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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 14 Hansard (9 December) . . Page.. 4740 ..

MRS CARNELL (continuing):

That has become less regular with better bed management, with budgets in Health that are on track, and with a reduction of some 25 per cent in waiting lists. There will be times when we take intensive care patients from other parts of the region, and there will be times - hopefully, very irregular times - when our patients need to go to another hospital. That is just good management and it ensures that our patients will always get the best possible care.

I ask that all further questions be placed on the notice paper.

Mr Humphries: Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order. During question time Mr Corbell was trying to ask a question which was later ruled out of order. I understand that he made a comment to the effect that the Chief Minister deliberately avoided a breath test knowing she was over the limit, or words to that effect.

Mr Whitecross: No, he did not say that. He asked a question.

Mr Humphries: That is my advice. That is what I have been told. If Mr Corbell will rise in this place and assure me that he did not make any inference of that kind or like that, I will be satisfied; but if he did make an inference like that it is clearly highly improper. The fact that it is couched as a question does not make it any less of an inference or an imputation. I would ask Mr Corbell, if he did make such an imputation, to withdraw it.

Mr Corbell: Mr Speaker, I made no such accusation. It was a question.

Mr Humphries: Mr Speaker, on that matter, standing order 117 says in paragraph (b) that questions shall not contain imputations. The clear explanation of the word "imputations" within a question is that a matter does not become any less an imputation because it is asked in the form of a question, as in, "When did you stop beating your wife?". That is still an imputation, Mr Speaker. It is still improper and it still should be withdrawn.

Mr Corbell: Mr Speaker, I am very happy to withdraw the accusation, if one was made, although I do not believe that one was. I would be even more happy if the Chief Minister was willing to answer it in the first place. She has consistently failed to do so, and the Government has attempted to cover her up on this issue.

MR SPEAKER: You have withdrawn. If you continue to debate it, I will deal with you.

Mr Corbell: Unlike Mr Humphries and Mr Berry earlier today, Mr Speaker.

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