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

Mr Speaker, given that, in relation to page 538 of the House of Representatives Practice, you are taking a different approach to questions to that of your three predecessors, will you also be taking a different approach to the first five points in that section? That section includes:

statements, activities, actions or decisions of the Minister’s own party or of its conferences ...

I ask about that given that when the member for Groom was a minister he was asked numerous questions in question time about his party conference. The section also includes:

what happens or is said in the party rooms or in party committees;

party leadership issues ...

From my recollection, questions were asked about a memo from Shane Stone, the President of the Liberal Party. The section also includes:

statements by people outside the House including other Members, notably opposition Members;

statements in the House by other Members;

the attitude, behaviour or actions of a Member of Parliament or the staff of Members;

Given that questions were asked in this House about numerous members of the previous government—not ministers but backbenchers—by the then opposition who are now in government, they are choosing to implement the standing orders in a very different way.

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

It will not be my policy to give advisory rulings. I simply say that, if the Manager of Opposition Business is in some way concerned about the way in which I have used precedents today, I think that I have used them within the bounds of what has gone on before. There were five questions. Three were in order; two were ruled out of order. In the struggle that I have as the occupant of this chair, I have to be consistent with my rulings and within the bounds of rulings that have been made in the past.

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

I have a further question to you, Mr Speaker. Is it your intention to consistently follow your decision that you referred to a little bit earlier in relation to the second question by the member for Curtin relating to section 101(c) that does not allow the member to change the question should it be ruled out of order?

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

That has been at the discretion of occupants of the chair and I think that there has been consistency in the inconsistency in the way in which that is applied. I think that it really depends on the way in which the events of the day are panning out. On this occasion, I believed that, in giving an indication before the questions as to the way in which I was approaching questions of the ilk, that was sufficient. You will remember that, earlier in this session, I gave opportunities to at least two members on my left to revise the wording of their question. One led to it being again ruled out of order—which, might I say, was not a great confidence builder for me being able to use my discretion to have questions reworded—and another quite cleverly got a different question up.

Brendan Nelson (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, could I just ask you a question on this matter and your observation in response to the Manager of Opposition Business that, in part, it depends on the events of the day. The Prime Minister himself on 10 June said—and I quote—that he had a clear-cut conversation between himself as the leader of the parliamentary Labor Party and—

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

Mr Albanese interjecting

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

The Leader of the Opposition will come to a close in what he wants to say, because I cannot see that this is a question for me. In fact, I have gone beyond what I indicated very early in this parliament—that I was not going to take questions about events that had occurred throughout the day. I took it that questions to the Speaker were to do with administration. I am allowing a bit of leniency, which indicates that, from time to time, that will occur. But I do not wish for this to go on as some sort of surrogate debate about matters that were discussed in question time.

Brendan Nelson (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I appreciate and respect that, but, in reference to your explanation in relation to your decision, the Prime Minister himself on 10 June said he had had a clear-cut conversation between himself as the leader of the parliamentary Labor Party and as the Prime Minister and with her as a member of parliament.

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

I simply say that there can be occasions when these discussions go beyond those things that are public administration responsibilities of ministers and the Prime Minister.

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

That is ridiculous!

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

The member for North Sydney will withdraw that comment.

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

I just made the point—

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

The member for North Sydney will withdraw.

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

I withdraw, but I also make the point that, previously, Managers of Opposition Business—

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

The member for North Sydney will leave the chamber for one hour.

The member for North Sydney then left the chamber.