tatu
24th October 2005, 11:25
(Australian) Parliament bans the word 'buggerlugs'
By Nigel Adlam
21oct05
THE world "buggerlugs" has been banned from the Northern Territory Parliament.
But calling a rival politician a "dickhead" is still acceptable.
The ruling was made by Deputy Speaker Len Kiely, once one of the more fiery members of the Legislative Assembly but now a "new" Labor man.
The dispute over definitions erupted when the CLP's Terry Mills told Labor newcomer James Burke: "You'll get your turn, buggerlugs."
Mr Kiely ordered him to withdraw the remark because it was "unparliamentary language".
Mr Mills agreed.
But he later pointed out that in 2001 then acting speaker Sue Carter decreed "dickhead" was allowable, especially late at night, because both sides of politics were as bad as each other when it came to name calling.
Mr Kiely, once notorious for goading CLP rivals during debates, said buggerlugs could be used as an insult or "a term of endearment".
He said Mr Mills was definitely not using it in a gentlemanly way.
Reminded of his own record in Parliament, Mr Kiely said: "I'm a changed man.
"I'm Deputy Speaker now and must walk the talk.
"We're trying to get the Assembly a bit more orderly - it got off the tracks in the last Parliament."
Mr Mills agrees, describing Mr Kiely as a new Labor man.
"He's been incredibly well behaved because he's trying to get into the main team," he said.
"At the moment, he's just a water boy.
"He's trying to catch the eye of the coach. We're impressed."
For the record, the Macquarie dictionary definition of buggerlugs is: a mock abusive term, used affectionately.
By Nigel Adlam
21oct05
THE world "buggerlugs" has been banned from the Northern Territory Parliament.
But calling a rival politician a "dickhead" is still acceptable.
The ruling was made by Deputy Speaker Len Kiely, once one of the more fiery members of the Legislative Assembly but now a "new" Labor man.
The dispute over definitions erupted when the CLP's Terry Mills told Labor newcomer James Burke: "You'll get your turn, buggerlugs."
Mr Kiely ordered him to withdraw the remark because it was "unparliamentary language".
Mr Mills agreed.
But he later pointed out that in 2001 then acting speaker Sue Carter decreed "dickhead" was allowable, especially late at night, because both sides of politics were as bad as each other when it came to name calling.
Mr Kiely, once notorious for goading CLP rivals during debates, said buggerlugs could be used as an insult or "a term of endearment".
He said Mr Mills was definitely not using it in a gentlemanly way.
Reminded of his own record in Parliament, Mr Kiely said: "I'm a changed man.
"I'm Deputy Speaker now and must walk the talk.
"We're trying to get the Assembly a bit more orderly - it got off the tracks in the last Parliament."
Mr Mills agrees, describing Mr Kiely as a new Labor man.
"He's been incredibly well behaved because he's trying to get into the main team," he said.
"At the moment, he's just a water boy.
"He's trying to catch the eye of the coach. We're impressed."
For the record, the Macquarie dictionary definition of buggerlugs is: a mock abusive term, used affectionately.