Appendix B: Removal from the Chamber by the Serjeant-at-Arms

Contents

 

Instances where the Serjeant-at-Arms has been called upon to escort a member from the House of Representatives Chamber

Date Member Circumstances of Serjeant-at-Arms being called upon
22 Feb 1917 Maloney, William (ALP, Melbourne, Vic.) He was directed to be escorted from the Chamber after having been named and suspended and continuing to address the House.
5 Sep 1917 Anstey, Frank (ALP, Bourke, Vic.) He was interjecting and refused to be silent and was named for defying the Chair. The Chairman called upon the Serjeant-at-Arms to remove the honourable member, who thereupon retired. As he was being escorted out of the Chamber by the Serjeant-at-Arms, he told him: ‘You need not lay your hand upon me, I will walk out.’
22 Jul 1920 Fenton, James (ALP, Maribyrnong, Vic.) He was named and suspended for accusing the Deputy Speaker of being ‘one-eyed’. He refused to leave but did so escorted by the Serjeant-at-Arms when the official was called upon to remove him.
19 Aug 1920 Lavelle, Thomas (ALP, Calare, NSW) He was named and suspended for disregarding the authority of the chair. He refused to leave the Chamber and so was escorted from it by the Serjeant-at-Arms at the direction of the Speaker
20 Oct 1920 Blakeley, Arthur (ALP, Darling, NSW) He was named and suspended for ‘deliberately defying the authority of the chair’ and refused to leave the Chamber.
22 Oct 1920 Mathews, James (ALP, Melbourne, Vic.) He refused to resume his seat calling on the Speaker to name the Prime Minister. The Speaker then called on the Serjeant-at-Arms to remove him ‘for disregarding my direction to resume his seat.’
17 Aug 1923 McGrath, David (ALP, Ballaarat, Vic.) He required escorting from the Chamber after being named and suspended for refusing to withdraw a question which was considered by the Speaker to be a reflection upon the Justices of the High Court.
10 May 1950 Cameron, Clyde (ALP, Hindmarsh, SA) Having called attention to the fact that a quorum of members was not present, and Mr Speaker having counted the House and a quorum was formed, and having been grossly disorderly by disputing the count made by the Chair.
26 Oct 1950 Haylen, Les (ALP, Parkes, NSW) Having been grossly disorderly by continuing to interject after warnings had been given by the Chair.
6 Nov 1951 Curtin, Daniel (ALP, Watson, NSW) Having been grossly disorderly by continuing to interject after a warning had been given by the Chair.
13 Mar 1953 Curtin, Daniel (ALP, Watson, NSW) Being grossly disorderly by using an unparliamentary expression.
16 Oct 1957 Cameron, Clyde (ALP, Hindmarsh, SA) Having reflected on the Chair.
16 Oct 1957 Haylen, Les (ALP, Parkes, NSW) Having interjected.
6 Sep 1961 Ward, Eddie (ALP, East Sydney, NSW) He continued to defy the Chair.
23 May 1963 Ward, Eddie (ALP, East Sydney, NSW) Continuing to interject after having been warned from the Chair.
9 Apr 1970 Bryant, Gordon (ALP, Wills, Vic.) Defying the Chair. After being suspended he refused to leave and the Serjeant-at-Arms was ordered to direct him to leave. He still refused to leave and grave disorder arose which caused the Speaker to suspend the sitting. When the sitting was resumed, he again refused to leave the Chamber. Grave disorder again arose and the sitting was suspended until the next day, when he then expressed regret and withdrew from the Chamber.
18 Oct 1973 Calder, Stephen (CP, Northern Territory, NT) Disregarding the authority of the Chair.
27 Nov 1974 Wentworth, William (LP, Mackellar, NSW) Continuing to disobey the Chair and not having resumed his seat when directed to do so by Chair.
16 May 1991 Tuckey, Wilson (LP, O’Connor, WA) Disorderly conduct. This was the instance where he had been famously named and suspended for referring to a relationship which Paul Keating (ALP, Blaxland, NSW) had once had with a woman called Kristine. He objected that there had been no division on the suspension motion.
2 Jul 1998 Zammitt, Paul (IND, Lowe, NSW) Persistently disregarding the authority of the Chair.
23 Oct 2003 Sen Brown, Bob (AG, Tas.) Continuing to interject after a warning had been given from the Chair during a Joint Sitting to hear US President George W. Bush’s address to Parliament in the House of Representatives Chamber.
23 Oct 2003 Sen Nettle, Kerry (AG, NSW) Continuing to interject after a warning had been given from the Chair during a Joint Sitting to hear US President George W. Bush’s address to Parliament in the House of Representatives chamber.
22 Feb 2008 Ciobo, Steven (LP, Moncrieff, Qld) Gross disorderly conduct in refusing to leave the Chamber for one hour under standing order 94(a).

 


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