Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) 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 Leader of the Opposition claim to have been misrepresented?

Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do.

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

Please proceed.

Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was misrepresented by the Prime Minister quoting an article from the West Australian in which the Prime Minister said that I had adopted a position which said that, even if both parties to a particular individual contract wish that contract to continue, there could be an injection of a third party to disrupt that arrangement. I have never said any such thing. My office confirms to me that the conversation held by my office with the journalist was about another matter related to collective bargaining, not to individual contracts. To emphasise the point I will quote exactly what I said at the New South Wales conference, and it was this:

And finally, we will have sensible transitional provisions for existing AWAs. If both the parties genuinely want them to continue for their agreed term, they will.