Personal Explanation

CHINA TRADE LINKS

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:25): I seek leave to make a personal explanation.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: I have been seriously misrepresented. Yesterday I asked a question of the Minister for Regional Development, the Hon. Gail Gago, about cuts to PIRSA amounting to 400 jobs and around $80 million. In her reply the minister discussed a food and wine project in China. The minister said:

...puts out a media release that bags this project—in writing, in public—bags a project in which we are still in negotiation, a project that is still under negotiation. He is so irresponsible that he puts out a media release that bags this really important project that has critical opportunities for the state.

At no time did I issue any media release bagging the project. I did not bag the project—and nowhere in the release did I bag the project. I table the media release to which the minister refers.

The Hon. G.E. Gago interjecting:

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: I have had no phone calls at all and I request that the minister withdraw her statement to this place.