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Mr Berry: Mr Speaker, may I spice the point of order with the need for you to ensure that Mr Humphries remains relevant?

MR SPEAKER: I will most certainly do that, Mr Berry.

MR HUMPHRIES: On that point of order, Mr Speaker: Mr Connolly, in the course of his remarks, said that he wanted to see what reply he had given to the letter from Carmen Lawrence of June of last year. He said that he did not have access to that and he wanted to get access to it, and that he was going to seek that; but he was told that he could not get it unless he went through a long and complex process - they were his words, I believe - to obtain that document. I am indicating to the house, in answer to Mr Connolly's point in his speech in leading this debate, that the document will be available by Ms Follett walking out of this place and going over and seeking it in the anteroom. My comments are perfectly relevant in that respect. However, Mr Speaker - - -

Ms Follett: Mr Speaker, if I may speak on that point of order, what Mr Humphries says is true only to a very limited extent, like most of what he says. The fact is that I have previously sought documents that were provided to other members of my then ministry and have been denied them.

Mrs Carnell: They have not been denied them.

Ms Follett: I have indeed, Mrs Carnell. The reason I was denied them was that they were not my own documents. Mr Kaine knows this; I have discussed it with him in the Public Accounts Committee. The reason I was denied them was that they were not my documents. It is probably true that I could go to Mr Walker, cap in hand, and say, “Please, may I have the documents which were provided to me personally on this subject?”; but I could not go to Mr Walker and ask for Mr Connolly's documents. Mr Speaker, if I had, I have every expectation that that request would have been refused, as have other requests on similar matters. So it is a matter of Mr Humphries telling the whole truth on this subject.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I am talking about documents that were given to Ms Follett. These are briefings to you, Ms Follett.

Ms Follett: But not to Mr Connolly.

MR HUMPHRIES: No; to you, Ms Follett. These are documents that were briefed to you. Mr Connolly did not reply to the letter of Dr Lawrence’s. You were provided with briefings. They are the ones I am talking about. They are the ones you can get if you go out there right now and ask Mr Walker. Rather than laughing about it, go and get the documents. They are your documents. They were briefed to you.

MR SPEAKER: Now that we have clarified that point, continue.

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