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

There are a number of issues in relation to your ruling on which the opposition might seek put a submission to you. In particular, I note the reference to representative ministers. The Clerk has previously indicated—and, I think, Senator Ryan, has previously indicated—that if a minister representing is asked about the state of mind of another minister, then, obviously, that's not in their knowledge. But I would respectfully suggest that it would be a new threshold to suggest that somehow ministers representing have a different level of accountability to the chamber than do ministers in their own portfolio.

I don't wish to delay the chamber. I wish to reserve our position in relation to what you have articulated. We do want to consider whether or not what you have just said, Mr President, is consistent with rulings of past presidents. I note that you said that we started 1½ minutes late. I would ask that question time continue from the moment the first question is asked, not from the argy-bargy beforehand.