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

Mr Speaker, given that the Prime Minister sought in question time and numerous other places today to highlight the fact that there was a senator missing from a vote in the Senate, and given that we noted that there were nine Labor members who did not attend to form a quorum for this House to meet today—

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

The member for North Sydney will resume his seat.

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

I have not asked the question.

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

I am perhaps suggesting that I am not going to make any more comments about the events of this morning other than the response that I have given to the Chief Opposition Whip.

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

But I am asking a question!

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

All right, the member for North Sydney may ask a question on the administration of parliamentary departments.

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

That is right. Yes, I am, and I am asking you to make available the tape of proceedings of this morning that proves there was not a quorum present when the House met at the first opportunity this morning.

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

The tape of proceedings is available to all members. I say to the member for North Sydney, if we want to go down this track of rewriting everything that happened this morning so that some people can feel better about it than others, by all means do that. I think that, if you look carefully at what I have said, you will see I have admitted that I did not get advice from people that there was not a quorum. Remember that I come in here trailing the mace. I then stand, and it would be a bit hard for me to actually count all the faces that are smiling back at me. In fact, today, if you want to know what my other problem was, one member had his phone in his pocket and it beeped for a message, which distracted me if I wanted to claim I was distracted. But, if you want to listen to what has been said, I said that a lesson was learnt by the events of today. On the basis of the lesson learnt, I for one will ensure that any error will not be repeated. If you leave it at that, that should be sufficient. At the end of the day I could deflect it to other people. I accept that it was in my control because there is no opportunity for another member to indicate to me that there is not a quorum. Of course, there are other procedures and other ways that the Speaker can be advised of it, and I do not wish to put the blame on other people that work in the chamber.

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

Mr Speaker, I respect and accept that, but it does raise issues in relation to section 39 of the Constitution about whether the chamber had a valid quorum in order to give effect to the day’s proceedings.

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

That is why I carefully said that I obviously believed that there was a quorum, and that is why I proceeded to prayers.