Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
6:23 pm
Mr Deputy Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.
Steve Georganas Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party
Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
Yes.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
Immediately after question time and during debate, both the Manager of Opposition Business and the Leader of the Opposition, and perhaps other members, suggested that I was responsible for the motion that was moved that the business of the day be called on and that it was unprecedented that a Leader of the Opposition have such a motion moved when proposing a matter of public importance. That is not true. The House Hansard reveals that on 26 June 1996 such a motion was moved against the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Beazley, by Mr Reith. On 24 March 1998 such a motion was moved by Mr Reith against Mr Beazley. On 1 April 1998 such a motion was moved by Mr Ruddock against Mr Beazley. On 9 June 1999 such a motion was moved by Mr McGauran against Mr Beazley. On 21 October 1999 such a motion was moved by Mr Reith against Mr Beazley. On 12 October 2000 such a motion was moved by Mr McGauran against Mr Beazley.
Most interestingly, on 21 June 2001 the member for North Sydney moved that the business of the day be called on after a matter of public importance was proposed by Mr Beazley. On 9 August 2001 a motion was moved by Mr Slipper against the Leader of the Opposition. On 22 August 2001, on 23 August 2001, 6 March 2003, on 30 March 2006 and on 20 September 2007 such motions were moved by those opposite against leaders of the opposition. Such motions were moved on no fewer than 13 occasions, and I look forward to receiving the $100 that the member for North Sydney proffered to us if that were the case.
Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House
6:26 pm
Mr Deputy Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Government Members:
Government members interjecting—
Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House
Do you want to close down this debate as well?
Roger Price Chifley, Australian Labor Party
Mr Deputy Speaker, on a point of order, the minister was on his feet. You cannot seek to make a personal explanation while the minister is on his feet.
Ms Anna Burke Deputy-Speaker
The minister had completed his answer. Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?
Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House
Yes.
Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House
I have been misrepresented by the Leader of the House. The point I made to the Leader of the House was that the Leader of the Opposition being closed down on a matter of public importance has only occurred on previous occasions when the Leader of the Opposition moved a substantive motion during question time. In this situation, there was no substantive motion during question time—
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
Mr Deputy Speaker, on a point of order, this is not a personal explanation; he is now going into debate.
Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House
On those occasions—and I will go forensically through that list—matters of public importance have been closed down after a substantive motion has been moved—
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
Mr Deputy Speaker, on a point of order, the Manager of Opposition Business should know that a personal explanation is an appropriate time for him to show where he has personally been misrepresented. The whole chamber heard him say that this was unprecedented—that a Leader of the Opposition has never had the business of the day brought on when he was attempting to propose a matter of public importance. He walked around the chamber declaring it for all to hear. He should move on.
Ms Anna Burke Deputy-Speaker
I say to the member for North Sydney, you should not be debating the matter and I ask you to conclude as quickly as possible.
Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House
Mr Deputy Speaker, this is a serious issue. The Leader of the House knows full well—
Ms Anna Burke Deputy-Speaker
I remind the member for North Sydney once again that we are not going into a debate on this matter.
Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House
I accept that. He claims that I made that statement. My statement was specifically about the fact that the only time matters of public importance have ever been closed down on a Leader of the Opposition was when the Leader of the Opposition moved a substantive motion of the same nature during the course of question time. In this case, we wanted to talk about the global financial crisis, when the Prime Minister has not even come into this place, and now they want to close us down again.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
Mr Deputy Speaker, if he wants to welsh on his bet, he can; but it is appropriate that the debate now be moved on. You cannot do this during a personal explanation.