Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance
9:28 pm
Madam Speaker, I move:
That the Speaker’s ruling be dissented from.
You have just ruled that no other points of order will be heard. That is a ruling, and I move that the Speaker's ruling be dissented from.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The question is that the motion be agreed to.
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance
No, Madam Speaker! There has never been an occasion when a Speaker has refused to allow a resolution for dissent to be heard. Your role and everything that is contained within Practice falls apart if you will not hear the dissent motion.
Honourable members interjecting—
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance
Madam Speaker, I don't need to. I—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
Both members will resume their seats. You are asked to resume your seat; you will do so.
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance
I have asked that your ruling be dissented from!
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
You will resume your seat. You have said that you are dissenting from my ruling. Whether or not you consider I have made a ruling, I do not consider I made a ruling. However, I will entertain your dissent motion if you wish to pursue it.
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance
Madam Speaker, critical to the role of Speaker in this House is the one principle that the Speaker will not engage in debate. The comments that you made with respect to me would have been reasonable interjections when you were in this House merely as the member for Mackellar—rules that were reasonable for any member to get up and try to make a half-funny, childish interjection. But you need to recognise, Madam Speaker, that you are meant to be impartial. You need to recognise, Madam Speaker, that the office you hold is greater and more important than your own political rhetoric. You need to recognise, Madam Speaker, that we have not previously—
Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education
9:30 pm
It is time this farce were brought to an end, and I move:
That the member be no longer heard.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The question is that the member be no longer heard.
Is the motion seconded?
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
9:40 pm
Yes, Madam Speaker. A high degree of impartiality in the execution of the duties of office is one of the hallmarks of good speakership. That is what House of Representatives Practice
Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education
I move:
That the member be no longer heard.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The question is that the member be no longer heard.
A division having been called and the bells being/having been rung—
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
I am wondering, Madam Speaker, whether there is any precedent for a shutting down of a dissent debate in the Speaker of the House of Representatives since 1901, ever?
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
I do not know whether that is a point of order.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
Because there has not been in the last 17 years.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
It is not a point of order. There is no point of order.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
9:51 pm
The time having expired, the question now is that the motion of dissent from the Speaker's ruling be agreed to.