Arch Bevis (Brisbane, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Homeland Security) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I have a question to you. It relates to where offensive or unparliamentary words are used in the House. I seek your guidance in what circumstances it will be necessary for the person who was the target of those words to seek their withdrawal, as was the case during the last sitting week when the Manager of Opposition Business sought to have words withdrawn that were targeted at the Leader of the Opposition. The ruling at that time was that, unless the Leader of the Opposition personally sought to have the words removed as offensive, they would stand, but, on the other hand, that is compared with situations where you as Speaker intervene before any member in the House sought the withdrawal of the words, as occurred today when words were targeted at the Prime Minister.

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