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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 5 (Hansard) 16 May) . . Page.. 1376 ..

MRS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, I will finish very briefly. I think it is important to finish this answer by making it clear that neither the Commonwealth nor the ACT has given any guarantees about any decontamination of the Kingston site, since it simply would be foolish to do so until we know exactly what is there. However, the Commonwealth clearly has responsibility for Commonwealth land and the ACT clearly has responsibility for ACT land. The Commonwealth has recognised these responsibilities in discussions to date. They exist under legislation. As we now go down the path of having a proper look at contamination on the site, we will be able to enter into negotiations on how the clean-up, if there is a need for a clean-up, is continued.

MR BERRY: I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker, that might assist Mrs Carnell in answering the question. Mrs Carnell said that she had never changed her position that the Commonwealth has undertaken to negotiate its share of the clean-up bill when the cost is known. That is untrue, Mr Speaker. Everybody has made these sorts of comments; that is untrue. All of these are untrue. There was an exchange of letters; that is untrue.

MR SPEAKER: Order! Would you mind asking your supplementary question without a preamble.

MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, Mrs Carnell's own code of conduct for her Ministers sets a standard for Ministers who mislead this Assembly. It says that the ultimate - - -

Mr De Domenico: Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order. I suggest that Mr Berry be invited to withdraw once again. He is impugning Mrs Carnell by saying that she is misleading the Assembly. Would Mr Berry kindly sit down, Mr Speaker?

MR SPEAKER: Mr Berry, would you withdraw those comments?

MR BERRY: I have not made any imputation, Mr Speaker. I am - - -

MR SPEAKER: You have. You have not even asked a supplementary question. All we have had so far is a diatribe.

MR BERRY: The supplementary question is: Mrs Carnell's code of conduct for Ministers sets a standard for Ministers who mislead the Assembly. It says that the ultimate sanction for a Minister who misleads is to resign or to be dismissed.

MR SPEAKER: Order! I rule the supplementary question totally out of order.

MR BERRY: On what grounds?

Mr Humphries: Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Could I suggest that that is a little bit hasty? You really ought to allow the supplementary question but warn Mr Berry that if he chooses to ask a question about misleading the Assembly when he knows that he is not to make such a suggestion - - -

MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, I have lost interest, in the face of this rabble.

MR SPEAKER: Very well.

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