Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 9 Hansard (28 August) . . Page.. 2705 ..

MR BERRY: Of course you would love to - I will contain myself, Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, I have been accused of frightening mothers and babies on the basis of misleading figures which were presented in this Assembly. Mr Speaker, on behalf of Mrs Carnell I apologise to this Assembly for those misleading figures because she has not had the grace to do it herself. When she said in the Canberra Times this morning - - -

Mrs Carnell: Mr Speaker, how can this be - - -

MR BERRY: Because I have had the attack - - -

MR SPEAKER: Order! I am trying to work out where the personal explanation is.

MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, I am trying to explain my personal situation in relation to this matter.

MR SPEAKER: Then do so.

MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, I am entitled to do that under the standing orders, even though it may get under Mrs Carnell's skin and therefore under yours. So, Mr Speaker - - -

MR SPEAKER: The point is that you are not making a personal explanation. So far you have talked about a heading or something that appeared in a media release. You have talked about figures that were issued yesterday or this morning or last pancake Thursday or something, but you have not explained - - -

MR BERRY: No, Mr Speaker; I think you misheard what I said. I said they were misleading figures introduced into this Assembly yesterday by Mrs Carnell. They said that there was no activity in the birthing centre, and on any assessment of that information you would have to conclude that there was nothing going on in the birthing centre. Therefore, Mr Speaker, for Mrs Carnell to claim that I have acted badly is an outrageous piece of hypocrisy because Mrs Carnell herself was the one who introduced the false and misleading information into this chamber.

Mr De Domenico: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, Mr Berry once again is debating the issue. He is turning from what is supposed to be a very standard personal explanation under standing order 46 to personal abuse of Mrs Carnell. I suggest, Mr Speaker, that you bring him to order.

MR BERRY: No, I am not.

MR SPEAKER: Mr Berry, I uphold the point of order. I can see what you are driving at. It is the method that you are using, or the route, if you like, that you are using, to make a personal explanation.

MR BERRY: Let me remap the route.

Mr De Domenico: No, no.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .