Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) 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?

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, most grievously, by the Treasurer—a repeat offender, I might add.

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

Please proceed.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Treasurer said, in the course of question time today, that I had not set out any alternative to the spending program contained in the government’s stimulus package. In fact I have done that on many occasions. In particular, I refer to the speech I gave in a second reading debate on 12 February this year. In the course of that speech I observed:

… we regard it as highly unlikely that state governments will be able effectively to spend $14 billion over 2½ years on a program which is largely, but not entirely, made up of … school assembly halls …