Robert Oakeshott (Lyne, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I rise on the same point of order. We do need some urgency in clarifying this issue through the Speaker's office. I am a member of the Selection Committee and the processes of this House should not work whereby I find out about a disputed meeting right now that apparently took place at 9.30 last night whilst I was involved in a public hearing in the building and working in another role.

I am surprised to hear this and, if this is behind the machinations this morning—where we are seeing detailed legislation brought into the chamber for the first time, with second readings only half an hour later and with only one speaker on each of these substantial bills—we need to urgently clarify what has happened. We need to get the processes of this chamber back on track as quickly as possible. The safe port in all of this is the standing orders—the known procedures of this chamber. I urge the Speaker and this House to return to that safe port as quickly as possible.

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