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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 8 Hansard (9 August) . . Page.. 2730 ..

MR SPEAKER: No, indeed.

Mr Humphries: But the third dot point is the relevant dot point. The assertion made in this motion is that Mr Stanhope rose to his feet and claimed to remember proceedings, and that that recollection of proceedings was inconsistent with the Hansard which showed the words that were used. He claims, Mr Speaker, as I indicated in my presentation speech, that he was discussing me. But, Mr Speaker, he made reference to a "condescending, bloody woman". So the clear implication of this motion is that Mr Stanhope also fibbed, lied, was dishonest. Whatever you want to say about it, that is the clear implication of that motion. If members are unclear about it, then I am happy to amend the motion to make that quite explicit. That is clearly the implication of the motion, Mr Speaker.

I quote again from the third dot point:

... claimed to remember the proceedings well enough to aver that Mr Quinlan had not made the remark;

The next dot point reads:

that an examination of the audio recording of proceedings clearly reveals that Mr Quinlan did make the remark recorded in the draft Hansard;

He was either seriously mistaken or he told a lie. Mr Speaker, in the circumstances of this motion, it is quite clear we are alleging that he told a lie.

MR SPEAKER: The word "lie" does not appear in the motion. Mr Smyth, please withdraw the word "lie" and continue with your dissertation.

MR SMYTH: I have already withdrawn the word "lie".

MR SPEAKER: Thank you.

MR SMYTH: If you wish me to withdraw the word "dishonest", which appears in the motion, I will do so.

The point here is that this is the pair that purport to lead the alternate government, and yet they have left a permanent stain on the record of their Assembly by this groundless attack and the use of the words "condescending, bloody woman". This is the body that represents the women of the ACT. Yet we have the comment "condescending, bloody woman" being made and then a denial that it was made. It is quite clear on the audio recording that it was said. The alibi was offered that it was not recalled. They both should be censured; they both deserve to be censured.

Mr Humphries: Mr Speaker, I seek a clarification of your ruling. Are you ruling that the word "lie" needs to appear in the motion if it is used in respect of something said by another member, or are you saying the use of the word "lie" is unparliamentary under any circumstances at all?

MR SPEAKER: I will report on that shortly.

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