Points of Order — Oral Questions—Ministerial Responsibility and Reports

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker.

💬 Mr SPEAKER: I fail to understand what it could be, but have a go.

I want to raise two related matters. Firstly, Speaker’s ruling 155/3, which states, “Members are able to ask Ministers whether they agree with the views of other people, as long as the view that is being expressed is about a matter that is very much the Minister’s responsibility.” And, of course, I’m referring to this situation yesterday—

Well, the member will now resume his seat. The member knows well that if he had a point of order in relation to yesterday, then yesterday was the time to raise it—not today. Does the member have another point of order?

💬 Hon Simon Bridges: Yes, I do.

A separate point of order?

Yes, Mr Speaker. It’s in relation to a related but different matter, and it’s in relation to 180/6. And, of course, the situation here is a matter that Mr Speaker has referred to quite a number of times, and it’s in relation to, effectively, the requirement that a report be received and that it be an official report—and I do want guidance on this.

The member can resume his seat. The beginning of question time is not the time for a tutorial for members on Speakers’ rulings or on the Standing Orders. If the member is uncertain as to interpretations, then the member can raise them at the time they occur. I have indicated to members, and several members have taken up my invitation, to discuss the fine points of Speakers’ rulings in my office, over a cup of tea, if necessary. But what I am not prepared to do is to have question time, which is a time of members, disrupted by dated points of order that are clearly out of order.

Speakers and Presiding Officers—Rulings, Timing of Commenting on