Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business (House)) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I seek to make a personal explanation.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the Manager of Opposition Business claim to have been misrepresented?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business (House)) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A number of times, but I'll start with this one.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The manager may proceed.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business (House)) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In an interview on ABC Radio National on 6 August, the Minister for the Environment and Energy said that I, when I was environment minister, had failed to invest in the Great Barrier Reef. The facts are these. As agriculture minister, I was part of establishing the Reef Rescue program, worth $200 million from 2007, which then provided a further $200 million when it was renewed. Additionally we established the Coral Sea Marine Park and, most importantly, we were a government that acted on climate change.

Mr Speaker, I seek to make a personal explanation.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the Manager of Opposition Business claim to have been misrepresented?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business (House)) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do. In an interview on ABC Radio National on 6 August, the minister for the environment said, in relation to the Great Barrier Reef, that I had five dredge disposal projects. Mr Speaker, none of these projects were mine. They were referrals made under environmental law, and none were approved by me.

Mr Speaker, I seek to make a personal explanation.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the Manager of Opposition Business claim to have been misrepresented?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business (House)) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He may proceed.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business (House)) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In an interview on 7.30 on 2 August, the minister for the environment said that I had the Great Barrier Reef on UNESCO's 'endangered watch list'. UNESCO's World Heritage Committee manages a number of lists with respect to World Heritage sites. It has a World Heritage List and it has an 'in danger' list. The reef has never been put on the 'in danger' list, and the UNESCO World Heritage Committee has never had an endangered watch list. I corrected the minister on these points in a media release on 6 August.

Mr Speaker, I seek to make a personal explanation.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the Manager of Opposition Business claim to have been misrepresented?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business (House)) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You may proceed.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business (House)) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Notwithstanding that the environment minister had been publicly advised there is no endangered watch list, the claim that the reef was put on such a list while I was minister for the environment was repeated by the minister for the environment on 6 August, 7 August and 12 August, by the Leader of the House on 9 August, and by the Prime Minister on 6 August. On each of these dates, the watch list continued to not exist, while the credibility of the minister went from endangered to extinct.