Ken Wyatt Hasluck, Liberal Party
3:43 pm
Madam Deputy Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.
Ms Anna Burke Deputy-Speaker
Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?
Ken Wyatt Hasluck, Liberal Party
I refer to a letter distributed through my electorate last Friday by Senator Glenn Sterle. He claims that if Tony Abbott and I are elected the Gateway WA project would not be funded. This is not true. A coalition government is committed to the Gateway project, and the shadow minister for infrastructure and transport made this commitment before the federal election.
Ms Anna Burke Deputy-Speaker
The member for Hasluck must demonstrate where he has been misrepresented.
Mr Albanese interjecting—
The Leader of the House! The member for Hasluck needs to demonstrate where he has been misrepresented.
Ken Wyatt Hasluck, Liberal Party
In the letter it states: 'Your local member won't be listening to you about these vital initiatives which are the Gateway roads. I encourage you to contact the member to ask him why he hasn't been fighting to see the benefits of the boom spread to the local community he is meant to represent.' And, thirdly, it says, 'Tony Abbott and Ken Wyatt voted against the mining tax and all vital infrastructure that it will provide in your local area.' That is not the case. I would suggest the senator get his facts correct.
Ms Anna Burke Deputy-Speaker
The member for Hasluck will resume his seat. He has shown where he has been misrepresented.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
Madam Deputy Speaker, could I ask the member for Hasluck to table the letter from Senator Sterle.
Ken Wyatt Hasluck, Liberal Party
I should say no, Leader of the House, because I am so used to you saying no when we ask if we can table documents, but I am prepared to table the document.
Ms Anna Burke Deputy-Speaker
The member for Hasluck has tabled the document.
Ed Husic Chifley, Australian Labor Party
Madam Deputy Speaker, I had the opportunity to listen to the member for Hasluck explain this issue previously in the Federation Chamber and now he seeks again to have this clarified. Can I ask the difference between doing that in a constituency statement and here as a personal explanation?
Ms Anna Burke Deputy-Speaker
The member for Chifley will resume his seat. There is no limit on when people can seek to do this.