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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 5 Hansard (14 May) . . Page.. 1217 ..

MR BERRY (continuing):

What this motion does is require Mrs Carnell to produce the correspondence she referred to in relation to this matter, for this chamber to see, and then we will be able to test Mrs Carnell's veracity in relation to this issue. There are conflicting views about the Commonwealth's responsibility. There is one about Mrs Carnell - - -

Mr De Domenico: It is all about getting Kate Carnell, is it not? Play the man, not the ball. We know.

MR BERRY: Mr De Domenico, perhaps you have not noticed, but one of the requirements of this place is that you try to give accurate information to the Assembly. What this motion seeks to do is to require Mrs Carnell to table the correspondence. If there is no correspondence, she can come back here and say, "There is no correspondence. I may have inadvertently misled you, and I am sorry". You could do it that way. Otherwise, Mr Speaker, we would like to see the correspondence which confirms the arrangement Mrs Carnell has trumpeted across the Assembly. I will leave it at that.

MR MOORE: Mr Speaker, I seek leave to say a few words on this matter.

Leave granted.

MR MOORE: I have been concerned about the way the debate has gone because I really have not had time to think through the precedent in what is happening, and I am sure that other members feel somewhat nervous. In the last few minutes, while Mr Berry was speaking, the Chief Minister has shown me a copy of a piece of correspondence which I think probably meets the concerns. Ms McRae indicates that it does not. I believe that it would be appropriate to have a little more time to think over the issue of the precedent in this matter. Although it would be quite unusual, especially having been granted leave to speak, I would suggest that the matter be adjourned.

Mr Berry: It is a bit late now. I have closed the debate.

MR MOORE: Indeed, it is correct that Mr Berry has effectively closed the debate. Members kindly granted me leave to speak before the vote. There is an issue of the precedent that I am concerned about, rather than whether or not such information should be available to the Assembly when it is requested. I think that, as a general point, it ought to be made available. Mr Speaker, they are the issues I have in front of me. If we are forced to a vote, I will cast my vote accordingly; but I think members should at least take that issue of the precedent into account.

MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, as the mover of the motion, I seek leave to speak again in response to that.

Leave granted.

MR BERRY: Mr Moore referred to the precedent this might set. It is a simple matter. It is an issue where, in this case, the Chief Minister referred to certain correspondence in the course of debate. If, on reflection and on examination of the Hansard, it is shown that she did not refer to correspondence, we will just have to cop that; but my clear

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