Allegra Spender (Wentworth, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a question for you, Mr Speaker. I am seeking your advice in relation to standing order 100(d)(i), building on the point of order by the member for Kooyong yesterday. Over the last few months, a number of questions in question time have referenced the nationalities of alleged criminals. In many cases the nationality was not strictly necessary to make the question intelligible. As the daughter of a migrant, I am concerned that such references may lead to discrimination and targeting against different migrant communities and that it can undermine our social cohesion. For the clarity of the House, I would like your advice on whether it is out of order under standing order 100(d)(i) to mention the specific nationality—or, frankly, other characteristics, such as religion or sexuality—if those details are not strictly necessary to make the question intelligible.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Wentworth for the question. I was expecting something along this line as a result of yesterday's point of order. I just want to quote to all members page 547 of the Practice, which says:

… only a small proportion of questions without notice are strictly in order and that to enforce the rules too rigidly would undermine Question Time.

The question you have asked me calls upon me to make an instant decision as to whether a specific fact about a person's nationality or the other issues that you raised is strictly necessary to make the question intelligible. That's the standing order you're referring to.

Whether it's a person's nationality, where they live, their gender or sexuality, these are descriptors that have frequently and historically been used, and they provide context in questions. So, following yesterday's point of order, I asked the department to research this issue. There are no known examples of questions being ruled out of order based on a person's nationality, for example, being used. I'm not prepared to make a blanket ruling regarding the exclusion of a person's nationality in questions, but I will continue to monitor questions closely and judge each question on its merits to respect each member.