Thursday, 11 September 2025

Michael O’Keeffe

Pauline RICHARDS (Cranbourne) (10:49): On another matter, I condole the loss of a great man and a real gentleman, Michael Joseph O’Keeffe, known as Mick, beloved husband and best friend of Mary O’Keeffe. I watched their love as I was growing up and into my adult life. He was the devoted father of Maree, Chris, Janine, Michael, Melissa and Peter, a grandfather of so many and a great grandfather as well. It was a beautiful requiem mass at St Benedict’s. I feel honoured to have had Michael O’Keeffe in my life. Vale, Mick.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I believe the member for Brighton has a point of order, which I will take, but before I do I want to speak to all members. Rulings from the Chair, from Speaker Andrianopoulos from 1999, says:

It is appropriate for points of order to be taken and dealt with at the end of the time for making statements. Members should be afforded the opportunity to make statements uninterrupted.

Hence I asked you to wait until the end, and I will now hear your point of order, member for Brighton.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, I do appreciate and was aware of the ruling. I did think it was important to at least make you aware of the concern. During members statements the member for Warrandyte spoke about her heritage and her grandmother coming to this country, and in the middle of that contribution on her proud heritage, the Minister for Police called her a weirdo. I think by any measure we would consider that behaviour unparliamentary – simply unparliamentary. This is not a matter of personal offence, it is simply unparliamentary. I would ask you if the Speaker could consider this matter, because in the last week, in condoling on the death of a police officer, the member for Eureka attacked the member for Warrandyte and was forced to apologise. Obviously, it was a hollow apology, as we have since seen. However, I would say that twice in two weeks the member has been quite viciously attacked and personally attacked. I think considering this matter has happened in relation to one member, I would ask that the Speaker personally review the footage.

Michaela Settle: On the point of order, Deputy Speaker, to the suggestion that it was a hollow apology I take great offence. I made a genuine apology, and for the member for Brighton to decide what my motivations were in that is beyond the pale.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Points of order are not an opportunity for personal statements.

Nicole Werner: Further to the point of order, Deputy Speaker, in terms of it being unparliamentary, it was, for clarity, in the middle of me saying that I am the granddaughter of an illiterate peasant woman from Malaysia who was a World War II survivor. I would like for that to be reviewed as the Minister for Police called me a weirdo in that very sentence. I would like to seek clarity as to the unparliamentary nature of that. Is it a problem that I am a migrant, or the daughter of migrants? Is it a problem that my grandmother is illiterate? Is it a problem that I am a woman? Is it a problem that I am of Chinese origin? I would like to know.

Members interjecting.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! I am going to rule on the point of order. I will stand up if we do not settle down a bit. On the point of order that you have raised – you have already raised the point of order.

James Newbury: Another matter has just arisen relating to this.

Members interjecting.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: On this point of order I will rule. If the house wishes to raise points of order that are separate to that point of order, we can do that in time. As I mentioned with Speaker Andrianopoulos’s ruling, members statements are an important part of our day. It is a chance for all members to speak for their electorates and speak on matters of importance for the state. Therefore sometimes we have robust debate in this house, and whilst all members should be respectful in their conduct, there are times when opinions are given from anyone in this chamber. I accept that you wish the Speaker to review, and I am happy to pass that on to the Speaker, but I would suggest – and this goes towards what our Speaker has said in question times this week – that all members should be respectful of each other at all times. It is not for us to forget who we represent in this house. I am not putting that to anyone in this house. So to your point of order, I will pass it on to the Speaker.

James Newbury: I do note that the member herself has confirmed the offence. To assist, the member has confirmed the personal offence that was taken, which adds to the issue. On a separate point of order, Deputy Speaker, in the debate that just occurred the Minister for Environment suggested that the offence the member took was somehow about seeking publicity for herself.

Members interjecting.

James Newbury: Members are laughing. It is absolutely outrageous that the government continues to target this member. It is clearly a strategy, and it is absolutely outrageous.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! You need to state the point of order, member for Brighton.

