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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 2 Hansard (21 May) . . Page.. 495 ..

Mr Berry: He has leave.

Mr Humphries: Yes, he has leave. Fine, great, Mr Berry.

MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Berry, we are not questioning that.

Mr Humphries: Catch up with what we are doing, Mr Berry. We have moved beyond that point now.

MR SPEAKER: Mr Corbell had leave and he has put something to me and Mr Humphries is now taking a point of order.

Mr Humphries: Get some advice, Mr Berry. Go and talk to somebody. Mr Speaker, Mr Corbell has proposed that you consider whether the rule that the question has already been answered and therefore cannot be asked again should have applied to this question that the Chief Minister answered. The point is that the Chief Minister did not rise and say, "I decline to answer the question on the basis of that particular standing order". In fact, she did respond to the question that was raised. She answered it by saying that it had been answered before; nonetheless, she responded to the question that was raised. There is no question of that standing order coming into play. The question was answered - not to Mr Corbell's liking, but it was answered. Mr Corbell is trying to abuse the process here to make some point. I suggest that it is not a matter which appropriately ought to be the subject of a further inquiry.

Mr Berry: Mr Speaker - - -

MR SPEAKER: Order! I am about to rule on the matter. The only way that I can satisfactorily answer the question is to examine the Hansard. It may very well be that the way it works out is as Mr Humphries has put it; but, to be fair to everybody, the only way I can possibly cover this is to examine the Hansard, and that is what I undertake to do.

Mr Berry: May I raise an issue? In the course of Mr Humphries's point of order he said that Mr Corbell was trying to abuse the system. Clearly, Mr Corbell had leave to do this. That is an unfair imputation against the member's motives in relation to the matter.

Mr Humphries: No, it is not. Rubbish!

MR SPEAKER: Did you say that, Mr Humphries?

Mr Humphries: I did not say anything that constituted an offence against standing orders, Mr Speaker - nothing whatsoever.

MR SPEAKER: I think you misunderstood, Mr Berry. I will undertake to examine the Hansard, and we will see what comes of that.

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