Alex Hawke (Mitchell, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Alex Hawke (Mitchell, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, I have been misrepresented.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Mitchell has the call.

Alex Hawke (Mitchell, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

During debate on 5 June 2013 the Attorney-General said:

The member for Mitchell also made the claim during debate that the government has committed $21.6 million to a campaign to support the yes vote at the referendum. This is simply not true. What the government has committed to—and this is set out in the budget papers—is $10 million to fund a neutral, non-partisan civics education campaign.

What I said was absolutely true, and today the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport released a press release where he announced $10 million for the yes case, not for a non-partisan civics campaign, as the Attorney-General said. So, when I made my remarks to the House, I fully and accurately represented the situation in relation to the government's commitment.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Please proceed.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Unfortunately, in question time today I was twice misrepresented, first by the Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth, who yet again claimed that I wanted to sack one in seven teachers. I point out again to the House that the federal government does not run any schools and does not employ any teachers, so it is not possible to do so. He should stop making up this completely false claim.

Second, the Prime Minister also in question time today claimed that I was peddling false numbers about cuts to education. I simply refer the House to the budget, where there are cuts of $4.7 billion to education, universities, apprenticeships and training, and early childhood.

Stuart Robert (Fadden, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Science, Technology and Personnel) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Stuart Robert (Fadden, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Science, Technology and Personnel) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Please proceed.

Stuart Robert (Fadden, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Science, Technology and Personnel) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In question time today the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Minister for Defence Science and Personnel claimed erroneously that the coalition has no policy in terms of veterans, which includes me. This is the only side of parliament that will index DFO—

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Fadden will resume his seat.