House debates

Tuesday, 23 July 2019

Personal Explanations

3:15 pm

Photo of Anne AlyAnne Aly (Cowan, Australian Labor Party) 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 member for Cowan claim to have been misrepresented?

Photo of Anne AlyAnne Aly (Cowan, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Most grievously, Mr Speaker.

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

The member for Cowan may proceed.

Photo of Anne AlyAnne Aly (Cowan, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Thank you. Mr Speaker, earlier today, the Attorney-General attempted to use national security for political pointscoring rather than engaging with academia and established expertise—

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

The member for Cowan needs to go to where she has been misrepresented, not to debate the matter.

Photo of Anne AlyAnne Aly (Cowan, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Certainly. In his response, the Attorney-General claimed that I used the descriptor 'ineffective and unimpactful' in relation to the current legislation before the House. In the context of those two words—that descriptor—I was, in fact, referring to making a point about laws in general being limited in their effect and impact and their capacity and the need for a longer term, more comprehensive response to effectively deal with the threat of terrorism. The Attorney-General also used my words about terrorists having a migratory nature and, in that context, insinuated again that I did not support the current legislation. For the benefit and the education of those opposite, having a migratory nature means that they would move to a combat zone. This is a term that's used quite widely in terrorism literature, and I would suggest that the Attorney-General read a book.