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

Mr President, from time to time, as you would know, we in the coalition question statements made by you. On this occasion we fully endorse and accept your statement. Mr President, I trust we always show good grace in accepting the authority of the chair and the decision of the chair, even when we might not necessarily agree with your determination. The simple fact is, and let us be quite frank here, that Senator Brown is a chief interjector, as indeed many of us are because we feel passionate about issues. That is the way it is in this place. Many a time when I have been called upon to withdraw I have thought, ‘That wasn’t a fair cop.’ Nevertheless, I have withdrawn. Quite frankly, many a time I have interjected or behaved in a manner for which, quite possibly, I should have been called to account but have not been. I think that is the experience of every single senator in his place—