Sittings and Business

The PRESIDENT (14:21): Just before we go into question time, I want to make it quite clear that I am far from impressed with the behaviour of some members in this chamber. We only got through eight questions yesterday, two from the crossbench. I think the big losers in all this would be not only the crossbenchers but the people of South Australia who actually expect question time to be used to keep ministers accountable and transparent.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: You may laugh if you wish. I was quite generous yesterday, but from now on I am going to be much more stringent on the way behaviour—

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: I am talking, the Hon. Mr Ridgway! You may be the first person that the wrath of the Chair is brought upon. As of now, when I give a direction for someone to desist in regard to interjections across the chamber, I am quite flexible. I believe that a little bit of passionate banter is not a bad thing in this chamber, but if I believe it has gone a bit too far. If I give a direction to cease, and if the member does not cease, no matter who it is, no matter what side of the chamber they are on, there will be a warning. If they continue, they will then be named. Once I have named someone, the Leader of the Government will then stand up and move a motion that they be removed from the chamber and you will go for the rest of today's session. So let's make it—

An honourable member: If the motion is passed.

The PRESIDENT: If it's passed, of course.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Well, I am all ready to put this into practice today. I think we have an obligation to this state and the people of this state to behave in an orderly manner. It was 100 years, I think, before the first person was ejected from this house. Obviously, they took order in this house much more seriously than we do here at the moment.

In regard to the ministers, I call upon you to try to keep your answers to a reasonable time and also where possible to answer the question and be relevant.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Mr President, can I ask a question of you about procedure, if I may? If it is the Leader of the Government you are naming, who then moves the motion?

The PRESIDENT: We will come to that when we come to it. It will obviously be the Hon. Mr Hunter.