Chris Crewther (Dunkley, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I wish to make a claim with respect to being misrepresented.

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

Does the member for Dunkley claim to have been misrepresented?

Chris Crewther (Dunkley, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Most grievously, Mr Speaker.

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

The member for Dunkley may proceed.

Chris Crewther (Dunkley, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yesterday the member for McEwen, a Deputy Speaker of this House, who I note was also kicked out of question time today, made an astonishing—

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

The member for Dunkley will come straight to his personal explanation!

Chris Crewther (Dunkley, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He made a claim on social media that I had misled the House and that I had made a dishonest attack on a small business. The member for McEwen accompanied his remarks with an unsavoury personal attack. I will not repeat it here, but I will note that my own family member had learning difficulties and short-term memory loss growing up and had to have speech therapy. The word he used is an assault on all people with this issue, and I note that my family member was bullied with the same word.

The member for McEwen commented on Twitter in the context of sharing a Twitter post from the member for Frankston, who in turn retweeted a post from a Mr Brad Hill, a former Frankston councillor and a local Labor member. His post stated, 'Yesterday in federal parliament, Chris Crewther MP said this Frankston business had closed due to Young Street roadworks; doesn't look like it.' This was accompanied by an image—a screenshot from this business's Facebook page, namely—

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Members on my left!

Chris Crewther (Dunkley, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

namely, Jenna Louise Hair and Beauty, with the statement, 'We have moved, come visit us at Ali Baba,' and so forth.

To put this in context, I spoke in parliament on Monday on the many businesses that are being closed due to the Young Street precinct works in Frankston, due to the delayed works by the state member for Frankston and the state Labor government. I raised the example in that speech of one of the businesses that—

Opposition members interjecting—

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

The member will need to resume his seat for a second. Members on my left will cease interjecting. The member for Dunkley needs just to go to where he's been misrepresented. If he's done that already, he can wrap up his remarks—

Opposition members interjecting—

If members on my left interject, they won't be here for the matter of public importance! The member for Dunkley just needs to go to where he's been misrepresented and state how he's been misrepresented, and, if he's done that, he can wind his remarks up—otherwise, he needs to go to that point rapidly.

Chris Crewther (Dunkley, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I'm coming to the point here. I raised the example in my speech that one of the businesses had closed because of the Young Street works, that being Jenna Louise. I stated in my speech on Monday, quoting Jenna directly, the reasons for her closure due to the Young Street works. The member for McEwen is trying to claim that, because of the screenshot from the business, the business simply moved and did not close. He is therefore claiming I misled the House. The fact is that her post refers to the fact that she herself moved to work for another employer and is not moving her business. Her business itself closed and she is now working under Ali Baba—someone else's business.

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

The member for Dunkley will resume his seat. I'm satisfied he's gone to where he believes he was misrepresented.

Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I seek to make a personal explanation.

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

Does the member claim to have been misrepresented?

Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do.

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

The member for Gorton may proceed.

Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today the Prime Minister accused me of defending thugs and criminals. This is offensive and untrue. I abhor violence and would never support criminal behaviour. Also today, on multiple occasions, the Prime Minister accused me of attacking the integrity of the Australian Federal Police. As a former Minister of Home Affairs and Justice for three years, I have nothing but the utmost respect for the independence, dedication and professionalism of the Australian Federal Police. My criticism and allegations, which I stand by, were levelled at the government and its agency the Registered Organisations Commission.