House debates

Wednesday, 22 October 2008

Personal Explanations

3:32 pm

Photo of Paul NevillePaul Neville (Hinkler, National 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 honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Photo of Paul NevillePaul Neville (Hinkler, National Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Indeed.

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

The member for Hinkler may continue.

Photo of Paul NevillePaul Neville (Hinkler, National Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, in a personal explanation yesterday you will recall I drew attention to a misrepresentation of me in the Education Legislation Amendment Bill debate. The member for Moreton gave a very manly and decent apology to me as a result of that, which I accepted in good grace. But my government colleague, the member for Longman, decided to prolong the matter and read my quote back into the record as part of his speech. After a tortured examination of my quote, he then made the following allegation:

… that only—

and I stress ‘only’, Mr Speaker—

by going to a non-government school will a child from a less affluent family receive a good education …

Mr Speaker, I never said that. That cannot be inferred from my speech or from my conduct in support of state schools!