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 honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

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

Yes—serially and grievously.

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 have been misrepresented by two sets of people about the same issue. Firstly, on the front page of the Australian today, and then by the Prime Minister in his remarks to his opening question today. Both the article and the Prime Minister allege that I am opposed to clean coal technology or that I have diminished its significance. They went on at considerable length. It is an extraordinary statement. I have been defending the importance of clean coal technology as being at the heart of our greenhouse response for a very long time. Yesterday, for example, I said that we have to be a country of clean coal. We also have to be right up there in lights, getting to grips with clean coal, to be a world leader—

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

The Leader of the Opposition has shown where he has been misrepresented.

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

That is it, Mr Speaker. It also features in our blueprint, which we released some time ago. I discover that I advocated it in 1994—

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

The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat.