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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 5 Hansard (15 May) . . Page.. 1293 ..

Ms McRae: She did not answer my question, for heaven's sake.

MR HUMPHRIES: That is your opinion, Ms McRae.

Ms McRae: The question was asked.

MR HUMPHRIES: I know that it was asked, but the fact is that if you do not like the way the answer was given - - -

Ms McRae: The question asked for the letters.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, if those opposite do not like the way in which these things are done, they should give proper notice and have the debate conducted within the light of a motion we can all see. We have not seen Mr Berry's motion. Presumably, he has it there in front of him. Presumably, it was drafted some time ago.

Mr Berry: No, I have not even - - -

MR HUMPHRIES: What? You have not drafted it yet?

Mr Berry: I moved to suspend so much of standing orders as would prevent me from moving a motion in relation to this matter.

MR HUMPHRIES: That is right. Where is the motion?

Mr Berry: You will hear it as soon as we suspend standing orders.

MR HUMPHRIES: That is it, Mr Berry. Again we have been told that you want to suspend standing orders in order to move a motion that we are not allowed to see yet. As a matter of principle, I object to that. We should be able to see this motion before we go to the stage of this sort of debate.

MR BERRY (3.33), in reply: The motion is extremely simple, and I am sure that Mr Humphries's intelligence is quite capable of grasping it. The motion that I intend to read is: That Mrs Carnell be required to table the letters which she referred to in her response in question time yesterday. I think even you understand that, Mr Humphries. Mr Speaker, this is an issue which has been afoot at question time for the last couple of days in this Assembly. It is something which has been the subject of an inquiry in which certain answers have been given about which certain impressions have been created by the Government. It is time that all the facts came out so that we fully understand exactly what is going on. That is why I sought leave to move this motion in the first place, and that is why I am forced now to move a motion to suspend so much of standing orders as would prevent me from moving the motion. I urge members to support the motion.

Mrs Carnell: Now I have Hansard.

Mr De Domenico: The uncorrected proof Hansard, for heaven's sake.

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