House debates

Wednesday, 19 March 2008

Personal Explanations

3:15 pm

Photo of Tony AbbottTony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Families, Community Services, Indigenous Affairs and the Voluntary Sector) 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 member claim to have been misrepresented?

Photo of Tony AbbottTony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Families, Community Services, Indigenous Affairs and the Voluntary Sector) Share this | | Hansard source

I do, Mr Speaker.

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

Please proceed.

Photo of Tony AbbottTony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Families, Community Services, Indigenous Affairs and the Voluntary Sector) Share this | | Hansard source

In question time today, the Minister for Housing claimed that I had criticised Labor members for visiting homeless shelters. I did no such thing, and I challenge the minister to produce a transcript to the effect that I did. What I did say was that it was one thing to visit these shelters; it was another thing to actually make a difference to the plight of homeless people. I challenge the government to get on with it.

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

Order! The member has explained how he has been misrepresented.

3:16 pm

Photo of Peter SlipperPeter Slipper (Fisher, Liberal Party) 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 member claim to have been misrepresented?

Photo of Peter SlipperPeter Slipper (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I do, Mr Speaker.

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

Please proceed.

Photo of Peter SlipperPeter Slipper (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

In today’s Courier-Mail at page 10, there is a report on a speech given by the Leader of the Opposition at the National Press Club. In that report, it was written that I, along with a number of others, was present.

Government Members:

Government members interjecting

Photo of Peter SlipperPeter Slipper (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

While no inference should be made over the fact that I was not present, I wanted to correct the record and state that, despite what the Courier-Mail said at page 10, I was not at the National Press Club yesterday.