Speaker’s Rulings — Urgent Debates—Lodging of Applications

Last Thursday, after I had ruled on an application for an urgent debate, Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith raised a point of order about Speaker’s ruling 153/2. He pointed out that an application for a debate does not have to be lodged on the first sitting of the House after the event occurs in order to be considered. I thank the member for his point and acknowledge that he is correct. In this regard, applications for urgent debates differ from raising matters of privilege. A much stricter rule of raising a matter of privilege at the earliest opportunity obtains—see Standing Order 387. While not raising a matter at the first opportunity will considerably weaken the case for the Speaker to accept an urgent debate application, I will bear in mind the member’s comments that such an application should not automatically be rejected.