Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 5 Hansard (25 August) . . Page.. 1295 ..

MR CORBELL: He also asked about the status of the lease of the Bolton farm called Hillview. Mr Humphries answered that. The point is that there is no confusion. There is no issue that Mr Humphries did not answer all of the questions or only answered part of the question that Mr Kearney asked him and, therefore, he did not answer all of the issues about land at all. There is no confusion about that because, quite clearly, Mr Kearney asked him about all of the land associated with that development. He quite clearly asked about that and Mr Humphries chose not to answer all of it. That is the reality, Mr Speaker. I seek leave to table that document because I think it demonstrates quite clearly that is not the case, as Mr Humphries put to him.

Leave granted.

MR CORBELL: Mr Speaker, in conclusion, the decision you have to make tonight is this: The Government's action was either deliberate or it was reckless. Those are the terms of the motion put forward by Mr Stanhope. If you do not believe that it was deliberate, you have to ask: Why did they continue to say it when it was quite clear that advice from them and to them showed that they were aware of the status of the leases? Why did they continue to do it? Why did they continue to argue a proposition which was fundamentally untrue? When it comes down to it, they are responsible. As Ministers, they are responsible. They are responsible for the actions of their public servants. They are responsible for the activities of this Government. If this parliament cannot say, "That is not acceptable behaviour", and issue the censure that should be issued against them, it is a sad state of affairs in this Territory when these sorts of things go past unnoticed. I urge members to support this censure motion.

MR SPEAKER: Mr Quinlan, I think, wishes to make a statement under standing order 47.

MR QUINLAN: I do. Mr Speaker, I do believe that I heard Mr Humphries quote me as saying that at best he and the Chief Minister had acted recklessly. My terminology, I recall, this morning - - -

Mr Humphries: No, I said Mr Stanhope had said that. That is what Mr Stanhope said. You said it was deliberate or reckless.

MR QUINLAN: Let us get it on the record that my terminology this morning was that at absolute minimum they were reckless. I find this little event quite astounding in a debate when we are talking about misleading the Assembly.

MS CARNELL (Chief Minister and Treasurer) (5.56): I seek leave to speak again, Mr Speaker.

Leave granted.

MS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, if we are talking about misleading this Assembly, I think that Mr Corbell just did that on more than one occasion in his speech and I cannot believe that he would have meant to do that. He made comments that after "three months of intensive questioning" finally this Government admitted that Mr Whitcombe did not hold all of Hillside - Hillview, I should say - except that all of the questions - - -

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .