House of Assembly Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1) 54 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Parliamentary Procedure Parliamentary Procedure Sittings and Business Sittings and Business The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order, Mr Speaker. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The member for West Torrens has a point of order. The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I refer to standing order No. 70. I understand the media have been asked to leave the public galleries. May I inquire if that was your direction? The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Standing order No. 70 states: At the request of any Member, or at the Speaker's own discretion, the Speaker may order all or any strangers to withdraw. I was recently informed that members of the media intended to film from the galleries above. At that time, I did not have any notification of that and so I respectfully advised one of the attendants that they were to leave. However, if any media does wish to film, I am happy to look at any request. The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: As a further clarification without wishing to debate the matter with you, will the Speaker contemplate on an ad hoc basis applications by the media to film from the gallery, or is it a permanent ban? The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: It is certainly not a permanent ban. There are current provisions in place for both photography and videography. Recently, certain past practices and precedents that have been established, in my opinion, have been breached. Notably, in one of the last sitting weeks, for example, members of the public gallery were filmed, which is completely out of order. I am more than happy to talk and have quite a cordial relationship with the media and entertain any future request down the track, but it is certainly not a permanent ban, no. Mr Malinauskas House of Assembly Mr Malinauskas: But they have been asked to leave anyway? The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Today, they have been asked to leave, but I am more than happy to work in a cordial manner with any media organisation about any request. An honourable member interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Exactly right; there has never been a permanent ban, but any use must be authorised, absolutely. It is certainly not a permanent ban. If anyone in the media would like to have a chat about anything in regard to photography provisions or media provisions, I am more than happy to do that, but we will not come here and have members of the public gallery be filmed without their express consent. But I am more than happy to look at anything that the media want to look at in that regard; my door is open. The member for Enfield. The Hon. J.R. RAU House of Assembly The Hon. J.R. RAU: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I also have a point of order. I recall some years ago Speaker Gunn in his great wisdom ordered the then member for Ross Smith to remove a pineapple that was sitting in front of him on his desk on the basis that he was engaged in a display, and so it does appear that the member for Adelaide might be engaging in a similar matter. In order to be consistent with Speaker Gunn— The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: I personally find any North Adelaide memorabilia completely outrageous, especially in the week of a grand final that they play Norwood, whether they have 18 players on the field or 19. Obviously, it has been a past practice of the house that, during grand final week, there is some indulgence. So, on members' indulgence, I am allowing the member for Adelaide to have that scarf there today; however, I expect a much a stronger showing of strength from the Redlegs supporters in this chamber tomorrow. The Hon. J.R. RAU House of Assembly The Hon. J.R. RAU: Mr Speaker, I was just hoping that you might have wanted to show some support for your team as well. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: I intend to do so tomorrow, as the former Speaker before me had no hesitation in showing his true colours as well.