Mr ALBANESE (Grayndler) (9.31 a.m.)—Mr Speaker, on indulgence. The sentence that I said yesterday was:

Whether it is the issue of Senator Heffernan's disgraceful abuse of parliamentary privilege and his denigration of Australian institutions with the assistance and support of the Prime Minister, whether it is the lies that were told about children being thrown overboard—

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The SPEAKER—The member for Grayndler is speaking on indulgence. If he says something that I believe abuses that indulgence, I will require him to resume his seat.

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Mr ALBANESE—That was my statement, `whether it is the lies that were told about children being thrown overboard'. It did not name an individual. To retract a statement that one knows to be true is indeed to be guilty of telling a lie. I was not prepared to do that. Everyone knows that children were not thrown overboard.

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The SPEAKER—The member for Grayndler will resume his seat. The member for Grayndler runs the risk of compounding the abuse. I have spoken to the Deputy Speaker, as indicated. The concern that the chair has, and the concern that all members have, is the obligation that the member for Grayndler has in common with all other members—that is, to follow the instructions of the chair. It was, in fact, his defiance of the chair that has brought this matter about. Having looked at the transcript and having spoken at length to the Deputy Speaker—the member for Grayndler knows the consequences of his action—I was prepared, if he were to apologise to the House and to the Deputy Speaker for his defiance of the chair, to consider his apology. But he has to recognise that, no matter what he feels about what he said, his defiance of the chair is the matter that has brought this matter to a head.

Mr ALBANESE (Grayndler) (9.35 a.m.)—Mr Speaker, I certainly wish to indicate to you and to the Deputy Speaker that it is unfortunate that this situation has arisen. I certainly do not have any intention of defying the chair in an inappropriate way, and I respect the fact that you have put those views forward. However, I was in a situation whereby I certainly could not withdraw, and I regret this situation.

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The SPEAKER—The member for Grayndler cannot elaborate. I require him to apologise unreservedly to the Deputy Speaker.

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Mr ALBANESE—Unfortunately, due to the issue of children being thrown overboard, that is something I cannot do because there were lies told about it—

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The SPEAKER—The member for Grayndler will resume his seat!

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The SPEAKER—The member for Batman!

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The SPEAKER—The member for Batman is warned! I have no choice, given the circumstances, but to name the honourable member for Grayndler.