Lindsay Tanner (Melbourne, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I have a question for you. It relates to your interpretation of standing order 104 and, in particular, to a question to the Prime Minister that was asked by the Leader of the Opposition regarding the views of Chip Goodyear with respect to climate change. Is it your ruling that, where a question mentions a particular individual, it is sufficient for the Prime Minister or the minister answering the question to be relevant when talking about anything associated with that individual—anything at all—even if it has absolutely nothing to do with the subject matter of the question?

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

I thank the honourable member for Melbourne. I think if he refers to pages 552 and 553 of House of Representatives Practice he will note what previous occupiers of the chair have seen in their interpretation of standing order 104. As well, I would point out to him that the Leader of the Opposition did ask a reasonably lengthy question.