Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, given that, in relation to page 538 of the House of Representatives Practice, you are taking a different approach to questions to that of your three predecessors, will you also be taking a different approach to the first five points in that section? That section includes:

statements, activities, actions or decisions of the Minister’s own party or of its conferences ...

I ask about that given that when the member for Groom was a minister he was asked numerous questions in question time about his party conference. The section also includes:

what happens or is said in the party rooms or in party committees;

party leadership issues ...

From my recollection, questions were asked about a memo from Shane Stone, the President of the Liberal Party. The section also includes:

statements by people outside the House including other Members, notably opposition Members;

statements in the House by other Members;

the attitude, behaviour or actions of a Member of Parliament or the staff of Members;

Given that questions were asked in this House about numerous members of the previous government—not ministers but backbenchers—by the then opposition who are now in government, they are choosing to implement the standing orders in a very different way.

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