Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Hansard source

I will address this as briefly as I can because I do not want to detain members throughout question time. The former Speaker, as the Manager of Opposition Business knows, addressed this issue in some detail. It is a new standing order that has only operated in this parliament and it was invoked, I think, with respect to the member for Jagajaga at one point. What was made clear then, without me rereading through everything, is that it is not possible for me as Speaker to know the subject of every personal explanation. I do not carry that with me. Now that the member has raised that, I can be cognisant of it for the future, but I am not going to pause question time, look at what was said and make a ruling on it now. The Prime Minister has a minute to go on the question that has been asked. Just before I call him, I am allowing very robust questions. There are preambles in some questions and there are going to be preambles in answers. If the House itself wants to decide it does not want preambles in questions and answers, we can discuss that another day through the relevant procedure committee. The Prime Minister has the call.

See this speech in context