Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the Manager of Opposition Business for that. As with any issue that is raised of privilege, I will carefully examine the issue. In this case, I will report back as soon as I can. The Manager of Opposition Business has referred to a number of matters of practice which are important. If my calculations are correct, they could have operated with respect to last week as well. But that is a matter I can report back to the House on.

In terms of the rule: obviously, I reserve the right to give a more definitive statement, which I will do later. If the Manager of Opposition Business is making a point about a five-day rule—in the Parliamentary Privileges Act, I think—that would not turn on whether this Thursday's sitting continues tomorrow. But I thank him for raising the matters and I will report back. It sounds like we will have enough time to do that a little later.

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