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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 3 Hansard (6 March) . . Page.. 632 ..

Public service

MR CORNWELL: Mr Speaker, my question is to Mr Stanhope in his capacity as Chief Minister and specifically as minister responsible for the assiduously working public service. Mr Stanhope, are you aware of any failure of the public service to follow due process since you took on the responsibility of Chief Minister and therefore of the public service?

MR STANHOPE: No.

MR CORNWELL: Are you aware of any appointments that have been made since you took government that have not followed due process?

MR STANHOPE: I am not aware of any appointments that did not follow due process. If you have some advice, Mr Cornwell, that an appointment has been made that did not follow due process, I would be very interested to hear about it. I have a feeling that you have more access to our mail than we do. It may be, indeed, that you know more than I do. It may be that you have been reading more of my mail than I have myself.

Mr Humphries: On a point of order: to suggest that a member has read the mail of another member is a serious allegation. It would suggest illegal conduct, and as such it would fall outside standing orders. It would be under "improper allegation" in the standing orders. I ask that it be withdrawn.

MR SPEAKER: Mr Stanhope, would you withdraw that remark.

Mr Cornwell: I would certainly like it to be withdrawn. A gentleman does not read other people's mail, Mr Stanhope.

Mr Corbell: You are not in the company of gentlemen.

Mr Cornwell: I know that!

Mr Smyth: Mr Corbell's imputation is outside the standing orders. Under No 55 he should withdraw.

MR SPEAKER: One at a time.

MR STANHOPE: Mr Speaker, I was about to withdraw what I said that aggrieved my dear friend Mr Cornwell in the way that I apparently had, which was of course not my intention.

Mr Smyth: Under standing order 55, Mr Corbell must withdraw his comment as well. He made a comment about not being in certain company and he should withdraw it.

MR SPEAKER: I did not hear it.

Mr Corbell: Mr Speaker, to clarify, I suggested that Mr Cornwell was not in the company of gentlemen, with which he agreed. But if Mr Smyth finds that offensive, I withdraw.

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