Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Hansard source

I'll ask the member for Dunkley to resume her seat. I feared we would start to run into this problem. There was a problem I raised yesterday, which was not an issue with the motion itself, but we are now running into the same-motion rule. I've read yesterday's motion, and it was almost word for word. In fact, three elements of it have been repeated. The House has already made a determination on that matter. The same-motion rule is about the substance of the proposition. Merely substituting a word or adding another sentence in, of itself, does not change the substance of the decision that the House has now made several times. I'm raising that point right now. There was only one element that was added to that motion. In fact, if I look at yesterday's motion, part A was not in; part B was in, word for word; part D of yesterday's was in, word for word; and No. 2 in this motion was word for word. The only addition was a reference to the Prime Minister, which has also been in the other motions. I think the House has already decided these matters in substance. I'm not saying motions can't be moved, but the same motion—almost identical—cannot be continuously moved, because the House has determined the matter.

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