Page 543 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 20 March 1990
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members on notice that I cannot and will not tolerate any use of such offensive words in the future.
I also wish to remind members that points of order should be confined to matters of order and should not be used as a device to interrupt proceedings. The matter raised in a point of order should be one of order; that is, members should clearly point out where they feel a breach of order has occurred. The only words that should be necessary when making a point of order is the standing order number and a few words extracted from the text of that standing order. The excess verbiage which I have permitted in the past was to accommodate the learning cycle that we all went through as new members in this Assembly. This practice is therefore no longer necessary.
Points of order should not be raised on political issues, on matters which have nothing to do with the Chair or to intervene in debate.
Could I also point out that, in normal circumstances, I will not accept any points of order while another member is speaking to a point of order. I believe a member should have the right to make a point of order without interruption except by the Chair, and in future I intend to ensure that that course is followed.
MOTION WITHOUT NOTICE
MR WHALAN (3.13): I move that debate on the Speaker's statements concerning the precinct of the Assembly be adjourned and made an order of the day for the next day of sitting.
MR SPEAKER: There is no question before the Assembly.
MR WHALAN: There is. I just moved a motion that the Speaker's statement concerning the precinct of the Assembly be adjourned - - -
Mr Jensen: Are you seeking leave, Paul?
MR WHALAN: No, I am not. A statement has been made - - -
Mr Jensen: Are you seeking leave?
MR WHALAN: Norman, if you knew your standing orders, you would know that this is completely in order. A statement has been made by leave of the Speaker in his role as presiding officer. That is in the same category as a ministerial statement, and it is subject to the same rules of this Assembly as ministerial statements. So I persist with my motion. There is a conspiracy here in relation to the precincts - - -
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