Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I refer you to standing order 128, which makes it clear that those members who call for a division:

… must not leave the area of Members’ seats and they must vote with those Members who, in the Speaker’s opinion, were in the minority when the Members called ‘Aye’ or ‘No’.

Prior to question time, there were members of the opposition who called for a division and then left the chamber in breach of standing order 128. When this was raised with Mr Deputy Speaker Slipper, he indicated that he would refer the matter to you. I would ask that you consider the matter and report back to the House on what action you will take with regard to those members opposite who breached their obligations under standing orders.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Consistent with what I have been saying, it is not going to be my intention as the chair to review, by way of video reference or whatever, items that have occurred before. I am sure that if that member of the Speaker’s panel wants to have a discussion with me about that matter or any of the other matters that, in his nearly two hours in the chair, he had to deal with, he can. Might I say—not that I was able to observe the whole time—that I thought he dealt with that in a very efficient matter. I think that sometimes we just have to have a little bit of give and take. I am sure that, if the occupant of the chair did not believe that he could deal with the matter at the point in time and there were reasons for doing that, that is likely where the matter will be left.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. To be perfectly clear about it: the government introduced a motion attacking the opposition and then denied the opposition the right to speak.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for North Sydney will resume his seat. It is a very bold statement to say that I was very pleased with the tranquillity of question time, so much so that, by the time we got to about the 21st question, I could not actually remember what it was to give a ruling on whether the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry was anywhere near his question. Having said that, I do not think that we should review what occurred around about lunchtime today. I think that we learn lessons from it. As I said, the main thing for me is that I have faith in the actions that the occupant of the chair took. I think that we should just move on with the business of the House.