Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Hansard source

Look, I'm going to uphold the Leader of the House's point on this. We've been over this ground before. It is certainly the case that you can ask about previous answers. That's certainly the case. I think I made this point to my friend the member for Isaacs, who's in his electorate office in Melbourne, when he was here a couple of years ago. You simply can't use that as a cover to ask a different question. I think there's no way that is in order, unless it was something in the previous answer that you were seeking. Each of the previous questions were quite specific about roads or other projects, so to then just ask when someone's met with someone is not within the minister's—

Mr Burke interjecting—

No, it's not. There's been lots of questions ruled out of order, and I can rule on it for as long as you want me to, but I'm very sure that's out of order.

Mr Albanese interjecting—

I think that interjection from the Leader of the Opposition about the next press conference actually reinforces the point I make.

An honourable member interjecting—

They don't have standing orders; we do.

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