Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I wonder if you could perhaps view the footage of question time to consider whether there has been some orchestration of disorderly behaviour by members opposite. I saw at least nine points of order from the Deputy Manager of Opposition Business, I heard orchestrated barracking from members opposite and then, of course, there was the consistent holding up of bits of paper in defiance of the chair. I wonder whether you could review the footage and rule on that at the start of tomorrow’s question time.

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

I thank the Leader of the House and I will look at the tape and respond accordingly.

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, can you confirm that, if a government backbencher gets the call to ask a question during question time, they have a right to ask any question they choose and that it is inappropriate for the Leader of the House to send the Chief Government Whip over to the member for Ryan to discipline him for not reading the question given to him word for word?

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

I am sure that the Manager of Opposition Business would be well aware that I have no knowledge of conversations between the members on the backbench.