Jacinta Nampijinpa Price (NT, Country Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Skills and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In question time last Thursday, Minister Watt egregiously misled the Senate. He said that the coalition wants to cut the Key Apprenticeship Program. He said that I told Channel 7 that the coalition would scrap the scheme. Minister Watt repeated the same false claim made by the Minister for Skills and Training, Andrew Giles. In making this false claim, Minister Giles and Minister Watt relied on Channel 7's editorial comment, not the comments I made when interviewed. Indeed, Channel 7 has since corrected the record, and I've written to Minister Watt asking him to correct the record too. Has he had the decency or humility to do so? Of course not. Intellectual honesty is beyond this minister—and, honestly, so is intellect.

Should Australians be surprised that Labor is misleading them? Of course not. Australians are used to it. Falsehood after falsehood, fabrication after fabrication—that's of course the Labor way. Labor said inflation has turned the corner—false. Labor said Australians' power bills will come down by $275 a year—false. Labor said it has ruled out new taxes on Australians' homes and their super—false. Labor said it would build 1.2 million new homes—false. Labor said it didn't assist ISIS supporters—false. Labor said Australians would be better off under its leadership—false.

Labor has no reverence for the truth. Australians deserve better than Labor's Orwellian ministry of truth.