Mr ABBOTT (Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service) (4:22 PM) —Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

The SPEAKER —Does the Leader of the House claim to have been misrepresented?

Mr ABBOTT —Yes, I do.

The SPEAKER —Please proceed.

Mr ABBOTT —In question time today I tabled a series of newspaper clippings from the Liverpool Leader, including one which states that the member for Werriwa—

Opposition members interjecting—

The SPEAKER —I am listening closely.

Mr ABBOTT —and Craig Knowles served on council together. Mr Speaker, I put it to you—

The SPEAKER —The Leader of the House must be aware—

Mr ABBOTT —that the member for Werriwa looks to have inadvertently misled the House.

The SPEAKER —I have just witnessed an abuse of personal explanations. In the case of the member for Werriwa, I listened closely to his personal explanation and was troubled about the fact that it was his sister who had been misrepresented, until in the latter part of his explanation he indicated the point at which he had been misrepresented.

The SPEAKER —The opportunity to conclude my statement would be appreciated, member for Rankin. The Leader of the House cannot claim a matter of personal explanation which does not directly involve him.