FROM THE HILL: The patience of parliament's speaker is wearing thin and MPs have been put on notice.
The state's politicians have been put on notice by speaker Stephen Price over "appalling" behaviour during Wednesday's question time.
But it was what happened a day earlier, which provides the best starting point for the latest rebuke.
Parliament’s antagonist-in-chief, Nationals MP Lachlan Hunter, riled the Attorney-General Tony Buti so badly, that he took it out on the acting speaker.
In a place where the speaker’s word is supposed to be final, Mr Buti delivered a dressing down to Labor MP for Dawesville Lisa Munday while she occupied the big chair for regular speaker Price.
“It’s no good to always say ‘please get back to the subject’,” Mr Buti urged the acting speaker.
But the attorney-general didn’t stop there and went after the whole house of cards when it comes to those appointed to keep order in the parliament.
“It’s about time the speaker, the deputy speakers, the acting speakers call to attention the member for Central Wheatbelt,” he continued.
Mr Hunter then screamed out something about unions and the attorney-general rose again to request tough action against Mr Hunter.
“I understand, attorney-general,” the acting speaker said.
“Well, come on, then,” Mr Buti baited.
That exchange was then matched 24 hours later, when question time performances peeved off speaker Price so much that he made a passionate plea to MPs before most of them spilled out of the chamber.
“You need to really stop and reflect on your behaviour in this chamber,” he fumed.
“It’s appalling and I don’t want to be talking to journalists in the morning about this.
“It’s not good enough. The public of Western Australia deserve better.”
From the Hill doubts that will be the final word.
