House of Assembly Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2) 53 2 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Energy Prices Energy Prices Mr MARSHALL House of Assembly Dunstan Leader of the Opposition Energy Prices Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:32): My question is to the Premier. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The leader will be seated. He approached me earlier, asking me to provide him with an answer in writing as to why I ruled his approach to his last question out of order. The relevant standing order is question 97, 'Such questions not to involve argument': In putting any such question, a Member may not offer argument or opinion, nor may a Member offer any facts except by leave of the House and only so far as is necessary to explain the question. The 'Practice of the House of Assembly', Blackmore's says: The object of this is to prevent the use of such language or statements by means of a question which might lead to debate. Argument, opinion, inference, imputation, irony, hypothetical cases, reference to past debates of the same session are equally irregular. Mr MARSHALL House of Assembly Mr MARSHALL: Can the Speaker provide the evidence of where I was using debate or argument in the question? The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Well, I will be able to do that when I watch the replay. Mr MARSHALL House of Assembly Mr MARSHALL: That's what I was asking you to do, sir. An honourable member House of Assembly An honourable member: Go to the replay! The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Yes, exactly. Mr MARSHALL House of Assembly Mr MARSHALL: So you can't recall what I said, but you've given a ruling? The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: What I recall is that it was out of order and— Mr MARSHALL House of Assembly Mr MARSHALL: How is it out of order, sir? You ruled it out of order. What was the basis for your ruling it out of order? The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: I do not have a photographic memory, but— Mr MARSHALL House of Assembly Mr MARSHALL: But you've ruled it out of order, sir. What part was argument? The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: I ruled it out of order because it violated standing order 97. Mr MARSHALL House of Assembly Mr MARSHALL: Because it specifically used argument; is that your argument, sir? The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: I have stated the— The Hon. J.M. Rankine interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The member for Wright is called to order. Point of order, member for Newland. The Hon. T.R. KENYON House of Assembly The Hon. T.R. KENYON: Generally, if a member wants to take issue with the ruling of the Chair, they need to do it through a motion. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Well, I would ask if Hansard could provide me with the words that the leader used to introduce his last question. I am not in a position to stop the proceedings of the house to go and look at the action replay. Mr MARSHALL House of Assembly Mr MARSHALL: I wasn't asking you to do that, sir; I was asking afterwards. But you have come forward and you have said that I used argument in my question. I would be quite keen to clarify that. The Hon. J.M. Rankine interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The member for Wright is warned. I am confident in my ruling. Mr MARSHALL House of Assembly Mr MARSHALL: Excellent, sir. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Leader.