GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam) Link to this
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I ask you to turn your attention to Speaker’s ruling 157/6. There are a number of things in this House that have developed over a period of time and become the conventions of the House. One of the conventions that I have always understood, for all the time I have been here, is that when a Minister makes a mistake in an answer, he or she at the first opportunity comes to the House and uses the provisions of the personal explanation procedure to make a correction, in order that the House is not misled. The earliest opportunity that Trevor Mallard would have had to correct this matter was yesterday. Given his failure to do so, I assume—given your comments before—that your advice to us would be that we have no alternative other than to bring a privilege charge against Mr Mallard.