House debates
Wednesday, 24 November 2021
Statements
Personal Explanation
3:20 pm
Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I seek leave to make a personal explanation.
Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Does the Leader of the Opposition claim to have been misrepresented?
Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I do.
Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The Leader of the Opposition has the call.
Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Today in question time the Prime Minister said:
I'm so pleased that we didn't have to rely on the opposition during the pandemic, because we wouldn't have got the results.
I refer to the Prime Minister's own statement of 10 December 2020 when he said in parliament, 'I thank the opposition for their support in ensuring that was made possible,' when the changes to the legislation went through. And the Treasurer, on 26 August 2020, said:
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the opposition for the constructive approach they have taken to progressing this legislation through the parliament swiftly to provide certainty to Australian businesses and employees.
The fact is that it was only because the opposition cooperated with the government that the parliament was able to sit and that any of that legislation was carried, which all went through this parliament with the opposition's support.