Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Hansard source

Under the standing orders, questions to the Speaker are supposed to be about administrative matters and administrative matters only. However, there is an important point that I wish to make and that is this: once a member is asked to withdraw by the chair, there is an obligation to comply with the ruling of the chair; otherwise the matter is compounded and indeed it becomes a reflection on the chair. However, for the purposes of clarity, standing orders 89 and 90, which are the relevant standing orders, apply only to current members and senators. Indeed, 90 applies to members only and 89 applies to members and senators. Joan Child, a former distinguished Speaker in this chair, has noted that. There are other instances when people have been required to withdraw when a former member was mentioned. I think the best way to proceed is that we abide entirely by the standing orders and that standing orders 89 and 90 apply only to current members and senators.

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