Amanda Vanstone (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Brandis for the supplementary question. The further information is simply this: the child is now registered in the name in which the department sought the travel documents. The details of this case, which relate to Mr and Mrs Kola, are not in themselves that important. What is important is that the shadow minister asserted something in the chamber and outside that was not true. He can take the honest route, or the high road, and apologise publicly. The alternative is to stay on his current path—the low road: the road of slander, innuendo and ‘whatever it takes’. This is a test for Mr Rudd, given his promise of a new leadership style, to demand a public apology from the shadow minister. Bear in mind, this was not about asserting a mistake; it was about asserting a deliberate, intentional fraud; it was asserting dishonesty. He demanded honesty then and he should be honest now. (Time expired)