Gary Gray (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Resources and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, I seek leave to make a personal explanation.

Julie Owens (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the minister claim to have been misrepresented?

Gary Gray (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Resources and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes.

Julie Owens (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Please proceed.

Gary Gray (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Resources and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 23 May 2013, ABC Radio Australia broadcast a report indicating that I had criticised Timor-Leste's tax rules and accountability in an address to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative 6th Global Conference in Sydney. I did not. My address to the conference has been seriously misrepresented. My general comments were related to tax stability and transparency and were made in reference to the 1,200 attendees from 96 countries at the conference, not targeted at Timor-Leste. A full version of my speech is available on my ministerial website. I can advise the House that my office has sought a correction from ABC Radio Australia which was rejected by the journalist Karon Snowdon. My office has since registered a complaint to ABC Audience and Consumer Affairs to correct this egregious misrepresentation.