Milton Dick Speaker
Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?
Max Chandler-Mather Griffith, Australian Greens
Today in question time the Prime Minister selectively quoted an article and then impugned meaning to those words that were the complete opposite of those words. I don't mean to explain it in full but I would like to quote some of the words before and after that selective quote.
Milton Dick Speaker
The member will just resume his seat for a moment.
Opposition members interjecting—
Order! Members on my left. The Prime Minister.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
Thanks, Mr Speaker. A personal explanation has to show where a member has been misrepresented. The member has just stood up and said that I quoted him, which I did. I tabled his whole article in the Hansard yesterday, which he wasn't capable of doing, because I want people to read exactly what it is that they are saying, which is that the motivation for the holding up of the Housing Australia Future Fund is all about politics.
Milton Dick Speaker
I will hear from the Leader of the Australian Greens.
Adam Bandt Melbourne, Australian Greens
The member, especially on a question of misrepresentation, where the appropriate form is not to intervene while the statement is being made during question time but to wait until afterwards, should be entitled to make that point. If after that, anyone considers that that is a misrepresentation, then the Prime Minister has other forms that he can take, including making his own, as he did yesterday. But at minimum, especially after what you just said, Mr Speaker, about appropriateness in this chamber, he has to be able to make his statement in full.
Milton Dick Speaker
Members will resume their seats or leave the chamber quietly. I want to hear from the Leader of the House.
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Just to the point of order, the normal practice on personal explanations is that someone provides a quote and then explains that that quote is inaccurate. That is the normal process.
Milton Dick Speaker
On the point of order, the deputy leader of the opposition.
Sussan Ley Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women
I certainly felt very uncomfortable with the bullying attitude of the Prime Minister to a first term MP, not just at the dispatch box yesterday but on the way—
Honourable members interjecting—
Milton Dick Speaker
Members will cease interjecting immediately.
The member for O'Connor is warned. The Leader of the House.
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Firstly, I put that that was an abuse of a point of order. Secondly, the concept and allegation of bullying is a serious allegation and should be withdrawn. And words like that, when they're used simply when someone takes a point of order, actually create a problem for when real instances occur.
Milton Dick Speaker
The Minister for the Environment and Water, on a point of order.
Tanya Plibersek Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water
In response to the deputy leader of the opposition's point of order, I feel profoundly offended and worried when the deputy leader of the opposition constantly interjects when ministers on this side are responding to questions. Her interjections are constant, they are personal and they are nasty.
Honourable members interjecting—
Milton Dick Speaker
Order! The House will come to order. The Leader of the Australian Greens will resume his seat. I want to deal with what the deputy leader of the opposition said.
Honourable members interjecting—
Order, members on my left and my right! If interjections continue, people will leave the chamber immediately. I'm going to ask the deputy leader to withdraw that comment so I can assist the House to deal with this point of order.
Sussan Ley Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women
I stand by my comment and my allegation, and, Mr Speaker, I will not withdraw it.
Milton Dick Speaker
To assist the House, I'm going to ask the deputy leader to withdraw what she said, in light of my remarks before—just to assist the House.
Sussan Ley Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women
Mr Speaker, I withdraw.
Milton Dick Speaker
I thank the deputy leader of the opposition for assisting the House and for her graciousness. I want to deal with the member for Griffith, but the Australian Greens leader has another point of order.
Adam Bandt Melbourne, Australian Greens
Very briefly, in response to a point raised by the Leader of the House in the first point of order, just to advise, I will say that the member did summarise the statement that he said amounted to the misrepresentation, and it shouldn't be incumbent on the member to requote a whole answer.
Milton Dick Speaker
Resume your seat. I'm going to ask the member for Griffith to be short and sharp and explain to the House where he has been misrepresented, not read out the quote that the Prime Minister said, because that's a quote, but just explain where you believe you have been misrepresented.
Max Chandler-Mather Griffith, Australian Greens
The Prime Minister selectively quoted to the extent, and then impugned meaning to those quotes, that it implied the direct opposite of what the article was arguing. I just wish to make one quote from that article, if that's okay, that puts those word in context.
Milton Dick Speaker
You've explained where you've been misrepresented. I thank the member for Griffith. Just so we're clear: we've dealt with this matter. You've explained where you've been misrepresented to the House, and that's enough. I thank the member.