PAROLE BOARD

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg) (15:03): Mr Speaker, I have a supplementary question, also to the Attorney-General. Why is the Attorney continuing to ask the chair of the Parole Board to be responsible for this decision when he well knows that she did not chair the panel that made the recommendation for release?

The Hon. M.J. ATKINSON (Croydon—Attorney-General, Minister for Justice, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (15:03): Ms Nelson seems to have a clearer vision of her responsibility than does the member for Bragg. Ms Nelson has said that, as chairman of the Parole Board, she accepts responsibility for each and every parole decision, and she has gone into the public arena to argue with the government about the merits of this parole decision. Ms Nelson believes the decision to release Shane Andrew Robinson is correct and the Rann government believes it is wrong. We have been having a public debate about it, and I am surprised at how sooky sooky la la the opposition has become about this public debate.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.J. ATKINSON: Apparently, it is intimidating and threatening, and something that the opposition cannot cope with, that I say it might be time—

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. M.J. ATKINSON: —for some new members of the Parole Board. Well!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: On a point of order, Mr Speaker, the member for Bragg is obviously not in high spirits today, but to refer to the Attorney-General as a coward is unparliamentary, and I ask that it be withdrawn.

Ms CHAPMAN: I am happy to withdraw, Mr Speaker.

The Hon. M.J. ATKINSON: All through my career in politics, the context in which I have met Ms Nelson has been at the races. I understand that she is a very proficient rider of horses and that she hunts to hounds, something I admire greatly.