Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition
4:13 pm
Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.
Harry Jenkins Speaker
Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?
Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition
Yes, most grievously and by a repeat offender.
Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition
In the course of question time, the Treasurer asserted that I had verballed the board of the Reserve Bank when I quoted from the minutes of their monetary policy meeting of 6 October 2009. Far from verballing the Reserve Bank—verballing involves making a fabricated account of someone else’s report—I quoted expressly and precisely from the minutes to the effect that:
… the balance of risks was now such that the current very expansionary setting of policy was no longer necessary, and possibly imprudent.
Greg Hunt Flinders, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Water
Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.
Harry Jenkins Speaker
Does the member claim to have been misrepresented?
Greg Hunt Flinders, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Water
I do indeed.
Greg Hunt Flinders, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Water
During question time today, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts asserted that I had jumped from a plane without a parachute. Whilst the implication is flattering, the reality is somewhat more prosaic. I do, however, worry that he is projecting some dark fantasy.