House debates Questions to the Speaker
Division Process
Alby Schultz Hume, Liberal Party
3:23 pm
Madam Speaker, earlier today, prior to question time, I raised with you the issue of a member or members entering this chamber after the order was given to shut the doors during a division process. Can I respectfully ask you, Madam Speaker, under standing order 129(b), to check the footage of that part of the division to see whether in fact a member or a number of members entered the chamber when they should not have been in the chamber to vote?
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
Just to help the member: I think I know what he refers to. There was a member who was in the chamber who was paired, so they walked from their seat towards the side, then realised that the doors were actually locked, and then sat in the advisers box. That is what occurred. No-one extra went in.
Alby Schultz Hume, Liberal Party
Madam Speaker, I can understand the reason for the Leader of the House trying to justify the situation, but he was talking about one of the other members, not the member who came through that door, who happened to be a minister on the front bench.
Stephen Smith Perth, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the House
If the member is referring to me, I was in the House. I walked into the room, spoke to the attendants and, when the Speaker called, 'Close the doors,' I walked out. I had already been in the chamber.
Mr Schultz interjecting—