Peter Lindsay (Herbert, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That that snivelling grub over there be not further heard.

Opposition members interjecting—

Order! Members shall not speak in the gangway.

Mr Deputy Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I ask the obvious, which is that the Leader of the House withdraw that remark. He has a particular responsibility to uphold standards in this House. He once again has gone that yard too far.

If I have offended grubs, I withdraw unconditionally.

That is just—

The member for Grayndler will resume his seat. Under standing orders I am required to put the motion of the Leader of the House immediately. I will put that motion immediately.

Mr Deputy Speaker—

The member for Grayndler will resume his seat. I intend to put the motion immediately. All those of that opinion say aye; to the contrary no. Is a division required? Ring the bells for four minutes.

A division having been called and the bells being rung—

Opposition members interjecting—

Mr Deputy Speaker, on a point of order: you are obliged to uphold that call to withdraw.

I am obliged to uphold the standing orders.

Opposition members interjecting—

Mr Deputy Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The member for Cowan made a very abusive remark about the chair and I ask that he withdraw that remark.

I thank the member for Paterson. I did not hear the remark—

You are ruling on his point of order, but—

and, to cool the House down, we might just leave it at that.

Mr Deputy Speaker, I raise a point of order. Would you confirm that the motion before the House is ‘That that snivelling grub be no longer heard’. If that is the motion before the House, would you rule it out of order, because it clearly is unparliamentary.

Order! The Manager of Opposition Business has asked me to restate the motion.

No!

Sorry—has asked me to clarify what the motion was. For the benefit of the House—and I have already advised the Manager of Opposition Business of this—the Leader of the House did withdraw the words that are complained of; therefore the motion—

Mr Swan interjecting

The member for Lilley walks a fine line by calling the Deputy Speaker an idiot.

Mr Crean interjecting

The member for Hotham walks a fine line by clapping. For the benefit of members, the question before the House is ‘That the member be no longer heard’.

Mr Deputy Speaker, I raise another point of order. At what point was that motion moved? Not one person on this side of the House heard it. Secondly, Mr Deputy Speaker, in respect of the withdrawal of what you say were the offensive words, my clear recollection is that the Leader of the House said, ‘If I have offended grubs, then I withdraw.’ That is not an unconditional withdrawal; it is not an effective withdrawal; he never withdrew unconditionally the offensive words. The motion before the House is clearly out of order, because no in order motion was moved.

I thank the Manager of Opposition Business. The Leader of the House has clarified that it is his intention to withdraw those words and that what he said was intended to withdraw those words. I accept that. We will continue with the division.

Mr Deputy Speaker, on a point of order: no subsequent withdrawal can change the terms of the motion that was moved. He has to withdraw the motion and move another one. You cannot put before the parliament a motion containing unparliamentary language. It is a disgrace.

I thank the member for Fraser. I intend to put the motion. The motion is ‘That the member be no longer heard’. The ‘ayes’ will pass to the right of the chair, the ‘noes’ will pass to the left of the chair—

Ms Gillard interjecting

I am putting the motion. The motion is ‘That the member be no longer heard’.

Opposition members interjecting—

Order! We are wasting the time of the House. We will vote on the motion before the House.

Question put.

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