Robert McClelland (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) 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?

Robert McClelland (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes.

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

Please proceed.

Robert McClelland (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Earlier in question time, the Minister for Foreign Affairs suggested that I advocated or favoured a downgrade in the influence of the United States in our region. That is not the case. Insofar as he sought to refer to a newspaper article, from which he did not accurately quote, I seek leave to table my statement in response to that article. I can indicate for the benefit of the House that I am engaged in ongoing correspondence with that newspaper regarding their professionalism and propriety in the way they published that material.

Leave granted.

Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a personal explanation.

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

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, on two occasions by the Treasurer during question time.

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

Please proceed.

Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

During question time the Treasurer said that the Labor Party would not have a tax policy for the next election. We will; I have said so. I seek leave to table those remarks.

Secondly, today in question time the Treasurer claimed, as he has on previous occasions, that I said the $600 family tax benefit supplement had no monetary value. This is incorrect. In the run-up to the 2004 election, I said that the $600 family tax benefit supplement would be clawed back from families. I seek leave to table the government’s legislation and memorandum for the family assistance legislation amendment which was introduced after the 2004 election.

Leave not granted.

The purpose of the legislation was to restore indexation.

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

Order! The member must show where has been personally misrepresented.

Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have been misrepresented because they introduced legislation after the election to restore the value of the payment which they were stripping away.

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

The member has made his point. The member sought leave to table another statement. Was leave granted for the earlier one?

Peter McGauran (Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No.