Michelle Rowland (Greenway, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

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

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Michelle Rowland (Greenway, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do.

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

The member may proceed.

Michelle Rowland (Greenway, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Thursday, 15 June, in question time, the Minister representing the Minister for Communications referred to a media statement I issued on 14 June, and stated in relation to me:

She criticised Senator Fifield, the minister, for referring to the fact that 1,400 jobs at Network Ten are at risk.

And:

It is about 1,400 jobs at Network Ten that are at risk.

The minister's statements are false. My media release referred to the 1,400 job losses at Telstra, which were announced by the company on the 14 June. I also expressly stated that the minister was not responsible for these job losses at Telstra. My media release stated:

Today it was also announced that 1,400 Telstra workers would lose their jobs as a result of decisions by the company. You don't see Labor blaming the Communications Minister for this outcome.

I realise that the two entities both start with a T, but they are two different things.