Wednesday, 17 May 2023

Documents

Documents

Incorporated list as follows:

DOCUMENTS TABLED UNDER ACTS OF PARLIAMENT – The Clerk tabled:

Auditor-General – Supporting Sexual and Reproductive Health – Ordered to be published.

John Pesutto: I seek leave to make a statement –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Is leave granted?

Jacinta Allan: It is really hard, Speaker, to know what leave is being granted for given the government has been given no advice about what leave is being asked for –

Leave refused.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition leaned across the table and mentioned that he is seeking leave in relation to a terrible, terrible incident that happened yesterday. He only wants to take 30 seconds, and I would ask the government if they would reconsider. He is asking for 30 seconds to talk about a terrible incident that has happened in Victoria, which I am sure the whole house would like to speak on.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat. There is not a point of order there.

Mary-Anne Thomas: On a point of order, Speaker, it is normal practice in this chamber for a conversation to have occurred when we are talking about terrible tragedies and events such as we have witnessed. The least one would have expected from the opposition is for them to consult with the member whose constituents have been dreadfully impacted. I request that that conversation happen between the Manager of Opposition Business and me and we come back to this house with a way forward on how to appropriately acknowledge the community that has been impacted.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! I will not hear any more on the point of order. The point of order has been ruled on. Leave has not been granted, and there is a commitment by the Leader of the House to engage with the Manager of Opposition Business to seek a way forward through this.

Michael O’Brien: On a different point of order, Speaker, yesterday when the house was debating one of the gambling bills the member for Melton quite rightly used that opportunity to discuss the tragic bus crash and did so with the full support of me as the shadow minister at the table as a courtesy. There is precedent for the house to divert from normal activity to deal with a very important matter, and that courtesy was very willingly extended to the member for Melton by me yesterday –

The SPEAKER: I understand, member for Malvern –

Michael O’Brien: and I would ask the government to extend the same courtesy to the Leader of the Opposition.

The SPEAKER: I would ask you to resume your seat.

Jacinta Allan: On that point of order, Speaker, there are many of us who have been in the house for a little while longer than the member for Hawthorn – I do not want to start naming former managers of opposition business who are in the house today – but it is deeply discourteous not just to the house but to the families in the community of Melton. We would be very happy, as the Leader of the House has indicated, to have an appropriate moment of reflection. You do not do that. We do not do that.

Members interjecting.

Jacinta Allan: Oh, my goodness. There are families right now grieving because their children have been injured in a really awful bus accident and the Leader of the Opposition has, instead of using what are fairly standard practices of the house, outside of this chamber – and I will look at the member for Rowville. He knows well how to do these things properly and respectfully, both to the house and to the communities and families concerned. I think this speaks more –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order!

Jacinta Allan: I think the interjections and the approach speak more to what the opposition think is about them than what is actually about a really serious matter at hand. The discourtesy that is being shown to the house right now really says it all. There will be an appropriate moment, if the opposition wish to engage in the appropriate forms, to have this incident recognised in the house. Jumping up with no notice, with no courtesy, with no advice across the chamber, is not the way that you respect communities who are going through a tough time.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! No, I will not hear any more members on this matter. On the point of order put forth by the Leader of the Opposition, leave has not been granted. However – and I will not hear any more on this; no, I will not – there is a way forward and I would encourage the Leader of the House and the Manager of Opposition Business to come together to discuss after we have passed this moment.