Points of Order — Debate on Iraq

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. This is a different point of order. It was very helpful for you to tell the House that you have given an indication in the Business Committee that if there is a development in the Iraq situation you will allow it for debate. I would like to ask, through you, as that is your view as Speaker, whether the Government itself has considered putting aside time to enable us to have a debate about the Iraq situation. I understand that we are now one of the very few Parliaments in the world that has not debated the issue.

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Firstly, of course, 2 weeks ago we had a 14-hour-plus debate that included those matters. Secondly, instead of having the Budget Policy Statement debate, which is likely to take 2 hours next Wednesday—the Government is quite happy to spend 2 hours talking about its fiscal position and the state of the economy—the Opposition might be happier to spend 2 hours debating Iraq.

That is a totally unacceptable suggestion from the Leader of the House. It appears he is saying to the House that if we want to debate Iraq we cannot debate his Budget Policy Statement, and if we do want to debate his Budget Policy Statement we cannot have a debate about Iraq. That is quite unacceptable, a total nonsense, and not a suggestion that anyone really needs to take note of.

💬 Mr SPEAKER: That is not really a point of order, because of course anybody can deny leave to change that around.