Wrangle about Speaker again

Press, 12 June 1986, Page 4

Wrangle about Speaker again

PA Wellington Undercurrents of last week’s wrangle between the Opposition and the Speaker, Dr Wall, quickly resurfaced in Parliament on Tuesday during question time. The National member for Tauranga, Mr Winston Peters, twice tried unsuccessfully to ask supplementary questions to substantive questions, but Dr Wall chose to ignore him, and called on the House to move on to the next item. On the second occasion, the Opposition spokesman on justice, Mr Jim McLay (Nat., Birkenhead), rose and suggested that the supplementary question had been overlooked.

But Dr Wall simply asked for the House to continue with the next substantive question. Mr McLay then argued with Dr Wall over whether the Speaker should first give a ruling. Mr Peters then asked for clarification, saying he thought there was a convention that the Opposition would get at least one supplementary question. Dr Wall said Standing Orders stated that supplementary questions were to be allowed at the absolute discretion of the Speaker. Mr McLay: Indiscretion would be more like it. He subsequently withdrew the remark at the request of Dr Wall.