House debates

Thursday, 2 June 2011

Statements on Indulgence

Speaker

9:06 am

Photo of Russell BroadbentRussell Broadbent (McMillan, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on indulgence, I refer to standing order 61, 'Members to recognise authority of the Speaker'. Yesterday in the House during question time, Mr Speaker, you stood. When the Speaker stands, members are required to be silent and take their place. That did not happen, on either side of the House. My experience is not good in that regard, as a former Speaker had me removed from the House very quickly after I was inadvertently, at that time, speaking to a colleague—I was not calling out; I was just speaking to another colleague. It should be noted by all members that when the Speaker stands, if they are found speaking they will be removed from the House. Is that correct?

Photo of Harry JenkinsHarry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

That is correct. I thank the member for McMillan for using his experiences in this place to remind members of their obligation. He might be unsurprised that I have no recollection of the incident—so many things have happened this week that I cannot remember all of them. If the events occurred as he characterised them, the way he has indicated members should have behaved is absolutely correct, based on the precedence and practice of this place, which go back to the precedence and practice of Westminster.