Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to make a few points on Senator McLucas's motion and, for the sakes of Senator Bushby and Senator Canavan, I will be brief. Senator Canavan was given notice of this on the day in question. In fact I stood up after question time and drew the article to his attention and asked him to correct the record. He then asserted that:

Therefore it would not have been removed because in that opinion piece I suggested that it should be ended and closed for new participants.

That is not actually what the piece says. If you go to the back of the piece, it says:

As an economically damaging protectionist policy, the RET should be removed.

Leaving that aside, I would say to Senator Canavan is that the opposition gave him notice on Thursday and then took the next step of writing to him.

I do think all ministers ought to correct the record where they believe the information is not correct. This was brought to your attention. I do acknowledge that you are doing the right thing today—I do acknowledge that. But I would say that there is no shame in having to give additional information to an answer. I suspect most people who have had the honour of sitting on the front bench in this place would have done so. That sort of accountability should not be like dragging blood out of a stone. You were given plenty of notice, but I do acknowledge that the record has been appropriately corrected—or additional information has been provided.

Question agreed to.