Points of Order — Speakers and Presiding Officers—Rulings, Timing of Commenting on

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I do think you need to be a bit clearer about what your thinking is—in what guidance you’re giving the House—because while you’ve said this can’t be raised today because of something that happened yesterday, the reality is that we’ve got a book that goes back for decades, giving us guidance as to how the House might be able to deal with particular issues or moments—

Right. The member will resume his seat. He’ll have a good look at the book and especially Speakers’ ruling 20/3.

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. What was the point of order that you just sat me down on?

It was your invitation to me to refer to—[Interruption] Mr Brownlee, you know very well, even if you don’t know the number, what Speakers’ ruling 20/3 indicates. That is one of the fundamental Speakers’ rulings, and that is that matters must be taken up at the time. Disrupting the House and, I believe, now trifling with the Chair—

💬 Hon Simon Bridges: Oh, rubbish!

The member will stand, withdraw, and apologise.

💬 Hon Simon Bridges: I withdraw and apologise.

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. You’ve now raised what is, I think, a change of practice in the House. An event occurred yesterday; there was some discussion about it. You made a ruling. Now if a member has a view that that ruling is wrong, then I think you’re indicating that that is not to be discussed in the House. That would be a major change in the way the House operates. It’s not regular, but often I’ve seen it—those who’ve been here for a while will remember long discussions with the Hon Richard Prebble, which were exactly a tutorial to the rest of the House about exactly this issue. So I’d be keen to know whether it is now your ruling that once the Speaker has given a ruling, that cannot then be contested in House unless similar circumstances arise—that they can be discussed only in the privacy of your office.

What I am indicating to the member is that if he thinks that I have made a mistake on my ruling, if I’ve got things wrong, then the first thing that is appropriate is to raise it at the time; if that does not occur, to raise it privately. And, clearly, if a ruling has not made it into Speakers’ rulings, the next time that particular issue arises, if the member is not satisfied with the ruling again, then that would be the time to bring it up.

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. There are two matters in relation to this discussion that aren’t—

No, the member will now resume his seat—the member will resume his seat. There is not a discussion. I have ruled. Question No. 1—the Rt Hon Bill English.

Speakers and Presiding Officers—“Today in the House” Video