House debates Personal Explanations

Tuesday, 16 March 2010 House of Representatives

Julie Owens

Julie Owens Parramatta, Australian Labor Party

6:44 pm

Madam Deputy Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

Danna Vale

Danna Vale Hughes, Liberal Party

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Julie Owens

Julie Owens Parramatta, Australian Labor Party

Yes.

Ms Anna Burke

Ms Anna Burke Deputy-Speaker

I call the member for Parramatta.

Julie Owens

Julie Owens Parramatta, Australian Labor Party

The member for Higgins said at the beginning of her speech that I had put words in the opposition’s mouth and said that they had suggested that people should drown. I did not. What I did say—and Hansard will show it—is that, when the opposition stirs up fear in the community, attitudes like that emerge and we start to hear more of those kinds of comments because of the fear campaign. I certainly did not suggest that they said it.