House debates

Wednesday, 12 March 2008

Personal Explanations

3:34 pm

Photo of Malcolm TurnbullMalcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

Photo of Harry JenkinsHarry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Photo of Malcolm TurnbullMalcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | | Hansard source

Yes, grievously, and the Prime Minister should listen to this.

Photo of Harry JenkinsHarry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Please proceed.

Photo of Malcolm TurnbullMalcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | | Hansard source

Twice in question time the Prime Minister said, ‘What I find remarkable about this entire exchange, Mr Speaker, is that the newborn party of compassion, which lodged its birth notice last Friday, registered its death notice with its earlier remarks by the member for Wentworth, saying that working families do not deserve a decent outcome when it comes to the minimum wage.’ Every member of this House, including the Prime Minister, who does not have the guts to listen, knows I said nothing of the sort—

Photo of Harry JenkinsHarry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Order! The member must show where he was misrepresented.

Photo of Malcolm TurnbullMalcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | | Hansard source

but, instead, asked a question of the Prime Minister as to why the government lacked the courage to make any submission to the Fair Pay Commission about the outcome—

Photo of Harry JenkinsHarry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Order! The member will resume his seat. Unless he shows where he has been personally misrepresented and does not debate the issue—

Photo of Malcolm TurnbullMalcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I am not debating it.

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | | Hansard source

You’re not debating it?

Photo of Harry JenkinsHarry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The Leader of the House will resume his seat. The member for Wentworth must not debate the issue but must explain where he has been misrepresented.

Photo of Malcolm TurnbullMalcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, that is precisely what I am doing. I have detailed the misrepresentation the Prime Minister made twice and I am now saying what I said. With your permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to complete the personal explanation which I am entitled to give.

Photo of Harry JenkinsHarry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

How long does this quote from yourself go for?

Photo of Malcolm TurnbullMalcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, it is nearly finished.

Photo of Harry JenkinsHarry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The member will wrap up his personal explanation now.

Photo of Malcolm TurnbullMalcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. The question that I asked sought to find out from the Prime Minister why the government had decided not to make any submission as to the outcome—

Photo of Harry JenkinsHarry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Order! The member will resume his seat.

3:36 pm

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

Photo of Harry JenkinsHarry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

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

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | | Hansard source

I do, Mr Speaker.

Photo of Harry JenkinsHarry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Please proceed.

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | | Hansard source

During question time, in a question from the Leader of the Opposition to the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition quoted a question from Steve Price and the answer from me. He quoted the following question: ‘So the commitment is that the $1,600 carers allowance and the $500 pensioners bonus will be paid as cash this financial year?’ The Leader of the Opposition stopped there, Mr Speaker. He was able to read on but he chose not to read the full question, which ended with ‘and for how many years ahead?’ That was the question that I answered.