Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Hansard source

The member for Sturt is warned! I am not sure when he was at the dispatch box the Manager for Opposition Business was actually raising a point of order on relevance, because he referred to the Senate question. But I just say that the Prime Minister is responding to the question. The chair has not got the power to decide the way in which the Prime Minister responds to questions. With due respect I will assist the Manager of Opposition Business by indicating to him that I suggest he research the conduct of this place during the last parliament. He will find that the Prime Minister of the day would say that where terminology, as in this question, used asylum seekers, unauthorised arrivals, if in fact the response made reference to those things it fulfilled the relevance standing order, and I am in agreement with that until the Procedure Committee gives the House a suggestion about different standing orders.

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