House debates
Tuesday, 24 March 2015
Personal Explanations
3:12 pm
Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I seek to make a personal explanation.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The member for Melbourne will refrain for a moment. Members leaving the chamber will do so quietly. The member for Melbourne has the call.
Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The member for Dawson made—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Does the member for Melbourne seek to make a personal explanation?
Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I seek to make a personal explanation.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?
Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I claim to have been misrepresented.
Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The member for Dawson made a comment during question time, which I will not repeat, which was simply untrue.
Opposition members interjecting—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
There will be silence on my right. The member has the call.
Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
It was simply untrue. I also make the point that it was raised as a point of order. You ruled that there was no point of order. I might just note that that puts the member at a disadvantage, not being able to respond to an untrue allegation that is made about them during question time whilst broadcasting is in effect.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I call the member for Dawson.
3:13 pm
George Christensen (Dawson, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I claim to have been misrepresented.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?
George Christensen (Dawson, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Yes, I claim to have been misrepresented because the member for Melbourne has just claimed I said something untrue. All I will say is I have ears, and look how close I am to him.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I understand that the Leader of the Opposition has a matter he wishes to raise. Is it a personal explanation? Does he claim to have been misrepresented?
Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I do, most grievously—by the Leader of the House.
Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Today, during question time, the Leader of the House suggested that I asked for charges against an individual to be dropped. That allegation is completely untrue.
3:15 pm
Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
On indulgence: if I did misrepresent the Leader of the Opposition on that serious matter, I apologise for doing so. I was simply reflecting a story in The Sydney Morning Heraldwhich I am happy to table for the benefit of the parliament so that members can see the facts as they were presented by The Sydney Morning Herald.