AskTribune · ArchiveOpen AskTribune →

← Notes archive

House of RepresentativesTuesday 28 October 2025

BUSINESS

Mr HILL (Bruce—Assistant Minister for Citizenship, Customs and Multicultural Affairs and Assistant Minister for International Education) (13:16): Everyone in this chamber has contempt for those who harm or seek to harm children. There should be no suggestion or intimation to the contrary. I move: That the debate be adjourned.

Mr Wallace: Point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Ms Chesters ): Well, I can't proceed on that. I just want to check something with the Clerk, because I believe I've got to proceed straight to what the minister has moved, which is that the debate be adjourned.

Mr Wallace: Point of order. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yes, Member for Fisher. Mr Wallace: Madam Deputy Speaker, I refer you to page 530 of the Practice.

Whilst I appreciate the minister's commentary before he moved the motion, the reality is that, under standing order 79(a) and as detailed on page 530 of the Practice, a member who speaks to a motion—he made brief remarks and then moved the motion. That can't happen. Both can't happen under the rules.

Under standing order 79(a) and as detailed on page 530 of the Practice, a person who speaks to a motion can't move an adjournment of the motion. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Just so I can clarify, Member for Fisher, you're suggesting that because the assistant minister said a short phrase before moving the motion— Mr Wallace: That is exactly what I'm saying. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: that's a speech and a contribution?

Mr Wallace: Correct. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Okay. Mr Wallace: And the Practice supports me on that point of order.

I'll await your ruling on that. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yes, okay. We take it as a speech.

SourceHouse of Representatives, Tuesday 28 October 2025 — official recordTA-251028-house-e38d151c9533:s010