Lindsay Tanner (Melbourne, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I have a question to you. During question time, you made a ruling requiring the manager of government business to use the correct term of address with respect to the Leader of the Opposition. He then came to the dispatch box and defied your ruling and used another term. You then asked him to withdraw that. He came to the dispatch box again and refused to withdraw. It was not until several points of order were made by members of the opposition that he ultimately withdrew. My question to you is: is there some kind of special leeway provided to the manager of government business in these matters with respect to the standing orders and, if so, does that special leeway also apply to the Manager of Opposition Business?

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

The member for Melbourne would be well aware that I took the appropriate action at the time. I do not intend to revisit the event now, and I think that matter is closed.