Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Hansard source

The member for Herbert will cease interjecting, particularly on me. This came up yesterday. I am going to address this matter without interjection and we are not going to revisit it after each question. The member for Hotham raised a point of order similar to some points of order that were raised yesterday. There are two points for members opposite to consider. The question did not specifically ask about opposition policies, it asked about alternatives. As I said yesterday, Speaker Jenkins, in February 2008, indicated that he did not like that practice. He did indicate that, but when he indicated that, he did also acknowledge that that traditionally was the practice—to ask for alternatives or any threats to a particular policy. He indicated that. The reference in Practice is footnoted and it refers specifically to Speaker Jenkins. Indeed, if you go back and look at Hansard you will find numerous examples of questions that were in order that asked whether there were any alternatives or any threats. It has been the practice for a very long time, and some of us who have been here in different capacities know that. Indeed, in 2000 Speaker Andrew, when asked about this, said:

I do not think it inappropriate if a member identifies an area within a minister's official responsibility and asks a question relating to alternative views, as the key consideration is the government's response to these views.

That is the practice I am adopting.

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