House debates Personal Explanations

Tuesday, 29 May 2007 House of Representatives

Julia Gillard

Julia Gillard Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition

4:38 pm

Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

David Hawker

David Hawker Speaker

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Julia Gillard

Julia Gillard Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition

Yes.

Julia Gillard

Julia Gillard Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition

In question time today I was misrepresented by the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. He alleged that I had attacked the Doolan family and their motel. I refer to and repeat the personal explanations I gave yesterday and last Thursday. These allegations, as the minister well knows, are completely untrue.

Joel Fitzgibbon

Joel Fitzgibbon Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Defence

Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

David Hawker

David Hawker Speaker

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Joel Fitzgibbon

Joel Fitzgibbon Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Defence

Yes.

Joel Fitzgibbon

Joel Fitzgibbon Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Defence

During question time the Deputy Prime Minister asserted that the Newcastle coal loader was owned by the—

Mark Vaile

Mark Vaile Lyne, National Party, Deputy Prime Minister

The port.

Joel Fitzgibbon

Joel Fitzgibbon Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Defence

If you are only talking about the port and not the coal loader, what is your point? The Deputy Prime Minister asserted that the Newcastle coal loader was owned by the New South Wales government.

David Hawker

David Hawker Speaker

The member has to show where he has been misrepresented.

Joel Fitzgibbon

Joel Fitzgibbon Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Defence

I will indeed. Worse, he asserted or implied that I agreed with that point. I did not agree and I know only too well that the coal loader is owned by PWCS, which is jointly owned Xstrata, Rio Tinto and a number of other coal companies. He is attempting to blame the New South Wales

David Hawker

David Hawker Speaker

The member has made his point; he will resume his seat.