Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, on a point of order: sessional orders require that the minister be directly relevant to the question that was asked. This is now the sixth time that somebody on the coalition side has been forced to get to their feet to remind you, Mr President, of that sessional order. I also invite you to consider the fact that, whilst you cannot direct a minister how to answer the question, if the minister continues to defy your request that he be relevant to the question asked you have the authority to require the minister to resume his seat. I invite you to do that.