Joanne Ryan Lalor, Australian Labor Party
12:19 pm
I move:
That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Lalor from moving the following motion immediately—That the House:
(1) notes:
(a) the Member for Bowman remains Chair of the Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training despite pledging to resign from all parliamentary positions in March;
(b) the continued presence of the Member for Bowman as Chair diminishes the important work of this Committee;
(c) that Opposition Members of the committee wrote to the Prime Minister nearly three weeks ago asking him to act, and he has not even responded; and
(d) the Prime Minister's silence tells you everything about his respect for the views of women; and
(2) therefore, calls on the Acting Prime Minister to discharge the Member for Bowman from the Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training immediately.
This man was accused of stalking a teacher while hiding in the bushes, and he shouldn't be chair of the education—
Mark Coulton Parkes, National Party, Minister for Regional Health, Regional Communications and Local Government
12:20 pm
I move:
That the Member be no longer heard.
Tony Smith Speaker
The question is that the member for Lalor be no further heard.
Ged Kearney Cooper, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Health and Ageing
Seconded. If the Prime Minister cared about the safety of women and the integrity of this House, he would remove—
Mark Coulton Parkes, National Party, Minister for Regional Health, Regional Communications and Local Government
I move:
That the Member be no longer heard.
Tony Smith Speaker
12:33 pm
The question now is that the motion moved by the member for Lalor be disagreed to. There being more than one voice calling for a division, in accordance with standing order 133 the division is deferred until after the discussion on the matter of public importance.
Debate adjourned.