Ms HANSON--"My question is directed to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister will be aware of the political and media criticism of him for not condemning me for remarks I have not made and for views I do not hold."Extract from the WEEKLY HOUSE HANSARD Database Date: 4 November 1996 (14:22)
Ms HANSON--"My question is directed to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister will be aware of the political and media criticism of him for not condemning me for remarks I have not made and for views I do not hold."
Mr SPEAKER--"The honourable member for Oxley will move very quickly to the question or resume her place."
Ms HANSON--"He will be aware that the criticism targets an incident in Rockhampton involving five Singaporean defence personnel. He will be aware that reports of the incident have been spread widely in Asian newspapers and that they have been subject to editorials in Asian newspapers."
Mr SPEAKER--"Order! The honourable member for Oxley has a question for the Prime Minister?"
Ms HANSON--"Yes."
Mr SPEAKER--"Address the question or resume your seat."
Ms HANSON--"Is it a fact that the attack on the Singaporean defence personnel was carried out not by white Australians inflamed by me and condoned by him, but by a group of Aboriginals where alcohol was involved on both sides?"
Mr HOWARD--"Can I say in reply to the member for Oxley that the investigation of alleged criminal offences is the responsibility of the state police authorities. I do not think it is ever appropriate for federal members of parliament to give running commentaries, be they members or ministers or Prime Ministers, on particular police investigations. I know that the Minister for Defence offered a private briefing to the shadow minister for defence. I think there were good reasons for him doing that. I think the same private briefing could, I am sure with profit, be offered by the Minister for Defence to the member for Oxley. Could I lastly say as a general observation that I do not believe the racial background of an alleged offender against the laws of Australia should be the subject of identification or comment unless--this is a very important caveat--it is necessary to the identification and apprehension of that person, where I think it is an entirely legitimate thing to do."
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