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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-11-13 Daily Xml
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Personal Explanation

PLASTIC SHOPPING BAGS

Ms SIMMONS (Morialta) (15:39): I seek leave to make a personal explanation.

Leave granted.

Ms SIMMONS: This morning in another place, the Hon. Rob Lucas talked at length about the plastic bag bill. He brought up some issues which probably need to be addressed. I am very pleased that he has read my speech on that issue in this house. However, some of his comments pertained to a photo that I used in my newsletter when talking to my electorate about plastic bags, and my passion for us all trying to do our bit for the environment. I felt that it was important that we take this legislative step to ban one-use plastic bags in this state and hence lead the way.

Mr WILLIAMS: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker: I understand that the member sought and received leave to make a personal explanation, not to enter into a debate on the matter.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The member is giving a very detailed explanation and I ask her to confine her remarks to the exact manner in which she has been misrepresented and to correct the record.

Ms SIMMONS: Thank you, ma'am. I was probably giving too much background and I thank the member for bringing me up. This is the first personal explanation I have given, so I apologise if that level of background was not required. Most of his speech pertains to a photograph that I used in my newsletter that goes out to my electorate in trying to explain to my constituents my position and why I had spoken in parliament about the ban of one-use plastic bags. To illustrate the position, I used a photograph which I had got from the internet which I believed underpinned the subject that I was talking about. This photograph is of a turtle with what looks like a blue one-use plastic bag in its mouth. The photograph in—

Mr WILLIAMS: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker: if the member—and I think the member might need some clarification—believes she has been misrepresented, my understanding is that she has the ability to seek leave of the house to make a personal explanation to point out why and how she was misrepresented. She does not have leave of the house to give a speech including debate. Obviously, there are other opportunities for members to do that.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I remind the member for Morialta that, as the member for MacKillop has outlined, you should indicate the way in which you claim to have been misrepresented and correct the record.

Ms SIMMONS: Thank you, ma'am. The photograph that I used came from the internet from what I believed were sites that had some reputation behind them and—

Mrs REDMOND: Madam Deputy Speaker, the same point of order—

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I agree.

Mrs REDMOND: The member is not making clear what the misrepresentation is, correcting the record and putting an end to her personal explanation.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Do you need a minute, member for Morialta?

Ms SIMMONS: No, ma'am. The honourable member in the other place said that I needed to prove that what I had to say is correct and what NARGA had to say is incorrect. He said that it was important that I get on the public record in the parliament in relation to this matter, which is what I am trying to do. Neither I nor NARGA—

Mrs REDMOND: The explanation just given by the member for Morialta suggests that, indeed, what she needs is not to make a personal explanation. If what she is trying to do is address something that was suggested she should put on the record by someone in the upper house, that is not what is meant to be encompassed by a personal explanation at all.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I uphold the point of order. The member for Morialta needs to indicate exactly what was said that was factually incorrect. Unfortunately, a personal explanation does not allow space for an explanation of the events.

Ms SIMMONS: As I said to the member opposite, this is the first time I have done this, so I apologise if that is the case. Perhaps, Madam Deputy Speaker, it would be better for me to reserve my comments for a grievance at a later date. Is that correct? Is that what you are telling me?

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: What you are talking about does sound more like a grievance. I cannot give you leave to reserve your comments, but I can indicate that a grievance is the appropriate way to address the type of points you are currently raising.

Ms SIMMONS: Thank you, ma'am. I did seek advice beforehand, and I apologise for having taken up the time of the house on this matter.

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