Mr CREAN (3:15 PM) —My question is to the Prime Minister. Do you recall taking a question from me yesterday on notice and agreeing to come back to the House with a response? Prime Minister, will you now advise the names of all staff members in the former Minister for Defence's offices who received the 13 photos I referred to yesterday? Who in other offices received them, and did they go in particular to a Mr Ross Hampton?

Mr HOWARD (Prime Minister) —I understand that that information has not yet become available.

Mr Crean —Oh?

Mr HOWARD —`Oh?' he says.

The SPEAKER —The Prime Minister has the call.

Mr HOWARD —I intend—

Opposition members interjecting—

Mr HOWARD —having—

Opposition members interjecting—

The SPEAKER —The Prime Minister.

The SPEAKER —The Leader of the Opposition understands the obligation he has not to interject. It would not be unprecedented to issue a warning. I do not intend to do that, but I do require him to apologise to the House for the interjections.

Mr Crean —So in future, Mr Speaker, you are going to require all members to apologise for interjections?

The SPEAKER —No. I have, as occupier of the chair, from time to time endeavoured to allow members not to face expulsion from the House or a warning by indicating that they had acted in a way they would not have acted had they had more time to think about it. I am simply inviting the Leader of the Opposition to apologise for his interjections, and the House will then proceed with its business. This is not unprecedented, and that is why I am extending the invitation to him. I obviously have alternatives that I can exercise but I prefer not to.

Mr Crean —Mr Speaker, I am prepared to apologise, but can I ask a question? In every question that I have asked today I have been interjected on.

The SPEAKER —No, the Leader of the Opposition—

Mr Crean —When have you sought an apology from those opposite?

The SPEAKER —The Leader of the Opposition—

Mr Crean —When have you sought that apology?

The SPEAKER —The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat! The Leader of the Opposition's reflection on the chair is quite unacceptable. There has not been an instance in which the Leader of the Opposition has been interrupted, as I am aware, by the Prime Minister, and so I am applying this rule entirely equitably.

Honourable members interjecting—

The SPEAKER —The House will come to order! The Leader of the Opposition has done as I asked.

Mr Swan —Mr Speaker, on a point of order: one of the reasons we are having difficulty at the moment is that the Prime Minister is being disrespectful to this House.

The SPEAKER —The member for Lilley will resume his seat!

Mr Swan —No, this is a serious point—

The SPEAKER —The member for Lilley will resume his seat!

Mr Swan —He is not answering the question—

The SPEAKER —The member for Lilley will resume his seat or I will deal with him! There is no point of order.

Mr HOWARD —I think I still remember the question. From recollection, you asked me about the question that I put on notice yesterday. I have not as yet been provided with the results of the inquiries that would have been made as a result of that. Can I say, having sort of, as it were, been given some different advice—conflicting advice—from this general area in the last 48 hours, I want to be absolutely certain of the advice I get before I reply to the question. I think you asked me about a Mr Hampton. That constituted a new question. I will obviously seek advice on that, and when I have replies to both the question yesterday and the question you asked me today I will naturally come back to the House.

The SPEAKER —The member for Grayndler is warned!

Mr HOWARD —I am not making any commitment to do that today, because I intend to be absolutely certain of the advice I get before I open my mouth on the subject.