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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 8 Hansard (8 August) . . Page.. 2587 ..

MR HUMPHRIES: I am appealing to members of this place not to run around with banner headlines saying, "So and so public servant earns an extra $50,000" or whatever it might be.

Mrs Burke: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: I'd ask Mr Quinlan to retract his remark about the Chief Minister.

MR SPEAKER: What remark was made?

Mr Quinlan: Which one was that?

Mrs Burke: You know what it was, Mr Quinlan.

Mr Quinlan: No, you'll have to remind me.

Mr Hird: "Bloody fool". He did say "bloody fool".

Mr Quinlan: Did I call him a liar or something?

Mrs Burke: No, you know what you said, Mr Quinlan, don't-

Mr Quinlan: No, what did I say?

Mrs Burke: Mr Speaker, my hearing was correct. I heard him refer to the Chief Minister as a bloody fool. Please withdraw.

MR SPEAKER: Please do.

Mr Quinlan: Mr Speaker, I did not refer to the Chief Minister as a bloody fool.

Mrs Burke: Point of order, Mr Speaker.

MR SPEAKER: Look, I suggest we all stop being precious. If you said the words, withdraw them, Mr Quinlan. Otherwise I will deal with you. Can we get on with business, please? I don't think this is edifying to anybody outside of this building.

MR QUINLAN: I'm not having another MLA put words in my mouth. I get that from him every time I sit in this place, thank you.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, it is important that those contracts and their terms be viewed with some sensitivity in this place. It has been customary, in tabling these contracts for some period of time, that the Chief Minister of the day has asked for the sensitivity to be respected. In fact, there was a prepared statement made to me to that effect, which I declined to give because I have given it so many times before. I thought I'd save time by not re-reading the prepared statement but I'd simply make that remark in the process of tabling, Mr Speaker.

If members wish to use that information for personal aggrandisement, that is their choice. I simply say it would be a good idea not to.

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