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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 8 Hansard (20 August) . . Page.. 2919 ..

MR HARGREAVES: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. Minister, why is it that we are not surprised that the Leader of the Opposition could have got it so wrong, and probably got this one wrong, too? Minister, are we seeing a drop in the number of workers compensation claims?

Mr Cornwell: Mr Speaker, I take a point of order. The first part of the question is clearly asking for an opinion, sir.

MS GALLAGHER: No, Mr Hargreaves, we are not. Mr Smyth was wrong on that, too.

Mr Cornwell: Minister, before you begin answering the dorothy dixer, the first part is asking for an opinion, sir.

Mrs Dunne: It's out of order.

Mr Cornwell: It is.

MR SPEAKER: Minister, ignore that part of the question which asks you for an opinion.

MS GALLAGHER: In relation to the part of the question which asks whether there have been reductions in claims, there have not been reductions in claims. So Mr Smyth is wrong on that too.

Mr Stanhope: Another untruth.

Mr Corbell: Another untruth.

MS GALLAGHER: The amendments to the act include strict obligations to report any injury, however serious, and this has led to significant increases in claims as each report constitutes a claim. So whereas injuries might not be increasing, claims certainly are.

Mrs Dunne: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: this is the second time in two days that the Chief Minister has accused the Leader of the Opposition of misleading, and I want it withdrawn.

MR SPEAKER: I didn't hear that; he didn't say that.

Mr Stefaniak: Mr Speaker, I take a point of order on the use by several members of the government of the word "untruth", which I do think is unparliamentary.

MR SPEAKER: Mr Stefaniak, if one says something is untrue, that is hardly unparliamentary. We have gone through this issue before about wilful lies and all that sort of thing, and that is just not supportable and will not be accepted in this Assembly. But to say that it is unparliamentary to say that something is not factual or not true I think is stretching it a bit.

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