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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 11 Hansard (10 December) . . Page.. 3480 ..

MR SPEAKER: I uphold that point. The preamble was an attack; that is true. Please just explain, Mr Quinlan.

MR QUINLAN: Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Chief Minister said, "Mr Quinlan said the report was a contrivance". Yesterday, in the course of the debate, I said, in some manner or form, that the Chief Minister's timing of the tabling of that report, her capacity to read from typed notes of that report, was a contrivance. I was, in fact, referring to the Chief Minister when I used the term "contrivance".

MR SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr Quinlan.

MR STANHOPE (Leader of the Opposition): Mr Speaker, I rise to speak on the same issue in relation to the extraordinary and very precious attack by the Chief Minister on - - -

MR SPEAKER: No, I am sorry; once again you are erring. Just a moment. I quote:

Having obtained leave from the Chair, a Member may explain matters of a personal nature, although there is no question before the Assembly; but such matters may not be debated.

MR STANHOPE: Thank you, Mr Speaker. The suggestions that I had in some way engaged in an attack on the Auditor-General are simply unsubstantiated. I wrote to the Auditor-General. I raised a number of issues with the Auditor-General and I asked the Auditor-General for a meeting. Mr Parkinson and I spoke about the matter today. We had a very pleasant exchange of pleasantries. We have arranged to meet next week. We will discuss the issues I raised, all very serious issues, and it staggers me that the Government is not interested in these issues of substance. It is not a bit interested.

Mr Humphries: Did you apologise to him?

Ms Carnell: Did you apologise?

MR STANHOPE: I have nothing to apologise about, unlike the Chief Minister in relation to her absolutely appalling attack and the continuing appalling attacks on the Australia Institute, the authors of that report, and each of the referees. It was an absolutely disgraceful and cowardly attack by the Chief Minister on those most eminent academics.

MR SPEAKER: Sit down. You have made your personal explanation.

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