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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 12 Hansard (13 November) . . Page.. 4135 ..

Ms McRae: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. If the Chief Minister wishes to make allegations of improper motives by the member in anything the member has done, she had an opportunity in question time and at any other time to do so. She is now seeking to impugn our motives and to make allegations in a way that is completely irrelevant to this debate.

Mr Humphries: Mr Speaker, this is the very kind of thing that Mr Berry traditionally says when he rises to move those sorts of motions. I think it is appropriate that those comments be made, particularly as they go to the heart of the question which is the subject of the suspension of standing orders.

MR SPEAKER: There has been a great deal of this this week. It would be remiss of me to uphold points of order against the Chief Minister, considering what has been going on in the last two days. Continue, Mrs Carnell.

MRS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, allegations have been made day after day this week. They have slurred the reputations of the former Deputy Chief Minister, a prominent businessman and a number of different corporations. Not one scrap of evidence has been presented to support these allegations. I think that the standard set by Mr Berry's censure motion today should be applauded. I agree totally. We need to ensure that when people make statements in this place they can substantiate those statements. When I see evidence that suggests that a statement I made was not right, I am more than happy to withdraw it. The same standards have to be placed on everybody. If this issue today achieves that, then this Assembly will be a better place. I acted in good faith, on the information provided to me. On the basis of new information, I am very happy to accept Mr Carr's comments and Mr Berry's comments on the issue.

MS TUCKER (4.54): I do not support this motion to suspend standing orders. We have a lot of business on the notice paper. Mrs Carnell has made a statement. I am sure that there will be plenty of media coverage and she will be made to eat humble pie, which is what the censure motion would be designed to make her do. Although I agree that Labor asked questions, the imputations and implications in those questions were just as libellous of individuals as this is. I do not understand why any of this has to happen. Mrs Carnell has apologised and withdrawn her statements. Let us leave it at that and get on with the business.

MR BERRY (Leader of the Opposition) (4.55), in reply: It would be a gutless move indeed if you prevented me from moving my censure motion. Censure motions have traditionally been heard in this place. If you stop them from being debated, it sets an ugly precedent for this Assembly. You have not heard my argument in relation to the censure.

Mrs Carnell: You do not have to move it. I just withdrew.

MR BERRY: Mrs Carnell says "You do not have to move it. I just withdrew". The fact of the matter is that Mrs Carnell never withdrew until she knew she was caught. This is the same story over and over again. This was not about a question being asked of me and me being allowed to answer the question. It was a contrivance deliberately constructed to mislead this Assembly with a fabrication. That is what it was about.

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