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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 3 Hansard (23 March) . . Page.. 682 ..

MR SPEAKER: Order! This is question time, not a debate.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, knowing Mr Hargreaves' propensities in this area, I would say that, yes, he would do exactly that. Mr Speaker, what I have done is put the issues fairly and squarely before the ACT community and the stakeholders, as I mentioned, in a fair and open manner. What more can I be expected to have done?

MR SPEAKER: Do you have a supplementary question, Mr Hargreaves?

MR HARGREAVES: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I apologise to the Chief Minister for being so quick to my feet. The Attorney-General is so sure that his process was so lilywhite that I ask him whether he is aware - and he should be, from my information - of the email sent under the name of Mr M.J. Palmer, Commissioner of Police, to all police stations in the ACT, as I understand it, indicating, to quote from a document that I am happy to table if members desire:

It is important to me that all members and all personnel understand that the comments do not result from any consultation or communication with me or my office or reflect my personal or professional views.

Where is the lilywhiteness?

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, as it happens, I have to put on the record that I have discussed the question of separation from the Federal Police on several occasions with senior officers of the Australian Federal Police, including the Commissioner, Mr Palmer. That is the case.

Ms Carnell: And with the Minister.

MR HUMPHRIES: And with the Federal Minister; in fact, both Federal Ministers, both Mr Williams and Senator Amanda Vanstone.

Ms Carnell: And I have had discussions with the Minister.

MR HUMPHRIES: Indeed. We have all had those discussions. And I have had them with Mr Palmer as well. If I might attempt to provide some explanation of what Mr Palmer has written there, he may be asserting that there was no particular consultation - - -

Mr Hargreaves: You just said Mick Palmer is a liar.

MR HUMPHRIES: If you will listen to me for a moment, Mr Hargreaves. He may be asserting that there was no particular consultation about the text of my speech prior to Friday's graduation ceremony. On that score, yes, he is absolutely right, there was not any discussion with him about that. But what I said in my speech on Friday was not new. Nothing was said in that speech which has not been said on several occasions in the past.

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