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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 10 Hansard (24 September) . . Page.. 3616 ..

MR SPEAKER: You are just going to go into the things that concern you personally, Mr Stefaniak.

MR STEFANIAK: This does. I will just remind him of a couple that occurred while he was here. Mr Stanhope, these are just two things. I was responsible for increasing the number of indigenous workers in the department of education. I am not going to go through everything. I will just give you two examples to show how wrong you were. You might remember indigenous literacy rates-

Mr Stanhope: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: this is not a personal explanation.

MR SPEAKER: Mr Stefaniak, just resume your seat for a moment. If Mr Stanhope does not have a point of order, you may continue, Mr Stefaniak, but confine yourself to the personal, all right?

MR STEFANIAK: I am confining it to the personal.

MR SPEAKER: And do not joust across the chamber.

MR STEFANIAK: No, Mr Speaker, I just intend to make two points. I am not even going to make a speech about it, and I could. Mr Stanhope, just to give the second of the two examples I mentioned, you may recall indigenous-

MR SPEAKER: Direct your comments through me, Mr Stefaniak.

MR STEFANIAK: I am sorry, Mr Speaker-and you may recall, Mr Speaker, that indigenous literacy rates were, I think, 67 per cent about four years ago. The year after that, under my stewardship, they had risen to 88 per cent. I just give those two examples to refute the arrant nonsense the Chief Minister went on about-which I find personally insulting and I am sure other members of my party do as well-in relation to indigenous people.

MR SMYTH (Leader of the Opposition): Mr Speaker, I also seek leave to make a personal explanation under standing order 46.

MR SPEAKER: Please proceed.

MR SMYTH: Last night, the Chief Minister said, during the MPI:

Here we have it, in this amazing speech given by Mr Smyth at his conference, that 24 new inquiries are to be conducted by the Liberal Party over the next 10 months.

Mr Speaker, I have not initiated 24 inquiries at all. The Chief Minister is wrong. What we announced was that we would be delivering 24 action plans.

Answers to questions on notice

Question Nos 843 and 844

MR PRATT: I want to pursue two outstanding questions on notice, please, Mr Speaker.

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