Andrew Southcott (Boothby, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment Participation, Training and Sport) 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?

Andrew Southcott (Boothby, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment Participation, Training and Sport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Most grievously, Mr Speaker.

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

I am a little shocked, but the member may continue!

Andrew Southcott (Boothby, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment Participation, Training and Sport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In response to a question today the Treasurer selectively quoted and misrepresented me. He referred to a doorstop interview which I gave last Wednesday, 21 October. In that doorstop, referring to two stories that were in that news on the day, I said:

Before the last election we warned the Australian people that electing a Labor government would come at a cost. And the two areas that we identified were higher interest rates and more inflexible industrial relations. And today we’ve seen evidence of both. The Reserve Bank is now clearly worried about inflation.

I went on to talk about ‘the story today in the Australian which talks about a secret deal between Julia Gillard and the CFMEU’. That is the context of the doorstop. I am surprised that the Treasurer has misunderstood it and misrepresented it.

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

Order! The member for Boothby has explained where he has been misrepresented.