Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 8 Hansard (7 August) . . Page.. 2465 ..

MR HUMPHRIES: You can attack lawyers if you want, Mr Stanhope, but the fact is that that advice is good advice. You tell me where it is wrong and I will take it up with the people who commissioned it, namely, Totalcare.

Mr Stanhope: It does not apply to the point. Actually do that-get advice on the point.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, Mallesons is one of the premier national, indeed international, firms of lawyers in-

Mr Stanhope: They didn't advise on section 16 (4), did they?

MR HUMPHRIES: If you think they gave the wrong advice, you get up and tell me why it was the wrong advice.

Mr Berry: Mr Speaker, on a point of order: I just want to know whether the Chief Minister will table the documents.

MR SPEAKER: No, you want to know a little more than that.

Mr Berry: And I want to know-

MR SPEAKER: You are being inhibited by some of your colleagues' constant interjections.

Mr Berry: In particular, giving consent pursuant to sections 16 and 25. I think he has told us he does not know.

MR SPEAKER: The minister is well aware of the question, thank you.

Mr Berry: It is under what provision? Will he table the documents?

MR SPEAKER: Sit down, Mr Berry.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I will take on notice the question of whether there was an approval required, an approval sought and what approval was obtained. If there was an approval given, I will certainly table it.

Despite its narrowness, the question ranged over a number of things. I want to put on record that the advice received from Mallesons was, as far as I can determine, quite sound advice; and the process used by Totalcare was, as far as I am able to determine, entirely within the law. If Mr Berry wants to continue to run around arguing that Totalcare or the government or the minister has broken the law, I suggest he substantiate those claims rather than simply make them in the random way that he has done today.

MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, I ask a supplementary question. By chance, did the Chief Minister perhaps notice in the context of this question the failure of the government to comply with the same section of his legal advice, which states:

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .