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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 11 Hansard (6 November) . . Page.. 3717 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

would like to go to a school, or that they have been invited. As I think I said on Tuesday, Senator Lundy on a number of occasions has visited a number of schools and advised that she has been invited to do so, and during school times I think that is quite appropriate. In terms of an actual protocol, the department is looking into that just to see what has occurred in the past, so that that can be taken into account.

MS McRAE: Mr Speaker, my question was: Why does not the Minister write to us, to MLAs, rather than us finding out from bureaucrats what the rules may or may not be? Do you really think that schools need to be protected from politicians? In that case, what are you doing about candidates?

MR STEFANIAK: Ms McRae, it is probably timely, now that we are coming up to an election, to revise what exactly should occur in relation to that, and the department is doing that. Ms McRae, as far as I am concerned, if people - members or candidates - have a reasonable cause, and it is reasonable for them to visit a school, I personally do not have a real problem with that; but there are protocols which need to be observed. I think it is important that they are observed.

MRS LITTLEWOOD: Mr Speaker, my question is to the Minister representing the Chief Minister. Has the Minister seen a media release issued by the Leader of the Opposition, whingeing Wayne, that the ACT is being disadvantaged by Mrs Carnell's attendance at both the - - -

Mr Whitecross: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. You have previously ruled on numerous occasions in the past that members in this place should be referred to by their title.

MR SPEAKER: Correct. I uphold the point of order.

MRS LITTLEWOOD: I shall start again, Mr Speaker. My question is to the Minister representing the Chief Minister. Has the Minister seen a media release issued by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Berry, saying that the ACT is being disadvantaged by Mrs Carnell's attendance at both the Health Ministers Conference and the Council of Australian Governments meeting today? Minister, is it true that the ACT is being disadvantaged?

MR HUMPHRIES: I thank Mrs Littlewood for her question. Unfortunately, the answer is yes, I have seen Mr Berry's press release. I have tried to square them off. I made a new year's resolution not to read any more of Mr Berry's press releases, but unfortunately they have a strange compulsion about them which makes them impossible to stay away from. This particular press release headed "ACT Disadvantaged by Carnell's Absence at Health Ministers Conference" has to be put into the rather large category of bizarre press releases that have come from the typewriter of Mr Berry.

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