Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

On the point of order, Mr President: Senator Abetz again in question time uses the point of order to express a view about the minister answering the question. The minister is answering the question; the minister is relevant to the question. What Senator Abetz then chooses to do is to go on a wide-ranging discourse over issues that he wants to canvass and use the point of order to do that. I think it is impermissible for Senator Abetz to use the point of order in that way, although it has been used, obviously, by him in this way this week. But in this instance I would humbly submit there is no point of order.