Mr MARTIN —Mr Acting Speaker, my question to you goes to standing order 107. I note that you had circulated in the chamber this afternoon your choice of the matter of public importance, standing in the name of our colleague the honourable member for Parramatta. You would be aware that I also had submitted to you a matter of public importance in respect of the reef tax. Given that we have on this side been endeavouring to debate it through suspension of standing orders yesterday and today and we have in fact tried to move a censure of the government this afternoon, can I just ask you the reasons where you considered in your opinion that that particular matter was most urgent and important in accordance with standing order 107?

Mr ACTING SPEAKER —Successive speakers in this parliament have never given their reasons—

Mr Leo McLeay interjecting—

Mr ACTING SPEAKER —The only reason that is pertinent is: `in the opinion of the Speaker is most urgent and important'. It was my judgment that this one was the most urgent and important.

Mr Reith —Mr Acting Speaker, on a point of order: there was an offensive remark made in respect of your decision by the member for—

Mr Tanner —You can't even remember who it was.

Mr Reith —No-one knows who you are. But the member sitting on the front bench referred to your decision as being at the direction of other members of the House. That is clearly unparliamentary and a reflection on the chair. He should be required to withdraw it.

Mr Bevis —He is pointing at me, Mr Acting Speaker, and I can assure you that I made no such comment.

Mr ACTING SPEAKER —Unless we can identify the person, we can hardly—

Mr Reith —I will take the matter further. I heard the words quite clearly from the front bench on the other side that the decision you had made was at the direction of the government. The person who made it should have what it takes to withdraw it.

Mr Leo McLeay —On the point raised by the Leader of the House: this is just the same sort of broad brush smear the Leader of the House goes on with, trying to cover up what he has already done here today.

Mr ACTING SPEAKER —There is no point of order. I did hear the comment. I was not watching, so I didn't actually see who said it but, if I were to give a judgment on it, it sounded for all the world like the member for Watson.