Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Hansard source

Order. The Speaker cannot direct the form that an answer must have. Standing orders do not provide for that. I understand that the Leader of the Nationals would like a specific answer—in this case, about a country. Sometimes it's a yes/no answer; I understand that—yes, I understand that. The standing orders, which he knows and which every single member is aware of—and which I have explained to many members could be changed, if they wish, and also the process for doing that; no-one has taken me up on that offer from either side of the parliament!—at the moment are that the Prime Minister has to be directly relevant, if he were talking about another topic. I'm going to allow him to give some context at the beginning. He's had less than one minute into the question. He can't make his answer all about the opposition or what they have done, but I'm going to allow him now to return to the question.

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