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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 7 Hansard (2 July) . . Page.. 2171 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

My office has been in touch with a couple of people in the IT industry and they are not sure that this particular Bill solves the problem and, seeing as it was brought down this morning, I have not had time to get into it. I know it is a "try and fix" Bill but we would like to have a look at it.

The Hansard then reads:

MR SPEAKER: Do you wish to debate the issue?

MR QUINLAN: I cannot say until I have a look at it and find out.

MR SPEAKER: You are moving that the debate be adjourned?

MR QUINLAN: I am moving that the debate be adjourned.

Mr Corbell: It does not sound like he is going to vote against it to me.

MR STANHOPE: That is right. That is a very reasonable request by a very reasonable Opposition saying, "Look, we want to be reasonable and helpful. Can you give us a chance?". How does that discussion in the Assembly translate when it gets to the Chief Minister's Department? It translates in an email from Mr Chris O'Rourke to who-knows-whom - - -

Ms Carnell: Do not name public servants in this place, Jon.

MR STANHOPE: Well, all right then - a public servant in the Chief Minister's Department. What did he say? This person said, "Good morning".

Ms Carnell: Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order. Could Mr Stanhope please not name public servants in this place? As he has, he might like to ask for the name to be taken out of the record.

MR SPEAKER: I do not want to know names, thank you. I do not think this Assembly needs to know names either.

MR STANHOPE: I just need to read this note:

Well, we had the Bill up for debate about 6.30 last night. All appeared fine to get the legislation through retrospective from 6 May. Then Mr Ted Quinlan got up and said that the Labor Party could not support the Bill because his contacts in the IT industry believe it will not fix the problem.

Mr Quinlan said no such thing. It is simply not true. It is a matter of grave concern that public servants are writing to the private sector that Mr Ted Quinlan got up and said the Labor Party could not support the Bill. Mr Quinlan said, "Can you give me a bit of time to think about it? I need to consult". This is quite serious.

Mr Berry: It is reprehensible.

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