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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 05 Hansard (Thursday, 13 May 2004) . . Page.. 1797 ..

north-west edge of the ACT. While we were there some Emergency Services vehicles drove up and out got Jon Stanhope, Mike Castle and a number of other people.

The caller then continued to chat about the fires 12 months earlier that had gone from Red Hill down to near the mint. This information came directly to me and not via anyone else. I have not discussed this with anyone else until disclosing it today. Should anyone seek to imply otherwise because, as I learned just this morning from the radio, the opposition has received similar information, then I say categorically that that person will be a fool and a slanderer.

I have not taken any account of the opinions of others while I worked steadily through what facts I could find. I have reached my own conclusions independently. I said when I became an independent that I would assess matters on their merits. That is what I have always done, and that is what I have done in this case.

This examination of the facts has shown up what I would term a passive attitude in the Chief Minister towards his duty and responsibilities at the time of the January 2003 fires. I have concluded that, at least on occasion, he failed to do what I would have expected a leader to do. It saddens me to say it, but I find that, when he was needed, he was lacking in the qualities needed in such circumstances. I therefore seriously question his suitability for the position he holds. Therefore, Mr Speaker, I must uphold the principle of accountability and, with reluctance, follow my conscience and support this motion.

Sitting suspended from 12.34 to 2.30 pm.

MR PRATT (2.32): Mr Speaker, it is with careful consideration that I rise today to express my concern, dissatisfaction and loss of confidence in the Chief Minister as a result of his failures to recall important information that has ultimately led him to mislead the Assembly and the community. Overall, the performance of the Chief Minister from December 2001 to May 2004 has been questionable. His transparency with both the Assembly and the community has been questionable; his leadership during the January 2003 bushfire disaster was dubious; and his memory obviously leaves much to be desired.

I believe that it is the duty of all MLAs, especially the Chief Minister as the leader of the government, always to ensure that integrity, honesty and accountability are exercised. My belief is reflected in the ministerial code of conduct that was released by the Chief Minister on 12 February 2004. This code of conduct states:

All Ministers are to recognise the importance of full and true disclosure and accountability to the Parliament. Under the ACT’s Westminster-style system, the Executive Government of the ACT is answerable to the Legislative Assembly and, through it, to the people.

MR SPEAKER: Order, members! There are too many conversations going on. Mr Pratt has the floor.

MR PRATT: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have considered this section of the code of conduct very carefully and related it back as best I can to the information that has been on record from the January 2003 bushfire disaster. I have asked myself if I truly believe

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