House debates
Tuesday, 13 February 2018
Personal Explanations
3:12 pm
Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Nick Xenophon Team) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I seek leave to make a personal explanation.
Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Does the member claim to have been misrepresented?
Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Nick Xenophon Team) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I most certainly do. I seek to correct misrepresentation that has been made by the member for Wakefield in the chamber earlier today. The member stated the Nick Xenophon Team did a number of sweetheart deals, including a deal to cut funding to South Australian schools by $210 million, and I refute these allegations. The member for Wakefield also implied I misrepresented the position of the Nick Xenophon Team with regard to the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card) Bill 2017. The member was correct when he quoted my words. I reiterate:
The Nick Xenophon team cannot support this bill in its current form until it can be conclusively determined with solid evidence that the Cashless Debit Card is actually effective.
The Nick Xenophon Team did not support the bill in its original form, which would have seen a potential rollout—
Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The member for Mayo might pause for a second. She needs to go to where she believes she has been misrepresented by the member for Wakefield.
Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Nick Xenophon Team) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The member for Wakefield said that we made 'a dirty deal with government'. This was different to the words that I used in the debate of the bill. I believe it is incorrect and a misrepresentation of me and the Nick Xenophon Team.