FED:PM says Labor MP apologised for gaffe

AAP General News (Australia)
08-20-2010
FED:PM says Labor MP apologised for gaffe

MELBOURNE, Aug 20 AAP - Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she has no reason to speak
with a Queensland Labor MP in a key marginal seat who made an embarrassing gaffe to a
voter.

Ms Gillard said the sitting member for Longman, Jon Sullivan, had already apologised
for the remarks he made at a community forum on Thursday night.

At the forum, a father of a disabled child asked Mr Sullivan what he would do to speed
up getting children on the Queensland Health waiting list.

Mr Sullivan then asked why he had waited two years to get a specialist diagnosis for
his seven-year-old son's disability.

"What parent would wait two years to get a child who they believe has a disability...?"

Mr Sullivan asked.

The father told Mr Sullivan: "It's taken two years ... to take him to the doctor to
get him diagnosed because we don't have the money to actually go and pay for a specialist
to get him diagnosed so he can get the proper help that he needs at school."

Ms Gillard said the MP had already apologised after making the remark and she had no
need to speak to him about it.

"He certainly owed an apology and he's given it," she told the Nine Network.

"My focus today in the remaining few hours of this election campaign of course is what
it will mean for this nation's future when we make the decision as a nation tomorrow."

Longman is one of the seats the coalition needs to pick up on its way back to power
and the LNP has chosen 20-year-old Wyatt Roy as its candidate.

If he wins it will make him the youngest person to enter the Australian parliament as an MP.

AAP ees/ce/psm/apm

KEYWORD: POLL10 SULLIVAN

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