House debates Statements

Personal Explanation

Wednesday, 25 March 2026 House of Representatives

Melissa McIntosh

Melissa McIntosh Lindsay, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women

4:12 pm

I wish to make a personal explanation.

Sharon Claydon

Sharon Claydon Newcastle, Australian Labor Party

Does the member claim to have been misrepresented?

Melissa McIntosh

Melissa McIntosh Lindsay, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women

I do.

Sharon Claydon

Sharon Claydon Newcastle, Australian Labor Party

The member may proceed.

Melissa McIntosh

Melissa McIntosh Lindsay, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women

At the conclusion of question time yesterday, the Minister for Climate Change and Energy added to his answer which he gave in response to a question I asked him. In his answer, the minister incorrectly—

Sharon Claydon

Sharon Claydon Newcastle, Australian Labor Party

You just need to get to the matter of where the misrepresentation lies.

Melissa McIntosh

Melissa McIntosh Lindsay, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women

That's what I'm doing.

Sharon Claydon

Sharon Claydon Newcastle, Australian Labor Party

It's not a time to introduce new argument. Go straight to the misrepresentation.

Melissa McIntosh

Melissa McIntosh Lindsay, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women

He asserted that I was engaged in political pointscoring and acted dishonestly. Again, in question time today, in response to a question without notice from the Leader of the Opposition—

Sharon Claydon

Sharon Claydon Newcastle, Australian Labor Party

Where do you claim to be misrepresented?

Melissa McIntosh

Melissa McIntosh Lindsay, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women

This is what I'm getting to. I'm giving an explanation.

I don't need to speak to you. I'm giving that explanation. The minister said:

The only contribution of the member for Lindsay has been to mislead the House about a statement by the Premier of New South Wales yesterday …

The minister made a similar comment on this matter in a further question to him. He has misrepresented what I said three times in 24 hours. And, for the avoidance of doubt and for the minister's information, per page 15 of Hansard for Tuesday 24 March, I stated yesterday that the New South Wales Premier said:

… demand management procedures are required—that might be rationing …

Sharon Claydon

Sharon Claydon Newcastle, Australian Labor Party

We've done the misrepresentation now. Unless there's anything further, you've got it on the record—

Melissa McIntosh

Melissa McIntosh Lindsay, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women

Yes, for the edification of the minister, I seek leave to table a copy of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly's Hansard.

Leave not granted.