Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement in response to that.

Leave granted.

I thank the Leader of the Government in the Senate for the advice. I would make this point: this will make it six out of 19 days that Senator Fierravanti-Wells has been absent from question time since she was appointed to the ministry. There may well be very important reasons for her absence, but I would like to place on record again that the expectation that ministers have is that they are available for Senate question time, because—

Senator Bernardi interjecting—

I appreciate that Senator Bernardi may not agree with the principle of accountability, but many in this chamber do. As I said, I appreciate that—

Senator Bernardi interjecting—