Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I wanted to seek some clarification regarding a ruling from the President, but the President has vacated the chair, so in her absence I will just raise the clarification that I am seeking. It was in relation to a ruling on a point of order of relevance during an answer from Senator Farrell to a question from Senator Tyrrell. It appeared that the President ruled that the minister was being relevant because he had acknowledged the question. I want to go back to a ruling made by President Hogg on Tuesday 18 August 2009, when he stated:

As presidents have ruled over many years, the chair has no power to direct a minister how to answer a question. If, however, I consider that ministers are not being directly relevant to the question, I draw their attention to the question, and sometimes ask them to return to the question, while reminding them of the time they have available to answer it. I will continue to do so in appropriate cases.

In this case, the President did not draw the minister back to the question and instead ruled that he was being relevant by simply acknowledging the question. I put it to you that that approach is inconsistent with previous rulings and statements from the chair on direct relevance. It would also appear to be a very wide interpretation of the test of direct relevance, and I would ask that the President or you reflect on that ruling and come back to the chamber.