Personal Explanation

ACCESSIBLE TAXI SERVICES

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg) (15:56): I seek leave to make a personal explanation.

Leave granted.

Ms CHAPMAN: Today during the grievance debate the member for Mawson made two assertions. The first was that 'they'—referring to the personnel providing the services for access cabs—'deserved to be attacked', asserting that I had done so during a contribution to that debate. I state to the house that at no time during my contribution did I in any way attack those people providing that service. Indeed, as the member for Mawson said, these are people who need to be commended for the service that they give. I made a very clear statement about the lack of contribution of the government in providing the extra service that is necessary for all of the unmet need in that regard.

The second matter that the member for Mawson made an allegation about, in relation to his contribution to those on the disabled and ageing during the day, commendable as that may have been, was to shout words to the effect, 'Well, what were you doing on Christmas Day?' I sought at the time that there be an apology for that. I say to the house that it had been made very clear during my contribution exactly what I was doing on Christmas Day. Given that I was unable to arrange for my grandmother to visit my mother as she sat in the Mary Potter Hospice, I remained with her until she died on Christmas night. If that is not good enough for the member for Mawson, I do not know what is.

The SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Bragg. I will re-read the Hansard, and I thank you for your explanation.