House debates

Wednesday, 19 March 2008

Howard Government

Suspension of Standing and Sessional Orders

1:08 pm

Photo of Ms Julie BishopMs Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Deputy Leader of the Opposition from moving immediately that the House acknowledges that under the Howard Government:

(1)
over 2.1 million new jobs were created;
(2)
real wages increased by 21 per cent;
(3)
industrial disputes dropped to the lowest level on record; and
(4)
unemployment dropped to a 33 year low.

The suspension of standing orders is necessary because the government has passed a motion—

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Deputy Speaker—

Photo of Peter SlipperPeter Slipper (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Order! The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will resume her seat.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting

Photo of Ms Anna BurkeMs Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Order! Honourable members will observe the standing orders. Interjections are disorderly. I call the Leader of the House.

1:09 pm

Photo of Christopher PyneChristopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | | Hansard source

I move:

That the member be no longer heard.

Mr Pyne interjecting

The honourable member for Sturt will contain himself; otherwise, he will spend some time outside the chamber.

Question put.

Photo of Ms Anna BurkeMs Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Is the motion moved by the Deputy Leader of the Opposition seconded?

1:19 pm

Photo of Tony AbbottTony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Families, Community Services, Indigenous Affairs and the Voluntary Sector) Share this | | Hansard source

I second the motion. This is jackboot government, a government which puts a motion here and gags it—

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | | Hansard source

I move that ‘People Skills’ over here—

Photo of Ms Anna BurkeMs Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The Leader of the House would know that using that form of words is not assisting the chair. I ask the Leader of the House to rephrase his motion in a more parliamentary way.

Photo of Julia GillardJulia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | | Hansard source

I move:

That the member be no longer heard.

Ms Gillard interjecting

Government members interjecting

Order! The Deputy Prime Minister will cease interjecting, as will other honourable members sitting on the government front benches. The question is that the honourable member for Warringah be no longer heard. The ayes will pass to the right of the chair, the noes will pass to the left of the chair. I am sorry, I am getting ahead of myself. I do thank honourable members for their good humour. It has been a very enjoyable experience!

We’ll back you up, Mr Deputy Speaker.

I am not sure, Leader of the House, whether I need that sort of backing. Having said that, the question is that the member be no longer heard.

Original question put:

That the motion (Ms Julie Bishop’s) be agreed to.