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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 7 Hansard (24 September) . . Page.. 2183 ..

MR MOORE: Thank you for your protection, Mr Speaker.

MR SPEAKER: That is all right, Mr Moore. I wish to draw attention to the fact that if Mr Berry insists on interjecting, saying that Mr Moore does not have some list of people, he will only provoke Mr Moore to deny it. Mr Moore might like to wind up his answer.

MR MOORE: Mr Speaker, I am conscious of standing order 118(a).

Mr Stanhope: Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order on that direction you just gave. Really, Mr Speaker, if there is any provocation here I do not think you can overlook the provocation by Mr Moore of Mr Berry in the way in which he is answering this question. For you to single out the Labor Party and to leave Mr Moore's provocation unremarked upon is simply not even-handed, Mr Speaker.

MR SPEAKER: I am asking Mr Moore to wind up his answer, Mr Stanhope, because I think it has gone on long enough.

MR MOORE: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am conscious of standing order 118(a), Mr Speaker, but I would like to draw your attention to a precedent. In the previous sitting week of this Assembly, Mr Berry was asked a question which he took more than 20 minutes to answer. The precedent is there. As I recall, Mr Berry said quite a range of things that were anything but relevant. The point I was making, Mr Speaker, is that it is fine for me to have a go at Mr Berry and Mr Berry to have a go at me. We have been doing that for donkey's years. I do not have a problem with that at all. What I do have a problem with is the way Mr Berry has made it his practice to vilify public servants. I have said to Mr Stanhope, "I will show you the names of the people. You ought to show some leadership and ensure that when questions are considered in Caucus Mr Berry's questions are not about public servants". Mr Speaker, only in the last couple of days I believe I - - -

Mr Berry: Did you consider sacking him or not?

MR MOORE: It seems to me - - -

Mr Berry: Did you talk to the Chief Minister about it?

Mr Hird: I take a point of order, Mr Speaker.

MR SPEAKER: Sit down, Mr Hird. There is no point of order. Mr Moore is coming to the end of his answer.

MR MOORE: I am indeed coming to the end of it, Mr Speaker. Of course I am willing to speak to nurses. I make an effort to go to the hospital and talk to nurses on the ward so that I can understand what they are saying. Often I find about a third of them, depending on the ward, are very keen about the way the union is conducting its business. The other two-thirds I often find have a very different view. I am aware that a number of nurses have resigned or been considering their resignation from the Nursing Federation over the last little while. In spite of all that, and in spite of a significant number of misrepresentations, I am willing to speak to the Nursing Federation. I am always willing

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