Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I have a question for you relating to the ruling that you gave at the start of question time today on the issue of the doors being locked. Can  I refer you to page 273 of House of Representatives Practice, where it says:

House staff acting on the Chair’s instruction to lock the doors will allow Members in the process of passing through the doors to pass before locking them but do not continue to hold the door open for approaching Members.

Mr Speaker, can I indicate to you that in the division that was the subject of your ruling today people who were only approaching the doors at the time that you ordered that the doors be locked did continue to come through the doors. Mr Speaker, I am exercising my rights under standing order 135(b) to complain about the record of this division. I would specifically ask you to inquire whether or not the votes of the Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and the member for Dawson are properly recorded in that division because they were on the other side of the door, not in the door, at the time that you ordered that the doors be locked.

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

I thank the Manager of Opposition Business. I again draw her attention to the statement I made earlier in response to her question from last week. It was quite a detailed response to the very points that she has just raised. I have asked, as I said in the response, the Serjeant-at-Arms to monitor the matter in the future for where there are any persistent problems.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I understand that that is the case for future divisions, but I am exercising my right to dispute the recording of that division.

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

The Manager of Opposition Business does have forms of the House if she wishes to dispute that, but I think the dispute has been noted.