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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 08 Hansard (Thursday, 5 August 2004) . . Page.. 3489 ..

MS DUNDAS: Members might like to hear what I am saying.

MR SPEAKER: Order!

MS DUNDAS: The transcripts of the meetings of the Standing Committee on Community Services and Social Equity, which are on the public record, are available for people to read. Government members might have some questions that they wish to raise with the Canberra Times relating to that issue. I refer to the other quotes directly attributed to me. I said of the minister:

She can’t say that these issues weren’t raised with her because they were.

I also said:

There should have been more done in February when those concerns were put to her.

That is what I said to the reporter in question. I never claimed that the quote I read out earlier was something that I said. However, yesterday I referred to the transcripts and to what was discussed at those public hearings when I spoke to the journalist from the Canberra Times, as I did with other media outlets. At the public hearings I asked questions about the follow-up action that was being taken to help kids who have suffered child abuse. I asked what happened to them when referrals were picked up. I also asked questions about the Office of the Community Advocate referring to the lack of reporting and information flows. I hope that clears up the record.

MRS CROSS (11.30): How courageous government members are when they are in a pack, but how cowardly they are when they are on their own. They find it easy to attack an individual, even though this issue is not about Ms Dundas.

Mr Quinlan: Yes, it is.

MRS CROSS: Mr Quinlan should face the facts. She is not on trial here so get your act together.

MR SPEAKER: Mrs Cross, direct your comments through the chair. Order, Mr Quinlan!

MRS CROSS: Mr Speaker, would you direct Mr Quinlan to be quiet?

MR SPEAKER: Direct your comments through the chair and remain relevant.

MRS CROSS: The comments made by Mr Hargreaves were not surprising. He said that members of this place were “struggling for relevance”, which is like the pot calling the kettle black. Someone who will be on the backbench forever is struggling for relevance. That stupid comment has nothing to do with this issue. Everybody in this place knows that the Canberra Times does not always report issues accurately. Unfortunately, that is the only newspaper this town has and that is the paper with which we have to deal.

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