Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, firstly, questions about the Cabinet Handbook should go to the Minister representing the Prime Minister in the first instance. Secondly, ministers can be questioned about public statements they have made outside that don't relate to their portfolio. Ministers representing other ministers in the other place can, of course, be questioned about matters of public administration within their representational portfolio. I will come back to the chamber in some detail on this. I will invite the minister to say if there is anything she wishes to add. I'm not going to rule the question out of order in this, because I'm going to allow the minister to add something if she wishes.

What I will say is that, I think, without reference to materials, this is a stretch because it does not relate to the portfolio responsibilities of the minister, a public statement made by the minister or the minister she is representing. Senator McKenzie, if you wish to say something in response to the assertions in that question, you may, if not I will move on and provide Senator O'Neill with an opportunity to ask a supplementary question.