House debates Statements

Personal Explanation

Tuesday, 23 November 2021 House of Representatives

Anthony Albanese

Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition

3:33 pm

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

Andrew Wallace

Andrew Wallace Fisher, Liberal Party

Does the Leader of the Opposition claim to have been misrepresented?

Anthony Albanese

Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition

Yes, I do, most grievously.

Anthony Albanese

Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition

Today, during question time, the Minister for Defence said that I did not support the AUKUS arrangement with the UK and the US. This is not true. Australia has a long relationship with the United Kingdom, which has enjoyed bipartisan support since federation. The alliance with the United States originated from John Curtin in 1942, when Australia turned to Labor in our hour of greatest need to defend our nation, and has been supported by Labor ever since.