House debates Questions without Notice
Member for Robertson
Ms Julie Bishop Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition
4:08 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to his announcement of his intention to improve the standards of behaviour of members of parliament. I also refer the Prime Minister to his press conference in Japan on 11 June, where he said:
There appears to be a pattern of unacceptable behaviour here.
Will the Prime Minister explain to the House what he meant by that term?
Harry Jenkins Speaker
For consistency, the first part of the question is in order.
Kevin Rudd Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
I am more than happy to answer the question. ‘Unacceptable’ means not acceptable, ‘pattern’ means a series of events and ‘behaviour’ means what you do. That is just the truth. As a consequence of that, having observed what transpired in Australia, I therefore took action on that in relation to an agreed activity concerning counselling. That is my answer to the substance of the question. On the other point which was raised, I will add to an answer to an earlier question which was asked by the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. She questioned the sequence of a statement I made in Tokyo and a statement made by the member for Robertson. The statement I made in Tokyo was dated 9 June, and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition referred to it before. A journalist asked me: ‘Have you spoken to the member for Robertson? What would you say about what was going on and disciplinary action?’ The answer from me was:
No I haven’t. Secondly I understand my office has been in contact, and thirdly I understand that she has issued a statement, and I draw your attention to that.
That is a transcript of me, in Kyoto, on 9 June 2008. There was a media statement from Belinda Neal, the member for Robertson, on Sunday, 8 June 2008. That is the sequence.