The SPEAKER (11:19): The question now is that the motion be agreed to. Mr Burke: There is a standing order asking you to state what that question is. For clarification for members, because it's a significant moment, could you state what the question is that you're putting to the House? The SPEAKER: The question is that the motion moved by the member for Indi to suspend standing orders be agreed to. There needs to be an absolute majority on this question. The member for Menzies, on a point of order? Mr Andrews: I submit to you that the question we've just voted on is the question which was before the House. It didn't have an absolute majority and therefore it fails. The SPEAKER: The Manager of Opposition Business. Mr Burke: Mr Speaker, I similarly submit that the point of order that's just been raised by the member for Menzies needed to be raised before you declared it for the noes. You have, in fact, declared this motion as the noes position having been carried. That declaration has been made from the chair. The SPEAKER: The Leader of the House. Mr Dutton: The vote required an absolute majority, which was not achieved. The normal practice in this House, as I understand it, is for you to declare the vote as you have, Mr Speaker, but to note at that point that, given an absolute majority had not been achieved, the motion moved by the honourable member does not carry. The SPEAKER: The Manager of Opposition Business. Mr Burke: The points that have just been raised by the Leader of the House would have to have been raised before the declaration had been made as to what the outcome was. What the Leader of the House has referred to is a process where the count is announced and a statement is then made, but what the Speaker has done is declared the outcome. Therefore, if the Leader of the House wants to dissent from that decision, that's an option before the House. The SPEAKER: The Leader of the House. Mr Dutton: That is an incorrect interpretation—I'll put it politely. I'm sure there's at least some shred of genuineness to it, but the reality is that it is within your prerogative, Mr Speaker. I know that there's advice from the Clerk, but I put it to you that it's within your prerogative under the standing orders to clarify the situation and to, in my respectful suggestion to you, adhere to that practice which would see a statement along the lines that I outlined earlier. The SPEAKER: The Manager of Opposition Business. Mr Burke: Mr Speaker, if you would want to go down that path then there would have to be a seeking of a recommitting of the question. The SPEAKER: Sorry, I didn't hear that? Mr Burke: If there's a request for the question to be recommitted, then what the Leader of the House has proposed would be able to be done. But, short of that, it's been declared. The SPEAKER: The position in relation to the first motion stands, and that was the numbers that I read out earlier. There needs to be an absolute majority, and the next question is that the motion be agreed to. All those of that opinion say aye. An honourable member: Which motion? The SPEAKER: On the suspension of standing orders. All those of that opinion say aye. Mr Katter: Clearly a lot of us are very confused. I'm one of the dumber ones, so I'm really at a loss. The SPEAKER: Is there a point of order? No point of order. The member for Indi has the call. Dr Haines: I'm not confused. What clearly has to happen is we need to get on with the debate. We're spending so much time right now trying to understand the procedures. The SPEAKER: The question is that the motion for the suspension of standing orders be agreed to.