Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I also have a question for you, and it relates to when those circumstances arise in the House when ministers ask for the consent of the chair to add to an answer that they have already given. The reason I ask this question today is that the Minister for Health and Ageing, the Leader of the House, sought your indulgence to do that. He said that the reason was to provide supplementary information, if I understood him correctly. Under your ruling, Mr Speaker, is it also orderly for a minister in those circumstances to then launch a tirade of invective against members opposite, using that opportunity, which is exactly what the Leader of the House did in relation to the Manager of Opposition Business?

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

I thank the member for Griffith. The member for Griffith would be aware that the practice of the House has been that ministers have from time to time sought leave to add to an answer. I believe that the Minister for Health and Ageing was doing that, but I will take note of the point that he raises.