'Please' banned in Australia?

[Mighty_Emperor]

Australian MPs ordered to not say please

A South Australian MP has been told not to use the word please in parliament because it is akin to begging, and that the word has been banned for 300 years.

After Question Time in the House of Assembly, National MP Karlene Maywald said she thought she was being polite by including the word please while asking a question about water restrictions.

She asked: "Can the Minister please advise the House when he will make public the framework?"

But Speaker Peter Lewis took exception to her language, says ABC News Online.

"The word 'please' is to beg, no honourable member in this place needs to beg any minister for anything, least of all an answer," he said.

Ms Maywald then sought a further clarification. "I spend most of my time outside this house (parliament) insisting that my daughter use the word please when asking a question," she said.

"And I wonder whether or not is it against standing orders to use the word please?"

"Explicitly," Mr Lewis replied. He said that had been the case for 300 years of parliamentary practice.


Story filed: 13:33 Tuesday 21st October 2003

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_830937.html?menu=news.quirkies

 

[Mr_Seaweedski]

Oh, Please!

 

[Min Bannister]

And remember..

Rule 2-no member of the faculty is to maltreat the others in any way at all. If there's anybody watching.

 

[Anonymous]

Rule number 3 No pooftahs!

 

[Anome]

Rule 6

There is NO Rule 6.

It must be difficult for the word "Please" to have been banned in the SA parliament for 300 years. There have only been white people in Australia for 225 years. South Australia is less than 200, I think. The SA Parliament would be less than 150 at a rough guess.

If it's a rule inherited from Westminster, then surely it's the fault of the English? So pointing at it as the fault of those wacky Australians is kind of misplaced?

Besides, I think (not sure) that it gets used in the Federal Parliament.

 

[Min Bannister]

Re: Rule 6

There is NO Rule 6.

If it's a rule inherited from Westminster, then surely it's the fault of the English? So pointing at it as the fault of those wacky Australians is kind of misplaced?

Besides, I think (not sure) that it gets used in the Federal Parliament.

Rule7. nah pooftahs

That does sound exactly like the sort of thing that is inherited from Westminster! Don't think anyone is trying to place fault Anome, it just sounds a bit weird doesn't it? Against the standing orders to use the word please..

I sometimes listen to "Today in Parliament on R4 if I'm still awake. Definatly weird..

 

[Anonymous]

one of the words not allowed in UK parliament is to call another member a lier....which i one great hole in the needed vocabulary of any Honest Mp ... just goes to show what a pals club it all is

 

[Anonymous]

I have to say that I've studied Uk constitutional law and parliamentary procedure and I've never heard of such a thing.

Remember that this is an ananova story, therefore hardly from an unimpeachable sourse

 

[Pete Younger]

Yes jon, but there are many ways of calling someone a liar without actually using the word.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes jon, but there are many ways of calling someone a liar without actually using the word.

but all more polite...nothing is liek pointing at someone and just plain calling them a lier.... maybe they did it to extend thier vocabulary?

 

[Ioethe]

I believe the terminology was;

"The Honourable Member has been economical with the truth."

And yes, it is against the rules of Parliament to accuse another member of lying.

 

[Anome]

It seems that every other week someone in the Federal Parliament is being asked if they "Willfully mislead the house" on a particular matter.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes jon, but there are many ways of calling someone a liar without actually using the word.

There's no need to use the word 'liar' - all members of Parliament are politicians.

Have you ever met a politician who told the truth?

 

[Anonymous]

Applause isn't allowed in the Commons either, hence the strange sheep/cow noises.

 

[Anonymous]

Applause isn't allowed in the Commons either, hence the strange sheep/cow noises.

I always thought they were made by strange sheep or cows.
Hidden at the back benches.