Scott Morrison Cook, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
3:10 pm
I wish to make a personal explanation.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?
Scott Morrison Cook, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
Most egregiously.
Scott Morrison Cook, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
In an article on 2 March, Bianca Hall wrote:
… Immigration Minister Scott Morrison claiming Labor senator Stephen Conroy keeps showing ''how small a man he is' …
I have said many things about Senator Conroy; that he had undertaken a coward's sledge against General Campbell and other things, but I never said that. What I said—and I refer to the Hansardwas:
The Leader of the Opposition in his response to this motion today has demonstrated how small a man he is when the challenge is put to him.
I have another personal explanation, Madam Speaker, if I may?
Scott Morrison Cook, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
I will. Thank you. It was reported on the weekend, in the same publication by the same journalist, that my department had a team of 66 strong 'spin doctors'—their words. I can confirm that there are only 39.7 full-time equivalent staff employed in that area of my department. The number under the previous government when we came to office was 44.6.
Ed Husic Chifley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Treasurer
Why didn't you answer the query? That is not an explanation. He refused to answer the journalist's inquiries. You can't—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
Order! The member for Chifley is out of order.
Ed Husic Chifley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Treasurer
But spot on.
Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education
3:11 pm
He is very rude, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, assuming we are moving on—you have nothing else?