Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Hansard source

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition can interject all she likes upon me. This is a matter that I have suggested could be settled, if there is a problem for members of the House, by the Procedure Committee having a look at these matters.

To the member for North Sydney, who thinks that he can interject upon me: I think that the person from whom I learned the most about this matter was in fact the former Prime Minister, who reminded us, each time, when a question was worded in a way that allowed it to be opened up, that, if a program was mentioned, that was sufficient. Whether the House as a whole is satisfied by that is a different matter. But—and I go back many, many parliaments—a number of governments have not taken the opportunity that was given to them by Procedure Committee reports to change this. So, consistent with past rulings, no matter how much criticism it brings to me, the mention of other matters under the program suffices the terms of relevance as they have been known in this chamber.

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