President labels senators’ behaviour ‘appalling, pathetic’
The ABC understands Mr Parry is upset his integrity has been called into question. Photo: AAP
While the focus on parliamentary standards has been on the House of Representatives this week after the installation of a new Speaker, it is the Senate that descended into a farce on Wednesday afternoon.
President of the Senate Stephen Parry sat stony-faced as senators from both sides of the political divide hurled quips at each other throughout Question Time.
Unlike his counterpart, House of Representatives Speaker Tony Smith, President Parry does not have the power to kick senators out of the chamber for rowdy behaviour.
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Michael Ronaldson was drowned out by Labor countdown. Photo: AAP
At one stage as Liberal senator Michael Ronaldson was answering a question from Palmer United’s Dio Wang, Labor senators began to count down the seconds he had remaining to deliver his response.
“How asinine,” Leader of the Government in the Senate Eric Abetz retorted.
“That was appalling,” President Parry said.
“I trust that senators understand that you’re televised. I expect better behaviour than this.
“That was very pathetic.”
Senator Abetz asked President Parry to write to Labor leader Bill Shorten to pull his senators into line.
Greg Hunt admonished by new Speaker Tony Smith
Meanwhile, in the House of Representatives both Government and Opposition MPs were testing the boundaries with new Speaker Mr Smith.
Labor’s Clare O’Neil made several points of order in an effort to stop ministers attacking Opposition policies in their answers, but to little avail.
Government MPs were seeing what they could get away with, too.
Environment Minister Greg Hunt brandished a copy of a newspaper with a headline attacking Labor as he answered a question about climate change policy.
It is against the rules to use “props” in the chamber and he was quickly admonished by the Speaker.
“The Minister might want to hand it to one of his colleagues to be safe,” Mr Smith said.
“And put it on the seat. Put it on the seat!”
-ABC
