Robert Oakeshott (Lyne, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Speaker, I rise to make a personal explanation.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Robert Oakeshott (Lyne, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do most grievously, Speaker.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Please proceed.

Robert Oakeshott (Lyne, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In the House between 5 and 5.30 pm today a debate took place with regard to suspension of standing orders to consider section 132 of the standing orders due to a vote that occurred earlier today when MPs were accidentally absent. In that debate the integrity of all crossbenchers, including me, was questioned by the Manager of Opposition Business. He made the following comments:

The right thing to do if they had any integrity at all would be for one of them to absent themselves from the vote or vote with the opposition to ensure the MP for Fairfax is paired.

Also, and I quote:

They may well want to pair themselves with the MP for Fairfax in order to ensure that this vote is not counted, because he has returned home. He is ill. He is incapable of being here.

I would not have any problem with vigorous debate and challenges to my integrity if the MP for Fairfax had indeed returned home and was sick or was incapable of voting. But he is none of the above, because I have seen him in the corridor tonight. I am also aware of at least one journalist who can confirm that the member for Fairfax is in the building tonight.

I would also have little regard for getting up and correcting the record if this was just an ordinary vote with a clear majority. But it was no ordinary vote. It was a vote that everyone knew, including the member for Sturt, had only one vote in it. My integrity was challenged by someone who was misleading me, misleading the crossbench and, as the record shows, misleading the House.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Lyne has raised a very serious issue indeed. Members should be aware that the deliberate misleading of the House is a very serious offence indeed. I just put a footnote on that with regard to potential further action on that tomorrow morning as to whether there has indeed been a question, at the very least, of a breach of privilege. We regard these issues as an issue of honour. During the debate the member for Sturt chose to say some pretty strong things and I would certainly like to ascertain the facts around this before I take it any further, including, as a courtesy, having a discussion with the member for Sturt about these issues. But certainly the member for Sturt was very clear.

As a consequence also, I should indicate that the opposition have taken action against people including the member for Greenway and others in terms of a denying of pairs tomorrow on legitimate issues including some that the opposition were aware of. I thank the member for Lyne for doing his duty as a member in drawing it to the parliament's attention at the earliest possible opportunity. I thank you, Speaker, and I reserve the fact that I might have further to say on this.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Leader of the House. This is a matter for the members involved to consider. The question before the House is that the House do now adjourn.