Members

Member for Dunstan, Naming

The SPEAKER: The leader can leave the chamber for three-quarters of an hour.

Mr Marshall: This is an absolute farce.

The SPEAKER: The leader is named.

Mr Marshall: It's a farce, absolutely hopeless.

The SPEAKER: The leader is named.

The honourable member for Dunstan having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: What's the motion?

The SPEAKER: The leader seems to be unaware that he can be heard in explanation.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: The leader needs to provide some explanation or apology to the house, I guess. I presume that he's not, so I have to move that the apology that is not forthcoming not be accepted.

Members interjecting:

Mr WILLIAMS: Sir, I could not hear what the—

The SPEAKER: I think the motion is that the leader be suspended from the service of the house.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: The procedure is that the member is given an opportunity to apologise or explain his actions. The house then moves, or a motion is then moved, to either accept or not accept the apology and explanation. He has stormed out of the house. I can't see how we can have a motion to accept the apology if he's not here. Only after that motion is carried, sir, can there be a motion to suspend the member from the service of the house, but as always I will take your lead.

The SPEAKER: Well, the question is whether the leader is going to return to the house and explain his conduct.

Mr WILLIAMS: Mr Speaker, with your indulgence, might I suggest that the sessional orders prevent the leader from doing that.

The SPEAKER: No, he has been—

Mr WILLIAMS: He has been summarily expelled from the house for 45 minutes.

The SPEAKER: No.

Mr WILLIAMS: If the house wants to be suspended—

The SPEAKER: No, he wasn't. He could have remained upon being named, and he can now return to the house if he wishes. How long would you like the house to remain waiting for him?

Mr WILLIAMS: I suspect that 45 minutes may suffice, given that's the time that you suspended him for, sir.

Mr GARDNER: Point of order, sir: under sessional order 7.1, having asked the leader to leave the house immediately, the leader has no further status except to assist in forming a quorum or an absolute majority or voting at a division, as per 7.2. Therefore, in naming him after you had suspended him under the sessional orders, I am not sure that facility was available, but if it was the leader certainly doesn't have the capacity to come back under the sessional orders, as the member for MacKillop has advised.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: To assist, I am more than happy to move that sessional orders be suspended to enable the Leader of the Opposition to return to the house and to provide an explanation. I am happy to move that motion.

Mr GARDNER: The question also, sir, would suggest whether the naming is, in fact, applicable, having been suspended under sessional orders.

The SPEAKER: I will accept the member for Morialta's point of order and will revoke the naming and will merely stick with the sessional order. Member for Adelaide.