Page 2941 - Week 09 - Thursday, 18 September 2014
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MS GALLAGHER: Madam Speaker, I am happy to do that if they are kept to order a little more when I am on my feet. I have been counselled by you twice this week when I have been dealing with the opposition shouting at me repeatedly through my answer. I am happy to play by the rules as long as everybody plays by the rules, and at the moment that is not happening.
Mr Coe: On the point of order, Madam Speaker.
MADAM SPEAKER: Actually, that was not a point of order; I think it was an outburst.
Mr Coe: The interjections that have been heard have been in response to the Chief Minister. She keeps talking about “you”—referring to us—therefore we are going to respond.
MADAM SPEAKER: The point that I was trying to make gently was to remind members—I have reminded the Chief Minister, yes, a couple of times and other members as well on both sides of the chamber—to be mindful of standing order 42 and to address their comments through the chair. You would probably be less inclined to experience interjection if you addressed your comments through the chair. I would like you to try it for a while and see if it works. Quite frankly, Mr Barr interjects fairly regularly; members of the opposition interject a lot and they are called to order. There have been a number of members of the opposition who have been called to order repeatedly and warned this week.
That is how I will continue to conduct question time. If I am not in a position to remind members of the standing orders without them getting uppity we are going to have to start thinking about how we conduct ourselves in this place. A gentle reminder about the simple standing order that you direct your comments to the chair and not to other members of this place is fairly standard and I have done it two or three times to a number of people this week. It is a fairly basic standing order. If you do not respond to people directly, if they interject, you will probably find that there will be less interjection.
Mr Corbell: On a point of order, Madam Speaker—perhaps “on indulgence” might be a better way to put it. In relation to your guidance about application of the standing orders, so on indulgence if I may. I note your view, which is generally supported by House of Representatives Practice, that a chamber is a place of cut and thrust and there is necessarily a level of interjection, but your commentary on response to interjection, I think, is not something that is entirely supported by House of Representatives Practice. I draw your attention to the relevant provisions of House of Representatives Practice which make it clear that the chair has a duty to rebuke the person who interjects rather than to chastise the person speaking for replying to an interjection.
Whilst I appreciate that there is cut and thrust on these matters, I would ask you to consider that point and the application of House of Representatives Practice on these matters because I think it is increasingly the view of myself and my colleagues that it
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