Cory Bernardi (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a brief personal explanation as I claim to have been misrepresented.

Leave granted.

I thank the Senate. It is incumbent upon senators to use facts and truth in their contributions to this place. I regret that one of our senators has once again fallen short in this regard, and that was Senator Hanson-Young in question time today. In question time today, she purported to quote me as saying: 'The family of young Aylen, who tragically drowned along with his brother and his mother, are not legitimate refugees, and the European crisis is simply opportunistic migration.' To put it simply, that is not a direct quote from me. It is merely Senator Hanson-Young's distorted view and interpretation of my remarks yesterday. Senator Abetz belled the cat in response to that question.

I add that Senator Hanson-Young and others who have sought to twist and distort very factual remarks by me have only responded with slurs and abuse rather than challenging any of the facts that I have put on the table. At no time did I say that all migration going on in Europe at the moment was opportunistic. I said the challenge for us is to distinguish between opportunistic persons and those in genuine need of humanitarian aid.

It is incumbent upon everyone to speak correctly in this place, rather than trying to score cheap political points. Accuracy is probably more important.