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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 10 Hansard (Thursday, 26 August 2004) . . Page.. 4327 ..

MS GALLAGHER: I have gone back and had a look, just to make sure, because I do not want to be tripped up by the opposition. I would not want to give them that on the last sitting day! The question asked of me alluded to a specific allegation—and asked was I aware of a public interest disclosure on that matter.

Mrs Burke: The knowledge of it.

MS GALLAGHER: My answer was correct. I was not aware of that matter.

Mrs Burke: Not of the matter; the knowledge of it.

MS GALLAGHER: Yes, I am extremely happy with the way my department keeps me informed of all matters to do with education in the ACT. In the last month the opposition have focused on a very tiny area of the education department. They cannot put their minds to the whole education portfolio; they are focusing on one area. My department keeps me briefed on a whole range of matters, Mrs Burke.

Mrs Burke: Why didn’t you know, then?

MS GALLAGHER: It is a very busy department servicing probably every family in the ACT, in one way or another. I am constantly briefed on them. The standard of advice coming from that area is of the highest quality; we have excellent relationships with them. So all of my answers in relation to this matter have been correct.

Mr Stanhope: I wish to raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Mrs Burke, in her question today, quoted from documents that were quite obviously illegally obtained by her. I just wonder whether you might—

Mr Smyth: That is an imputation, Mr Speaker. He should either move a substantive motion or he should withdraw.

Mr Stanhope: No. Mrs Burke is quoting from documents that were not authorised for release to the opposition. They are government documents which were not authorised for release to her. Under the Crimes Act these documents were quite obviously illegally obtained. They were not authorised for release to the opposition.

MR SPEAKER: Chief Minister, come to your point of order.

Mr Stanhope: My point of order is whether it is appropriate for documents that the opposition has illegally obtained to be utilised within the parliament.

MR SPEAKER: Order! I rule on standing orders, not on the law.

Mr Smyth: Mr Speaker, I wish to raise a point of order. There is an imputation that they were illegally obtained. The minister should either substantiate that or withdraw.

MR SPEAKER: I did not hear an imputation that anybody in here had illegally—

Mr Smyth: He said that the opposition has illegally obtained them.

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