Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I seek leave to make a personal explanation.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the member claim to have been misrepresented?

Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do indeed—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Hunter may proceed.

Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

on a number of occasions by the Minister for Foreign Affairs during question time today and yesterday, under the cover of privilege, and by the Deputy Prime Minister during an interview on Sky News this afternoon, outside the cover of privilege. Statements from both ministers were based on articles which appeared earlier in the week in Fairfax Media newspapers. The articles revisited stories going back almost a decade—stories which forced me to satisfactorily pursue action for defamation. But, importantly, the articles said:

Fairfax Media makes no accusation of wrongdoing or impropriety against Joel Fitzgibbon in this report. No evidence has emerged to suggest he knew of Helen Liu’s links to Liu Chaoying.

The ministerial contributions from both the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Foreign Affairs yesterday and today were unfounded, reckless and, in the case of the Deputy Prime Minister, defamatory, and I reserve my rights.