House debates

Thursday, 2 June 2011

Personal Explanations

4:06 pm

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | | Hansard source

I wish to make a personal explanation.

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

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | | Hansard source

I do.

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

Please proceed.

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | | Hansard source

Earlier today, the Manager of Opposition Business suggested that I had deliberately defied your ruling, Mr Speaker. The fact of the matter is, as you would recall, that the noise in the chamber was so loud from those opposite that it was not clear to me—

Photo of Christopher PyneChristopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Speaker—

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

Order! I say to the Manager of Opposition Business that on this occasion I am willing to listen to the submission that the Leader of the House is making.

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | | Hansard source

The assertion that the Manager of Opposition Business made was not clear to me. I do want to put on record, Mr Speaker, that I always adhere to your rulings.

Opposition members interjecting

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

I hear cries of abuse, but, if members remember, I gave the opportunity—practically on indulgence—to the Manager of Opposition Business to raise this matter, and I have clearly indicated that time for questions to the Speaker is a time for the consideration of matters of administration, not a time for revisiting matters of procedure. It is a one-all draw. It is not pretty; it is a one-all draw.