Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, what I said and what I try to say on a clear and regular basis is that I made comment on the basis of principle, not on the basis of personality. My comment was that those people who provide unattributed comment—and that is the exact quote—

Senator Conroy interjecting—

I did not say, as you have falsely asserted, 'cabinet colleagues that make'; I said 'those that make unattributed comments', and that is a statement of principle by which I stand. And guess what, Mr President? The ABC—surprise, surprise—misquotes me. What a shock! That has never happened to me before!

I would say to the honourable Senator that it is no surprise that the ABC has clipped and snipped and tried to juxtapose two things in a manner that is not representative. What I said was that those who provide unattributed comments have certain character flaws, and that is what I stand by.