Mrs CROSIO (3:52 PM) —Mr Speaker, I ask a question regarding the requirements of standing order 152 in terms of the administration within your control as far as this House is concerned. I understand that when questions are either asked or replied to the person must be sitting in the appropriate position. I fully acknowledge that when a minister gets up to answer a question he must come to the dispatch box—I appreciate that. I would like to know: why, when a minister is asked to withdraw, can he just jump up on the floor and do so?

The SPEAKER —I point out to the member for Prospect that what she says is absolutely right, and I am very happy as the occupier of the chair to take a much more rigid approach to the standing orders. However, I suspect that we will find a much less manageable House as I do so. That the Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government should have come to the dispatch box is perfectly right. I allowed him to make a withdrawal from his chair, and that may not have been precisely according to the standing orders. In fact, it was intended to facilitate the House. I will be more diligent about it in future—and I will be more diligent about a number of other standing orders, including sitting on the edges of seats.

The SPEAKER —I acquaint the Minister for Foreign Affairs with the fact that there is.