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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 7 Hansard (27 June) . . Page.. 2030 ..

MR HUMPHRIES: I am not going to sit down. It is my right to speak in this place and I will finish my remarks, if you do not mind very much. Mr Deputy Speaker, the fact is that we have a disagreement about the words that were used. The only safe way of dealing with that situation is to see what words were used. The words that were used will appear in Hansard. Mr Berry's motion will be not less relevant tomorrow than it is today and it would give us all a chance to judge what was the nature of the comments, the context in which they were used and the way in which they were said, rather than relying on Mr Berry's recollection of what was said. I do not know whether other members of this place heard Mr Moore say these particular things or recall exactly what words he used. I would like to know what he actually said. I am sure we all would. That would therefore be a better basis on which to have the debate that Mr Berry wants to have.

MR MOORE (Minister for Health and Community Care) (4.37): Maybe I can help resolve this issue, which is a silly debate over some minor words. Mr Deputy Speaker, what I certainly intended to say and what I believe I said was that the report I tabled showed that the statements were patently false. Should I have said that it says that they were patently false, then I withdraw that. I do not believe that I did say that; but if that is what I said, I withdraw it and I apologise to the Assembly. But my recollection is that I said that it shows that the statements were patently false.

Indeed, in my reply to Mr Stanhope before this matter was even brought up, I clearly illustrated that that was the intention of what I was saying, that I believed that the report shows that those statements-I identified them; that the delay in the theatre resulted in the death and that it was my fault-were patently false. I tried to put it across that the report shows that and demonstrates it. If I did use the word "said"-I do not believe that I did-I am happy to withdraw it and apologise for that inaccuracy.

The Assembly voted-

Question so resolved in the affirmative.

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