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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 2 Hansard (26 February) . . Page.. 478 ..

Mr Berry: You are the one who announced the review.

MR HUMPHRIES: The review that Mr Berry has just referred to must be allowed to proceed. I indicated on Monday that any incident like that which occurred last week is viewed with the utmost seriousness by this Government. I can assure members that the processes will be reviewed and any issues addressed quickly. In the meantime, the Ambulance Service will continue its process of training and recruiting officers to run the fifth crew on a full-time basis. We are supportive of the service in that endeavour.

MR WOOD: Mr Speaker, I seek leave to make a short statement following Mr Humphries's invitation.

Leave granted.

MR WOOD: Mr Humphries, no doubt following an approach, apologised to a family for any distress they may have suffered following an incident we have been pursuing this week involving ambulances. If indeed there has been distress, as there has been, I am as sorry as Mr Humphries that there has been that distress. I might point out, by way of amplification, that I made no specific comment on any one incident until Mr Humphries himself had done so.

Mr Humphries: It is in your press release, Bill - 21-minute response.

MR WOOD: Mr Humphries made a comment to cameras. Subsequent to that, I issued a press release; but I share the view of Mr Humphries. I think he stepped carefully and I believe I stepped carefully to avoid making this a political football.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I need to make a personal explanation.

MR SPEAKER: Proceed.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I understand from what Mr Wood said that the press release he referred to was in response to a general release we put out about the fifth ambulance service.

Mr Whitecross: To what you said on camera.

MR HUMPHRIES: I have responded to Mr Wood's press release. Before I went on camera on Capital, I was shown the release that Mr Wood had issued. My press release on this subject followed my interview with Capital, and that followed Mr Wood's press release. I suggest that Mr Whitecross check with the journalist concerned. That is the case, Mr Speaker. Mr Wood may shake his head and he might like to push different lines, but the fact is that that is what happened. The first case where this particular incident was put on the public record was Mr Wood's press release.

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