Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I have a question relating to the ruling that you gave at the start of question time today on the motion moved by the Leader of the House last Thursday, the motion being ‘That that snivelling grub over there be not further heard’. As I understand your ruling, Mr Speaker, you believe that by the time the House voted, that motion had become ‘That the member be no longer heard’ as a result of the Leader of the House withdrawing the offensive words. Mr Speaker, the only withdrawal offered by the Leader of the House prior to the vote being taken was in the following terms:

If I have offended grubs, I withdraw unconditionally.

Mr Speaker, I take it as implicit in your ruling that in future in this House a withdrawal in that form will be seen to be an effective withdrawal. If you saw it to be effective on this occasion when offered by the Leader of the House, then you must necessarily be ruling that it will be effective on all occasions when offered by other members of the House. Can you confirm that the practice in this chamber is now that a withdrawal in that form is effective?

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Manager of Opposition Business for her question. I would make a couple of points here. First of all, as she would be aware, in my statement I used the word ‘withdrawals’—plural. Secondly, I suggest that, if she would like to discuss this further, we could talk about it afterwards, but I have made a clear ruling on the matter.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I will discuss the matter with you further but could I note, for the purposes of the record, that the only unconditional withdrawal offered by the Leader of the House was after the putting of the relevant motion. It is on page 39 of Hansard, some six pages after the motion was moved. So it is impossible that that withdrawal was effective to correct the motion, because it was offered after the motion was voted on.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business has made her point. She will not debate it.