Then about five minutes before the finish, Jenkins issued a ''general warning'' in response to members' interjections, which in parliamentary terms is a bit like a mum threatening to whack the kids mucking up in the back seat of the car: a clear signal to shut up.

Then things got serious. Jenkins ''named'' the member for Paterson, Bob Baldwin. According to the strange and archaic conventions of our fine Westminster democracy, this means the government was obliged to move a motion to vote on the ''naming'' (which is the first step before chucking someone out for 24 hours).

Parliamentary divisions in the new paradigm are always a little white-knuckle. All eyes moved swiftly to the crossbenchers to see if they would give the government a majority, because if the vote was lost, it amounted to a no confidence motion in the Speaker.

He would have to resign, which would trigger an intractable dispute over the appointment of a new speaker and cause what is known in constitutional legal circles as ''bad juju''.

Government and opposition MPs huddled together to talk tactics as an awed hush settled across the chamber. Jenkins tapped his pencil on his knee as the clerks counted votes. The government lost by one. ''After question time I will be taking the time to consider my position,'' Jenkins announced gravely.