House debates Questions without Notice

Australian Bushfires

Wednesday, 4 March 2020 House of Representatives

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

2:46 pm

I say to the Manager of Opposition Business that I've given him a fair go to explain his point of order, but, if you have in a question something that the responder wishes to contest, they're entitled to—they really are entitled to—if they believe there is a factual inaccuracy in the question. It's not for the Speaker to judge the accuracy of questions but the Practice and the standing orders make it very clear—certainly the Practicethat those asking questions need to vouch for the accuracy, and, if the minister or the Prime Minister believes that something in the question isn't accurate, they are entitled to address that.

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