Points of Order — Call, Seeking—Speaker’s Acceptance

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. A few moments ago—I just let the din settle down before I raise this point of order with you. A few moments ago the Prime Minister sought the call. He called “Mr Speaker”. He did not indicate at the time that he was calling a point of order. Mr Peters, Mr Parker, Mr Mallard, and various others then sought to raise a point of order with you. Of course, under the Standing Orders a point of order comes before all other business, so even if you had granted the Prime Minister the call, you would have been required to take the point of order from Mr Peters. I accept that that led to a testy exchange between members, and that was unfortunate. However, I do note on the Order Paper that Mr Peters does have a question down. It is a legitimate question—it is, presumably, along these lines—and I wonder whether you would consider allowing those members, now that things have settled down, to return to the House, particularly so that these matters can be canvassed by way of questions.

The member knows full well that I do not ask many members to leave this House—in fact, up until today, only one member this year. I do not do it lightly. The only grounds under which the Speaker could have recognised the right honourable Prime Minister was for a point of order, because there was no other provision for the Prime Minister to speak. Even for a ministerial statement, the Prime Minister has to seek the Speaker’s—[Interruption] Well, the Prime Minister does not have to seek leave to make a ministerial statement, but he does have to, under a point of order, give an explanation that he is making a ministerial statement. So a point of order was the only grounds under which the Prime Minister could have sought the call then, and that is why I recognised it as a point of order. I was perfectly happy to let the members raise their points of order after that—after the House had dealt with the Prime Minister’s point of order. But I am not going to have that nonsense. The Rt Hon Winston Peters is a very experienced member. He knows full well that members who have questions on the Order Paper, if they are required to leave the House—the Hon Trevor Mallard is back in the House, and, actually, I accept he left voluntarily. I accept he left voluntarily. I note that. But members know, experienced members know, that if they have questions on the Order Paper and they are required to leave the House, no one else can ask those questions. I am not about to change the rules. Members know the rules, and members should think about that before they take the Speaker on like that. I was very happy to hear the member’s point of order at the appropriate time. [Interruption] Order! I am on my feet. But the matter is dealt with. I feel sorry that the member has been dealt with in that way, but I must say he was kind of fortunate he was not named for that performance today.

Privilege—Procedure for Raising Alleged Breaches