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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 5 Hansard (9 May) . . Page.. 1291 ..

MR MOORE (continuing):

of a safe injecting room. That will happen. Because we are actually encouraging addicts to move from East Row to the QEII site, the site of the Junction Youth Health Centre, there is probably going to be a need for some minor work associated with that as well. We are going through the process now of determining exactly what is needed, what is desirable and what would be fantastic but we probably cannot afford.

Ms Carnell: I ask that all further questions be placed on the notice paper.

MS TUCKER: Pursuant to standing order 46, I seek leave to make a personal explanation.

MR SPEAKER: Leave is granted. Proceed.

MS TUCKER: Mr Smyth chose to read out in full the statement from Mr Gower, the president of the Gungahlin Community Council, which basically implied that I had tried to, I think, cause political interference in the committee process. I am not really quite sure what Mr Gower was saying, but I would like to explain that in fact I did invite the pastor from Gungahlin to speak to me because I was interested in understanding what her concerns were. There is no way it was political interference. It was actually an attempt to consult and understand the concerns of Ms Hopkins, I think her name is, who had expressed some fairly strong views on the issue and was supporting a letter that was circulated from Mr Gower calling on residents of Gungahlin to take a particular line, which is of course his right.

I was interested to understand why particular statements had been made. I would like to be quite clear that that was the intention of my inviting Ms Hopkins in to speak to me. She at no stage said she thought it was inappropriate. She was happy to come and speak with me. The meeting was amiable and I think I need to make that quite clear. I think it was a bit disappointing that Mr Smyth chose to read out the statement without actually asking me for my side of the story.

MR SPEAKER: Very well.

MR STANHOPE (Leader of the Opposition): Mr Speaker, I seek leave to make a personal explanation.

MR SPEAKER: Leave is granted. Proceed.

MR STANHOPE: On two issues, actually.

MR SPEAKER: Right.

MR STANHOPE: I echo the sentiments expressed by Ms Tucker in relation to Mr Gower's press release. Mr Gower felt the need, for reasons that escape me, to defame me in his press release as well. I am really impressed by the attitude which the Gungahlin Community Council have adopted in relation to their attempts to win friends and influence people!

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