House debates Questions to the Speaker
Standing Orders
De-Anne Kelly Dawson, National Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport and Regional Services
3:30 pm
My question goes to standing order 89. My question to you is: if a form of words is commonly used in public discussion or in a national newspaper and the member to whom those words apply in the public arena makes no objection to their usage, do they then become offensive when they are used by a member of the House?
David Hawker Speaker
I make the same point that I made earlier. If the member for Dawson refers back to page 499 of the House of Representatives Practice it is quite clear that it is a question of adjudicating not just on the words that are used but on the context in which they are used.
Kelvin Thomson Wills, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House
David Hawker Speaker
Honourable member for Wills, I think we have probably canvassed this enough. I have responded to the member for Dawson. We are not having a debate.
Kelvin Thomson Wills, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House
The member for Dawson has raised the issue of expressions in common usage. When I referred to her as ‘Calamity De-Anne’, I was sat down—
Kelvin Thomson Wills, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House
without any requirement for her to raise it or take objection to it. We are simply asking for the same standards to be applied.
David Hawker Speaker
If the member for Wills wishes to reflect on the chair I will deal with him.