Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment Participation and Childcare) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker I seek clarification on the point that the member for Hume made earlier—

Peter Slipper (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is this a question to me?

Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment Participation and Childcare) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is a question to you, if you would like.

Opposition members interjecting—

Okay, I have a question to you. Do you think it would be appropriate in this House that we set a standard that (1) we try and lessen the insults and (2) we say that it is totally inappropriate to have gendered insults continually thrown across the chamber and, on a day when we are all saying we are encouraging respect for women, we stand up against it.

Peter Slipper (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As the Speaker, I am the arbiter of what is parliamentary and what is unparliamentary. I would counsel all honourable members on both sides to observe civilities because, if that does not occur, our chamber might often appear to have a lot fewer than 150 members.