Personal Explanation

COAL TO FUEL PROPOSAL

Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (16:22): I seek leave to make a personal explanation.

Leave granted.

Mr WILLIAMS: Today, in question time, the Minister for Infrastructure made several allegations against myself, claiming, firstly, that I got it wrong with regard to a liquids berth at Point Lowly. For the record, I had a briefing from Central Petroleum and Allied Resource last week.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order. The personal explanation is not an opportunity to canvass the issue at length: it is an opportunity to say exactly what I said and where I got it wrong, not to canvass it at length. It has never been allowed for that.

Mr WILLIAMS: That is exactly what I am doing.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: No, it's not.

Mr WILLIAMS: That is exactly what I am doing.

The SPEAKER: Order! I will listen to your explanation.

Mr WILLIAMS: I specifically asked the company if the liquids berth at Point Lowly—

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: Order! Point of order.

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: I see the Leader of the Opposition is angry again. Anger may be an energy, but it's not a policy.

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: He needs to say what I have said that is wrong and make a brief explanation as to why it is wrong. I point out that if he wants to say I was wrong he can always take a privilege matter, if he has the ticker for it.

The SPEAKER: Order! I uphold that point of order. Get to your point very quickly.

Mr WILLIAMS: In another matter, the minister said that I got it wrong in saying that he took two years to assess a proposal from the consortium wishing to build a port at Point Bonython. Might I say that the record shows that The Advertiser on 24 March—

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order: this is an argument. This is not a personal explanation.

Mr WILLIAMS: I am presenting the facts.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Tell us what the facts are.

Mr WILLIAMS: I am about to. If you give me time, I will tell you. The record shows that The Advertiser, on 24 March 2009—

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order: how does he seek to rely on The Advertiser for a factual explanation?

The SPEAKER: Order! Thank you, minister.

The Hon. P.F. Conlon interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member is actually explaining that last point; I listened carefully to it.

Mr WILLIAMS: It said:

Gulf port study lodged: The Spencer Gulf Port Link Consortium has lodged a feasibility study with the state government for its Port Bonython export proposal.

The record also shows that on 16 May 2011, a bit over two years later, the minister put out a press release saying, 'Agreement paves the way for exciting next step at Port Bonython.'

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order. That is plainly an argument from an embarrassed buffoon.

The SPEAKER: Order! Thank you, minister.

Mr WILLIAMS: It is on the record: I am right and you are wrong!

The SPEAKER: Order, member for MacKillop!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order, Madam Speaker. It is not open for him to say I am wrong unless he does so by substantive motion. He is allowed to do a personal explanation. If he wants a matter of privilege I suggest the buffoon screw his courage to the sticking place and do it.

Members interjecting:

An honourable member: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: Thank you members! There will be no more discussion on this point. No; I am not even going to take the point of order. The house will note grievances.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! If there is any more of this carry-on I will close the parliament down. The minister will leave the chamber.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! This is a house of parliament, not a zoo. The house will note grievances.