House debates
Monday, 3 March 2014
Personal Explanations
3:10 pm
Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I wish to make a personal explanation.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?
Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Most egregiously.
Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
In an article on 2 March, Bianca Hall wrote:
… Immigration Minister Scott Morrison claiming Labor senator Stephen Conroy keeps showing ''how small a man he is' …
I have said many things about Senator Conroy; that he had undertaken a coward's sledge against General Campbell and other things, but I never said that. What I said—and I refer to the Hansardwas:
The Leader of the Opposition in his response to this motion today has demonstrated how small a man he is when the challenge is put to him.
I have another personal explanation, Madam Speaker, if I may?
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
You will keep this one much tighter.
Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I will. Thank you. It was reported on the weekend, in the same publication by the same journalist, that my department had a team of 66 strong 'spin doctors'—their words. I can confirm that there are only 39.7 full-time equivalent staff employed in that area of my department. The number under the previous government when we came to office was 44.6.
Ed Husic (Chifley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Why didn't you answer the query? That is not an explanation. He refused to answer the journalist's inquiries. You can't—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Order! The member for Chifley is out of order.
Ed Husic (Chifley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
But spot on.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I call the Leader of the House.
3:11 pm
Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
He is very rude, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, assuming we are moving on—you have nothing else?
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I call the Leader of the House, yes.