Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Hansard source

Look, if you want to play this game—no, listen. We had this the other day. The member had started to commence his answer. If he wants the clock set at two minutes and 58 seconds, we can do it. Now, you raised the other day the prospect that this was the first time the clock had stopped during the answer. I undertook to the member then: I said, to the best of my recollection, there had been instances where, when such a motion was put on a minister in question time, the clock had stopped. I checked, I put two examples to the House: 21 October, 2010 when Minister Crean had such a motion put and he recommenced the answer because the clock stopped, and a week later, on 28 October, similarly on then Prime Minister Gillard. Now, if the Manager of Opposition Business's point is that the clock had started, it had started by a couple of seconds. So, what do you want to set it at? Two minutes and 55 seconds? Good. Well, let's do that. For two minutes and 55 seconds, I call the Deputy Prime Minister.

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