Points of Order — Speakers and Presiding Officers—Ministerial Responsibility for Vote Parliamentary Service

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I wish to raise an important constitutional point of order, and I do ask that you not necessarily give a view now, but you deliberate on this over the weekend and advise us of your view on the next sitting day—[Interruption]

💬 Mr SPEAKER: Order! The point of order will be heard in silence.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. This relates to the application of the Public Finance Act 1989 where the “ ‘appropriation Minister’,—(a) in relation to an appropriation made to an Office of Parliament, means the Speaker;”. This appears to contradict your view that you are not a member of the Government, when you are in respect of Vote Parliamentary Service, and especially for the costs involved in the new parliamentary building.

I will give it some very considerable thought over the weekend and come back to the member.