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

Mr President, on the point of order: there are two parts. The first part is that Senator Arbib was answering the question and was directly relevant to the question. The second point of order which was raised by Senator Abetz borders on an instruction to the President, which Senator Abetz knows that he should not do. He knows that that would not be an appropriate course. The usual practice if you want something is that you ask the President to have a look at a particular matter rather than directing the President. Senator Abetz did not use that language, Mr President, and I would ask you to have a look at the language that Senator Abetz did use.