Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the same matter. One can understand why Senator Brandis is so sensitive to this issue, because, after the question that I asked in question time today, one piece of evidence of his knowledge or involvement emerging in the current police investigation or any subsequent proceedings ends the career of the Attorney-General. This is why he is so sensitive. It reminds me, since he referred to his tedious time-wasting interventions here, of the occasion when he sought to do far worse but very similar when the issues around Senator Sinodinos were first raised in the Senate.

As I recall, a statement that I was making during what is now called senator's interests was interjected, or points of order were made, to the extent that at that point in time I did explore the standing orders over what were tedious time-wasting interventions, because Senator Brandis demonstrated his excess, and I would encourage any senator to look at the coverage of it. He was slathering in the coverage on that occasion. So now we see him being very sensitive over the discussions around what should occur in relation to Mr Brough and the confessions that he has made. I remind the Senate that the discussion we are having now—