Peter Slipper (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Before calling the honourable member for Mayo I would just like to observe that it is apparently a fairly recent phenomenon, when a quorum is called for in the main chamber, for the quorum to be withdrawn from the Main Committee. No honourable member of course is compelled to remain in the Main Committee and I do understand that the member for Robertson consulted before she left to join the quorum in the main chamber, so there is no criticism intended of anyone. I was just wondering whether the whips collectively might consider if in the future the Main Committee ought to be allowed to proceed to do its business. It is a matter for the whips; there is nothing I can do about it. But it seems to have been something which has occurred only in the last couple of days, and I gather that in years past that was not a practice that has been adopted. The honourable member for Shortland, I think, wishes to comment on my comment.

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