Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Please proceed.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In question time the Deputy Prime Minister said that I had said in a speech in 2006 that primary schools should not receive federal government funding. This is untrue. What I said was:

We should not have to be investing in state run primary schools. We should not have to be creating after-school active programs.

       …         …         …

The missing ingredient in this debate is the fact that the states have allowed their schools to get to the point where parents are demanding action and the Commonwealth feels it has to step in and try to make a difference.

In other words, the Commonwealth is having to pick up the slack and should not have to be doing so.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The honourable member for Sturt will resume his seat. The honourable member for Sturt has explained where he was misrepresented. He cannot debate.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Pyne interjecting

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The honourable member for Sturt will withdraw.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw, Mr Speaker.

Sharman Stone (Murray, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Sharman Stone (Murray, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Please proceed.

Sharman Stone (Murray, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

During question time I asked a question of the Prime Minister about the surge in people-smuggling activity that has occurred since this government in particular has changed its policy. When the answer was given, I was immediately accused of being wrong in relation to the surge, there only being, according to the Prime Minister, five boats and therefore—

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Albanese interjecting

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Leader of the House will resume his seat. The member for Murray will come to where she has been misrepresented.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To settle it, I will have the member withdraw. Then, perception or otherwise, that has dealt with it. The Leader of the House will withdraw and then that will settle the matter.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw, Mr Speaker.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Murray will come to where she has been misrepresented.

Sharman Stone (Murray, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to put on the record—in fact I would like to read it out—that since 13 August, when the changes were announced, the number of boat people—

Robert McClelland (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on a point of order: with respect to the member for Murray, she is seeking to introduce new material which necessarily means she is not referring to where she has been misrepresented. In other words, she is referring to other representations and not the one that she has made.

Wilson Tuckey (O'Connor, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on the point of order: the point is that the member was misrepresented when she was corrected by the Prime Minister. She is now entitled to protect herself by stating the facts.

Daryl Melham (Banks, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on the point of order: standing order 68 says:

A Member may explain how he or she has been misrepresented.

The member making the personal explanation has yet to point out how she was misrepresented before going on to the next phase. I ask you, Mr Speaker, to insist that she follows the proper procedure. She has been here long enough. She should know how to make a personal explanation.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! In making her personal explanation the member will indicate where she was misrepresented and then correct the record. There will be no debate.

Sharman Stone (Murray, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was misrepresented in being accused of giving wrong statistics. In fact, I have all the statistics documented here—the number of intercepts and arrivals commencing from 13 August, of which seven are documented and eight are considered most likely. I can table the seven that are here, all from 13 August—not four, as was claimed by the Prime Minister. I seek leave to table the document.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member has made her explanation and she has sought leave to table the document. Is leave granted?

Leave not granted.

Robert McClelland (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

With respect, Mr Speaker, that should be removed as the correction of a personal explanation. Clearly, with respect to the honourable member for Murray, she used it as a ruse to seek to adduce new material and, moreover, she was wrong.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will ignore any inherent reflection on the chair in the Attorney’s submission to me. I think that now the matter is settled.