Peter Slipper (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, my question to you is: despite the fact that the former government regrettably did not allow an official parliamentary reception for His Holiness the Dalai Lama when he visited Australia last year, now that His Holiness is visiting our country again, will you, as Presiding Officer, allow an official parliamentary reception for this very important Tibetan religious leader?

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is something that has exercised the minds of those of us in this place not only under the former government but before that as well. I do not believe that there is anything different about the policy for these matters at this point in time that would lead to different action. But I will come back to the member if there is any other advice that I might be giving him.