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

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition has indicated she wishes to make a personal explanation.

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

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I do seek to make a personal explanation.

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

Do you claim to have been misrepresented?

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

Yes, I do.

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

You may proceed.

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

In question time today, the Treasurer claimed that on budget night I had welcomed the government offering almost half a billion dollars in taxpayers' money to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and suggested that I'd forgotten welcoming it. That's incorrect. In fact, on the morning of the government's pre-budget announcement, on 29 April 2018, I said:

… any extra help and support for the Great Barrier Reef is something to be welcomed.

In that statement, I welcomed money to help protect the Great Barrier Reef. I did not welcome the fact that almost half a billion dollars of taxpayers' money was offered by the Prime Minister to a small private foundation in a closed-door meeting, with no public servants present, without tender and with no serious due diligence.