Andrew Nikolic (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Deputy Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

Craig Kelly (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is just to make a personal explanation; it is not to debate anything? Just a personal explanation?

Andrew Nikolic (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes.

Craig Kelly (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I call the member for Bass on a personal explanation.

Andrew Nikolic (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. On the ABC Insiders program last Sunday, 28 February, journalist Lenore Taylor attributed the following statement to me, 'He, Nikolic, has reportedly said, "Terrorism makes civil liberties redundant."' I have never made that statement, and when I invited Ms Taylor to correct the record she acknowledged the mistake and corrected it on Twitter. Sitting here in the chamber I just noted another article posted on the ABC online by Mungo McCallum, which states:

Nikolic is on record as saying that in the age of terrorism … the civil liberties debate is simply not relevant.

Again, that is simply not true and I call on the ABC to cease publishing these false assertions.