James Newbury: I am asking for the Speaker to consider the way that the government is behaving towards the member for Warrandyte, because it is unacceptable.

Members interjecting.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Members, I am going to rule on this point of order. The member for Warrandyte, resume your seat, please. That is not a point of order. I encourage you to visit the Speaker outside this chamber should you wish to take that further.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, there is no process that requires me to raise matters in private with a Speaker. This is actually a matter of privilege.

Members interjecting.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Members, including ministers, will be quieter if they are not in the chamber.

James Newbury: This is a matter of privilege. The behaviour towards the member for Warrandyte is unacceptable, and it needs to stop.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Brighton, in your own words you have said that this is a matter for privilege –

James Newbury: Of privilege.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Of privilege – if we are having a conversation when this house is not a place of conversation.

Members interjecting.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Members would be wise to let us get through this quietly. If you have an issue of privilege, there is an avenue for that – there is the Privileges Committee. You have avenues for that. What you have raised is not a point of order, and we shall move on.

Nicole Werner: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, I draw your attention to the fact that the minister at the table interjected during the point of order, saying, from what I took down – but I would request that this be reviewed – ‘Stop using the chamber as content for your TikTok.’ I seek advice from the Deputy Speaker. Is it not our job as parliamentarians to actually speak on behalf of our community and put that to our community so that they know that the opposition is holding the government to account? Is that not the role and responsibility of us as members of Parliament?

Members interjecting.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!

Nicole Werner: Is that not our role and what we are required to do on behalf of the 7 million Victorians we represent?

Lauren Kathage interjected.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The member for Yan Yean can leave the chamber for half an hour.

Member for Yan Yean withdrew from chamber.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: This is a chamber of debate. All interjections are disorderly. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were not any? Further to that, it is not a point of order.

Paul Edbrooke interjected.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Frankston! Shall we move on?

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, under Victorian occupational health and safety law, offensive comments made based on a personal attribute – this is, quite frankly, happening repeatedly from the government members to members on this side, including the member for Warrandyte. I have also received disparaging remarks based on my gender from those government members. This is a workplace. I would ask you to ask the Speaker to review that in terms of this being a workplace and that we are under OH&S law and in terms of offensive remarks that are repeatedly coming from the Labor government members to members on this side based on personal attributes – based on gender, race and all of these things. I would ask you to ask the Speaker to review the footage regularly, because this is happening regularly.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I would counsel all members that direct imputations on members are disorderly and members can ask they be withdrawn if offence is taken at the time. If those debates reflect on multiple members, as is the previous wisdom of the Chair, then it is a matter for debate. But I counsel all members that if debate is directed to them individually and it is offensive and they take offence, they should stand and ask for withdrawal.

A member: Happy to.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: You have to do it at the time.

A member: It was during members statements. It was at the end of members statements.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yes, I appreciate that, and that is the complication of the matter.

Steve Dimopoulos: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, the Manager of Opposition Business impugned the entire membership of the Parliament on this side, when the only person that uses gendered language like ‘nasty’ is the member for Brighton in relation to female ministers of the Victorian government.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, offence cannot be taken communally. That is a longstanding decision of the Chair. There is no point of order.

James Newbury: On a further point of order, Deputy Speaker, I appreciate the guidance given to the house. I absolutely appreciate the importance of members having the capacity to robustly debate, but I took the opportunity this morning to raise and make you as Deputy Speaker and the Speaker aware of what I felt was a particular targeting towards the member for Warrandyte. That is what the entire conversation was about: the particular targeting of the member for Warrandyte.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Again, part of the problem with points of order is that they become a conversation. This house, as the Speaker has said multiple times, is not a place of conversation; this house is a place of debate. I have already ruled on your original point of order, and it will be referred to the Speaker for consideration. There is no need for further conversation, member for Brighton.

Steve Dimopoulos interjected.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, this is not a place for conversation, and reflecting on the Chair is unhelpful and disorderly. Frankly, all of us should understand the rules of this house.