House debates

Wednesday, 19 September 2007

Questions to the Speaker

Question Time

3:32 pm

Photo of Tanya PlibersekTanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services, Housing, Youth and Women) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I have question to you. It relates to comments made by the member for Indi yesterday when she was mocking the member for Grayndler by saying that he pronounced ‘environment’ as ‘envinement’, and that is recorded in Hansard yesterday, and also to the foreign affairs minister as he was playing bubble breaker during the last debate. He corrected the member for Grayndler, saying that the expression was ‘should have’, not ‘should of’. Aside from these comments being both discourteous and pompous, I wonder whether you would consider counselling these members of parliament. When they behave in this way they are mocking not the member for Grayndler, who is pretty big and tough and can take care of himself, but every other Australian who speaks with an ordinary Australian accent.

Photo of David HawkerDavid Hawker (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

I say to the member for Sydney that I think if she refers to the Hansard she will see that in fact I did give the member for Indi a warning afterwards, insisting that she resume her seat immediately. So I did deal with it at the time. I am not aware of the references she has made to a minister.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting

Photo of David HawkerDavid Hawker (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Order! Members will show respect for the chair.