Mr RIGGALL(10.30 p.m.) —- Last Wednesday night in the course of the adjournment debate I made certain remarks about the manner in which the tender process for the Australian Securities Commission data processing centre had been handled. I made it quite clear that I was critical of the Attorney-General (Mr Duffy) for allowing the tender process to be reopened because of unreasonable political pressure. I strongly maintain that, if the Attorney-General had not done so, the matter would have been completed by now to the satisfaction of the Australian Securities Commission and its staff who are employed in my electorate.

However, in the course of my speech I made some remarks that may have been interpreted as reflecting on the firm of Baillieu Knight Frank and its role in the tender process. Baillieu Knight Frank is a well regarded and highly respected group of professionals in the real estate sector and it was not my intention, nor is it now, to suggest that it had acted in any way improperly or unethically. To the extent that I did so, I unreservedly withdraw any such remarks or inference.