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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 4 Hansard (28 March) . . Page.. 1072 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

I guarantee you, would conflict with this one. I am making a suggestion, a valid point. If you table legal advice in this place and expect us to accept it as gospel, I think that it is relevant to know the nature of the relationship of the principals or of the company. How much work do Minter Ellison get from the ACT government? They get a lot. They have done a fair bit of other work. They have actually represented members of the government, have they not?

I am not impugning the reputation of the two gentlemen who provided the advice, not at all, but I am entitled to ask whether they have been appointed by this government to any board. Is Russell Miller or Neal Parkinson on any board? Have they ever served on CTEC? Have they ever served on any other government board or instrumentality? It would be interesting to know that. That is the point I am making.

Mr Osborne: What were those names again?

MR STANHOPE: Russell Miller and Neal Parkinson. I do not know them, but I think that it is relevant to ask whether these characters have been appointed to boards at any particular stage.

MR SPEAKER: The member's time has expired.

MR STANHOPE: So there is an issue there around conflict of interest.

MR SPEAKER: I said that the member's time has expired. Would you like an extension?

MR STANHOPE: Just a short one. I just want to make a point. No, I will not.

Ms Tucker: I take a point of order, Mr Speaker. I draw your attention to standing order 55 and ask for Mr Rugendyke to withdraw his comment about my intention to slur the people involved in this discussion. I would not normally respond to Mr Rugendyke's interjections as I do not think it is worth the energy, but Mr Osborne did pick up the comment and repeat it in this place. I would like Mr Rugendyke to withdraw that. If Mr Rugendyke is not aware of it, the standing order says that all imputations of improper motives and all personal reflections on members shall be considered highly disorderly.

MR SPEAKER: I was not in the chair at the time, as you would be aware.

Mr Rugendyke: I certainly withdraw those words without reservation.

MR SPEAKER: Thank you.

Mr Osborne: Mr Speaker, just responding to Ms Tucker: when I did draw the Assembly's attention to what Mr Rugendyke had said, I said that I did not necessarily agree.

Ms Tucker: Yes, I know that you did, but it is on the record that he said it. That is why I had to respond.

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