Sharman Stone Murray, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
4:05 pm
Mr Speaker, I seek to make a personal explanation.
Harry Jenkins Speaker
Does the member claim to have been misrepresented?
Sharman Stone Murray, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
Yes, I do.
Sharman Stone Murray, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
Mr Speaker, on the Victorian regional ABC Radio drivetime program yesterday, the topic was the distribution per electorate of the Regional and Local Government Community Infrastructure Program grants, where the funds were allocated on a competitive basis. I reported factually that Murray electorate did not receive a single cent from that program. That was a fact, Mr Speaker.
The Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government then came onto the same program and claimed that I was wrong and proceeded to refer to some different grants that were allocated to all Australian local government bodies on a formula basis. The facts were therefore misrepresented. Murray electorate did not receive any competitive program funding, and I seek permission to table a document which details that very fact.
Leave not granted.
Harry Jenkins Speaker
Does the member claim to have been misrepresented?
Stuart Robert Fadden, Liberal Party
In a most egregiously scurrilous manner.
Stuart Robert Fadden, Liberal Party
In the Prime Minister’s lame tirade today during question time he somewhat surprisingly failed to read out the entire quote where at the end I had made a correction and actually used the phrase ‘considering a stimulatory reduction’. It would have been helpful if the Prime Minister had done the right thing and read out the full transcript.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
4:07 pm
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, Mr Speaker.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
The member for Murray alleged earlier today that I had somehow made a misleading statement to ABC Victorian regional radio yesterday. I pointed out that the Murray electorate had benefited from $3.715 million in funding through the Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program and outlined the programs to councils, including Shepparton, that were received.
Harry Jenkins Speaker
I think that, by the time we get to a one-all draw, maybe, there are other mechanisms that might be used.
Sharman Stone Murray, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
Mr Speaker, on indulgence: I was referring, as you know, to the competitive grants, and the document spells out quite categorically the facts.
Harry Jenkins Speaker
The member for Murray cannot use indulgence to start to argue the point.