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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 09 Hansard (Thursday, 19 August 2004) . . Page.. 3978 ..

In response to the comments by Jacqui Burke, I can confirm again for this Assembly that I have not received a copy of the public interest disclosure. I did not receive it in April; I did not receive it in January; and I did not receive it in February, March, May, June, July or August. I do not know how much clearer I have to be on that.

In response to answers to questions in the Assembly where I said I was not aware of a public interest disclosure, that is true. Those answers are correct. As I have not seen the public interest disclosure, I do not know the details of the allegations it might contain—although, from the fact that the issue is in the public domain, I can assume it is to do with repairs, maintenance and procurement solutions with Totalcare and the department of education. I can assume that.

I am satisfied with the procedures that were put in place at both school and department level in the handling of the incident at Gowrie. I remind members that, at the moment, all allegations remain unsubstantiated. There is a process in place to deal with them. My answers in relation to this public interest disclosure matter have been correct. I have told the truth at all times. If Mrs Burke can prove that I have not done so, then I would call on her to table any information she has received to indicate that I have had a copy of the public interest disclosure—that I have seen it, read it and that it was sent to me in the first place.

Mrs Burke: It must have been the department—not being advised.

MS GALLAGHER: Prove it, Jacqui! You are a dangerous woman.

Mrs Burke: Mr Speaker, I wish to raise a point of order. I would ask the minister to withdraw her statement that I am a dangerous woman.

MS GALLAGHER: I am happy to withdraw it, Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Thank you, Ms Gallagher.

MS GALLAGHER: It is true, though.

Mr Smyth: On the point of order, Ms Gallagher cannot withdraw it and then say that it is true.

MR SPEAKER: I do not think I can order her to withdraw it, either. I do not know in what context she described her that way, but I cannot order her to withdraw that.

Legislative Assembly—proceedings

MRS DUNNE (6.14): As you know, Mr Speaker, it is my custom from time to time to end the sitting by offering some reflections on the nature of the debate. I have to say that, this week, we reached some new lows. The Chief Minister, in particular, alternated between what I suspect he thinks of as a Clint Eastwood style of monosyllabic frowning and compulsive coprolalia.

Yesterday in question time, apart from a few low-grade personal insults of the standard kind, self-congratulatory references to dulcet droning tones, references to “big eyes”—

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