Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Hansard source

As a general point, on this, when questions are asked that might be outside ministerial responsibility, it has long been the practice of successive presidents to invite ministers to answer that part of a question which relates to their ministerial responsibilities in cases where it is not clear a question entirely falls within the parameters of the standing orders. I took a similar approach with respect to this particular question to provide the minister with the opportunity. Any place for sanctions is not really a place for this chair, the President, but they are matters for the Senate. What I will, again, remind senators of is the standing orders and what is allowed and not allowed to be in questions. That includes limitations around epithets and imputations. I will strictly apply these because there has been some slippage, in my time in this chamber over the last decade.

I invited the minister to answer or to respond, even though I do not consider that to be a supplementary question, because I think it is fair and reasonable to give the minister an opportunity to respond to the assertion contained within it. Senator Bernardi.