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

On the point of order, Mr President, one of the challenges Senator Cormann has in asking a question like that is that it is hypothetical—it asks: what would happen—and he confirmed that with his point of order. Clearly it is a hypothetical question. It should in ordinary circumstances be ruled out of order. The point of it is of little value to the opposition, but the minister in answering the question can answer that part of the question that is capable of being answered, from a senator from the other side who is clearly out of his depth when asking a question of a hypothetical nature, as he has done.