Points of Order — Personal Explanations—Interjections

I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I seek your clarification about your ejecting me from the Chamber yesterday afternoon. There are four pertinent facts. The first is that Hansard is absolutely clear that my interjection was made during a personal explanation, not a point of order. Secondly, the Standing Orders make it absolutely plain that a personal explanation is different from a point of order. Thirdly, there is no Speaker’s ruling that there cannot be interjections on a personal explanation; in fact, I have Hansard reports of several occasions last year when you, Madam Speaker, were in the Chair during a personal explanation on which interjections were made and recorded in Hansard, and absolutely no action was taken. Madam Speaker, we all make mistakes, and if what happened yesterday afternoon was a mistake by you, I will drop the matter and move on. Alternatively, you need to make a formal Speaker’s ruling so that members know what the rules of the House are, with that ruling being that interjections on personal explanations in future will result in an immediate kicking out.

💬 Madam SPEAKER: I thank the member. Yes, I will make a ruling tomorrow.

Privilege—Hon Matt Robson