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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 9 Hansard (18 November) . . Page.. 2626 ..

MR HARGREAVES: I make this personal explanation for the benefit of Mr Hird, who I know is absolutely beside himself seeking accurate information regarding the clear-up or lack thereof of sharps on City Hill.

MR SPEAKER: I am still waiting.

MR HARGREAVES: What I wish to do, Mr Speaker, is to run through the chronology of events which I think have been portrayed - - -

Ms Carnell: Mr Speaker, on a point of order - - -

MR SPEAKER: A point of personal explanation.

MR HARGREAVES: A personal explanation.

Ms Carnell: But he cannot debate the topic, as we know, in any way, or, for that matter, run through chronologies of events.

Mr Berry: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: There is no debate ensuing. This is a personal explanation.

MR HARGREAVES: Mr Speaker, I do not wish to debate the issue.

MR SPEAKER: You are aware of the personal explanation provisions, Mr Hargreaves.

Ms Carnell: You can say where you have been upset, but that is all.

MR HARGREAVES: Mr Speaker, I will take the Chief Minister's advice and very gratefully accept it. I am very upset, in fact, that the Minister has advised the Assembly about events which were not, in fact, the case. I would like to make an explanation to the Assembly of what happened so as to clear up that issue. In fact, what occurred was this: On the morning of, I think, 1 November I received a call advising me that there were bags full of syringes, both unused and used, on City Hill. Indeed, I was also told that the hotline people or somebody had been and done a clear-up. I was very happy with that. However, I visited the area that afternoon, just to acquaint myself with the area, and found five - - -

Ms Carnell: You went for a bit of a walk on the hill, did you?

MR HARGREAVES: I walked on the hill, indeed. Unlike you, Chief Minister, I do not walk on water.

MR SPEAKER: Order, please! It has got nothing to do with walking on water. You visited City Hill.

MR HARGREAVES: I found five of these needles there. Mr Speaker, I did indeed contact the hotline the next day. I did not give my name instantly, and I accept this as a criticism. Initially, I did not give my name because I did not want the person there to feel in any way threatened about my call. When I satisfied myself that that was not

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