Martin Ferguson (Batman, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Resources, Forestry and Tourism) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, my question to you goes to the application of the standing orders—specifically standing order 64, which requires members, in referring to other members, to refer to them by their ministerial office, their parliamentary office or their electoral division. This is a very serious issue going to the management of this House. I go to House of Representatives Practice and, at page 500, in referring to the application of the standing order, it says:

The purpose of this rule is to make debate less personal and avoid the direct confrontation of Members …

It then goes on to say:

A degree of formality helps the House remain more dignified and tolerant when political views—

are expressed.

In answering a question today, the Treasurer appropriately referred to a member by his constituency name and then added the term ‘Mr Gilligan’. On the basis of your failure to act, is it therefore appropriate in the future when posing a question to the Minister for Foreign Affairs that we simply pose it to the member for Mayo, ‘Dolly,’ or to the Treasurer as the member for Higgins ‘Dog’ or ‘Chicken’? If this is unacceptable, I ask you to reflect on your failure to take action with respect to the requirement and also require the Treasurer to apply the standing orders.

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