Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
3:15 pm
I wish to make a personal explanation.
Tony Smith Speaker
Does the Leader of the Opposition claim to have been misrepresented?
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
Very much so. I'm seeking to explain a matter of a personal nature as allowed under standing order 68.
Tony Smith Speaker
The Leader of the Opposition is correct and he may proceed.
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
I want to address comments made by the Prime Minister and the member for Warringah and other members of the government suggesting that I might be secretly be a UK national—a dual national, like his ministers. I will not allow the Prime Minister to use a smear about me as cover for the crisis which engulfs his government. This silly distraction has to end. The circus has to stop. The country does not have time for it. So, in order to put this matter to rest once and for all, I seek leave to table a copy of correspondence from the UK Home Office confirming that I successfully renounced my United Kingdom citizenship prior to my election to parliament in 2007.
Mr Pyne interjecting—
Tony Smith Speaker
The Leader of the House will cease interjecting. Is leave granted?
Leave granted.
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
I accept that, if I want to be elected Prime Minister, there cannot be any doubt about my constitutional eligibility. Pushed by the conspiracy theorists like the Prime Minister and the member for Warringah, I offer this proof to the parliament today to put an end to baseless allegations, not reward them. I strongly believe that MPs and senators should not be forced to produce evidence to counter claims that are made completely without evidence. I repeat: MPs and senators should not be forced—
Mr Pyne interjecting—
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
to produce evidence to counter claims that are made completely without evidence, no matter which party they are from. This is our chance to draw a line in the sand. This must end. In an age of Twitter trolls and baseless online conspiracies, this is a chance for our parliament to declare we are bigger and better than this. To accept otherwise, to turn our back on the notion that a person making an allegation must have some evidence, sets a dangerous precedent. I suspect the Prime Minister and his colleagues knew the claim about me to be completely false, but that is not their motive. Their tactic is clear. It is to do anything, no matter how desperate, to distract from the crisis of legitimacy shrouding this government.
Tony Smith Speaker
I just ask the Leader of the Opposition to conclude his remarks.
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
I'm concluding my remarks. The Deputy Prime Minister should not be allowed to serve as Acting Prime Minister. If he does, the entire legitimacy of this government and this parliament is at risk. I say to the Prime Minister: do the right thing, do the honest thing, be the strong leader you claim you are and make the Deputy Prime Minister stand aside.
Tony Smith Speaker
Is the member for Kennedy seeking to make a personal explanation?
Bob Katter Kennedy, Independent
Yes. I claim to be misrepresented in the media and by people in this place.
Tony Smith Speaker
The member for Kennedy claims to have been misrepresented. He may proceed.
Bob Katter Kennedy, Independent
The representation was that there is not a dog being taken every week or there is not a crocodile sighting closing our beaches in North Queensland every week. In anticipation of that allegation coming today, we brought in a photograph taken just one week after the scuba diver was taken, and that—
Tony Smith Speaker
Just place your prop, your photo, back on the table. You've made your point.
Bob Katter Kennedy, Independent
All right. The photograph is of a crocodile with a very much loved little pet dog in its mouth. A father and his daughter were walking along the main river that goes through Innisfail, and they had their dog in front of them. The dog was taken—
Tony Smith Speaker
If the member for Kennedy could pause for a second and resume his seat. He needs to go where he's been misrepresented. Unless he's got anything additional to add to where he's been misrepresented, he needs to bring his matter to a close.
Bob Katter Kennedy, Independent
I've not rebutted the misrepresentation.
Tony Smith Speaker
I haven't called the member for Kennedy. I haven't called you. Resume your seat. As I said, the member for Kennedy needs to show where he's been misrepresented and to state that and not to tell us the entire story that doesn't relate to him.
Bob Katter Kennedy, Independent
It has been said that there's not a crocodile attack every week or a closing of the beach every week. It was said by way of interjection, and it has also been in the northern papers. You think it's funny, but we don't particularly think it's funny when one of us is being taken and torn to pieces—
Tony Smith Speaker
The member for Kennedy will not allege that I think anything is funny. I'm listening to him and I'm giving him more latitude—
Bob Katter Kennedy, Independent
I present photo representation of a much loved pet being taken by a crocodile a few weeks ago—
Tony Smith Speaker
The member for Kennedy has made his point. He will resume his seat.