Ms GILLARD (3:17 PM) —Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

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

Ms GILLARD —On two occasions in question time today.

The SPEAKER —Please proceed.

Ms GILLARD —In question time today, the Minister for Health and Ageing claimed that I am anti the private sector.

Government members interjecting—

The SPEAKER —Order! Members on my right! The member for Mackellar will resume her seat. The Manager of Opposition Business has just begun to give a personal explanation. I have yet to hear what it is.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop interjecting—

The SPEAKER —The member for Mackellar will resume her seat and I will hear the Manager of Opposition Business and rule if she is not giving a personal explanation.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop interjecting—

The SPEAKER —The member for Mackellar will resume her seat!

Ms GILLARD —Thank you, Mr Speaker. In question time today the minister for health claimed that I am anti the private health sector. This claim is absurd, and I seek leave to table my Earle Page memorial lecture which details my plans to use private health—

The SPEAKER —The Manager of Opposition Business will resume her seat.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop —Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The Manager of Opposition Business has indicated her intention to debate something that took place in question time. That is totally against the standing orders and is not a proper use of a personal explanation. The standing orders are very clear on the point.

The SPEAKER —The member for Mackellar will resume her seat. The Manager of Opposition Business is well aware that, if she seeks to make a personal explanation, she must show where she personally has been misrepresented.

Ms GILLARD —Mr Speaker, I am dealing with matters which were over the dispatch box and directly about the member for Lalor. How could they not be matters that are about me? I have dealt with the first of them, and I have asked for leave to table this speech, which details my plans to use private sector capacity for public needs.

Leave granted.

Ms GILLARD —Thank you. On the second occasion, the minister for health in question time today accused me of misleading people about the government’s plans to privatise Medicare. To answer this claim, I seek leave to table a press release from the federal member for O’Connor, Mr Wilson Tuckey, headed ‘Privatise Medicare and public hospitals’, in which he outlines the government’s plans to privatise Medicare.

Leave granted.