Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On indulgence and for the benefit of the House, I seek to respond to the rather serious matter raised by the member for Paterson after question time yesterday, when he invited me to retract and indeed apologise for statements I made about amendments he made to a defence home ownership assistance bill earlier this month. There will be no such retraction or apology. The member for Paterson has been quite mischievous.

Bob Baldwin (Paterson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, I haven’t!

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The minister will be careful! The minister will resume his seat. The member for Paterson will resume his seat. I will give him an opportunity. The Minister for Defence will wrap up very quickly.

Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The amendment the member for Paterson referred to was a second reading amendment. The amendment the member for Paterson sought advice from the clerks on was a second reading amendment. He knows I was referring to his consideration in detail amendment, which he had intended to move—

Bob Baldwin (Paterson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Baldwin interjecting

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Minister for Defence will resume his seat.