Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I wish to make a personal statement.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the minister claim to have been misrepresented?

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do, most grievously.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Then indulgence is granted.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yesterday the member for Hunter put out a press release saying:

Barnaby Joyce changed the record of an answer he provided on 20 October 2014 on the implementation of his drought package.

This is incorrect, and I ask the member for Hunter to retract it. I have stated quite clearly I had no knowledge of the change and, once it did become known to me, I asked for it to be changed back. He is also looking for a smoking gun, apparently. He is digging around, so he has asked the department for an email between a Mr Craig Croker and a Mr Andrew Henderson. He has asked for it to be tabled, as a smoking gun. I table it. Why this is unusual is that—

Ed Husic (Chifley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Agriculture is not entitled to debate the matter.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

merely yesterday—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will resume his seat. A point of personal explanation is granted on indulgence so that you can show where the record has need of being corrected, not to debate the question. If he has a second matter he wishes to raise, he must seek indulgence again.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do. I think further explanation is required on this issue. Madam Speaker, clearly—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No. I am sorry, the Minister for Agriculture may not debate this point. There are other areas where you may do these things.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask the member for Hunter now to retract his statement.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The point of a personal explanation is to explain where you believe the record needs correcting. You have done that.

Ed Husic (Chifley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That was a great session of red faces!

Opposition members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There are those who are laughing about dealing with this particular area of standing orders, and many do not do it terribly well themselves. I would not be casting aspersions.