Stephen Smith (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Industry, Infrastructure and Industrial Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Stephen Smith (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Industry, Infrastructure and Industrial Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Please proceed.

Stephen Smith (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Industry, Infrastructure and Industrial Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yesterday and today, I was misrepresented by the Prime Minister in question time in respect of the now withdrawn Esselte AWA. Firstly, the Prime Minister asserted that I had misled the House on Thursday when I said that a full-time Esselte worker whose work included working on Saturday would be $65 a week worse off on the Esselte AWA. This is not borne out by the facts and is not reflected by the detailed calculations I have released publicly. It is not true.

Secondly, the Prime Minister said I misled the House because I had based the $65 on Saturday work, which was not relevant. This is not true and is not borne out by the facts. Thirdly, that where Saturday was worked, compensation was paid. This is not true and is not borne out by the facts. Indeed, under the AWA, ordinary work from Monday to Friday has been extended from Monday to Sunday.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member is now debating his point.

Stephen Smith (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Industry, Infrastructure and Industrial Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Fourthly, the Prime Minister said the figure was not a $65 loss, but a $27 profit, and I quote:

On the basis of a calculation along the lines of that made by the member for Perth … they would actually be $27 a week better off …

The Prime Minister said this was based on a press release from Esselte.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Perth will show where he has been misrepresented. He will not debate the point.

Stephen Smith (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Industry, Infrastructure and Industrial Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am showing that. The Prime Minister said that that assertion, that I was $92 out, was based on a press release from Esselte. The Esselte press release did not include reference to the $27.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Perth will get to where he has been misrepresented. He will not debate the issue!

Stephen Smith (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Industry, Infrastructure and Industrial Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am doing exactly that. Finally, the Prime Minister said that I had deliberately distorted the facts. That is not true. That is misleading. It is offensive, but then again the Prime Minister would know all about that!