Brownlee Gerry; Penk ChrisQuestion No. 8 to MinisterHon GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam): I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. We seem to have skipped immediately to question No. 9 from question No. 7.SPEAKER: That's right. Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: The Speakers' rulings on page 170/1 and 170/7 alongside Standing Order 384(2) would seem to show that it is possible for someone on behalf of Dr Nick Smith to ask that question.SPEAKER: Happy to rule on the matter. It is not a matter of Speakers' rulings; it's a matter of the Standing Orders. The matter is absolutely clear under 89(1). I have no discretion to allow the transfer of that question.Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam): I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. It's not a transfer of a question. The questions belong to the National Party. They are lodged in the name of a member—SPEAKER: Has the member read the Standing Order? Can I recommend he read it.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Mr Speaker your attempt to belittle my attempt to speak to you does not do you very much credit at all. This is a democracy this is question time when the Government is put on the mat and should not be—SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! The member will resume his seat. Standing Order 89(1) is absolutely clear: there is no discretion for another member to ask the question. And I would expect that members when I refer to a Standing Order before challenging my view would do the House the courtesy of reading it. I don't expect them to be right up with all of the Standing Orders all of the time; I don't expect any member—I'm not myself. But when a specific Standing Order is referred to it ill behoves members not to read it.CHRIS PENK (National—Helensville): I seek leave of the House to ask question No. 8 in the name of the Hon Dr Nick Smith.SPEAKER: The question in my opinion at the moment does not exist and the member can't ask it on behalf of someone else.Chris Penk: Sir speaking to the point of order—SPEAKER: Although I am prepared to put the leave to the House even though it involves a suspension of the Standing Orders. Is there any objection?Hon Members: Yes.SPEAKER: Question No. 9 Dr Duncan Webb. [Interruption] Order! The member will resume his seat. Can I just say to members that at some stage they will work out that if they behave badly there will be consequences and the consequences of—Hon Member: Ha ha!SPEAKER: Order! Who interjected then? Who over there interjected at that point? Dr Webb did you make any words at all?Dr Duncan Webb: No Mr Speaker. But I'm happy to.SPEAKER: OK. The member will resume his seat. I just want to reiterate the point that the consequences are not only there for the members but there are consequences for the party as well.Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam): I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I would hope then that you apply that equally across the two sides of the House—something we're not seeing a lot of evidence of today.SPEAKER: The member will stand withdraw and apologise.Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam): I withdraw and apologise. I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I'll try it a different way: we do hope that you will be able to properly adjudicate across the House to apply the rule that you've just made fairly.SPEAKER: The member will once again stand withdraw and apologise and if there is a further reflection on me the member will be joining Dr Smith.Hon Gerry Brownlee: I'll choose to join him without any further comment Mr Speaker. Not much point in staying in this Chamber.SPEAKER: All right. The member will now withdraw and apologise and if he wishes to indicate to the House whether he is going to join Dr Smith for the entire time Dr Smith is out it would probably help us.Hon Gerry Brownlee: I withdraw and apologise. How long is that?SPEAKER: I'm yet to decide Mr Brownlee.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Then clearly I can't give you an answer. SPEAKER: Well on that basis Mr Brownlee will be out for as long as Dr Smith.Hon Gerry Brownlee withdrew from the Chamber.