House debates Questions to the Speaker
House of Representatives Resolution
Michael Hatton Blaxland, Australian Labor Party
3:34 pm
Mr Speaker, I seek to assist you in your determination in relation to the argument put previously by the member for Aston. I simply want to point out that I was enforcing the gag motion that had been moved on that bill. I had previously indicated that there was an absolute five-minute limit for the parliamentary secretary to speak. He continued to speak, and I indicated that I was gagging him, as all other members had been gagged by that motion. Even if, Mr Speaker, you sought to agree with him that that should be scrubbed out of the record—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Mackellar, Liberal Party
Mr Speaker, I rise to take a point of—
Michael Hatton Blaxland, Australian Labor Party
I will finish on this before the member for Mackellar—
David Hawker Speaker
The member for Mackellar will resume her seat. I am listening to the member for Blaxland.
Michael Hatton Blaxland, Australian Labor Party
Even if you did agree with him, and seek to scrub from the record what I said, his restatement of it in the House would involve a serial scrubbing out, which would reinforce the stupidity of what he did.
David Hawker Speaker
I thank the member for Blaxland. As I said to the member for Aston, I will investigate the points raised. I thank the member for Blaxland for his explanation.