Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Hansard source

I think we'll deal with this matter now. The Treasurer will just resume his seat. I can appreciate when questions are asked that people would like a yes/no answer. As we begin this week and this parliamentary session, I can't make a minister answer a question 'yes' or 'no'. I want to make that clear to everyone. I can make sure they are directly relevant under the standing orders. I'll remind all members, if you wish to change the standing orders, that is up to the House to decide that. But, as they stand now—you may not like the answer; you may not agree with the answer—I simply can't ask a minister or a prime minister to answer a question 'yes' or 'no', as you would like. The Treasurer touched on his answer, in terms of his previous statement, so he is being relevant and he has the call.

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