Patrick Secker (Barker, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Reluctantly, Mr Speaker, I ask you two questions. Firstly, I hope I did not mishear what happened today, but early on in question time I think the member for Bass said something along the lines of ‘Tell the truth’ and was asked to withdraw that comment. Yet the member for Perth, in the seventh question by the opposition today, used the comment, ‘Why did the such-and-such member not tell the truth?’ I just wondered why there might be a difference in treatment for that. I would ask you to check the Hansard on that.

Secondly, on a completely different matter, I have noticed this chamber being quite warm and I wondered whether there is something about the—

Bernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Industry, Infrastructure and Industrial Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can’t stand the heat in the kitchen!

Patrick Secker (Barker, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Okay, have your fun.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It’s the National Party melting down!

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

Order! The member for Barker has the call.

Patrick Secker (Barker, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I say that because I think we could save a lot of energy in this House if we did not have the place so unnecessarily warm.

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

I thank the member for Barker. On the second point, I will make further inquiries on the temperature and see what action can be taken. In response to the first point that the member for Barker raises, I refer him to page 499 of House of Representatives Practice. The words that I think are appropriate are:

The determination as to whether words used in the House are offensive or disorderly rests with the Chair, and the Chair’s judgment depends on the nature of the word and the context in which it is used.