

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 4 Hansard (30 March) . . Page.. 1288..

MR SPEAKER: Order! You should take a look at standing order 118A, especially paragraph (c), even paragraph (b).

Mrs Dunne: You can ask for an explanation, but you never get an explanation. The minister's response is always, "I'll look into it."A minister never comes back into this place and gives an explanation.

MR SPEAKER: I do not want to debate the issue with you, Mrs Dunne, but it is open to you to move a motion without notice, if that is your wish, at the conclusion of the explanation-or lack of it, I expect.

Mrs Dunne: In that case, Mr Speaker, I move that the ministers who were asked for explanations today as to why questions have not been answered give an explanation. I give them until the close of business tomorrow.

MR SPEAKER: You will have to seek leave to do that.

Mrs Dunne: I seek leave.

MR SPEAKER: You can move such a motion. In the case of the question to which I think you are referring-a question Mr Pratt asked of Mr Wood-Mr Pratt would have to move the motion.

Mr Wood: Mr Speaker, to shorten the process, I did say from my seat, I believe, that my memory tells me that it is a very complicated, long and detailed question and it will take some time to answer. There are a great number of questions and there are occasions when a question is such that it would be either long to answer or, in fact, too long to be able to give a response. That is my suggestion to satisfy Mrs Dunne of what the question is about. Next time, I will stand up in my seat and give that explanation.

MR SPEAKER: That would be good. Is there any further business arising out of that? No.


Mr Speaker presented the following paper:

School crossings in the ACT-Resolution of the Assembly of 11 February 2004-Copy of letter from Mr Wood (Minister for Urban Services), dated 15 March 2004.

Executive contracts

Papers and statement by minister

MR STANHOPE (Chief Minister, Attorney-General, Minister for Environment and Minister for Community Affairs): Mr Speaker, for the information of members, I present the following papers:

Public Sector Management Act, pursuant to sections 31A and 79-Copies of executive contracts or instruments-
