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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 10 Hansard (28 August) . . Page.. 3367 ..

MR MOORE (continuing):

Detainees' access to the telephone at the Belconnen Remand Centre is becoming a greater problem as detainee numbers increase. The BRC and Quamby management met with NEC recently to canvas options to install a new telephone system that will service both facilities and will provide a more efficient system to manage the flow of calls to and from these centres. These efficiencies are expected to result in improved access to the telephone for residents of the centres. A model of delivery has been developed and is under consideration.

The detainee in question received a visit from a friend on 19 August 2001. Mental health staff also visited him on 20 and 21 August to prepare a court report. On the day in question, 22 August 2001, the detainee attended court. He was refused bail. In the afternoon, upon returning to BRC, he received two telephone calls and made a call himself. None of these calls were with his brother-in-law. The next day, 23 August 2001, the detainee made a formal request not to receive any further incoming phone calls or visits.

Personal explanations

MR QUINLAN: In relation to question time, Mr Speaker: Mr Humphries, in one of his answers, referred I think to my advice to him that the public accounts committee had determined that the evidence taken at an in-camera hearing would be authorised for publication. May I table a letter to Mr Humphries dated 17 August? I would, with your indulgence, Mr Speaker, go one step further and say I have even written a personal note on this to say I understand that at least one press reporter may push the envelope shortly. Let me assure the Assembly-

Mr Humphries: So you knew before you wrote to me if that was the case.

MR QUINLAN: Wait for it. May I assure the Assembly that the press reporter I was referring to is not the press reporter who authored the story in the paper the following day. I seek leave to table that letter.

Leave granted.

MR QUINLAN: Thank you. I present the following paper:

MR HUMPHRIES (Chief Minister, Minister for Community Affairs and Treasurer): Mr Speaker, I take a point of order. Mr Quinlan made an inference about me in question time. There was a clear implication that someone in the government, as a result of receiving a letter from Mr Quinlan on 17 August, had leaked the information to the media about what had gone on in that confidential committee hearing. Now, Mr Quinlan has tabled a letter which concedes that when he wrote the letter to advise me of the committee's decision he made reference in the letter itself to the fact that the media-

Mr Corbell: Is this a point of order?

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