House debates

Wednesday, 14 June 2006

Personal Explanations

3:38 pm

Photo of Kim BeazleyKim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

Photo of David HawkerDavid Hawker (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Does the Leader of the Opposition claim to have been misrepresented?

Photo of Kim BeazleyKim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

Twice, Mr Speaker.

Photo of David HawkerDavid Hawker (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Please proceed.

Photo of Kim BeazleyKim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

I was misrepresented once by the Treasurer and once by the Leader of the House. The Treasurer in an answer to a question suggested that I and the opposition—but I specifically—intended to impose French and German industrial legislation on this country. That is simply a lie. The second misrepresentation came from the Leader of the House, in which he suggested that I was soft on drugs. Mr Speaker, I am not; I am for solutions. It would be as silly for me to say that he was soft on drugs because he supports the free needle program.

Photo of David HawkerDavid Hawker (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition will not debate his point.

Photo of Kim BeazleyKim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

He distributes free needles, Abbott does.

Photo of David HawkerDavid Hawker (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat.

Photo of Kim BeazleyKim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

That is to keep people alive. That is our intention too.

Photo of David HawkerDavid Hawker (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition has made it clear where he has been misrepresented.