Mr PYNE (3:50 PM) —Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

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

Mr PYNE —Most grievously.

Government members interjecting—

The SPEAKER —Order! Those on my right will come to order!

Mr PYNE —They are easily amused, aren’t they? They are a pathetic lot, aren’t they? This is really a joke.

Ms Gillard interjecting—

Mr PYNE —This is all about softening your image, isn’t it?

The SPEAKER —Order! The member for Sturt will not encourage them!

Mr PYNE —That will not be easy, Julia—at all.

The SPEAKER —Order! The member for Sturt may proceed on his personal explanation.

Mr PYNE —Of course, I am not the Kath Day-Knight of Australian politics either, unlike the Acting Prime Minister. Good on you, Kath! Look at me! Look at me! I have got one word to say to you!

The SPEAKER —Order! The member for Sturt will—

Mr PYNE —I am sorry, Mr Speaker, for trampling on your indulgence. I apologise.

The SPEAKER —You’ve trampled all over it!

Mr PYNE —I have, unfortunately.

The SPEAKER —The member for Sturt will now come to his personal explanation.

Mr PYNE —Thank you, Mr Speaker. In question time the Acting Prime Minister asserted that I had wrongly claimed that the statement of Senator Carr in the Senate today in relation to the Schools Assistance Bill was a significant clarification of the government’s position and satisfied the assurances the opposition were seeking. This is untrue. Senator Carr’s statement substantially clarifies the position and the role of the national curriculum. Senator Carr said that ‘the national curriculum will not mandate particular classroom practices’. There is no Hansard record of the minister saying this in the House because she has never done so.

The SPEAKER —Order! The member for Sturt will resume his seat.