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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 8 Hansard (19 August) . . Page.. 2765 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

is something I have pondered, of course, since the day of the fire-whether or not, in fact, I made a mistake in declaring the state of emergency, that it exacerbated some of the confusion around the issue of evacuation or not.

These are issues, of course, that will be addressed in the detailed review and analysis of the act which we are now committed to undertake as a result-

Mr Smyth: So it wasn't all encompassing?

Mrs Burke: You promised something.

MR STANHOPE: This is just childish. Mr Smyth, it is childish and base politics.

MR SPEAKER: Order! Would you resume your seat, please, Chief Minister. Members of the opposition will remain silent while the Chief Minister answers the question. You asked the question and you should have the good manners to let him answer it. Chief Minister, come to the point.

MR STANHOPE: I will. I will conclude on this point: Mr McLeod has recommended that the government undertake a detailed review of every piece of legislation relating to emergency services and fires in the ACT. We have accepted that recommendation. This is detailed, technical, complex work that needs to be done. It will take us months to undertake this work.

Mr Smyth now criticises Mr McLeod for not having undertaken this thorough analysis of the Emergency Management ACT or the legislation in relation to the declaration of the state of emergency. He wants Mr McLeod to have done all of this work. He actually expects that the McLeod report would have undertaken the full investigation into the Emergency Management Act, would have undertaken a full investigation into the bushfires legislation and would have undertaken a full investigation into all aspects. What a load of nonsense! What a load of crass, shallow, political nonsense!

MR SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Smyth?

MR SMYTH: Yes, Mr Speaker. Chief Minister, when will you tell the people of Canberra the full story of what happened on 18 January?

MR STANHOPE: The full story? From whose perspective? Which full story? Each of us has a full story on the day. Which particular part of the full story do you want, Mr Smyth? Just tell me. Which part of the full story?

MR SPEAKER: Order! I have heard enough of the story. If we're going to have any more interjections, we might as well dispense with the right to ask questions. You really have to remain in your seats and listen to the answers to these questions. The interjections so far have been just outrageous.

Children's plan

MR HARGREAVES: My question is to the Minister for Education, Youth and Family Services. It concerns the Stanhope government's commitment to community

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