Paul Neville (Hinkler, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, before the minister at the table presented papers I was trying to get your attention to ask you a question. You overlooked me. It is a small procedural matter.

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

My risk taking is probably spent.

Paul Neville (Hinkler, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I assure you it has nothing to do with frogs. This morning there was an incident involving a four-minute count for a division. There was quite a deal of disagreement in the House about whether the four minutes was actually taken or not. I think the general consensus is that it was not four minutes. Could I suggest to you that the tape be run to find out what length of time was actually used so that this sort of mistake does not happen again?

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

I repeat something that I am trying to get through to people. Firstly, this is not a time for raising questions about procedural matters with me. Standing orders allow me to be questioned about matters under my administration to do with the Department of the House of Representatives and the Department of Parliamentary Services, which I administer with the Senate President. Secondly, I am not going back over the tapes. But, despite those two comments, I have every faith in the member of the Speaker’s panel who was in charge of the proceedings. As I understand it, a very satisfactory resolution to the matter was reached. I think that we should leave those types of matters there because sometimes, I think, we go round in circles about procedural matters here and it must remain a complete mystery to those outside who are watching us.