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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 7 Hansard (19 June) . . Page.. 2029 ..

Elsewhere he says:

I wonder then, if it is not a cloak of confidentiality, what cloak it is that Labor hides behind in refusing to put on the table information concerning the literacy and numeracy performance of children in ACT schools. I wonder what particular criterion of public interest-

Mr Berry: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: Mr Humphries is reflecting on a debate in the Assembly. There was a debate about league tables and Mr Humphries is reflecting on that debate.

MR SPEAKER: I was not aware of that. To the best of my knowledge, I do not think Mr Humphries has mentioned league tables.

Mr Berry: Mr Speaker, if I can assist you. He reflected on that debate by way of some comments he made in relation to Labor's reluctance-and I paraphrase what he said-to put on the table information about school and student performances. That is a reflection on the debate we had last week about league tables.

MR SPEAKER: I do not believe that it is.

Mr Berry: What have I got to do to convince you?

MR SPEAKER: I have made the point that Mr Humphries did not reflect on the Assembly debate. He may have made a comment about the Labor Party but that is hardly the Assembly.

Mr Stanhope: You lost that one, Gary.

MR HUMPHRIES: That is a matter for the electorate in October, Mr Stanhope. Mr Speaker, I am not reflecting on the division in the Assembly.

Mr Stanhope: He lost the debate last week.

MR SPEAKER: Order! Do not reflect on a previous debate, please, Mr Stanhope.

MR HUMPHRIES: I will reflect on what is clearly a groundswell of support by ACT parents for information about the performance of schools and students to be on the table. I have no doubt at all that openness and accountability in government extend also to openness and accountability in education.

Mr Berry: Mr Speaker, if I can assist you with your apparent deafness on this subject: this minister-

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