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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 14 Hansard (11 December) . . Page.. 4716 ..

MR MOORE (continuing):

interesting to hear what is the perspective of other members. If, indeed, a majority of members feel that I am not correct in my interpretation, then I would have to support Mrs Carnell's amendment. But I believe that it is redundant and I believe that it is unnecessary. I am happy to knock it off, provided that I feel that the other members of the Assembly accept my interpretation that she can complete that expressions of interest exercise. It just cannot go any further than that.

MS TUCKER (3.55): I agree with Mr Moore that we do not need to have this amendment at all. I have accepted the meaning that Mr Moore has put on the original words. So, we will not be supporting this amendment.

MR HUMPHRIES (Attorney-General) (3.56): As I understand the words that Mr Moore imports into the motion, it is possible to complete the expressions of interest process but not to actually take any decision that would have the effect of selling or disposing of the buildings. The Assembly can impute any words it wishes to the document, and I suppose that what the Assembly expresses around this room in this debate is more important than the words that are actually passed. But I would have thought that the words to be actually passed are that "the Government withdraw any action aimed at the sale or disposal of the Moore Street Health Building", implying that something has happened up until now which needs to be withdrawn from.

Mr Moore: We do not know what the action is or is not, but we know that the action is aimed - - -

MR HUMPHRIES: But the Chief Minister, in her speech, has told people what the action is.

Mr Berry: Trust me!

MR HUMPHRIES: No. She has told people what the action is. She has told them what has been done so far, in her speech, most of which, with respect, neither Mr Moore nor Ms Tucker actually heard.

Ms Tucker: She said that she was looking for smart ideas.

MR HUMPHRIES: She said lots of things, Ms Tucker, which you were not here to hear.

Mr Moore: Excuse me. I was the one that called the quorum when you were not here.

MR HUMPHRIES: I know, but that was because you came in and nobody - I was here at the time.

Ms Tucker: I was just sitting there. I was listening.

MR HUMPHRIES: You were not listening. You were talking to the Clerk. You were talking to lots of people.

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