House debates Questions to the Speaker
Parliamentary Behaviour
Bob McMullan Fraser, Australian Labor Party
3:37 pm
Mr Speaker, I have a question to you, and it follows from the first question asked by the Manager of Opposition Business. Can you confirm that it is not possible for a motion to be in order if it contains unparliamentary language?
David Hawker Speaker
I thank the member for Fraser. I think I have given a fairly detailed response to that very point, and I refer him to the statement I made earlier.
Bob McMullan Fraser, Australian Labor Party
It may be a failure in my understanding, Mr Speaker, but nothing in what I heard of those things which you said contained an answer to that question which I just asked.
David Hawker Speaker
I made the point, if the member would like to refer back to what I said about the dissent motion, which also was included in my response.
Bob McMullan Fraser, Australian Labor Party
I am sorry; I just do not understand. Are you saying that, because the House carried a dissent motion on a slightly unrelated subject, it is now in order for motions to have unparliamentary language provided a majority of the House agrees with it?
David Hawker Speaker
With the greatest of respect to the member for Fraser, I believe the question has been answered. It is not for me to be responsible for his understanding, but I am happy to discuss it further with him afterwards if he wishes.