House debates

Tuesday, 23 February 2010

Personal Explanations

3:33 pm

Photo of Tony AbbottTony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

Photo of Harry JenkinsHarry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Photo of Tony AbbottTony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

Yes.

Photo of Harry JenkinsHarry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Please proceed.

Photo of Tony AbbottTony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

I claim to be misrepresented by the Minister for Health and Ageing in question time today. To correct the misrepresentation I refer to an article in the electronic version of the Age yesterday by the minister’s former speech writer which suggested that the golf balls with logos were the product of her administration, not mine.

Photo of Nicola RoxonNicola Roxon (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

Photo of Harry JenkinsHarry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Photo of Nicola RoxonNicola Roxon (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | | Hansard source

Yes, by the Leader of the Opposition.

Photo of Harry JenkinsHarry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Please proceed.

Photo of Nicola RoxonNicola Roxon (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | | Hansard source

Unfortunately, the creative material that the Leader of the Opposition is relying on led to the investigation which enabled me to clearly and correctly say in parliament today that these were part of a campaign in May 2007, which, as I understand, was a time when the Leader of the Opposition was the Minister for Health and Ageing—and they are his.

3:34 pm

Photo of Joel FitzgibbonJoel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

Photo of Harry JenkinsHarry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Photo of Joel FitzgibbonJoel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Yes.

Photo of Harry JenkinsHarry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Please proceed.

Photo of Joel FitzgibbonJoel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Today Fairfax newspapers ran more stories featuring me, which are untrue and defamatory. Fairfax also reported that I had threatened legal action but had failed to commence that action. This no doubt was designed to question my intention to do so. I can assure Fairfax—and they know this—that I have made demand and I intend to go through with it.

Fairfax also mischievously reported today on court action taken yesterday by Ms Helen Liu but failed to say what it was about. I can inform the House that the action is seeking to force Fairfax to hand over for independent forensic testing documents it claims belong to her and on which it has published a number of highly defamatory stories. Fairfax refuses to hand over the documents. The question now becomes: what is it they have to fear from this independent forensic examination?

3:35 pm

Photo of Bernie RipollBernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

Photo of Harry JenkinsHarry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Photo of Bernie RipollBernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Yes.

Photo of Harry JenkinsHarry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Please proceed.

Photo of Bernie RipollBernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

In the Tasmanian Examiner over the weekend there was a scurrilous story about travel expenses, carrying my photo but under the title of Senator Bushby from Tasmania—and I take great offence at being referred to as a senator.