Page 1688 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 1 May 2012
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MS GALLAGHER: without evidence and certainly it was not information that the government had at that time.
Mr Hargreaves: A point of order.
MR SPEAKER: Order, one moment.
Mr Hargreaves: Mr Hanson has interjected across the chamber that the Chief Minister had cooked the books. I would like you to ask him to withdraw it, please.
Mr Seselja interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Seselja, one moment thank you.
Mr Seselja interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Hanson: Mr Speaker, I would like to correct that. The term I used was “fiddling the books”. I think that it has been established that there was a falsification of emergency department data. I would suggest that that does constitute fiddling the books, and I therefore do not believe there is any need for me to withdraw.
MR SPEAKER: Thank you. Mr Corbell, on the point of order?
Mr Corbell: Mr Speaker, the allegation was that the Chief Minister had cooked the books. There is no substantiated evidence for that. It is a direct imputation on the Chief Minister.
Opposition members interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order! Let me hear the minister, thank you.
Mr Corbell: It suggests an improper motive and clearly that can only be dealt with through a substantive motion, and Mr Hanson should be asked to withdraw the imputation.
Opposition members interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order! Let me hear from Mr Hanson.
Mr Hanson: Mr Speaker, my comment was “you’d been fiddling the books”. It was quite clearly directed at the government and ministerial responsibility would cover the responsibilities that occurred in Health, where we know that the books had been fiddled. I think it is quite within the context of the debate this morning and also the question that was asked by Mr Seselja, which directly relates to the fiddling of the books.
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