Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

I have certainly read it into Hansard, but it was from House of Representatives Practice. Your ruling, Mr Speaker, was in fact if anything a generous extension of the traditional practice of this House. Far from being some kind of oppressor of the opposition, you are someone who has extended every courtesy to this opposition. In so doing, you have actually extended the traditional practices of this House.

Mr Speaker, if I may say so, the conduct of the Manager of Opposition Business been quite contrary to the standing orders of this House. I refer you, Mr Speaker, to standing order 94(a):

The Speaker can direct a disorderly Member to leave the Chamber for one hour. The direction shall not be open to debate or dissent ...

That is exactly what was dissented from. The Speaker dismissed the member in question from the service of the House. This is the issue that has excited the Manager of Opposition Business. But standing order 94(a) says:

The Speaker can direct a disorderly Member to leave the Chamber for one hour. The direction shall not be open to debate or dissent ...

This is yet another example of the Manager of Opposition Business abusing the forms of the House.

It is very clear that members opposite have had a very bad day. The Leader of the Opposition has been exposed as totally ignorant when it comes to tax. Yesterday, they were exposed as not having a clue about dental policy. We are supposed to believe that this motion of dissent was spontaneously triggered by your ruling when the Manager of Opposition Business plainly came well armed. But what has in fact triggered this motion of dissent is not just the opposition’s embarrassment over their failed dental policy; it is not just the opposition’s embarrassment over their lack of tax policy; it is the fact that the Leader of the Opposition’s question time attack today has completely collapsed.

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