Page 1105 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 29 May 2007
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Minister, why have you decided to plant the trees in the arboretum despite the worst drought? How much water are you using from the lower Molonglo water quality control plant, and at what cost?
MR STANHOPE: I thank the member for her question. The difficulty with questions like this that are based on false statements is that it is really difficult for ministers to respond to questions that contain falsehoods, such as Mr Seselja’s just did, suggesting that I had just said that I would be in Canberra during an estimates week. I have never said any such thing. Then we have this question: “You have planted trees against advice. You have just advised the Assembly that you will no longer proceed to use the bore.” That is pure fiction. I did not say that I would be in Canberra that week. At no stage have I said that. It is just not true; it is false.
It is difficult to answer questions based on these falsehoods. We have just had a question, the preamble to which said, “You have just advised,” in question time today, presumably, “that you will not proceed to use the bore.” Who else here remembers me saying in question time today that I had just announced that we were planting trees against advice and that I had just announced that we would not use the bore? Who else in this chamber remembers or recalls me saying any of the three things that have just been attributed to me, the three falsehoods that have preceded questions? It is impossible for ministers to answer questions based on lies.
Mrs Dunne: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Mr Stanhope just called Mr Seselja and me liars.
MR SPEAKER: I don’t think he did.
MR STANHOPE: I did not.
Mrs Dunne: He said that he could not answer questions based on lies. That is tantamount to saying that Mr Seselja and I are liars.
MR SPEAKER: It is fair to draw your attention to the imputation. I ask the Chief Minister to withdraw that.
MR STANHOPE: The Hansard stands, of course, and I would be happy to review the Hansard. If Mrs Dunne is standing up now to say that she did not lie, I would be happy to review the Hansard now and to come back—
MR SPEAKER: Chief Minister—
MR STANHOPE: after I have reviewed it and move a substantive motion. I withdraw it for the time being. I will review the transcript.
Mr Smyth: No, no, no, that’s not the form; it’s withdraw. You were ordered to withdraw.
MR SPEAKER: It is withdrawn.
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