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Personal Explanation
The Hon. RICK COLLESS, by leave: During question time today Minister Roozendaal asked when was the last time I had a drink at the Graham Hotel. I have never had a drink at the Graham Hotel, principally because no such institution exists between Inverell and Goondiwindi. Nor is there a place called Graham between Inverell and Goondiwindi. If the Minister knew where he was in New South Wales, and if he had done his research, he would have known that the village he was in was Graman, not Graham.
I have had many drinks at the Graman Hotel over the years. While the people of Yetman, Wallangra and Graman are very grateful for the assistance with sealing the road, the Graman people would be most unhappy that the Minister failed to understand the name of their beautiful village, and the people of Yetman and Wallangra would be annoyed that he did not mention their communities in his answer.
I must also point out to the Minister that I was not the campaign manager for The Nationals in Northern Tablelands at the 2003 election. The Minister's statement to that effect is an outright lie and he should withdraw it. The final misconception in the Minister's answer was that The Nationals polled 8.5 per cent in Northern Tablelands at the last election. The Minister failed to provide the rest of the story; that is, that the Australian Labor Party polled just 4.74 per cent, of which just 2.6 per cent was polled in the booths in Inverell—
[Interruption.]
The DEPUTY-PRESIDENT (Reverend the Hon. Fred Nile): Order! Leave has been withdrawn. The Hon. Rick Colless will resume his seat.
The Hon. RICK COLLESS:—and the ALP certainly has nothing to crow about in Northern Tablelands, having dropped to just 4.74 per cent in an electorate that was once held by Labor stalwart Bill McCarthy with about 45 per cent of the primary vote.
The DEPUTY-PRESIDENT (Reverend the Hon. Fred Nile): Order! The Hon. Rick Colless is in danger of being in contempt of the Chair.