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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 14 Hansard (9 December) . . Page.. 4724 ..

MR WHITECROSS: Chief Minister, will you now explain the circumstances leading up to and subsequent to your accident on the Federal Highway on Sunday, in order to put an end to the confusion surrounding the contradictory reports of this incident over the past two days?

MRS CARNELL: Thank you very much; it would be with great pleasure. I understand that this question is probably out of order, Mr Speaker, on the basis that questions do have to relate, as I understand it, to ministerial duties. Equally, I am very happy to answer the question.

Mr Whitecross: Mr Speaker, was not Mrs Carnell driving a car issued to her as Chief Minister at the time?

MR SPEAKER: Order! Just a moment.

Mr Humphries: Mr Speaker, Mrs Carnell has indicated that she is prepared to take the question.

Mr Whitecross: That is right. She should not have debated it.

MR SPEAKER: The Chair is not in a position to judge whether or not the question is in order. Standing order 114 says:

Questions may be put to a Minister relating to public affairs with which that Minister is officially connected, to proceedings pending in the Assembly or to any matter of administration for which that Minister is responsible.

Similarly, House of Representatives Practice states that Ministers are not required to answer questions that include anything of a private nature that is not related to the public duties of a Minister. The Chair is in a predicament at the moment because I really do not know what the circumstances are. However, if the Chief Minister - - -

Mr Whitecross: The Government owns the vehicles.

MRS CARNELL: That is why I am happy to answer.

MR SPEAKER: Just a moment. If the Chief Minister wishes to make a statement on this, she is at liberty to do so.

MRS CARNELL: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I am very happy to do this. If it helps members, I can run through again what I have already told the police and the media. Mr Speaker, on Sunday I attended an official function at Madew's winery near Lake George. It was the annual Chief Minister's XI cricket match that is run every year in aid of CAPO for the arts community in Canberra. Significant dollars are raised every year as a result of this match. I was at the match from about 9.30 am to 4.30 pm.

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