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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 14 Hansard (10 December) . . Page.. 4818 ..

Mr Berry: Mr Speaker, if the Chief Minister is not prepared to answer the question, she should refuse - - -

MR SPEAKER: Order! I am conferring with the Clerk. The Clerk advises me that if leave is granted by the Assembly the Chief Minister may make a statement. If leave is not granted, then of course she will not make a statement.

Leave granted.

Mr Berry: I would prefer it, Mr Speaker, if she answered the question. She has refused - - -

MR SPEAKER: I would suggest to you that you resume your seat, Mr Berry. Leave has been granted for you to make a statement, Chief Minister. You have the indulgence of the Assembly, Chief Minister.

MRS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, I would not like to answer a question that you had ruled out of order. It is interesting that Mr Berry should raise the report run on Capital TV last night. He may or may not be aware that the anonymous young men featured in the report as alleged eyewitnesses to Sunday's accident have been touting their story around most of the media outlets in town over the last three days, offering it to the highest bidder. Indeed, I have been informed today that another witness who was there just minutes after the accident saw these young men begin calling media outlets at the accident scene, trying to sell their story.

They obviously saw the chance to make some cash out of my misfortune, which I think puts them in about the same category as those opposite, who have spent the last week trying to make political mileage out of a car accident. I think this is atrocious behaviour. To my knowledge, Capital TV is the only outlet so far suckered into the scam. A number of other media outlets have displayed higher ethical standards than Capital TV, turning down the demand for payment. The Canberra Times, one of the first media outlets approached, as I understand it, have made it clear that they are not interested in paying for alleged eyewitness accounts.

I would like to place on record my thanks to the people who did stop at the accident scene on Sunday and did offer assistance, asking for nothing in return. They showed genuine concern for my welfare, and it is a reflection of the strong community that we have here in Canberra that people are willing to stop and lend assistance at an accident. A number of them have contacted my office in the past few days expressing concern about how I was faring and expressing outrage at the way the story has been treated by some sections of the media, notably Capital television.

Mr Speaker, ethics are important in politics and are important in the media. In my view, the police have the task of investigating Sunday's accident, and that is exactly what they are doing. I understand that they are taking statements from a number of witnesses, and certainly those eyewitnesses who contacted my office have been advised that they should be willing - and, I have to say, have been willing - to provide a statement to the police. It seems that Capital TV did not ask why the two young people featured last night would be demanding money for their story if they were indeed telling the truth.

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