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

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. You invited us to raise things at the time with you; I now wish to. Can I invite you to have a read of Speaker’s ruling 20/5. Speaker’s ruling 20/5 provides commentary from the Standing Orders Committee that says a retrospective issue can be dealt with by the Speaker if it is of such importance. I submit to you that the point of order from Simon Bridges was in relation to questions that we can ask. It is a very important matter that we get clarified around whether we can ask particular questions—

Yes, and it makes it absolutely clear that the Standing Orders Committee made it clear at that time that if there was a request for retrospective rulings—and I think it generally would have been where members had not been present and something had been drawn to their attention—that was to be brought up with the Speaker in the Speaker’s office and the Speaker—[Interruption] Well, the member will lose his head if he keeps shaking it like that, Mr Bridges. That was the basis of doing it, and it was very clear at the Standing Orders Committee.

💬 Hon Simon Bridges: Point of order!

Mr Bridges, I am now, probably for the first time since I’ve become Speaker, beginning to lose my patience, and I want an assurance that this is a new and different point of order. I want to warn the member that if he is trifling with the Chair, I have called question number one and we are in the area of loss of questions for the National Party.

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I want to raise this at the first available opportunity. I’ve noticed in all of the points of order that have been raised, you have expressed, really, annoyance that the points of order have been raised and I do want to raise—

Right, the member will resume his seat. He will read Speakers’ rulings 17/6 and 18/1, and I will call the Rt Hon—

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I don’t normally raise points of order. I do, however, think it is not helpful when words such as “that member will lose his head” are used in the House, and, Mr Speaker, I’d like you to reflect on that.

OK, the member will resume her seat. It was an inappropriate comment for me to make, but I will remind members of the appropriate way, if they do wish to disagree with the Speaker, to have a good look at the Standing Orders for working that out.