House debates

Tuesday, 17 November 2009

Questions to the Speaker

Question Time Interjection

3:24 pm

Photo of Christopher PyneChristopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition asked the Prime Minister early in question time:

Given the Prime Minister denies … any special … deal has been offered to the 78 asylum seekers on board the Oceanic Viking, is the Prime Minister indicating that all people found to be refugees in Indonesia can now expect to be settled in Australia within four to six weeks?

That was the question, during which the Leader of the House interjected, ‘Only those rescued at sea.’

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

No, I did not!

Photo of Christopher PyneChristopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | | Hansard source

Given the importance of that interjection, will you ensure that it is recorded in Hansard?

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

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order.

Photo of Harry JenkinsHarry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Order! The Leader of the House will resume his seat.

Photo of Christopher PyneChristopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | | Hansard source

‘Only those rescued at sea.’ Will you ensure—

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting

Photo of Harry JenkinsHarry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Order! The member for Sturt has the call, but I am not sure where question is actually going. As I have indicated, there are matters of procedure that should be dealt with at the time. I am not going to have a habit of revisiting things from earlier in the proceedings.

Photo of Christopher PyneChristopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I am not surprised you did not hear the question, because it was being shouted down by the Leader of the House, but in my question to you I read the Leader of the Opposition’s question and I pointed out the very important interjection of the Leader of the House. I am asking you whether you will ensure, because of its importance, that it is recorded in Hansard that he said ‘only those rescued at sea’.

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

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order.

Photo of Harry JenkinsHarry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The Leader of the House will resume his seat. We will deal with these things one at a time. If the question has been asked in a genuine sense, I will respond to the question. The matter will be dealt with by the well-known policies for the way that these things are included in Hansard, and therefore I believe that any interjection of that nature will not be included in Hansard. Those are the guidelines that have been used over several parliaments. It was not responded to and therefore it does not go into Hansard. That is my belief, but I will check with Hansard.

Photo of Joe HockeyJoe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order.

Photo of Harry JenkinsHarry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The member for North Sydney will resume his seat.