Points of Order — Oral Questions—Interjections Made from Another Seat

Point of order, Mr Speaker. I didn’t think it would be useful for the flow of question time to do this point of order earlier. However, I think it might be useful to have absolute clarity on your earlier response around members interjecting from a seat that is not their usual seat. I refer to Speakers’ ruling 65/1, and specifically Speakers’ ruling 65/1(1), which says, “A member may interject from any seat the member may be occupying at the time, but not while walking about. It is disorderly to change seats to facilitate interjection.” Is it your view that that is still standing as the relevant Speaker’s ruling, or was your guidance today the equivalent of a new Speaker’s ruling that if you aren’t in your allocated seat, you may not interject at any point?

No, look, I’d like to reassert the particular Speakers’ ruling that you just quoted and indicate that there was—from a seat not normally occupied by a member—a considerable amount of interjection that bordered on barrage. I thought making that point might prevent a more drastic course of action, which I think is not unreasonable.

Oral Questions—Timing of Points of Order