Points of Order — Personal Reflections and Unparliamentary Language—Use of “sponsor”

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I raise for your attention a matter that I have only now been able to raise, and it relates to question time last Thursday, and Standing Order 120. During that exchange, the Minister of Health said that I was being motivated by my “sponsor” in asking questions. Mr Speaker, I take grave offence at that insinuation and I ask that you require him to withdraw and apologise.

I had a look at the transcript of question time, and my interpretation of the transcript would be that the words that the member has now quoted were not exactly the words that were used by the Minister in answer to the question. He did use the word “sponsor”. I think that on reflection he could have chosen a better word to use, but I do not believe, considering it was an answer to a supplementary question, that the criticism just raised by the member is valid on this occasion.

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker.

💬 Mr SPEAKER: Is this a fresh point of order that is being taken?

Well, yes it is, Mr Speaker, in that what I am saying is that I take offence at the use of that word.

It has been a well-known ruling for a long time in this House that if the member takes offence, he has to do it at the time. To do it a number of days later is simply too late for me to deal with it in that way.