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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 12 Hansard (20 November) . . Page.. 3895 ..

MS TUCKER: I seek to make a personal explanation under standing order 46.

MR SPEAKER: Yes, proceed.

MS TUCKER: Thank you. Mr Humphries, in question time, accused me of attacking public servants. I would like to make it quite clear that what I was pointing out was that the public servants were actually getting a very difficult time in a meeting because he was not present. I had great sympathy for the plight of the public servants. I was not attacking the public servants.

MR WHITECROSS (Leader of the Opposition): I seek leave to make a personal explanation under standing order 46.

MR SPEAKER: Proceed.

MR WHITECROSS: Mr Speaker, in the course of an answer that Mr De Domenico gave to a question from Mr Kaine, Mr De Domenico suggested that the Auditor-General had said that I, and other members of the Assembly, for that matter, had wrongly drawn conclusions or opinions in question time yesterday. In relation to that matter, I simply wish to make the point, Mr Speaker, that my role and the role of my colleagues in this place in question time yesterday was to ask questions, not to draw conclusions or opinions. The difference between question time yesterday and the question today, Mr Speaker, is that today Mr De Domenico, the Deputy Chief Minister, actually answered the questions, whereas yesterday the Chief Minister, Mrs Carnell, could not answer the questions. Mr Speaker - - -

Mrs Carnell: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. That is not a personal explanation, and it is not a point of order. If saying that $485,000 had been stolen or "nicked" yesterday was not making allegations, I do not know what was.

MR SPEAKER: Okay. Everybody settle down.

MR WHITECROSS: Mr Speaker, I had not finished my personal explanation. As I indicated - - -

Mrs Carnell: Mr Speaker, it is not a personal explanation.

MR SPEAKER: I am still waiting for the personal explanation, and I will rule you out of order - - -

MR WHITECROSS: Mr Speaker, as I said, Mr De Domenico had incorrectly said - - -

Mrs Carnell: Mr Speaker, that is not a personal explanation.

MR SPEAKER: Would you mind resuming your seat, Mr Whitecross. Thank you. I call on the presentation of papers.

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