Danna Vale (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Danna Vale (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Please proceed.

Danna Vale (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On this morning’s ABC Radio 666, the ABC said that I said that Muslim families are having too many children. I have never used those words, and I would never use those words. This is a complete fabrication on the part of the ABC.

John Murphy (Lowe, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

John Murphy (Lowe, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, most grievously.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Please proceed.

John Murphy (Lowe, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You will doubtlessly recall that just prior to question time yesterday I stated in relation to Mr Max Moore-Wilton that he should be flogged for promoting the expansion of Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport because, as an airport, it is operating very well as a shopping centre and a car park. Today Sydney Airport Corporation Ltd, Public Affairs, issued a media release titled No move on curfew, which said:

Sydney Airport is not seeking the removal of the curfew or the current 80 movements per hour cap as stated by the Federal Member for Lowe, Mr John Murphy in Parliament yesterday.

Mr Murphy is evidently basing his remarks on a media report in the Sydney Morning Herald on Thursday 9 February 2006 which did not fully quote—

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member will come to where he has been misrepresented.

John Murphy (Lowe, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have to read it out, because I have six points to make in relation to the media release. I am being scourged by Mr Max Moore-Wilton. The media release says that the Sydney Morning Herald:

... did not fully quote Mr Max Moore-Wilton’s remarks on the John Laws program on Wednesday 8 February 2006. As Mr Moore-Wilton indicated in that interview Sydney Airport operates within the framework of Federal law and that Sydney Airport has to abide by the curfew and other restrictions mandated by the Government.

Mr Murphy’s support for personal flagellation is unfortunate and typical of the negative attitude he shows to all issues relating to the development of Sydney Airport and the creation of new jobs in the region. “Sydney Airport will continue to endeavour to communicate with Mr Murphy to ensure he has a better understanding of the issues”, Mr Moore-Wilton said.

I make six points. Firstly, I did not claim that Sydney airport is seeking the removal of the curfew or the current 80 movements per hour cap at Sydney airport; I said that in relation to Mr Moore-Wilton. Secondly, I did not refer to the John Laws program, and that does not detract from the fact that the only gratuitous information conveyed to Mr Laws by Mr Moore-Wilton was the motherhood statement that Sydney airport ‘operates within the framework of federal law and that Sydney airport has to abide by the curfew and other restrictions mandated by government’.

Thirdly, Mr Moore-Wilton cannot escape the fact that he said that he was talking to the federal government about the curfew and his preference to have no curfew at Sydney airport. Fourthly, I take extreme exception to the pompous and patronising statement made by Mr Moore-Wilton about me today. Fifthly, it is Mr Moore-Wilton who has no insight into his own condition and his understanding of the issues concerning Sydney airport and its impact on my electorate. Sixthly, I will continue to whip, scourge, lash and flog Mr Moore-Wilton.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Lowe will resume his seat; he has made his point.