Kelvin Thomson (Wills, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Public Accountability and Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, my question refers to your written reply to me following my question to you on 9 May about the debt truck being prevented from driving past the front of Parliament House on that morning. Your reply states:

I can assure you that no double standard is being applied to protests and demonstrations and on the information available to me, if permission had been sought to drive the ‘debt truck’ around Parliament House, I can see no reason why it would not have been granted.

Mr Speaker, I appreciate your reassurance concerning this matter. Since I first raised this issue with you, it has been drawn to my attention that the Minister for Defence was able to ride a motorcycle around the parliament building, despite concerns from the Federal Police, and that Senator Fielding was able to conduct outside Parliament House, with a jerry can, a protest about the price of petrol. Are you able to tell the House whether the Minister for Defence or Senator Fielding obtained prior approval from the Presiding Officers and, if not, will you investigate and report back to me or to the parliament concerning this matter?

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In response to the member for Wills, I make the obvious point that whether a member or a minister drives a car or rides a motorcycle around the parliament is hardly something that would have been out of order. As to the second part of his question, I will make further inquiries and report back as appropriate.

Michael Danby (Melbourne Ports, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To follow on from the member for Wills, Mr Speaker: does that equally apply to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell, who rode a horse around Parliament House?

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am not sure that the member for Melbourne Ports is actually seeking an answer; I think he has made his point.