House debates Questions to the Speaker

Parliamentary Language

Wednesday, 16 August 2006 House of Representatives

Lindsay Tanner

Lindsay Tanner Melbourne, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance

3:34 pm

Mr Speaker, I again wish to ask you about your rulings on parliamentary language. Can you advise the House why it is unparliamentary to accuse a member of vilifying asylum seekers but it is not unparliamentary to accuse a member of being soft on drugs?

David Hawker

David Hawker Speaker

I thank the member for Melbourne. I have ruled on that point and I refer him back to my ruling.