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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 8 Hansard (26 June) . . Page.. 2174 ..

MR SPEAKER: Just a moment, Mr Berry. Earlier, in question time, you wanted to make a personal explanation under standing order 46.

MR BERRY: No, I just sought leave to make a statement.

MR SPEAKER: You do not want to make one under standing order 46 now.

MR BERRY: No, I sought leave to make a statement in relation to - - -

MR SPEAKER: I am just clearing it up. You do not want to make a statement under standing order 46 first.

MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, you refused - - -

MR SPEAKER: No, I did not. I simply said, "Not yet".

MR BERRY: I was refused the opportunity. Now I wish to make a statement in relation to - - -

MR SPEAKER: Very well. Is leave granted?

Mrs Carnell: Yes.

MR SPEAKER: Leave is granted.

MR BERRY: Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Kaine: This will be entertaining.

MR BERRY: Well, that will be the first time that has happened today, Mr Kaine. If you relied on entertainment from your side you would never have got it. Embarrassment, yes. Mr Speaker, Mrs Carnell has made certain claims in relation to double-counting of surgical procedures which have been carried out at Woden Valley Hospital. These arose in the wake of information which Mrs Carnell provided to this place which clearly demonstrated that in the period of the Labor Government, on her figures that were produced and tabled in this Assembly, 2,000 fewer operations, or more than 2,000 fewer operations, were conducted by Mrs Carnell in a correspondingly equal period. That revelation, Mr Speaker, caused Mrs Carnell some humiliation because it demonstrated, aside from the $14.2m blow-out and other very difficult problems in the health system, that Mrs Carnell had another embarrassing situation.

Mrs Carnell then set out to prove that in a period when Labor was in office there had been some double-counting. Some figures were shifted around on a piece of paper. There has been no proof offered to this place, Mr Speaker, in relation to those matters.

Mrs Carnell: Do you want a briefing? You can have it any time you like.

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