Page 3046 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 17 October 2007
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Members interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Mulcahy: Mr Speaker, I do not think that his dissertation on Mr Pratt’s life is relevant in any way to the question asked.
MR SPEAKER: Just come to the subject matter of the question.
Mrs Dunne: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker.
Government members interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order!
Mrs Dunne: Mr Stanhope has made a serious imputation about a member of this place. It needs to be withdrawn. There have been a number of occasions when Mr Stanhope has made this—
MR SPEAKER: I did not hear it.
Mrs Dunne: He said that Mr Pratt was Australia’s most infamous spy. This is an imputation about somebody who was an aid worker. It is an absolutely and utterly inappropriate imputation on Mr Pratt’s character. What Mr Stanhope said should be withdrawn and Mr Stanhope should be not allowed to make these imputations again.
MR SPEAKER: I hear no protest from Mr Pratt, I have to say.
MR STANHOPE: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Anyway, I do find it a rather humorous irony, but we will move on.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Pratt is not protesting.
Mrs Dunne: On the point of order, Mr Speaker, yesterday, when I was required to withdraw the word “boondoggle” in relation to Mr Gentleman, it was not Mr Gentleman who made the complaint. It was another member of the government. I am making a complaint on behalf of one of my colleagues because his character has been impugned. I think that you should address that matter.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Pratt.
Mr Pratt: On the point of order, Mr Speaker, in relation to what you have just said, I have chosen to allow my colleagues to raise the point of order. It does not mean I do not take the issue seriously. There are ways and means by which I will tackle the issue. In response, Mr Speaker, to what you have said, I have allowed my colleagues to speak for me and on my behalf.
MR SPEAKER: In that case, I will rule that it is offensive and order it be withdrawn.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .