Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I seek to make a personal explanation.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Do you claim to have been misrepresented?

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You may proceed.

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just a few minutes ago in question time, the Minister for the NDIS said:

I went through all of the seven coalition ministers for the NDIS. They never put out one press release on challenging or detecting fraud …

As one of those ministers, I have been grievously misrepresented. On 18 October 2018, I put out a press release together with the now Leader of the Opposition, which was headed 'NDIS taskforce makes first arrest':

The Coalition Government established the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Fraud Taskforce in July to tackle potential fraud against the NDIS.

There were similar media releases about fraud in the NDIS issued by coalition ministers on 22 April 2021, 31 July 2021, 15 November 2021 and 7 December 2021. Now, the Minister for the NDIS has form in misleading the unfortunate workers of Chiquita Mushrooms, but he cannot mislead this House. He must come in and correct the record.