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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 3 Hansard (8 April) . . Page.. 728 ..

Mr Kaine: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: The member clearly referred to a letter which it now seems was tabled in a committee but not authorised for publication. He cannot have his cake and eat it. If he is referring to it and quoting from it, then he should be able to table it.

Mr Berry: Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order. There are no questions before the chamber. Can we move on to the next item of business in accordance with the standing orders?

Mr Kaine: I will put a question to the chamber if you wish me to.

Mr Berry: Go for your life.

Mr Kaine: Mr Speaker, I formally move that the member table the document to which he referred in question time today.

MR SPEAKER: I am advised by the Clerk that under standing orders you are not free to move the motion now. It should have been done at the conclusion of Mr Corbell's statement. Nevertheless, standing order 243 gives the committee power to authorise publication of any evidence given before it. I suppose that is therefore a matter - - -

Mr Berry: We are happy to have the debate right now, if you like. Suspend the standing orders, Trevor, and go for your life and we will get stuck into you.

MR CORBELL: Mr Speaker, with your indulgence again, I seek to clarify the issue. I did approach the committee chair, Mr Hird, to have this letter authorised for publication, and he said that he would not support such an authorisation.

Mr Kaine: You should not be quoting from it, then, should you?

MR CORBELL: Mr Speaker, I seek leave to make a personal explanation.

MR SPEAKER: Leave is granted. Proceed.

MR CORBELL: Mr Speaker, the questions that were initiated in question time today by the Opposition were - - -

Mrs Carnell: You cannot debate the issue.

MR CORBELL: I will get to the point, Chief Minister. The Minister has asked me why I asked the questions; then he has asked for the letter to be tabled. The questions related directly and specifically to information presented verbally by Mr David Marshall. Mr Marshall, in the evidence he presented verbally, referred to a letter that he wrote to the chief executive of the Canberra Business Council, Mr Denis Page. He said in his letter that he was concerned and he said that he had written this letter because he was concerned about some of the comments made by the Federal Minister for Tourism, Mr John Moore. He said that he had sent that letter not to you, Minister, but to Mr Denis Page so that he, and not you, could raise it with the Minister for Tourism and the Prime Minister.

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