Ted O'Brien Fairfax, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy
3:16 pm
During question time—
Ted O'Brien Fairfax, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy
Yes, I do.
Ted O'Brien Fairfax, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy
During question time, the member for Warringah challenged the validity of a question I had put to the Acting Prime Minister where I had referred to a Frontier Economics report and—I quote from my question—'billions in so-called sunk costs for projects yet to commence'—
Milton Dick Speaker
You just need to explain where you were misrepresented. But I'll hear from the Leader of the House.
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
This has started with a misrepresentation of what the member for Warringah said! You can't claim to misrepresented and then open with a misrepresentation, which is exactly what he's done.
Honourable members interjecting—
Milton Dick Speaker
Order! We're going to do this in an orderly way. The member for Fairfax is entitled to claim—we'll come to the member for Warringah in a moment—you need to claim quickly where you've been misrepresented and to demonstrate why that's so.
Ted O'Brien Fairfax, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy
To demonstrate where 'billions in so-called sunk costs for projects yet to commence' was reflected in the Frontier Economics report. The report says—
Honourable members interjecting—
Milton Dick Speaker
I'll handle this. I don't need to have explained what the report says. You simply have to say, 'The member for Warringah claimed this', and 'This is the actual'—
Ted O'Brien Fairfax, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy
That's what I am seeking to do.
An opposition member: Why's he being bullied?
Peter Dutton Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition
Don't be bullied by this guy! Goodness me!
Honourable members interjecting—
Milton Dick Speaker
Order! The Leader of the Opposition—we can get through this if everyone ceases interjecting and everyone follows the standard practice. The Leader of the House?
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
In terms of stating a misrepresentation, the first part is to state what the other person has claimed. The only thing he has attributed so far to the member for Warringah is something that the member for Warringah did not say. She simply raised a point of order asking the member to vouch for what he had said. That issue was resolved in a different way under your ruling at the time. The member can't now use a statement of personal explanation to try to revisit where he was not misrepresented in any way. The only way he's been able to concoct the misrepresentation is by misrepresenting exactly what the member for Warringah said!
Milton Dick Speaker
If the member can claim very quickly where he has been misrepresented—you don't need to read the report out. Just state where you believe the member had misrepresented you, and then if you wish to table a document, which I can see there, you may proceed. Just get to it quickly.
Ted O'Brien Fairfax, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy
The member misrepresented me due to—
Amanda Rishworth Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Services
How?
Ted O'Brien Fairfax, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy
Excuse me? I'm addressing the Speaker.
Milton Dick Speaker
Order—
Government members interjecting—
Members on my right! This cuts two ways. There are plenty of members who wish to claim—
Government members interjecting—
We're not going to have this. You're not going to interrupt while someone is claiming their misrepresentation. We're not doing that. The member is going to continue and be heard in silence or ministers will be asked to leave.
Ted O'Brien Fairfax, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy
The member had challenged the validity and veracity of the information I put in the question to the acting Prime Minister, and therefore, to assist the House, I offered to table that report, which includes mention of $62 billion, which is not accounted for.
Honourable members interjecting—
Milton Dick Speaker
Order. The member is entitled to do that. Is leave granted?
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
Of course leave's not granted. The whole concoction there was based on a dishonest statement.
Honourable members interjecting—
Milton Dick Speaker
The member has used the form of the House, which he is entitled to do under the standing orders, as any member is entitled to do. The member for Warringah, on a point of order?
Zali Steggall Warringah, Independent
Yes. The member for Fairfax has misrepresented the point of order that I made during question time. I asked whether or not, pursuant to the standing orders, he would vouch for the accuracy. He did not stand up and vouch at that time. To come up now after question time is a misuse of the standing orders. Again, it was entirely in his purview to vouch at the time I raised the point of order.
Milton Dick Speaker
The member has raised her point. We're just going to keep moving because there are a number of valedictory speeches we'll need to get through this afternoon.