Craig Emerson (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Finance Minister on Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on indulgence: during question time I said in part, ‘So the deal was, “I’ll pretend I’m sober but I’ll get drunk on four occasions, or at least have a few drinks.”‘ At no time did I mean to imply that the member for Moncrieff had got drunk or does get drunk. I sought to correct that statement by adding ‘or at least have a few drinks’, but I apologise for the remarks and I withdraw them. They were made in a good-natured way but it is possible that sitting on the record they may not look very good for me, for the member for Moncrieff or for the parliament, so I withdraw them unreservedly.

Steven Ciobo (Moncrieff, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Small Business, Independent Contractors, Tourism and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on indulgence: in the spirit of full cooperation I certainly accept the apology from the Minister for Small Business, Independent Contractors and the Service Economy. I accept his good grace in coming to the dispatch box to issue the apology, but I also acknowledge and confirm the good-natured banter. I know that in the hurly-burly of politics we sometimes say words that we do not mean. I fully accept and am grateful for the minister’s leadership.

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

I thank the minister and the member for Moncrieff for their approach to this matter. I think that from time to time we all learn lessons, but I appreciate the spirit in which this matter has been dealt with and I thank them.