Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I say again: if the opposition is genuinely interested then it should try following the details of this, not making spurious accusations. What I said at the time, what I said in answer to the last question, what I will say now and what I will always say because it is the truth is that Mr Hodges contacted Ms Kim Sattler of Unions ACT. The Manager of Opposition Business is putting a label on her. It is not for him to label people. She is an officer of Unions ACT. Mr Hodges has relayed and she has relayed the contents of their conversation. I refer to the public statement that Ms Kim Sattler released regarding the contents of that conversation. The contents are:

I would like to make a statement about my involvement in the events of Thursday.

Tony Hodges spoke to me by phone on Thursday afternoon. He told me what Tony Abbott had said - that people should 'move on' from the Tent Embassy.

He also said that Abbott would be at an event at the Lobby that afternoon.

Other people knew that already as Tony Abbott had been spotted at the Lobby already by other people walking back from the cafe next door.

I merely passed on that information to the organisers at the Embassy in case they wished to make a statement to the media.

Following media reports, Ms Sattler issued a further statement—

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