Mr RUDDOCK (Immigration and Multicultural Affairs) (3:21 PM) —Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

Mr SPEAKER —Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Mr RUDDOCK —Yes.

Mr Martin Ferguson —How?

Mr SPEAKER —The honourable member for Batman will remain silent.

Mr Bob Baldwin interjecting—

Mr SPEAKER —The honourable member for Paterson is not helping. Please proceed, Minister.

Mr RUDDOCK —The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Beazley) complains that in some way I misrepresented him yesterday in the comments I made in answer to a question.

Mr Crean —This is not a personal explanation.

Mr SPEAKER —Honourable member for Hotham, we have heard nothing yet. There is no point in interrupting at this stage. The minister will point out where he has been misrepresented.

Honourable members interjecting—

Mr SPEAKER —The minister has the call. At the moment he has had no chance to speak, thanks to either members of the government or the opposition.

Mr RUDDOCK —I made the assertion that Labor and the Leader of the Opposition were walking down both sides of the street. You have objected to that and you have asserted some element of consistency in the position that you are putting. The only point I have made is that if you use opaque language which is not clear and unambiguous—which is exactly the sort of language you used—you should not be surprised if your comments are interpreted in that way. When you couple it with what had been said by your colleagues—

Mr SPEAKER —The minister has completed his personal explanation. He will resume his place.