1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:02,360 Speaker 1: Right, good afternoon. So there are calls now for Parliament 2 00:00:02,400 --> 00:00:04,880 Speaker 1: to lift the punishment for MPs who pull stunts like 3 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:07,400 Speaker 1: last week's hucker. Both Shane Jones and David see Will 4 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:09,559 Speaker 1: have asked the Speaker, Jerry Brownly, to consider this. 5 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:14,240 Speaker 2: I think some of the changes, particularly around the use 6 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:17,920 Speaker 2: of social media, have changed the incentives for people's behavior 7 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 2: around the rules of Parliament. 8 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:20,239 Speaker 3: Now. 9 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 1: David Carter is a former speaker, is with us now, 10 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:25,480 Speaker 1: Hey David, Hi, Hi, Heather, would you agree with him 11 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:27,160 Speaker 1: that what has happened now is you can get so 12 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:29,680 Speaker 1: much reward on social media for pulling a stunt like 13 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 1: that that it makes it worthwhile. 14 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:35,159 Speaker 3: I think that's probably the case, and Parliament has the 15 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 3: ability to amend rules. In fact that you're consider amending 16 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:41,600 Speaker 3: the rules, but it's a process that should be taken carefully. 17 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:45,279 Speaker 1: Carefully, yes, because democracy is important, right, So how far 18 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:46,520 Speaker 1: can you push the punishment? 19 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:50,320 Speaker 3: Well, the Parliament is the master of its own destiny, 20 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:52,519 Speaker 3: so it has every right to change the rules and 21 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:57,120 Speaker 3: make them quite severe. I wouldn't advocate doing it immediately 22 00:00:57,160 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 3: in response to the incident last week. I would suggest 23 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:03,000 Speaker 3: is that the Speaker give it some thought and then 24 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:06,440 Speaker 3: perhaps give guidance to the Standing Orders Committee, which it's 25 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:09,760 Speaker 3: every three years. That's a committee that's made up of 26 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:13,720 Speaker 3: very senior means of Parliament, so opposition and government, and 27 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:17,760 Speaker 3: I remember cheering that as the Speaker. What's very clear 28 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:21,200 Speaker 3: as you chair those meetings is that all politicians realize 29 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:24,279 Speaker 3: that they may well be an opposition at some stage, 30 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:26,839 Speaker 3: so they make rules that actually make our parliament work. 31 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:30,560 Speaker 3: So that'd be the opportunity the Standing Orders Review, that'd 32 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 3: be the opportunity to reconsider the penalties and whether they're appropriate. 33 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:37,560 Speaker 1: So what is the most serious penalty that can be 34 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:39,120 Speaker 1: copped at the moment for something like that, and what 35 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 1: would you move it to. 36 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:44,960 Speaker 3: Well, the most serious penalty is to name a member 37 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 3: of Parliament, as was done the other day. What happens 38 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 3: then is the part the Speaker moves to name a 39 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:54,240 Speaker 3: particular member of Parliament. Parliament votes on that, so in 40 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:58,040 Speaker 3: effect the peers are judging the behavior of that person. 41 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 3: If you are named for the free time, you are 42 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 3: suspended for twenty four hours. If you are named again 43 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 3: through that parliament a second time, you're suspended for seven days. 44 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 3: And if you're named for a third time, you're suspended 45 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:15,760 Speaker 3: for twenty eight days now, not only as your pay 46 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:19,720 Speaker 3: doct but you lose the right to sit on a committee, 47 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 3: you lose the right to vote in Parliament over that 48 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:25,680 Speaker 3: period of time. So if you've ever got a very 49 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:29,360 Speaker 3: tight parliament and a government member was to be named, 50 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:32,080 Speaker 3: that could make it very difficult for the then government 51 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 3: to pass legislation. It's quite a severe penalty. 52 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:36,799 Speaker 1: Yeah, although if you're an opposition doesn't mean a lot, 53 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 1: does it. 54 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 3: It doesn't mean as much except well, this particular member 55 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 3: who's been named seems to see it as a badge 56 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:46,760 Speaker 3: of honor. I don't think it's a badge of honor. 57 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:49,920 Speaker 3: Not a lot of people get named through their parliamentary career. 58 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 3: But if you're in opposition, so accept it's less meaningful. 59 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:56,440 Speaker 3: But as I said earlier, Parliament has the right to 60 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:59,120 Speaker 3: change those rules and make the penalties more severe for naming. 61 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 3: Thank you much. 62 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 1: We're talking us through at David Carter, former Speaker. 63 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:06,160 Speaker 3: For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive, listen live to 64 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:09,280 Speaker 3: news talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow 65 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:11,080 Speaker 3: the podcast on iHeartRadio.