House debates

Tuesday, 24 October 2017

Personal Explanations

3:22 pm

Photo of Bill ShortenBill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Photo of Bill ShortenBill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

Yes. I believe that my whole party has, including myself.

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition on behalf of the opposition.

Photo of Bill ShortenBill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

The Minister for Justice made some disgusting remarks in question time. Child abuse is an evil and sick crime. Every parent's worst nightmare is having someone hurt their child. Our community reserves a special place of loathing for child abusers.

Mr Keenan interjecting

Photo of Luke GoslingLuke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Just shut up and listen!

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The member for Solomon will leave under 94(a).

The member for Solomon then left the chamber.

Ms Plibersek interjecting

The member for Sydney has already been warned!

Photo of Bill ShortenBill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

We believe that appropriate action to punish pedophiles is to increase the maximum sentences for paedophiles. Those opposite believe the appropriate action is mandatory sentencing. We have a different view on that, but all of us want paedophiles locked up, and locked up for a long time.

The dignity of parliament is not enhanced by the suggestion that there is any doubt that any member of this parliament does not utterly and totally deplore pedophilia and child abuse. We have been misrepresented and, absolutely, all of us—and I don't doubt the government means the same as we do—deplore pedophiles, full stop.

Mr Keenan interjecting

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The minister will cease interjecting across the table!

Opposition members interjecting

Members on my left will cease interjecting!

3:23 pm

Photo of Tanya PlibersekTanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

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

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Does the member for Sydney claim to have been misrepresented?

Photo of Tanya PlibersekTanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

Yes I do, by the Leader of the House in the question time today.

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The member for Sydney may proceed.

Photo of Tanya PlibersekTanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. In question time today the Leader of the House partially quoted me from an interview on Sky News today. I actually said, 'I think everybody's got a right to participate in democracy. If someone in a union has been accused of doing the wrong thing, that's a different matter. But as for unions standing up for better pay and conditions for their workforce, that's an absolutely fundamental part of our democracy.'

3:24 pm

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | | Hansard source

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

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Does the member claim to be misrepresented?

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | | Hansard source

I do.

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

You may proceed.

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | | Hansard source

Yesterday, during estimates, Senator Fiona Nash claimed before the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, 'In 2012-13 your minister budgeted to spend $6.8 billion and only ended up spending half—$3.6 billion—in that year.' Mr Speaker, that is not correct. These are the facts. Table 2.9 in Budget Paper No. 3, released with the 2012-13 federal budget, shows the allocation for financial year 2012-13 was $3,659,200,000. Table 41 in the final budget outcome document confirms that the actual spend on infrastructure in 2012-13 was $3,635,729,000. There was no underspend in the infrastructure budget in 2012-13, and I ask leave to table the two budget documents.

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

They are already documents of the House.

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | | Hansard source

I knew that.

Photo of Christopher PyneChristopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | | Hansard source

So she was right. It actually proves that she was right!

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The Leader of the House will cease interjecting.