House debates Personal Explanations

Tuesday, 27 October 2009 House of Representatives

Anthony Albanese

Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House

3:51 pm

Mr Speaker, I seek to make a personal explanation.

Harry Jenkins

Harry Jenkins Speaker

Does the member claim to have been misrepresented?

Anthony Albanese

Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House

I do.

Anthony Albanese

Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House

Today in question time the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party asked a question of the Prime Minister in which she selectively quoted my comments from Lateline last night. I went on to say:

No, Tony, we are not. We are engaged in a policy process which is trying to work through what is an extremely difficult and complex issue.

I also said:

Tony, these people, these people have come to Indonesia. They haven’t come to Indonesia via Australia.

Christopher Pyne

Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training

Mr Speaker, on a point of order: as the Leader of the House well knows,  he needs to simply show where he has been misrepresented and not try to debate the issue.

Christopher Pyne

Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training

And, quite frankly, he has not so far shown that he has been misrepresented at all.

Harry Jenkins

Harry Jenkins Speaker

The member for Sturt will resume his seat. The Leader of the House knows his responsibilities. The Leader of the House is giving his personal explanation.

Anthony Albanese

Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I said:

So, in terms of the policy, I don’t think would be advanced, as you would be very clear, clearly aware, if Australia was to lecture our neighbours about the way that they conduct their policy. What we can do is engage in diplomacy in an appropriate fashion, which is not to lecture on Lateline.