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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 3 Hansard (10 April) . . Page.. 866 ..

MR SPEAKER: He is not debating it. A member may explain matters of a personal nature.

Mr Berry: Mr Humphries is not explaining a matter of a personal nature. He is attempting to defend his performance as a Minister after a motion has been passed on a matter that was discussed in a debate in which he had an opportunity to make a contribution but failed to do so. He should not be allowed to use this standing order to extend his rights further than the standing orders allow.

MR SPEAKER: I do not uphold the point of order.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I have a point of order as well. You have now three times ruled on exactly the same point of order taken by Mr Berry. It is appropriate that Mr Berry accept your ruling or move dissent from the ruling. He continues to take points of order when you have clearly ruled, having heard his eloquent or otherwise arguments in favour of his point of order. I suggest that he should be warned that he will be named if he keeps raising the same point of order on which you have already ruled.

MR SPEAKER: I uphold that point of order. Mr Berry, I have three times explained this. Mr Humphries is well aware of the limitations of standing order 46. He has not breached those to date. He has not said very much at all, because other people keep taking points of order all the time.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, as is my right under standing order 46, I want to respond to some criticism by Mr Whitecross of my performance as a Minister. The criticism was of a delay in producing a response - - -

Ms McRae: You should have done it in debate, Mr Humphries.

MR HUMPHRIES: I am not entering the debate. I was criticised. Standing order 46 allows you - - -

Ms McRae: You should have done it in debate. That is what debate is about - criticising Ministers.

MR HUMPHRIES: I have not read the report. The report has just been tabled. I have not seen the report before now.

Ms McRae: You should have defended yourself then.

MR HUMPHRIES: I have only just seen the report. It is a report that goes for 15 pages. I cannot read 15 pages in five seconds. I did hear the comments made by Mr Whitecross and I intend to respond to them. The fact is, as Mr Whitecross suggested, that there was a delay in the provision of information to Mr Whitecross's committee subsequent to a request to supply information about the position of court fines being collected within my department and within agencies within my department.

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