Page 2634 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 25 August 1993
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Mr Cornwell: Or not, as the case may be.
MR HUMPHRIES: Or not. Cutbacks in community nursing have meant less service delivery in vital areas such as palliative care. During the June quarter the total number of occasions of service for community nursing in this Territory was 56,762, compared to the March quarter figure of 70,996. These are occasions of service. That is a reduction of about 20 per cent in the number of occasions of service effected by the Community Nursing Service in this Territory in the space of one quarter.
Mr Berry: Yes, but you know that you cannot measure the output by occasions of service. It is fraudulent for you to say that.
Mr Kaine: I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. The Minister clearly is trying to intimidate Mr Humphries in what he is saying. To say that what he just said is fraudulent is unparliamentary. I would ask that he withdraw it.
Mr Berry: Well, it is a fraud to say that.
Mr Kaine: He has done it again, Madam Speaker.
Mr Berry: It is fraudulent to say such things. It is fair. It is a fair statement. You cannot say that something is happening if it is not happening.
Mr Kaine: I take a point of order, Madam Speaker. I did not ask the Minister to get into a debate on the issue. I asked you to ask him to withdraw his statement that Mr Humphries had made a fraudulent statement.
Mr Berry: Well, I think he had. I did not say that he was a fraud.
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Berry, even if he had, you are not allowed to impute improper motives to people. I would ask you to withdraw that, please.
Mr Berry: Well, I think he should not make a fraudulent statement. That might be an error of judgment on his part.
Mr Kaine: Madam Speaker, is this a precedent? Every time somebody takes a point of order are we going to have a debate about it? I would like this to be a precedent if that is the case.
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Berry, I have asked you to withdraw anything that imputes an improper motive to Mr Humphries.
Mr Berry: Withdrawn.
MADAM SPEAKER: Thank you. Please continue, Mr Humphries.
MR HUMPHRIES: I thank Mr Berry for his withdrawal. Madam Speaker, ACT Health would have to be described as being in serious need of additional resources for community nursing.
Mr Berry: Demonstrate it. Put up or shut up.
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