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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 5 Hansard (14 May) . . Page.. 1203 ..

Ms McRae: Mrs Carnell, that was not my question. Answer the question.

MRS CARNELL: I am sorry. It is exactly what I am answering, Ms McRae.

Ms McRae: No. Mr Speaker, may I repeat the question? She is not answering my question. I asked a very specific question. I want in writing a copy of what offer was made from the Commonwealth. Not only is this answer in Hansard here but a similar answer is in the Hansard of Mr Townsend's evidence when he appeared before Mr Moore's committee, when he said categorically that the Commonwealth was not involved in the Kingston clean-up. There is a very specific question. I want her to answer it.

Mr Humphries: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. This is a speech; it is not a question.

MR SPEAKER: I uphold the point of order. Continue to answer the question, Chief Minister.

MRS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, I was explaining to Ms McRae why there is no way that offers could be made either way at this stage, simply because if you do not know, No. 1, what the contamination is - - -

Mr Berry: Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order. The question is very clear. It said:

When did the Commonwealth indicate its commitment to cleaning up Kingston and what was the offer made?

That is what we want. We want to know when and what.

MR SPEAKER: And the Chief Minister is answering the question.

Mr Berry: Would Mrs Carnell provide copies of the letters?

MRS CARNELL: Ms McRae just quoted my press release which said that decontamination was part of further negotiations.

Ms McRae: And then I quoted a second press release, Mrs Carnell.

MRS CARNELL: That is very much the case, as it has always been. The reality of contamination is - - -

Mr Kaine: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I am not clear at the moment whether it is Ms McRae who is asking these questions or whether it is Mr Berry. Is this a free-for-all where everybody gets to ask the question?

MR SPEAKER: Mrs Carnell is answering them.

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