Bruce Billson Dunkley, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Broadband, Communication and the Digital Economy
3:24 pm
Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.
Harry Jenkins Speaker
Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?
Bruce Billson Dunkley, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Broadband, Communication and the Digital Economy
Very much so.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Government Members:
Government members interjecting—
Harry Jenkins Speaker
Order! The member has the call. The member for Banks, as a defender of members’ rights, should sit there quietly.
Bruce Billson Dunkley, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Broadband, Communication and the Digital Economy
In the Senate yesterday during question time, the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy, misrepresented me.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Government Members:
Government members interjecting—
Bruce Billson Dunkley, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Broadband, Communication and the Digital Economy
I am afraid so. It is harsh but true. He selectively used only part of a 22 May quote in which I stated:
I have made it perfectly clear that I would not criticise the minister for extending his deadlines.
These remarks related to the national broadband network tender. In fairness, he should have read the entire quote, which went on to say:
However, he should not stop there. He needs to re-engineer this whole process, taking into account the thoughtful suggestions of the opposition.
The offer not to criticise him was linked to correcting his dodgy process and he should have made that clear in the Senate.
Harry Jenkins Speaker
Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?
Fran Bailey McEwen, Liberal Party
I do, again. In question time today the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts misrepresented statements that I made almost two years ago when asked by a radio journalist if I supported a pilot program testing shadecloth on a section of the Great Barrier Reef.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Government Members:
Government members interjecting—
Harry Jenkins Speaker
The member will resume her seat. When the House comes to order we will get over this.
Fran Bailey McEwen, Liberal Party
To complete my response, I said that I supported scientific research on part of the reef. The minister for the environment might want to divert from his response, but he is the one who has to be held accountable for his lack of action to the people of my electorate.
Harry Jenkins Speaker
The member has put her case to show where she has been misrepresented.
Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer
3:26 pm
Harry Jenkins Speaker
The Leader of the Opposition has been on a spring-loaded device.
Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer
I wish to make a personal explanation.
Harry Jenkins Speaker
Does the Leader of the Opposition claim to have been misrepresented?
Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer
Yes, I do—most grievously. I refer to remarks made by the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, who suggested that I had sought Labor Party preselection for the Senate. As he knows, that is quite untrue.