House debates Statements

Personal Explanation

Tuesday, 3 March 2026 House of Representatives

Sharon Claydon

Sharon Claydon Newcastle, Australian Labor Party

4:29 pm

The member for La Trobe has indicated that he's seeking to get the call to make a personal explanation. Does the member claim to have been misrepresented?

Jason Wood

Jason Wood La Trobe, Liberal Party

That's correct. During the MPI today, the member for Bruce claimed that my hand-picked Liberal candidate for Bruce made an election commitment double that of the member for Bruce, which was $670,000, for the TAHA association. I was shadow minister in charge of multicultural affairs and grants, and neither the Liberal Party, nor I, nor the candidate made a commitment to the association. I've spoken to the Liberal candidate for Bruce, who advised that, during the election campaign, he made no such commitment and did not visit the TAHA association. So, if the member for Bruce has evidence, such as a video, media release or Facebook post, he needs to produce it. Otherwise, I request that he retract that statement.