George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Deputy President, I raise a point of order—and, please, Senator Cameron, what I am sensitive about is your contempt for the standing orders of the Senate. Mr Deputy President, rule 193(3) provides:

A senator shall not use offensive words against either House of Parliament or of a House of a state or territory parliament, or any member of such House …

It goes on to say:

… all imputations of improper motives and all personal reflections on—

among other things—

… members … shall be considered highly disorderly.

Senator Cameron has told us enough now for it to be perfectly apparent that he is both using offensive words in relation to Mr Brough and reflecting upon him and casting an imputation. There have been no criminal or civil proceedings against Mr Brough. There have been proceedings concerning the Ashby matter which have been a matter of public record. Having read the reasons for decision in those matters, I can tell you, Mr Deputy President, that neither Federal Court judge who dealt with those matters said of Mr Brough what Senator Cameron has said of him, so he is not quoting the words of a Federal Court judge. He is attributing words to a Federal Court judge which were not uttered by that judge, and in doing so he is reflecting upon Mr Brough.