Mr CREAN (7:19 PM) —I move:

I move this motion for the following reasons. The Prime Minister and all members of the coalition have been caught out deceiving the Australian people by breaking their promise that the price of petrol would not rise because of the GST. Also, the Australian Automobile Association Executive Director, Mr Lachlan McIntosh, confirmed today on JohnLaws's program that `the Prime Minister and the government deliberately increased Commonwealth excise by 1½ cents per litre' and that the GST has added further tax to the 1½ cents a litre increase because it has increased above the 90c strike price. Every coalition member should be forced to vote on this, because they deceived the Australian people.

Motion (by Mr Tuckey) proposed:

A division having been called and the bells being rung—

Mr Martin Ferguson —What did you say about going outside?

Mr Crean —Yes, what did you say then about going outside?

Honourable members interjecting—

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER —Order! I heard the intervention by the member for Batman. I have to say to him that I heard nothing said by the minister at the table. I recognise the member for Batman.

Mr Tuckey —Just remember what the insult was.

Mr Martin Ferguson —Mr Speaker, I ask that the invitation for members on this side of the chamber to step outside of the House for obvious reasons—it implies intimidation and threats—be withdrawn by the minister.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER —I thank the honourable member. If the honourable minister made that statement, which I did not hear, it would be unparliamentary. I would ask him to withdraw if he made that statement.

Mr Tuckey —Mr Speaker, I was called an oaf and, as such, suggested that that remark could be made outside. The deputy leader has the opportunity to make it any time he likes.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER —I thank the minister. I wonder whether the minister could indicate who called him an oaf.

Mr Tuckey —The Deputy Leader of the Opposition called me an oaf. It will be recorded in Hansard.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER —Thank you very much. I am trying to resolve the situation. I would suggest that it might be appropriate and might satisfy all concerned that, if the Deputy Leader of the Opposition did call the minister an oaf, he should withdraw that, and if the minister did say to step outside, he should withdraw that.

Mr Tuckey —Mr Deputy Speaker, I would ask that the deputy leader withdraw at the appropriate time his calling me an oaf, which is quite insulting. The remark I made was that if he wants to say those sorts of things he can do that outside. That is a different thing.

Mr Martin Ferguson —Mr Deputy Speaker, with all respect to the minister, the request was that we step outside. That implies a deliberate physical threat to the people on this side of the House. He should be required to withdraw it unconditionally.

Mr Ronaldson —To minimise excitement, the member for the Northern Territory might also like to withdraw the comment he made during that debate, but otherwise perhaps everyone should take a deep breath.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER —I regret to say, particularly as next week is Hearing Awareness Week, that I did not hear the Deputy Leader of the Opposition say `oaf,' I did not hear the minister at the table and I did not hear the member for the Northern Territory. As I did not hear any of the comments, I do not propose to take any action at this stage. I will see that my hearing is tested, as everybody should have their hearing tested in Hearing Awareness Week, and I will try to do better next time.

Question put.