Bob McMullan (Fraser, Australian Labor Party) 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?

Bob McMullan (Fraser, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, Mr Speaker, on more occasions than I can deal with here.

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

Please proceed.

Bob McMullan (Fraser, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week, an interview which I gave to the Canberra Times on 19 November, which was published on 20 November, was subsequently exaggerated and distorted by numerous media outlets, none of which got any comment from me to justify the exaggeration or distortion. The two extreme cases that I wish to repudiate by way of personal explanation today are those in the Australian of 21 November, which said I was a public advocate for leadership change, and one on 22 November in the same newspaper, which said I questioned Mr Beazley’s leadership this week. Both those statements are complete fabrications made without any attempt to contact me to verify them.