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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 12 Hansard (19 November) . . Page.. 3742 ..

Mr De Domenico: What is the motion?

MR BERRY: It is pursuant to standing order 118A. I am involved in the debate in relation to that motion. The motion, Mr Speaker, was that this Assembly take note of the paltry explanation, as I recall. What we need to do is draw attention to the Government's attitude problem in relation to answering questions.

Mrs Carnell: I take a point of order on the grounds of relevance, Mr Speaker.

MR BERRY: This is another example of a government that will not answer questions.

MR SPEAKER: This is nonsense. Pardon me.

MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, the fact of the matter is that the Government has, pursuant to - - -

Mr Humphries: Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order. The motion Ms Horodny moved relates to a particular question which was asked on 25 September and not answered by 25 October as required by standing order 118A. That is the debate before the Assembly. Mr Berry does not know anything about that question. He does not even know what the question is about, but he wants to get into the debate and have a go at other things. That might be his prerogative in the adjournment debate. It is not his prerogative in the context of this debate about this particular question that was asked.

MR SPEAKER: I uphold Mr Humphries's point of order. It seems to me that this debate is getting totally out of control. A very simple question, a reasonable question and a question that could be asked under standing orders, was raised by Ms Horodny. Mr Humphries has undertaken to find out why the question was not answered within the 30 days.

MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order.

MR SPEAKER: What I am saying is that this debate is getting right out of control.

Motion (by Mr Kaine) negatived:

That the question be now put.

MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, this is an issue about Ministers who will not answer questions - - -

Mrs Carnell: Mr Speaker, you just ruled on that. You ruled that it was not relevant, Mr Speaker.

MR SPEAKER: Relevance, Mr Berry. It is not a question of Ministers not answering questions.

MR BERRY: It is about Ministers not answering questions within the 30 days required pursuant to the standing orders.

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