House debates Personal Explanations

Wednesday, 29 March 2006 House of Representatives

Julia Gillard

Julia Gillard Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business in the House

3:21 pm

Mr Speaker, under standing order 68 I seek leave to make a personal explanation.

David Hawker

David Hawker Speaker

Does the Manager of Opposition Business claim to have been misrepresented?

Julia Gillard

Julia Gillard Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business in the House

Yes, I do, Mr Speaker, by the Minister for Health and Ageing in question time today.

Julia Gillard

Julia Gillard Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business in the House

He claimed that in a recent speech I had stated that the Medicare safety net disproportionately favours coalition electorates whereas the electorate of Grayndler had received the most moneys under the Medicare safety net. Mr Speaker, this is not only completely untrue; it is laughable.

Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting

Julia Gillard

Julia Gillard Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business in the House

The very list released by the Minister for Health and Ageing shows that the top four electorates receiving money under the Medicare safety net are Wentworth, North Sydney, Bradfield and Warringah.

David Hawker

David Hawker Speaker

The member has finished. She has completed her personal explanation.

Wilson Tuckey

Wilson Tuckey O'Connor, Liberal Party

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order to draw your attention to the fact that the member for Lalor was debating the point in her personal explanation. While I am at it, we all know how—

David Hawker

David Hawker Speaker

The member for O’Connor will resume his seat. Member for O’Connor, I was listening carefully to the member for Lalor, albeit with some difficulty because of all the interjections, but as soon as she had completed her personal explanation she resumed her seat.