Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I would remind you of another difficult day in this parliament: 13 October 2005. On that day, you might recall, Mr Speaker, that there was a vote taken in the parliament and there was a concern by opposition members that the member for Goldstein, now the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, entered the chamber after you had called for the doors to be locked but before the doors were closed. You would recall, I think, Mr Speaker, that, after some confusion about that matter in the House and some concern about that matter, on the next sitting day, which was 1 November 2005, you made the following report back to the House on the question. You said:

Late on the last sitting day, 13 October, some confusion arose about a division called at 4.26 pm. I wish to report to the House that after the House rose, in discussions with me, the honourable member for Goldstein stated that in the circumstances he would not wish his vote to be recorded. With the honourable member’s agreement I spoke to the whips and, with their agreement, the honourable member’s vote was not recorded.

Mr Speaker, relying on that precedent you would be aware that there was concern today after you had resumed the chair that on the question of the vote on the proposition that the member be no longer heard, referring to the member for Grayndler when he was speaking to the member for Wills’s suspension motion, that there was a period in which, after you had ordered that the doors be locked, the doors remained open.

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