House debates Personal Explanations

Tuesday, 13 February 2018 House of Representatives

Rebekha Sharkie

Rebekha Sharkie Mayo, Nick Xenophon Team

3:12 pm

I seek leave to make a personal explanation.

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

Does the member claim to have been misrepresented?

Rebekha Sharkie

Rebekha Sharkie Mayo, Nick Xenophon Team

I most certainly do. I seek to correct misrepresentation that has been made by the member for Wakefield in the chamber earlier today. The member stated the Nick Xenophon Team did a number of sweetheart deals, including a deal to cut funding to South Australian schools by $210 million, and I refute these allegations. The member for Wakefield also implied I misrepresented the position of the Nick Xenophon Team with regard to the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card) Bill 2017. The member was correct when he quoted my words. I reiterate:

The Nick Xenophon team cannot support this bill in its current form until it can be conclusively determined with solid evidence that the Cashless Debit Card is actually effective.

The Nick Xenophon Team did not support the bill in its original form, which would have seen a potential rollout—

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

The member for Mayo might pause for a second. She needs to go to where she believes she has been misrepresented by the member for Wakefield.

Rebekha Sharkie

Rebekha Sharkie Mayo, Nick Xenophon Team

The member for Wakefield said that we made 'a dirty deal with government'. This was different to the words that I used in the debate of the bill. I believe it is incorrect and a misrepresentation of me and the Nick Xenophon Team.