In which The Speaker Bronwyn Bishop indicates that she considers being asked to leave the Chamber under standing order 94(a) on the last sitting day of the parliamentary week to be a form of early mark excusing an MP from further attendance

Excerpts from House of Representatives Hansard for Thursday 27 November 2014, in which The Speaker Bronwyn Bishop (left) first indicates that she considers being asked to leave the Chamber under standing order 94(a) on the last sitting day of the parliamentary week to be a form of "early mark" excusing an MP from further attendance and, then barely an hour later complains that those so ejected were possibly conspiring to get that early mark she had freely offered:

The SPEAKER: [approximately 14:02] Order! When questions are asked, I am not going to have this perpetual wall of noise and interjection going on while an answer is being given. If it is to continue, many people will leave the chamber. Those who want early marks can have them.

The SPEAKER (15:13): I would simply say to the Manager of Opposition Business that the behaviour today was an absolute disgrace. Looking at the list, I can see that quite a few of them are indeed Victorian members, who perhaps wish to go back and campaign. Others may wish to have early planes, but there was a deliberate campaign of noise and disruption, and I am fortunate in having standing order 94(a) with which to deal with it, otherwise it means naming people and taking up the time of the House. Simply to stand there and try to say that you all behaved like little angels and that you were picked on is pathetic.

It is worth noting that when Ms. Bishop assigned an ulterior motive to the Victorian MPs she chose to ignore two facts:

1. Victorian MPs were not the most prominent group of members she ejected - that honour went to New South Wales.

2. At the time she was speaking, only one of the 18 MPs had completed the one hour exclusion period under 94(a). Therefore she had no proof and no basis for implying the five Victorian MPs were absent because they; perhaps wish to go back and campaign.

According to the Hansard record the 18 Labor MPs (7 from NSW, 5 from Victoria, 2 from Queensland, 2 from WA and 1 each from SA & Tasmania) ejected during Question Time on that day, left in this order commencing at approximately 14:04 pm and finishing at approximately 15:01pm:

The member for Chifley (NSW) * record did not reflect whether or not MP returned to the Chamber

The member for Greenway (NSW) * record did not reflect whether or not MP returned to the Chamber

The members for Batman and Corio (Vic) * record did not reflect whether or not these MPs returned to the Chamber

The member for Franklin (Tas) * record did not reflect whether or not MP returned to the Chamber

The member for Wakefield (SA) * record did not reflect whether or not MP returned to the Chamber   

The member for Hotham (Vic) * later returned to the Chamber until it adjourned
The member for Hunter (NSW) * record did not reflect whether or not MP returned to the Chamber
The member for Griffith (Qld) * later returned to the Chamber until it adjourned
The member for Grayndler (NSW) * record did not reflect whether or not MP returned to the Chamber

The member for Melbourne Ports (Vic) * record did not reflect whether or not MP returned to the Chamber

The member for Shortland (NSW) * record did not reflect whether or not MP returned to the Chamber

The member for Wills (Vic) * record did not reflect whether or not MP returned to the Chamber

The member for Fremantle (WA) * later returned to the Chamber until it adjourned
The member for Kingsford Smith (NSW) * record did not reflect whether or not MP returned to the Chamber

The member for Charlton (NSW) * record did not reflect whether or not MP returned to the Chamber

The member for Moreton (Qld) * record did not reflect whether or not MP returned to the Chamber

The member for Perth (WA) * later returned to the Chamber until it adjourned

* Photograph form The Canberra Times