Dr RAJEN PRASAD (Labour) : I seek leave of the House under Standing Order 354 to make a personal statement relating to comments made about me in the House last night.

Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to make a personal explanation. Is there any objection? There is no objection.

Dr RAJEN PRASAD: Last night, in the debate on the first reading of the Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Six Months’ Paid Leave) Amendment Bill, the member for Taupō, Louise Upston, said that in a debate in this House last week I had implied that mothers were not capable of doing two things at once. I made no such statement and believe nothing I have said on the risks of work-testing solo parents with a 1-year-old child could be construed in this way. As a former human rights commissioner and a former Chief Families Commissioner , I have always taken a respectful approach to women and would not in any way denigrate their abilities or interests, and did not do so during the debate on the Social Security (Youth Support and Work Focus) Amendment Bill last week.