House debates Questions to the Speaker
Parliamentary Behaviour
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Mackellar, Liberal Party
3:20 pm
I have a question to you relating to a practice that has been developed by the opposition during question time when a minister is speaking, giving an answer—the practice of a variety of members who sit in the vicinity behind the Leader of the Opposition of standing up and blocking the camera.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Members:
Opposition members interjecting—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Mackellar, Liberal Party
I refer to an article in today’s Financial Review which says:
Just as Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey reached the crescendo of his attack on Labor’s IR policy yesterday, shadow treasurer Wayne Swan bobbed to his feet, ruining any footage TV cameras might have used for that night’s news.
This is clearly unruly behaviour—
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Members:
Opposition members interjecting—
Joel Fitzgibbon Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Defence
Mr Fitzgibbon interjecting
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Mackellar, Liberal Party
and disorderly. I would ask you to consider the practice and what action you might take in future when the same practice is used.
David Hawker Speaker
I thank the member for Mackellar. I make the following points in response. Those who watch the television at question time would note that the operator does switch from camera to camera. So standing up, of itself, does not block the image. I would also remind all members of standing order 62, which is what I think the member for Mackellar is referring to.