Carmen Lawrence (Fremantle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, in the gallery today there were two very prominent citizens not of this country—one a longstanding but former member of the Canadian parliament, a Mr David Kilgour, a former minister indeed, and one a Mr Edward McMillan-Scott, the Vice-President of the European parliament. Since you seemed not to be recognising them, I drew their presence to your attention. Unfortunately, you did not see fit to pay them the credit that is normally given to such visitors. In that light, may I ask you why you did that and why other guests have been given appropriate treatment when these people have not.

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

I thank the member for Fremantle. As she is aware, the decision on who will be recognised has to rest with the chair. While there are not firm guidelines, there are clear rules, if you like, that I try to follow. Given precedents have existed for many years, I continue to follow them.