Tony Smith (Casey, Liberal Party, Deputy Chairman , Coalition Policy Development Committee) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Deputy Speaker, thank you for your explanation and for your apology to the member for Mackellar. The appropriations are an unrestricted debate. We accept that you were not aware of that until now, but by the very nature of the appropriations the debate is unrestricted subject to the constraints pointed out by the Manager of Opposition Business. Again, to assist you, that is why your good friend the former Leader of the Opposition and member for Werriwa was able to make the sorts of remarks he made on appropriation bills and in grievance debates and in adjournment debates. I certainly accept at face value that you were unaware of the unrestricted nature of the debate, and we thank you for your apology.

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