House debates Questions to the Speaker
Matters of Public Importance
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House
3:22 pm
Mr Speaker, I have a question for you and it goes to your decision to choose for discussion today the matter of public importance proposed by the member for Moreton. Given that this is the first time since 2005 that a matter of public importance proposed by the opposition has not been chosen—
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Government Members:
Government members interjecting—
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House
Are you going to keep these people in order at all, Mr Speaker?
David Hawker Speaker
Order! I am listening closely to the Manager of Opposition Business. Members on my right are not assisting.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House
Given that the House of Representatives Practice, a book unfamiliar to the Leader of the House, indicates very clearly that the matter of public importance is usually reserved for the opposition, and given that the shadow Treasurer submitted an item on productivity and economic performance, which the government says that it wants a debate on—
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House
why was it not chosen?
David Hawker Speaker
If the Manager of Opposition Business is a little patient, I will give him an answer when I read out the matter of public importance.