House debates Personal Explanations

Thursday, 26 February 2015 House of Representatives

Brendan O'Connor

Brendan O'Connor Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations

3:25 pm

Madam Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Brendan O'Connor

Brendan O'Connor Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations

I do, most grievously, Madam Speaker.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker

In that case, indulgence is granted for the purposes of correcting the record.

Brendan O'Connor

Brendan O'Connor Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations

In Senate estimates today, the Minister for Employment said of my statement about the government's plans to change penalty rates that it was untrue. He compared my conduct to that of Joseph Stalin. I stand by my statement and, for the record, invite the minister to apologise for comparing me with a mass murderer.

The SPEAKER: No. Personal explanations are merely to correct the record.