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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 5 Hansard (11 May) . . Page.. 1528 ..

Mr Hargreaves: I did not.

Mr Berry: No, he did not. Mr Speaker, may I just refer to that and I will give you the full quote?

Mr Humphries: Let me finish, please. I am in the middle of a point of order, if you don't mind.

MR SPEAKER: Order! Just a moment.

Mr Berry: Mr Humphries uses as a reference point-

MR SPEAKER: Order! Just a moment. Mr Humphries is explaining. You can talk in a moment.

Mr Humphries: Mr Hargreaves withdrew inferences from his comments when they were originally made. I am asking Mr Berry to withdraw inferences being taken from the same words, the very same words. Mr Speaker, put another angle on this. If we are to say that what is quoted in a report is not subject to standing order 54 or 55 merely because it is quoted, then what is to prevent any member saying about any other member, "This person is a child molester," putting it in a dissenting report to a committee report, have it put on the table in the Assembly and then quote from it, knowing that-

Mr Corbell: Oh, come on, Gary.

Mr Humphries: No, it's a good point, Mr Speaker.

Mr Corbell: It is pathetic.

Mr Humphries: If you quote from something, somehow it is given immunity it does not enjoy by being said originally by the original member. What is to stop someone from getting unparliamentary words onto the record by use of this device and not be able to have them withdrawn? Absolutely nothing, it seems to me, Mr Speaker. Absolutely nothing.

Mr Corbell: They have never been ruled as unparliamentary.

Mr Humphries: So the original member can make the statement and might have to withdraw it, but another member can quote it and get away with making the statement, and it can then be reported in the media.

Mr Stanhope: Not if it is unparliamentary.

Mr Humphries: It can be reported in the media. Mr Speaker, it is clearly unparliamentary to use those words, even in a quotation, and I ask that they be withdrawn.

MR SPEAKER: Mr Berry, did you want to speak?

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