Keith Pitt Hinkler, National Party
A headline in today's Australian says, 'Ex-Nationals appointee John McVeigh evicted from Murray-Darling rivers panel chair.' Briefly, for context, the article says:
Labor has dropped former Nationals MP John McVeigh as the head of an expert Murray-Darling rivers panel …
… … …
… as chair of the Modernising Murray River Systems Review Panel …
There are two points. The first one is that Dr—
Milton Dick Speaker
Order! I call the Leader of the House on a point of order.
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
On personal explanations, the standing order that the honourable member is using is a really specific standing order where you have to show where you have been personally misrepresented. If the misrepresentation is not personal and not established at the outset, members have normally not been allowed to proceed.
Milton Dick Speaker
I will allow the member to proceed and ask him to come immediately to where he has been misrepresented.
Keith Pitt Hinkler, National Party
The story also claims, wrongly, 'by the Minister for Water', and that this is 'typical of the Nationals' approach to the basin'. I make two points. The story also did not include—
Milton Dick Speaker
The Leader of the House will resume his seat. Member for Hinkler, I will give you one more chance to immediately demonstrate where you have been misrepresented, not the Nationals, not anyone else—you. You have the call.
Keith Pitt Hinkler, National Party
The point that was made was that I had incorrectly appointed Dr McVeigh, that his qualifications were not included. They include, for example, that he has a bachelor in business; a masters in business administration; and a PhD including being in, would you believe, sustainable water use in Australian irrigated agriculture, which is directly relevant to the appointment.