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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 1 Hansard (21 February) . . Page.. 144 ..

MR WHITECROSS (continuing):

We would not be having this debate now if Mrs Carnell had the dignity, the grace and the humility to admit that it was a dumb, provocative, stupid thing to do in the first place and to apologise to this Assembly, to the community and to the union members concerned for having tried this stunt on in the first place. The only reason why we are still talking about this is that Mrs Carnell sits over there completely unrepentant, completely unapologetic for ever having pulled this on in the first place. That is why we are here. There is an industrial dispute going on out there because Mrs Carnell does not know how to be humble; Mrs Carnell does not know how to admit that she has made a mistake; Mrs Carnell does not know how to compromise; Mrs Carnell does not know how to speak the truth.

Mr Humphries: Mr Speaker, on a point of order - - -

MR SPEAKER: Withdraw that. The inference is there.

MR WHITECROSS: Mr Speaker, I withdraw that. Mrs Carnell says that her withdrawal of this threat this morning was an act of good faith. That was what she said this morning. Let us examine this act of good faith. By her own admission, she decided this at 9.40 am. Mr Moore was lucky - - -

Mr Moore: I said that I got a copy at 9.42.

MR WHITECROSS: Last night?

Mr Moore: No; this morning.

Mrs Carnell: Didn't I tell you "last night"?

MR WHITECROSS: Mrs Carnell is now saying that she decided it last night. I thought I heard her say this morning that she decided at 9.40 this morning.

Mr Moore: She said that she signed it at 9.15 this morning.

MR WHITECROSS: There you go. We are playing with words. She decided it last night; she signed it this morning. Mr Moore was lucky enough to get a copy at 9.42 am. Members on this side of the house were not lucky enough to get a fax; we were lucky enough to get a cc:mail close enough to 11 o'clock, well after the debate had started. Mr Berry got to his feet, moved a motion and spoke to the motion. Mrs Carnell, knowing that this motion was on the paper and knowing that this motion was about to be debated, sat there dumb, saying nothing. Mr Berry got to his feet, moved the motion and spoke to the motion. At no stage did she say, "Just for the information of the house, I want to let you all know that I have withdrawn my threat and the threat no longer applies. This morning at 9.15 I signed a piece of paper. For the information of members, I am letting them know that I have done that". No. Such is the contempt with which Mrs Carnell holds the procedures of the house, such is her commitment to open and accountable government, that she sat there mute and let Mr Berry move this motion and speak to it.

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