Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment Participation) Share this | Hansard source

The Leader of the House is absolutely correct. Over the last two terms, since I have been in this place, there has been no occasion when standing order 81 has been defied in the way in which it has been relied upon today. Standing order 81 is unequivocal. It quite clearly sets out the reasons we have substantive motions and procedural motions. Standing order 81 provides the opportunity for this place to move on to other business but does not provide you, Mr Speaker, with any discretion not to accept the procedural motion that is moved pursuant to that standing order. That is the reality. The fact is that the member for North Sydney chose to defy your ruling when in fact you had no room to move other than to put the procedural motion moved by the Leader of the House. You actually accepted that as a procedural motion. You accepted the meaning and the definition of standing order 81. You accepted it not only because it is unequivocal in its wording but also because it has been upheld by Speakers who preceded you as what happens when a procedural motion of this kind is moved in this chamber. The fact is that the member for North Sydney understands that and he chose to move otherwise. (Time expired)

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