Page 3054 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 17 October 2007
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MR PRATT: An explanation; an explanation under standing order 46.
MR SPEAKER: As long as it is—
MR PRATT: I do not need leave. I just want to make a statement, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Well, you will need leave from me.
MR PRATT: In which case, Mr Speaker, I seek leave.
MR SPEAKER: Have you been misrepresented in some way, Mr Pratt?
MR PRATT: Correct, Mr Speaker. The Chief Minister, in this last little debacle of a debate, indicated that I have been running around the ACT stating that I had “unimpeachable evidence” going to the heart of the claim that he had committed certain offences. Mr Speaker, that is not correct. The explanation of these circumstances is this: having been advised by a senior official that there strong allegations about a secret surveillance matter in the Department of Territory and Municipal Services, I put out a press release which stated that, given the strong allegations made about such matters and the strong allegations that the Chief Minister had participated in that approval process, the Chief Minister should confirm or deny that such things had happened. That was the nature of the press release. That is the nature of the things that I have said about this matter. Given the strong allegations from the sources about this matter, the Chief Minister was asked to confirm or deny.
MR SPEAKER: Resume your seat. You have made the point.
Mr Stanhope: I deny it, Mr Speaker, and I have done it on a number of occasions. I guess I will keep on having to do it because Mr Pratt chooses not to believe or accept my denials.
Mr Pratt: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: are we still continuing with a debate?
MR SPEAKER: No, we are not.
Anti-Poverty Week
MR STANHOPE (Ginninderra—Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Business and Economic Development, Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Minister for the Environment, Water and Climate Change, Minister for the Arts) (3.52): I seek leave to move a motion concerning Anti-Poverty Week.
Leave not granted.
Suspension of standing orders
Motion (by Mr Stanhope) put:
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