George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

On a point of order, Madam Acting Deputy President. We have been very forbearing, because we know a rabblerousing speech when we hear one. With respect, the President has ruled, as recently as this morning, that it is out of order to refer to a member of another parliament or another chamber as impertinent. If it is out of order to refer to someone as impertinent, surely it is out of order to refer to a member of another chamber in the abusive terms which Senator Cameron is using—to refer to them as intolerant, as poisoning the well of reason and the other rhetorical excesses which have dripped like venom from Senator Cameron’s lips. If you cannot call somebody impertinent, you certainly cannot abuse a senior member of the House of Representatives in the terms in which Senator Cameron is doing now.