Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
9:15 am
Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.
Harry Jenkins Speaker
Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
I do.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
Yesterday the Leader of the National Party, during the MPI debate, made a number of assertions about my personal positions. He stated:
A few days ago he was quoted as saying that fuel had to be a part of the emissions-trading scheme.
That is incorrect. What I have said is that transport has to be a part of a climate change strategy. The second misrepresentation was that the Leader of the National Party said:
But the minister stuck his boot into the little town of Lock, accused them of rorting …
That is also incorrect. I accused the ministers who presided over the Regional Partnerships program of rorting. The third misrepresentation was that the Leader of the National Party said:
This is not better regions; this is better rorts. He is the king of the rorts; the man who invented the Fort Street rort; the man who rerouted the railway line through his own electorate at a cost of $300 million.
As I have stated during question time, the Fort Street insulation program was supported in the Sydney Airport Community Forum by members of both sides of the chamber, including the now Leader of the Opposition and the member for North Sydney when he was chair of that forum. This is an important program in the budget. As for the railway—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Mackellar, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs
Mr Speaker, on a point of order—
Harry Jenkins Speaker
The minister is now coming to any other misrepresentations, I would hope.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
Yes. As for the railway line—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Mackellar, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs
We’re getting into debate now.
Harry Jenkins Speaker
The minister knows the requirements and has been very careful so far.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Mackellar, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs
He is attempting debate.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
No, I am not.
Harry Jenkins Speaker
I appreciate that the member for Mackellar might assume that she needs to have some concerns. I am listening carefully to the minister.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
Yes, Mr Speaker. I understand the provisions of this standing order. The Leader of the National Party said:
… the man who rerouted the railway line through his own electorate at a cost of $300 million.
I have no idea what that is about, but I assure the House that not even the federal minister for transport has the power to reroute railway lines.